EVALUATION OF CRUDE DRUGS:
Evaluation of crude drug means determination of identity, purity and quality of a drug.
Evaluation of crude is most important to know whether the drugs are adulterated with other substance or not.
Before using any crude drug it must be checked for its quality and purity.
Methods of evaluation
There are five methods for evaluating crude drug for its quality and purity by considering morphological, physical and chemical characteristics.
Organoleptic evaluation
Anatomical evaluation
Physical evaluation
Chemical evaluation
Biological evaluation
Organoleptic evaluation:
It includes the study of morphology and sensory characters. Two types are present
Sensory characters Gross features
Sensory characters:
Size and Shape, Colour, Texture, Odour and Taste are useful in the evaluation of drugs.
Size and shape:
Each and every plant has its own shape for its fruits, leaves. And even a particular size is present.
Example is: Size: capsicum Leaves
Shape: Tragacanth- ribbon shaped,
Acacia- ovoid tear shaped.
Colour:
Each and every crude drug or plant has its own color for its flowers, fruits and seeds.
Example is:
Cardamom- green colour fruit
Cinnamon- brown color bark
Turmeric-yellow colour powder
Texture:
Each and every plant has its own texture for better identification.