Pharmacognosy in Siddha bridges traditional medicine and modern pharmacy, offering B.Pharm students tools to identify, authenticate and standardize Siddha materia medica. It covers macroscopic and microscopic identification, phytochemical screening, chromatographic fingerprinting (TLC, HPTLC, HPLC), marker compound assays, and safety evaluation including heavy metal and toxicology testing. Emphasis on quality control, adulteration detection, chemotaxonomy, ethnobotanical documentation and sustainable sourcing prepares students for formulation development and regulatory compliance. Applying pharmacognostic principles strengthens research, clinical safety and reliable production of Siddha formulations by ensuring proper raw material selection and standard operating procedures. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. Which statement best defines pharmacognosy?
- The study of therapeutic procedures in Siddha clinical practice
- The study of medicinal drugs obtained from natural sources
- The study of synthetic drug design and chemical synthesis
- The study of drug metabolism in humans
Correct Answer: The study of medicinal drugs obtained from natural sources
Q2. What is the primary role of pharmacognosy in Siddha medicine?
- Development of new synthetic analgesics
- Authentication and standardization of Siddha materia medica
- Clinical trial design for modern drugs
- Hospital pharmacy management
Correct Answer: Authentication and standardization of Siddha materia medica
Q3. Siddha materia medica typically includes which types of drugs?
- Only plant-derived drugs
- Plant and synthetic drugs only
- Plant, mineral and animal drugs
- Only mineral-based compounds
Correct Answer: Plant, mineral and animal drugs
Q4. Macroscopic pharmacognostic examination primarily assesses which characteristics?
- Cell wall ultrastructure under electron microscope
- Gross morphology, organoleptic characters and external features
- Genetic markers using PCR techniques
- Quantitative marker compound assay
Correct Answer: Gross morphology, organoleptic characters and external features
Q5. Powder microscopy in pharmacognosy is most useful for detecting:
- Total ash and acid insoluble ash values
- Diagnostic cellular structures such as trichomes, vessels and starch grains
- Quantitative concentrations of alkaloids by weight
- Heavy metal contamination levels
Correct Answer: Diagnostic cellular structures such as trichomes, vessels and starch grains
Q6. Preliminary phytochemical screening commonly detects which classes of compounds?
- Proteins, DNA and RNA only
- Alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides and saponins
- Inorganic salts and heavy metals
- Polymers and plastics
Correct Answer: Alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides and saponins
Q7. A “marker compound” in herbal standardization is best described as:
- An arbitrary impurity tolerated in herbal extracts
- A specific chemical constituent used to standardize and identify plant material
- A testing reagent for microbial contamination
- A placebo used in clinical trials
Correct Answer: A specific chemical constituent used to standardize and identify plant material
Q8. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) in pharmacognosy is primarily used for:
- Measuring pH of herbal extracts
- Chromatographic fingerprinting and preliminary identification of constituents
- Determining particle size distribution
- Assessing thermal stability of formulations
Correct Answer: Chromatographic fingerprinting and preliminary identification of constituents
Q9. An advantage of HPTLC over conventional TLC is:
- Higher solvent consumption and longer run times
- Higher resolution and reproducibility for fingerprinting and quantification
- Inability to analyze complex mixtures
- Elimination of need for sample preparation
Correct Answer: Higher resolution and reproducibility for fingerprinting and quantification
Q10. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is most suited for:
- Qualitative organoleptic evaluation
- Accurate quantification of marker compounds in extracts
- Microscopic examination of tissues
- Measuring total ash values
Correct Answer: Accurate quantification of marker compounds in extracts
Q11. WHO monographs for herbal drugs provide guidance on:
- Hospital dosing schedules for synthetic drugs
- Quality control, safety data and monograph standards for herbal medicines
- Patent strategies for botanical products
- Clinical management of emergency cases
Correct Answer: Quality control, safety data and monograph standards for herbal medicines
Q12. Ash value determination in pharmacognosy indicates:
- The total volatile oil content
- The amount of inorganic residue and possible contamination or adulteration
- The specific alkaloid content of a drug
- The microbial load of a sample
Correct Answer: The amount of inorganic residue and possible contamination or adulteration
Q13. “Loss on drying” is a test used to estimate:
- Total ash content
- Moisture content and volatile matter in a drug sample
- Concentration of flavonoids
- Heavy metal contamination
Correct Answer: Moisture content and volatile matter in a drug sample
Q14. Extractive value of a crude drug indicates:
- Amount of constituents soluble in a given solvent under specified conditions
- Percentage of inorganic ash in the sample
- Particle size distribution after milling
- Microbial contamination level
Correct Answer: Amount of constituents soluble in a given solvent under specified conditions
Q15. A voucher specimen in pharmacognosy is important because it:
- Serves as a permanent botanical reference confirming identity
- Replaces the need for chromatographic analysis
- Is used to standardize HPLC methods
- Measures heavy metal levels
Correct Answer: Serves as a permanent botanical reference confirming identity
Q16. Chemotaxonomy in herbal drug identification refers to:
- Using DNA barcoding exclusively to identify species
- Using chemical constituent profiles to support taxonomic classification
- Assessing organoleptic properties only
- Measuring microbial contaminants for taxonomic study
Correct Answer: Using chemical constituent profiles to support taxonomic classification
Q17. Heavy metal testing is essential in Siddha pharmacognosy mainly because:
- Siddha formulations never contain minerals
- Mineral and herbal raw materials may be contaminated or intentionally mineral-based
- It replaces the need for microbial testing
- It measures alkaloid potency
Correct Answer: Mineral and herbal raw materials may be contaminated or intentionally mineral-based
Q18. Common forms of adulteration in herbal drugs include:
- Addition of synthetic antibiotics
- Substitution with cheaper plant species, addition of sand or starch, or mixing with other plant parts
- Changing the color using natural dyes only
- Using freeze-dried genuine material
Correct Answer: Substitution with cheaper plant species, addition of sand or starch, or mixing with other plant parts
Q19. Standardization of a polyherbal Siddha formulation typically requires:
- Only organoleptic evaluation of the final product
- Quantitative assay of marker compounds and chromatographic fingerprinting
- Exclusive reliance on traditional texts with no lab tests
- Only microbial sterility testing
Correct Answer: Quantitative assay of marker compounds and chromatographic fingerprinting
Q20. Ethnobotanical documentation contributes to pharmacognosy by providing:
- Standard HPLC methods for all plants
- Information on traditional uses, local names, preparation methods and conservation status
- Direct clinical efficacy data from randomized trials
- Methods for synthetic drug production
Correct Answer: Information on traditional uses, local names, preparation methods and conservation status
Q21. The most reliable approach to authenticate a powdered herbal drug is:
- Only organoleptic testing by smell
- Powder microscopy combined with diagnostic chemical tests and chromatographic profiling
- Measuring pH of the powder
- Estimating bulk density
Correct Answer: Powder microscopy combined with diagnostic chemical tests and chromatographic profiling
Q22. Which microscopic features are diagnostic in plant drug identification?
- Presence of trichomes, vessel elements, stone cells and starch grains
- Total ash and acid insoluble ash values
- UV absorption maxima only
- Viscosity of aqueous extracts
Correct Answer: Presence of trichomes, vessel elements, stone cells and starch grains
Q23. Pharmacognosy supports safety evaluation of Siddha drugs by:
- Replacing toxicology studies with organoleptic tests
- Identifying toxic constituents, assessing heavy metals and guiding preclinical toxicology
- Ensuring products are free from any natural constituents
- Eliminating the need for clinical monitoring
Correct Answer: Identifying toxic constituents, assessing heavy metals and guiding preclinical toxicology
Q24. Which extraction technique involves continuous hot solvent extraction?
- Maceration
- Percolation
- Soxhlet extraction
- Supercritical fluid extraction
Correct Answer: Soxhlet extraction
Q25. A chromatographic fingerprint of a herbal extract refers to:
- The profile of spot or peak patterns representing multiple constituents used for identification
- The DNA sequence of the plant species
- The organoleptic description in a monograph
- The pH stability curve of the extract
Correct Answer: The profile of spot or peak patterns representing multiple constituents used for identification
Q26. How does pharmacognosy contribute to conservation of medicinal plants?
- By promoting wild harvesting without limits
- By developing cultivation protocols, sustainable harvesting guidelines and identification of substitutes for endangered species
- By encouraging exclusive use of synthetic drugs
- By banning all use of medicinal plants
Correct Answer: By developing cultivation protocols, sustainable harvesting guidelines and identification of substitutes for endangered species
Q27. An example of a chemotaxonomic marker is:
- Measuring moisture content by loss on drying
- Berberine presence in Berberis species used to support genus identification
- Determination of total ash
- Organoleptic bitterness testing
Correct Answer: Berberine presence in Berberis species used to support genus identification
Q28. Which statement distinguishes pharmacognosy from pharmacology?
- Pharmacognosy studies drug action in humans; pharmacology identifies plant raw materials
- Pharmacognosy focuses on natural product identification and quality; pharmacology studies biological effects and mechanisms
- They are identical disciplines with no differences
- Pharmacognosy is only historical study, pharmacology is laboratory work
Correct Answer: Pharmacognosy focuses on natural product identification and quality; pharmacology studies biological effects and mechanisms
Q29. Which parameter is most relevant for assessing microbial contamination in herbal raw materials?
- Total viable aerobic count and absence of specified pathogens
- Total ash and acid insoluble ash
- Extractive value in methanol
- Chromatographic fingerprint
Correct Answer: Total viable aerobic count and absence of specified pathogens
Q30. Developing monographs and SOPs in pharmacognosy is important because they:
- Are only theoretical documents with no practical use
- Ensure reproducible quality, regulatory compliance and safe use of Siddha raw materials and formulations
- Replace the need for any laboratory testing
- Are used only for marketing purposes
Correct Answer: Ensure reproducible quality, regulatory compliance and safe use of Siddha raw materials and formulations
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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