These free B.Pharm notes on adulteration of drugs of natural origin cover chapter 12 of Introduction to Pharmacognosy, a first-semester subject. Read the key points below, then study the complete chapter PDF. You can browse every chapter in the Introduction to Pharmacognosy category.
Table of Contents
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Overview of adulteration of drugs of natural origin
This chapter defines adulteration of crude drugs and explains related terms such as spoilage, deterioration, admixture, sophistication and substitution. It describes the seven types of adulteration with examples, and then the intentional and unintentional causes, including confusion in vernacular names, careless collection and improper storage.
Key points on adulteration of drugs of natural origin
- Adulteration is the practice of replacing an original crude drug, fully or partly, with spurious substances that are useless or inferior in therapeutic and chemical properties.
- Sophistication means mixing in a spurious or inferior material to deceive and make profit, for example starch added to ginger or yellow colour added to turmeric.
- Complete replacement of a drug by another substance is called substitution, for example cottonseed oil used in place of olive oil.
- Intentional adulteration is done knowingly for profit, scarcity or market demand, while unintentional adulteration occurs from ignorance, carelessness, improper collection or lack of identification.
- Improper storage causes enzymatic breakdown and contamination, and volatile oils of clove and fennel evaporate if not kept airtight and cool.
Relevance to pharmacy practice
Adulterated crude drugs have lower therapeutic effect and may cause adverse effects in patients. Pharmacists must know how and why adulteration happens so they can insist on authentication and quality control of herbal medicines they supply.
Every chapter in this subject builds on the one before it, so do not skip topics that look simple. Definitions, classifications and examples are the parts that examiners return to most often, and a clear understanding here will also make later subjects easier to follow in the coming semesters.
Frequently asked questions on adulteration of drugs of natural origin
What is adulteration of crude drugs?
Adulteration is the practice of replacing an original crude drug, fully or partly, with spurious substances. These substances are useless or inferior in therapeutic and chemical properties, and it is usually done for commercial profit.
What is the difference between adulteration and substitution?
Adulteration mixes a spurious or inferior material into the drug, while substitution is the complete replacement by another substance, such as cottonseed oil for olive oil.
What are the causes of unintentional adulteration?
They include confusion in vernacular names, lack of knowledge of authentic sources, similarity in morphology or colour, careless collection, improper time of collection, and improper storage and handling.
Quick revision checklist
Use this self-test after reading the chapter on adulteration of drugs of natural origin. If you can do all of the following without looking at your notes, you are ready for the exam.
- I can explain: the meaning of adulteration
- I can explain: spoilage, admixture and sophistication
- I can explain: the seven types of adulteration
- I can explain: intentional causes of adulteration
- I can explain: unintentional causes of adulteration
Study and exam tips
Start by reading the chapter once for the overall idea, then revise adulteration of drugs of natural origin using headings, definitions, classifications and examples. Short-answer questions in the university exam usually ask for definitions, features, advantages, disadvantages and examples, so write these in your own words and practise drawing the tables and flow charts that the chapter has.
For wider reading, standard textbooks and open resources such as the NCBI Bookshelf help you confirm terms and see more examples. Revise adulteration of drugs of natural origin again a day later and again a week later, because spaced revision improves long-term memory.
This page is part of the Introduction to Pharmacognosy series for first-semester B.Pharm students on B.Pharm Guru, where every chapter has a short summary and a full PDF. Bookmark this page and share it with classmates who are preparing for the same exam.
Related notes: 14. PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS, 15. BIOLOGICAL METHODS AND DNA BARCODING.
Next: 13. EVALUATION OF DRUGS USING ORGANOLEPTIC, MICROSCOPIC (QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE), PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL METHODS. Back to the Introduction to Pharmacognosy category.
