Adulteration of drugs of natural origin MCQs With Answer

Adulteration of drugs of natural origin MCQs With Answer is a focused set for B.Pharm students covering adulteration, contamination, substitution, and quality control of herbal and natural drugs. This introduction highlights key terms: adulteration, herbal drugs, pharmacognosy, authentication, analytical methods (TLC, HPTLC, HPLC, GC-MS, DNA barcoding), pharmacopoeial standards, contaminants (heavy metals, pesticides, microbes), and common adulterants (starches, dyes, cheaper plant species). The questions emphasize detection techniques, sampling, legal and safety implications, and real-world case studies to deepen understanding of screening and confirmatory tests. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which term best describes deliberate replacement of a valuable medicinal plant with a cheaper species?

• Contamination
• Substitution
• Adulteration by dilution
• Natural variation

Correct Answer: Substitution

Q2. Which simple organoleptic method helps detect adulteration in powdered herbal drugs?

• Thin layer chromatography
• Microscopy
• Color, odor, and taste examination
• DNA barcoding

Correct Answer: Color, odor, and taste examination

Q3. Which microscopic feature is commonly used to authenticate powdered plant drugs?

• Retention time in HPLC
• Presence of specific stomata, trichomes, or fibers
• UV absorbance at 254 nm
• Mass spectral fragmentation pattern

Correct Answer: Presence of specific stomata, trichomes, or fibers

Q4. Which chromatographic technique is most commonly used for fingerprinting and semi-quantitative analysis of herbal extracts in quality control?

• Gas chromatography with FID
• High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)
• Capillary electrophoresis
• Paper chromatography

Correct Answer: High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)

Q5. Which modern molecular method can detect species-level substitution in herbal drugs?

• Melting point determination
• DNA barcoding
• Infrared spectroscopy
• Loss on drying

Correct Answer: DNA barcoding

Q6. Which is a common adulterant added to powdered herbal drugs to increase bulk?

• Starch
• Gold nanoparticles
• Enzymes
• Recombinant proteins

Correct Answer: Starch

Q7. Presence of which contaminant is primarily assessed by atomic absorption spectroscopy or ICP methods?

• Microbial contamination
• Pesticide residues
• Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium)
• Residual solvents

Correct Answer: Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium)

Q8. Which analytical technique provides both qualitative and quantitative confirmation of volatile adulterants and pesticides?

• HPTLC
• GC-MS
• Polarimetry
• Karl Fischer titration

Correct Answer: GC-MS

Q9. Which test is NOT typically used for preliminary screening of cardiac glycosides in plant materials?

• Kedde test
• Baljet test
• Trease and Evans test for tannins
• Liebermann-Burchard test for steroids

Correct Answer: Trease and Evans test for tannins

Q10. Which pharmacopoeial parameter directly detects foreign inorganic materials in crude drugs?

• Assay for active principle
• Loss on drying
• Total ash and acid-insoluble ash
• Thin layer chromatographic profile

Correct Answer: Total ash and acid-insoluble ash

Q11. HPTLC offers which main advantage over conventional TLC for herbal drug analysis?

• Lower sensitivity
• Less reproducibility
• Higher resolution and densitometric quantification
• Inability to use automated application

Correct Answer: Higher resolution and densitometric quantification

Q12. Which contamination is a major concern in storage of herbal drugs and may be detected by mycotoxin assays?

• Heavy metal contamination
• Aflatoxin contamination from molds
• Pigment fading
• Residual solvent contamination

Correct Answer: Aflatoxin contamination from molds

Q13. What is the primary purpose of conducting assay and content uniformity tests on herbal extracts?

• To determine microbial limits only
• To quantify active constituents and ensure dosage consistency
• To identify foreign species by microscopy
• To check for inorganic ash content only

Correct Answer: To quantify active constituents and ensure dosage consistency

Q14. Which practice reduces risk of accidental contamination during collection and processing of medicinal plants?

• Mixing batches from different sources
• Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP)
• Storing in open, humid conditions
• Using uncalibrated grinders

Correct Answer: Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP)

Q15. Which regulatory document provides monographs and official tests for herbal drugs used in many countries?

• Vehicle maintenance manual
• Pharmacopoeia (e.g., IP, BP, USP)
• Food recipe book
• Industrial safety datasheet

Correct Answer: Pharmacopoeia (e.g., IP, BP, USP)

Q16. In TLC fingerprinting, what indicates possible adulteration when comparing sample and reference?

• Identical Rf values and color of spots
• Missing characteristic spots or extra unexpected spots
• Same solvent front distance only
• Use of a glass plate instead of aluminum

Correct Answer: Missing characteristic spots or extra unexpected spots

Q17. Which parameter is assessed to evaluate microbial safety of herbal formulations?

• Total viable count and specific pathogens (e.g., E. coli, Salmonella)
• Acid-insoluble ash only
• Sugar content only
• Melting point of constituents

Correct Answer: Total viable count and specific pathogens (e.g., E. coli, Salmonella)

Q18. Which is a typical indicator of intentional chemical adulteration in herbal preparations marketed for diabetes?

• Presence of plant fibers
• Detection of undeclared synthetic hypoglycemic drugs
• Reduced moisture content
• Higher ash value

Correct Answer: Detection of undeclared synthetic hypoglycemic drugs

Q19. What is the role of marker compounds in herbal drug standardization?

• They serve no analytical purpose
• Indicator for identification and quantification of quality
• They replace the need for any chromatographic tests
• They are only used in botanical nomenclature

Correct Answer: Indicator for identification and quantification of quality

Q20. Which sample preparation technique is commonly used before chromatographic analysis of herbal extracts?

• Direct injection of crude powder without extraction
• Solvent extraction followed by filtration and concentration
• Combustion of sample
• Lyophilization of whole plant without solvent

Correct Answer: Solvent extraction followed by filtration and concentration

Q21. Which statement about economic adulteration is correct?

• It is always accidental and due to environmental factors
• It is deliberate addition or substitution to increase profit
• It refers only to pesticide contamination
• It cannot be detected by chromatographic methods

Correct Answer: It is deliberate addition or substitution to increase profit

Q22. Which test is most appropriate for detecting undeclared synthetic analgesics in herbal pain relief products?

• Microscopy for stomata
• HPLC or LC-MS screening for synthetic drugs
• Total ash determination
• Organoleptic taste test

Correct Answer: HPLC or LC-MS screening for synthetic drugs

Q23. Which contamination might result from improper drying and storage of herbal materials?

• Increase in active principle content
• Microbial growth and mycotoxin formation
• Guaranteed pharmacopoeial compliance
• Enhanced DNA stability

Correct Answer: Microbial growth and mycotoxin formation

Q24. For authentication of powdered roots where microscopy is inconclusive, which method gives species-specific confirmation?

• Color comparison with reference powder
• DNA-based methods such as PCR or barcoding
• Determination of moisture content only
• Measuring pH of extract

Correct Answer: DNA-based methods such as PCR or barcoding

Q25. Which is an example of unintentional adulteration of herbal drugs?

• Adulteration with cheaper plant species by suppliers
• Cross-contamination with weeds during harvesting
• Deliberate addition of synthetic steroids
• Labeling with false potency claims

Correct Answer: Cross-contamination with weeds during harvesting

Q26. Which parameter is critical for detecting inorganic contaminants introduced during processing?

• HPTLC fingerprint
• Total ash and heavy metal analysis
• UV spectra only
• Organoleptic evaluation

Correct Answer: Total ash and heavy metal analysis

Q27. Which of the following is a limitation of relying solely on organoleptic and microscopic tests?

• They are always sufficient for full authentication
• They cannot detect chemical adulterants or synthetic drugs reliably
• They detect DNA-level substitution reliably
• They quantify active constituents accurately

Correct Answer: They cannot detect chemical adulterants or synthetic drugs reliably

Q28. Which proactive measure helps prevent economic adulteration in supply chains?

• Purchasing from unknown suppliers
• Implementing established supplier qualification and traceability
• Mixing lots without testing
• Ignoring pharmacopoeial standards

Correct Answer: Implementing established supplier qualification and traceability

Q29. Which analytical workflow is appropriate for confirmation when an HPTLC fingerprint shows an unexpected spot?

• Ignore the spot and release the batch
• Isolate the spot and analyze by LC-MS or GC-MS for identification
• Only measure moisture content
• Perform organoleptic test alone

Correct Answer: Isolate the spot and analyze by LC-MS or GC-MS for identification

Q30. Which principle underlies the use of pharmacopoeial monographs to control adulteration of natural drugs?

• Providing standardized identity, purity, and assay tests to ensure quality and safety
• Encouraging uncontrolled variability in raw materials
• Mandating only organoleptic tests without chemical assays
• Promoting intentional substitution to reduce costs

Correct Answer: Providing standardized identity, purity, and assay tests to ensure quality and safety

G S Sachin

I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.

Mail- Sachin@pharmacyfreak.com