Active constituents in indigenous antidiabetic and hepatoprotective plants MCQs With Answer

Active constituents in indigenous antidiabetic and hepatoprotective plants MCQs With Answer is designed for M.Pharm students preparing for MPC 104T: Chemistry of Natural Products. This quiz collection emphasizes the chemistry, pharmacology, standardization markers and analytical approaches for native medicinal plants with antidiabetic and hepatoprotective properties. Each question tests deeper understanding of bioactive classes (triterpenoids, iridoid glycosides, lignans, alkaloids, peptides), mechanisms (alpha‑glucosidase inhibition, insulin secretion, antioxidant hepatoprotection), and practical aspects such as extraction, marker selection and analytical methods (HPLC, LC‑MS). Use these MCQs to reinforce lecture concepts, identify knowledge gaps, and prepare for examinations and research in phytopharmaceutical standardization and bioactivity evaluation.

Q1. Which constituent is commonly used as a chemical marker for Momordica charantia (bitter gourd)?

• Gymnemic acid
• Charantin
• Phyllanthin
• Picroside‑I

Correct Answer: Charantin

Q2. Gymnemic acids, the major active components of Gymnema sylvestre, belong to which chemical class?

• Alkaloids
• Flavonoids
• Triterpenoid saponins
• Iridoid glycosides

Correct Answer: Triterpenoid saponins

Q3. The insulin‑like polypeptide isolated from Momordica charantia that contributes to hypoglycaemic activity is known as:

• Polypeptide‑p
• Insulin‑like growth factor 1
• Andrographolide
• Glycyrrhizin

Correct Answer: Polypeptide‑p

Q4. Which stilbene derivative isolated from Pterocarpus marsupium is associated with antidiabetic activity?

• Pterostilbene
• Curcumin
• Glycyrrhizin
• Phyllanthin

Correct Answer: Pterostilbene

Q5. 4‑Hydroxyisoleucine, an amino acid that stimulates insulin secretion, is a characteristic constituent of which plant?

• Gymnema sylvestre
• Trigonella foenum‑graecum
• Tinospora cordifolia
• Boerhavia diffusa

Correct Answer: Trigonella foenum‑graecum

Q6. Phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin are lignans used as markers for which hepatoprotective plant?

• Phyllanthus amarus
• Picrorhiza kurroa
• Andrographis paniculata
• Glycyrrhiza glabra

Correct Answer: Phyllanthus amarus

Q7. Picroside‑I, an active hepatoprotective constituent of Picrorhiza kurroa, is classified as which type of compound?

• Flavonoid
• Iridoid glycoside
• Diterpenoid lactone
• Alkaloid

Correct Answer: Iridoid glycoside

Q8. Which of the following is the major diarylheptanoid responsible for the hepatoprotective and anti‑inflammatory effects of Curcuma longa?

• Curcumin
• Silybin
• Glycyrrhizin
• Andrographolide

Correct Answer: Curcumin

Q9. The principal bioactive diterpenoid lactone responsible for the hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory activities of Andrographis paniculata is:

• Andrographolide
• Silymarin
• Charantin
• Gymnemic acid

Correct Answer: Andrographolide

Q10. Glycyrrhizin, a potent hepatoprotective agent from Glycyrrhiza glabra, belongs to which chemical family?

• Flavonoid
• Alkaloid
• Triterpenoid saponin
• Iridoid glycoside

Correct Answer: Triterpenoid saponin

Q11. Gymnemic acids primarily reduce postprandial glucose levels by which mechanism?

• Stimulating pancreatic β‑cell proliferation directly
• Binding intestinal sugar receptors and reducing glucose absorption
• Inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis via PEPCK blockade
• Acting as insulin receptor agonists in peripheral tissues

Correct Answer: Binding intestinal sugar receptors and reducing glucose absorption

Q12. Which substrate is commonly used in spectrophotometric assays to measure alpha‑glucosidase inhibitory activity of plant extracts?

• p‑Nitrophenyl‑α‑D‑glucopyranoside (pNPG)
• Glucose oxidase reagent
• ATP luminescence kit
• Bradford protein reagent

Correct Answer: p‑Nitrophenyl‑α‑D‑glucopyranoside (pNPG)

Q13. For standardization of Picrorhiza kurroa extracts, which marker compound is routinely quantified?

• Picroside‑I
• Silybin
• Charantin
• Gymnemic acid

Correct Answer: Picroside‑I

Q14. Which analytical technique provides the most sensitive multi‑analyte quantitation with structural confirmation for complex herbal extracts?

• Thin layer chromatography (TLC)
• Gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC‑FID)
• LC‑MS/MS (liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry)
• Paper chromatography

Correct Answer: LC‑MS/MS (liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry)

Q15. The hepatoprotective activity of Silybum marianum (silymarin) is largely attributed to its ability to:

• Stabilize hepatocyte membranes and act as an antioxidant
• Directly inhibit insulin secretion
• Chelate dietary iron in the gut
• Act as an irreversible CYP450 inducer

Correct Answer: Stabilize hepatocyte membranes and act as an antioxidant

Q16. Kutkoside and related compounds are signature iridoid glycosides of which hepatoprotective herb?

• Phyllanthus amarus
• Picrorhiza kurroa
• Gymnema sylvestre
• Momordica charantia

Correct Answer: Picrorhiza kurroa

Q17. Which extraction solvent system is most appropriate to efficiently extract polar glycosides and saponins from plant material?

• n‑Hexane
• 70% methanol (aqueous methanol)
• Carbon tetrachloride
• Petroleum ether

Correct Answer: 70% methanol (aqueous methanol)

Q18. Which statement correctly describes a major pharmaceutical challenge associated with curcumin (from Curcuma longa)?

• It has excellent water solubility and long plasma half‑life
• It is photostable and resistant to metabolic conjugation
• It exhibits poor oral bioavailability due to low solubility and rapid metabolism
• It is a peptide‑based compound degraded by peptidases

Correct Answer: It exhibits poor oral bioavailability due to low solubility and rapid metabolism

Q19. In in vivo studies assessing hepatoprotective efficacy of herbal preparations, which serum biomarkers are most commonly measured to evaluate liver injury and protection?

• Serum creatinine and urea
• Serum ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase)
• Hemoglobin and hematocrit
• Plasma insulin and C‑peptide

Correct Answer: Serum ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase)

Q20. Which classical phytochemical color test is typically used to detect the presence of steroidal or triterpenoidal aglycones in plant extracts?

• Dragendorff’s reagent
• Bornträger’s test
• Liebermann‑Burchard test
• Biuret test

Correct Answer: Liebermann‑Burchard test

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