PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF CRUDE DRUGS
Phytochemical investigation involves the systematic study of chemical constituents present in medicinal plants. It includes extraction, isolation, identification and characterization of bioactive compounds responsible for therapeutic activity.
Objectives
- Identify active constituents
- Detect adulteration
- Standardize formulations
- Discover new drugs
- Ensure safety and quality
Steps in Phytochemical Investigation
Collection and Authentication
Plants must be collected and authenticated to ensure correct identity and avoid adulteration.
Drying and Powdering
Shade drying preserves active compounds, followed by powdering for extraction.
Extraction
Active constituents are extracted using suitable solvents.
- Maceration
- Percolation
- Soxhlet extraction
- Steam distillation
- Advanced extraction techniques
Preliminary Screening
Chemical tests detect major phytochemical groups.
- Dragendorff’s test (alkaloids)
- Borntrager’s test (glycosides)
- Ferric chloride test (tannins)
- Shinoda test (flavonoids)
- Salkowski test (terpenoids)
Isolation
Compounds are separated using chromatographic techniques.
- TLC
- HPLC
- GC
- Column chromatography
Purification
Impurities are removed using crystallization or chromatography.
Characterization
Structure is determined using spectroscopic methods.
- UV spectroscopy
- IR spectroscopy
- NMR
- Mass spectrometry
Importance
- Ensures purity and authenticity
- Prevents adulteration
- Explains pharmacological action
- Supports drug development
- Maintains quality control
Applications
- Standardization of herbal products
- Quality control in pharma industry
- Drug discovery
- Research in pharmacognosy
- Development of nutraceuticals
Dr. Saint Paul is a pharmacy educator, Pharm.D graduate, and academic content creator from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTUK), where he completed his Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) degree between 2015 and 2021.
He has more than 7 years of experience creating pharmacy educational content, writing study materials, and reviewing academic articles for pharmacy students. He has also contributed guest articles to pharmacy education platforms, including PharmD Guru.
At D.PharmGuru, his work focuses on simplifying complex Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharmacy) subjects into easy-to-understand notes, practical explanations, and exam-oriented educational resources for students across India.
His areas of focus include Human Anatomy and Physiology, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Hospital and Clinical Pharmacy, and other core D.Pharmacy subjects.
