Unorganized drugs

They are crude drugs of plant or animal origin and having no cellular structure. They are either mixture of chemical substances or they are decomposition products.

They are classified into several groups:1. Resins and resin combinations.2. Gums3. Lattices.4. Juices.5. Extracts.

1- ResinColophony

Origin: the dried residue left after distilling the volatile oil from the oleo-resin obtained from Pinus palustris, P. toeda and other species of Pinus F. Pinaceae

Solubility: insoluble in water, soluble in chloroform and ethanol.

Constituents: 84% abietic acid, volatile oil.

Chemical tests:

1- 10 ml of 1% solution in acetic anhydride, add a drop of H2SO4 → bright pink colour → violet.

2- Shake 0.05 g powdered colophony with benzene, filter, to the filtrate add equal volume of dil. Cu acetate, shake → the benzene layer acquire a bright bluish green colour.

Uses: stimulant and diuretic

Ingredient of ointments, plasters, varnishes, paint dryers, printing inks and floor coverings.

2- Oleogum resinsMyrrh

Origin: oleogumresin obtained from the stems and branches of Commiphora molmol and other species of Commiphora F. Burseraceae

Constituents: volatile oil, resin, gum, bitter principle.

Chemical tests: 1- Triturate powdered myrrh with water → yellowish brown

emulsion.2- triturate 0.4 g of myrrh with 1 g of sand, shake with 10 ml

ether, filter, divide the extract into two dishes:a- evaporate to dryness, add few drops of HNO3 → purplish

violet colour.b- evaporate to dryness, expose to bromine vapour →

violet colour.

Uses: 1- Antiseptic in mouth wash preparations. 2- uterine stimulant and emmenagogue.3- stomachic.4- In perfumery.

3- Gumsa- Gum Arabic

Origin: the dried gummy exudates from the trunk and branches of Acacia Senegal or of some other African species of Acacia F. Leguminosae

Solubility: 1 g is almost completely soluble, but slowly, in 2 ml of water. Insoluble in ethanol and in ether.

Constituents: 1- Arabin: a complex mixture of calcium, magnesium and potassium salts of Arabic acid.

Arabic acid: branched polysaccharide2- enzymes: oxidases, peroxidases and pectinases.

Chemical tests:1- aqueous solution + H2O2 + benzidine → deep blue

colour.2- powder + I2 → yellowish brown colour.3- aqueous solution + solution of lead acetate →

flocculated white ppt. Uses:1- Emulsifying and suspending agent.2- demulcent and emollient.3- adhesive and binder in tablet manufacture.

b- Gum Tragacanth

Origin: the dried gummy exudates obtained by incision from Astragalus gummifer and other Asiatic species of Astragalus F. Leguminosae

Solubility: slightly soluble in water, swelling at first into a homogeneous adhesive mass. It is insoluble in ethanol.

Constituents: 1- Bassorin: a complex of polyhydroxylated acids

2- Tragacanthin: demethoxylated bassorin

Chemical tests:1- aqueous solution + HCl, heat for 30 min., divide into two portions:

a- add NaOH and potassium copper tartarate, heat in W.B. → red ppt

b- add BaCl2 → no ppt (agar).

2- solution in water + barium hydroxide → slight flocculent ppt , heat → yellow colour.

Uses:As gum arabic, but due to its resistance to acid hydrolysis it is preferred

for use in highly acidic conditions.

4- Dried JuicesAloe

Origin: the solid residue obtained by evaporating the liquid juice, which drains from the leaves, cut transversely near their bases, of Aloe ferox and its hybrids known in commerce as Cape Aloes, or of A. perryi known in commerce as Socotrine or Zinzibar Aloes or of A. vera known in commerce as Curacao Aloes F. Liliaceae

Solubility: partially soluble in water, chloroform and ether, completely soluble in ethanol, alkali and glacial acetic acid.

Constituents: 1- number of anthraquinone glycosides, the major one is barbaloin.

2- A number of free anthraquinones.

Chemical tests: 1. aqueous extract + borax, heat, add 5-10 drops of this

solution to a test tube filled with water→ green fluorescence.

2. Aqueous extract + bromine water → pale yellow ppt.3. Aqueous extract, shake with benzene, add amm.

Hydroxide to benzene layer → cherry red colour in the amm. Layer.

Uses:1. cathartic.2. Hair fall.

5- Dried Aqueous ExtractsAgar

Origin: it consists of polysaccharides obtained by extracting various species of Rhodophyceae, mainly those belonging to the genus Gelidium, with boiling water, filtering whilst hot and evaporating to dryness.

Solubility: insoluble in cold water, slowly swells and is soluble in boiling water.

Constituents: it is the calcium salt of strongly ionized, acidic polysaccharides. It can be resolved into two major fractions, agarose and agaropectin.

Chemical tests:1. powder + rhuthenium red → the particles are stained

deep red.

2. Powder + KOH → deep yellow colour.

3. Powder + I2 → reddish to violet but not blue colour.

4. Aqueous solution + dil. HCL, boil in W.B. for 30 min, add BaCl2 → white ppt. ( gum tragacanth and gelatin).

Uses: 1. Laxative

2. Suspending agent and emulsifier.

3. Gelating agent for supp. And surgical lubricants.

4. Tablet disintegrate.

5. Used as a gel in bacteriologic culture media.

6. In food processing.

6- Dried LaticesOpium

Origin: the air dried latex obtained by incision of the unripe capsule of Papaver somniferum F. Papaveraceae.

Constituents: opium contains a large number of alkaloids, the most important of them: morphine, codeine, papaverine and contains 3-5% meconic acidwhich exists free or in combination with alkaloids.

Chemical tests:1. Extract with alcohol containing a few drops of

dil. HCl, evaporate to dryness.

2. Residue, boil with water + MgO, filter while hot, concentrate the filtrate which contains Mg meconate.

3. Acidify with HCl + few drops of FeCl3 → brown red to purplish red colour.

Uses: opium is CNS depressant. It acts as analgesic and hypnotic.

Animal Drugs1- Cantharides

(Spanish fly, Russian fly, Blistering beetle)

Origin: the dried insect Cantharis vesicatoria F. Meloidae

Constituents: Cantharidin which is the inner anhydride of a dibasic acid cantharidic acid.

Uses: externally, irritant, vesicant and rubefacientUsed in plasters and hair preparations.

2- Ambergris

A very expensive substance used in perfumery, it is a pathological product in the intestine of sperm whales or cast by them into the sea.

It contains 25% of ambrein, it has a fragrant musk-like odour.

Used in perfumes.

3- Musk

Origin: the dried secretion from the follicles of the musk deer Moschus moschiferus, a small deer found in China and the Himalayas.

Constituents: mainly volatile oil contains a cyclic ketone (15C) called muskone.

Uses: in perfumes.

4 - Bees Wax

Origin: the wax separated from the honeycomb of the hive bee, Apis mellifera and other species of Apis F. Apidae.

Constituents: 80% myricin (myricyl palmitate and stearate)

Uses: in ointments.Commercially it is an ingredient of a number of

polishes.

5- Gelatin

It is a mixture of gel-forming proteins obtained by treating certain animal tissues, particularly skin and bones with hot water. The process converts insoluble collagens into soluble gelatin, the solution is then purified and concentrated to a solid form.

Constituents: consists mainly of the protein glutin and so gives positive test for proteins.

Uses: 1. In preparation of capsules, supp.2. Nutrient, used in preparation of food products.3. In bacteriologic culture media.