Pharmacognosy bridges traditional Ayurvedic wisdom and modern pharmaceutical science, focusing on the study, identification, quality control and standardization of medicinal plants and natural products used in Ayurvedic formulations. For B.Pharm students, understanding taxonomy, morphology, microscopic features, phytochemistry, extraction, standardization methods (TLC/HPTLC, chromatography, spectrometry), and safety evaluation (heavy metals, pesticides, microbiological limits) is essential. Pharmacognosy supports authentication, detection of adulteration, good agricultural and collection practices, and integration of pharmacology with Ayurvedic principles like Rasa, Guna, Virya and Vipaka. This set of MCQs emphasizes practical and conceptual knowledge to prepare you for exams and professional practice. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. What is a primary role of pharmacognosy in Ayurveda?
- Identification and authentication of medicinal plants
- Design of synthetic drug molecules
- Clinical trial management
- Hospital pharmacy operations
Correct Answer: Identification and authentication of medicinal plants
Q2. Which of the following is a common microscopic characteristic used to identify powdered Ayurvedic crude drugs?
- Crystal habit of synthetic drug
- Stomata type, trichomes and vessel elements
- Pharmacokinetic profile
- Tablet disintegration time
Correct Answer: Stomata type, trichomes and vessel elements
Q3. In pharmacognostic evaluation, which technique is primarily used for fingerprinting herbal extracts?
- High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)
- pH titration
- Mass production fermentation
- Capsule filling efficiency
Correct Answer: High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)
Q4. Which Ayurvedic concept refers to the inherent potency or energy of a drug, often considered in pharmacognosy studies?
- Vipaka
- Virya
- Guna
- Prakriti
Correct Answer: Virya
Q5. DNA barcoding in pharmacognosy is mainly used for:
- Measuring extract viscosity
- Authenticating plant species and detecting adulteration
- Determining tablet hardness
- Calculating dose based on body weight
Correct Answer: Authenticating plant species and detecting adulteration
Q6. Which physicochemical parameter is commonly assessed for powdered herbal drugs?
- Melting point
- Total ash and acid-insoluble ash
- Partition coefficient (log P)
- Oral bioavailability
Correct Answer: Total ash and acid-insoluble ash
Q7. Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) in medicinal plants aim to:
- Ensure standardized cultivation, collection and primary processing
- Replace traditional medicine with synthetic drugs
- Increase tablet shelf-life by coating
- Perform clinical trials on animals only
Correct Answer: Ensure standardized cultivation, collection and primary processing
Q8. Which test helps detect the presence of alkaloids in plant extracts?
- Molybdenum blue test
- Dragendorff’s test
- Biuret test
- Joule-Thomson test
Correct Answer: Dragendorff’s test
Q9. Adulteration of Ayurvedic crude drugs can be identified by:
- Only clinical observation
- Macroscopic, microscopic and chemical tests
- Counting tablets per pack
- Measuring melting point
Correct Answer: Macroscopic, microscopic and chemical tests
Q10. Which phytochemical class is commonly associated with antioxidant activity in many Ayurvedic herbs?
- Alkaloids
- Flavonoids
- Inorganic salts
- Sugars only
Correct Answer: Flavonoids
Q11. Heavy metal testing in Ayurvedic formulations is important because:
- Heavy metals improve taste
- They can cause toxicity if above limits
- They act as preservatives for herbs
- They are used to color tablets
Correct Answer: They can cause toxicity if above limits
Q12. Which extraction parameter most affects the yield of phytoconstituents from a plant?
- Particle size of the plant material
- Number of clinical trials
- Tablet coating thickness
- Pharmacovigilance reports
Correct Answer: Particle size of the plant material
Q13. In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature consists of:
- Family and order
- Genus and species
- Kingdom and phylum
- Class and family
Correct Answer: Genus and species
Q14. Which method is most suitable for quantification of marker compound in an Ayurvedic extract?
- TLC densitometry or HPTLC
- Organoleptic evaluation
- Macroscopic size measurement
- Bacterial culture only
Correct Answer: TLC densitometry or HPTLC
Q15. Ash value in herbal drugs indicates:
- Amount of organic extractives
- Inorganic residue and possible contamination with earthy matter
- Presence of volatile oils
- Degree of polymerization
Correct Answer: Inorganic residue and possible contamination with earthy matter
Q16. Which solvent polarity is generally best for extracting polar phytoconstituents like glycosides?
- Hexane
- Water or methanol
- Carbon tetrachloride
- Petroleum ether
Correct Answer: Water or methanol
Q17. Which Ayurvedic dosage form is essentially a concentrated aqueous extract?
- Churna
- Kwatha (decoction)
- Vati
- Asava
Correct Answer: Kwatha (decoction)
Q18. Which chromatographic technique gives highest resolution for complex herbal mixtures in routine quality control?
- Thin-layer chromatography (TLC)
- High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
- Paper chromatography
- Simple gravity column with sand
Correct Answer: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
Q19. Which parameter is assessed by loss on drying in herbal drug analysis?
- Total ash content
- Moisture content
- Alkaloid concentration
- Viscosity
Correct Answer: Moisture content
Q20. Which term describes plant-derived drugs used in Ayurveda that have been subject to standardized quality control?
- Standardized herbal medicines
- Synthetic chemicals
- Sterile injectables
- Radio-pharmaceuticals
Correct Answer: Standardized herbal medicines
Q21. Which test is commonly used for detecting chloroform-soluble extractives in crude drugs?
- Phytochemical screening for tannins
- Determination of extractive values using appropriate solvent
- Measurement of tablet friability
- Karl Fischer titration
Correct Answer: Determination of extractive values using appropriate solvent
Q22. The term ‘Prabhava’ in Ayurveda refers to:
- Generic botanical name
- Specific unpredictable action of a drug beyond Rasa, Guna, Virya and Vipaka
- Standard extraction method
- A type of chromatography
Correct Answer: Specific unpredictable action of a drug beyond Rasa, Guna, Virya and Vipaka
Q23. Which contamination is evaluated by microbial limit tests in herbal products?
- Heavy metals
- Pathogenic bacteria and total viable count
- Pesticide residues only
- Organoleptic defects
Correct Answer: Pathogenic bacteria and total viable count
Q24. Which of the following is an example of a secondary metabolite important in Ayurveda?
- Cellulose
- Alkaloids
- DNA
- ATP
Correct Answer: Alkaloids
Q25. Which analytical technique is preferred for simultaneous screening of multiple pesticide residues in herb samples?
- Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
- Simple visual inspection
- Paper folding test
- Wet weight measurement
Correct Answer: Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
Q26. Organoleptic evaluation in pharmacognosy includes assessment of:
- Color, odor, taste and texture
- HPLC chromatograms only
- DNA sequence
- Tablet dissolution profiles
Correct Answer: Color, odor, taste and texture
Q27. Which quality standard document describes specifications for Ayurvedic crude drugs?
- European Pharmacopoeia only
- Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia and national pharmacopeias
- Food packaging guidelines
- Hospital formularies
Correct Answer: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia and national pharmacopeias
Q28. Which parameter helps detect sulfuric acid or inorganic contaminants in herbal ash?
- Acid-insoluble ash
- pH of water extract
- Optical rotation
- Melting range
Correct Answer: Acid-insoluble ash
Q29. Ethnobotanical studies in pharmacognosy primarily help to:
- Identify traditional uses and lead plants for drug discovery
- Standardize tablet manufacturing machines
- Measure solubility in organic solvents
- Calculate shelf-life of injectables
Correct Answer: Identify traditional uses and lead plants for drug discovery
Q30. Safety evaluation of Ayurvedic herbals should include which of the following?
- Only organoleptic testing
- Toxicity studies, heavy metal analysis, pesticide residues and microbial limits
- Just color and odor tests
- Only HPTLC fingerprinting without contamination analysis
Correct Answer: Toxicity studies, heavy metal analysis, pesticide residues and microbial limits
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.
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