Comparative study – Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia MCQs With Answer

Comparative study – Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia MCQs With Answer

This quiz collection is designed for M.Pharm students specializing in Herbal and Cosmetic Analysis (MPA 204T). It focuses on comparative aspects of the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia—how its monographs, analytical requirements, and quality control parameters differ from or align with other pharmacopeias, and the modern analytical methods used to authenticate and standardize Ayurvedic raw materials and formulations. Questions emphasize pharmacognostic, physicochemical, chromatographic, molecular and safety-related tests (heavy metals, microbial limits, markers and stability). These MCQs will help students deepen conceptual understanding, prepare for exams, and apply rigorous quality-assurance approaches in herbal drug analysis.

Q1. What primary focus distinguishes an Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia monograph from a typical allopathic pharmacopeial monograph?

• Emphasis on organoleptic, macroscopic and microscopic features along with traditional usage
• Exclusive reliance on single quantitative chemical assay for identity
• Focus only on synthetic impurity profiling
• Only microbial limit testing without physicochemical parameters

Correct Answer: Emphasis on organoleptic, macroscopic and microscopic features along with traditional usage

Q2. Which of the following analytical sections is commonly present in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia monographs but may be less emphasized in some conventional pharmacopeias?

• Organoleptic and macroscopic description
• High performance liquid chromatographic assay
• Residual solvent limits
• Assay by potentiometric titration

Correct Answer: Organoleptic and macroscopic description

Q3. In comparative standardization, which test provides rapid preliminary evidence of adulteration or substitution in powdered Ayurvedic herbs?

• Microscopic powder microscopy (diagnostic characters)
• In vivo bioassay in rodents
• Complete elemental profiling by ICP-MS only
• Organoleptic testing is not useful

Correct Answer: Microscopic powder microscopy (diagnostic characters)

Q4. Which parameter is a routine physicochemical test included in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia monographs to assess purity and possible contamination?

• Total ash and acid-insoluble ash
• Chromatographic retention time only
• Serum protein binding percentage
• Oral LD50 value

Correct Answer: Total ash and acid-insoluble ash

Q5. When comparing phytochemical marker approaches, Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia typically advocates:

• Use of one or more marker compounds plus fingerprinting (TLC/HPTLC/HPLC)
• Relying solely on sensory evaluation without chromatographic profiles
• Use of radioactive tracers for all herbs
• Exclusion of marker-based assays altogether

Correct Answer: Use of one or more marker compounds plus fingerprinting (TLC/HPTLC/HPLC)

Q6. Which chromatographic technique is most commonly recommended in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia monographs for fingerprinting herbal drugs?

• HPTLC/TLC fingerprinting
• Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for all herbs
• Capillary electrophoresis as the sole method
• Paper chromatography exclusively

Correct Answer: HPTLC/TLC fingerprinting

Q7. DNA barcoding, when compared to classical pharmacopoeial tests, is best described as:

• A complementary molecular authentication tool useful for species-level identification
• A replacement for all organoleptic and microscopic tests
• Inapplicable to powdered samples and processed formulations
• Only useful for synthetic drugs, not botanicals

Correct Answer: A complementary molecular authentication tool useful for species-level identification

Q8. Which of the following safety-related tests is specifically emphasized in many Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia monographs due to the presence of heavy-metal-containing traditional preparations?

• Limits for heavy metals (e.g., lead, arsenic, mercury)
• Only microbial tests are required, no metal limits
• Pharmacokinetic profiling is mandated instead of metal testing
• No safety testing is recommended

Correct Answer: Limits for heavy metals (e.g., lead, arsenic, mercury)

Q9. Which extractive value is typically included in Ayurvedic monographs to indicate the polarity and extractable constituents of a drug?

• Water-soluble and alcohol-soluble extractive values
• Only petroleum-ether extractive value
• Only hexane partition coefficient
• Only antioxidant capacity measurement

Correct Answer: Water-soluble and alcohol-soluble extractive values

Q10. How does the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia treat the botanical nomenclature for medicinal plants in monographs?

• Provides Sanskrit/common names along with accepted botanical (Latin) names and synonyms
• Uses only local common names without botanical nomenclature
• Uses chemical names of marker compounds instead of botanical names
• Mandates proprietary trade names only

Correct Answer: Provides Sanskrit/common names along with accepted botanical (Latin) names and synonyms

Q11. Which analytical parameter in Ayurvedic monographs helps detect inorganic contamination such as sand, silica or siliceous earth?

• Acid-insoluble ash
• Moisture content by Karl Fischer only
• Relative density measurement
• Optical rotation

Correct Answer: Acid-insoluble ash

Q12. In a comparative context, microbial limit tests in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia are intended to:

• Control levels of specified microbes and demonstrate good manufacturing practices for herbal products
• Be ignored because herbs are natural and sterile
• Only check for viral pathogens
• Replace chemical identity tests

Correct Answer: Control levels of specified microbes and demonstrate good manufacturing practices for herbal products

Q13. Which of the following is a rationale for including TLC/HPTLC fingerprinting in Ayurvedic monographs rather than relying solely on single-compound assays?

• Fingerprints represent the complex multi-constituent profile and help detect adulteration
• Single-compound assays are more expensive and never informative
• TLC methods are qualitative only and therefore discouraged
• Fingerprints eliminate the need for macroscopic identification

Correct Answer: Fingerprints represent the complex multi-constituent profile and help detect adulteration

Q14. Which test would be prioritized when standardizing a volatile oil-containing Ayurvedic herb in the pharmacopoeia?

• Determination of volatile oil content by hydro-distillation or Clevenger method
• Total ash only without oil estimation
• Non-volatile residue by Soxhlet extraction only
• Protein content estimation by Kjeldahl method only

Correct Answer: Determination of volatile oil content by hydro-distillation or Clevenger method

Q15. For herbal formulations, why does the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia include both identity tests and assay limits?

• To confirm correct botanical source and ensure adequate levels of active or marker constituents for quality and efficacy
• Because identity tests are redundant and used only for formality
• Assay limits are there to replace organoleptic tests
• Identity tests are only cosmetic and irrelevant to safety

Correct Answer: To confirm correct botanical source and ensure adequate levels of active or marker constituents for quality and efficacy

Q16. In comparative pharmacopoeial practice, stability testing for Ayurvedic formulations is required primarily to assess:

• Shelf life, changes in marker content, and microbial growth under specified conditions
• Only the color change ignoring chemical degradation
• Pharmacodynamic potency in humans without chemical data
• Storage space requirements at the manufacturing site

Correct Answer: Shelf life, changes in marker content, and microbial growth under specified conditions

Q17. Which statement best describes the role of monograph “tests for authenticity” in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia?

• They provide integrative diagnostic procedures (organoleptic, microscopic, chemical spot tests) to confirm genuine material
• They mandate in vivo animal testing to verify authenticity
• They only require vendor certification without laboratory tests
• They are optional and not referenced for market samples

Correct Answer: They provide integrative diagnostic procedures (organoleptic, microscopic, chemical spot tests) to confirm genuine material

Q18. When comparing documentation, an Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia monograph is likely to include which of the following that helps herbal analysts interpret test results?

• Detailed botanical description, part used, collection season and processing notes
• Only a brief trade name without processing details
• The therapeutic dose for every country worldwide
• Clinical trial outcomes for each herb

Correct Answer: Detailed botanical description, part used, collection season and processing notes

Q19. For detection of pesticide residues in Ayurvedic raw herbs, which comparative approach is consistent with modern pharmacopoeial practice?

• Use validated multi-residue methods (GC-MS/MS or LC-MS/MS) with defined maximum limits
• Acceptance that traditional herbs are pesticide-free and need no testing
• Only visual inspection for spray residues
• Rely solely on farmers’ declarations without laboratory verification

Correct Answer: Use validated multi-residue methods (GC-MS/MS or LC-MS/MS) with defined maximum limits

Q20. Which of the following best captures the modern trend in comparing Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia standards with other pharmacopeias?

• Integration of traditional pharmacognostic criteria with modern analytical technologies to ensure safety, identity and quality
• Abandonment of botanical authentication in favor of synthetic substitutes
• Standardization only by price and availability rather than analytical criteria
• Exclusive dependence on historical texts without laboratory confirmation

Correct Answer: Integration of traditional pharmacognostic criteria with modern analytical technologies to ensure safety, identity and quality

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