Introduction
Understanding the definition of herb, herbal medicine, herbal medicinal product and herbal drug preparation is essential for B. Pharm students specializing in pharmacognosy and phytopharmacy. This concise guide clarifies key keywords: herb (plant or plant part with therapeutic value), herbal medicine (traditional or modern preparations used for treatment), herbal medicinal product (finished, standardized marketed product) and herbal drug preparation (processed crude botanical material such as extracts, tinctures and decoctions). It also emphasizes quality control, standardization, extraction methods, pharmacological constituents and regulatory aspects. Clear grasp of these concepts aids formulation, safety assessment and clinical application. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. What best defines an “herb” in pharmacognosy?
- A plant or plant part used for its culinary flavor
- A plant or plant part recognized for its therapeutic properties
- A synthetic compound derived from a plant
- A processed pharmaceutical excipient
Correct Answer: A plant or plant part recognized for its therapeutic properties
Q2. Which describes a “herbal medicinal product” according to regulatory usage?
- A crude dried plant material sold in bulk
- A finished product containing herbal active ingredients intended for medicinal use
- A laboratory reagent extracted from plants
- A dietary supplement without specific therapeutic claims
Correct Answer: A finished product containing herbal active ingredients intended for medicinal use
Q3. What is a “herbal drug preparation”?
- A finished, marketed capsule containing herbs
- A raw or processed plant material prepared by extraction, infusion, decoction or drying
- An isolated pure compound from a plant
- A synthetic mimic of a herbal constituent
Correct Answer: A raw or processed plant material prepared by extraction, infusion, decoction or drying
Q4. Which is an example of a decoction?
- Steeping chamomile flowers briefly in hot water
- Boiling bark or roots in water to extract constituents
- Soaking herbs in alcohol without heat
- Drying herbs under shade
Correct Answer: Boiling bark or roots in water to extract constituents
Q5. What distinguishes a tincture from an infusion?
- Tincture uses alcohol as solvent; infusion uses hot water
- Tincture is always aqueous; infusion is alcoholic
- Tincture is powdered herb; infusion is a tablet
- Tincture is sterile; infusion is non-sterile
Correct Answer: Tincture uses alcohol as solvent; infusion uses hot water
Q6. Which term refers to a concentrated liquid extract prepared from plant material?
- Fluid extract
- Essential oil
- Powdered herb
- Herbal capsule
Correct Answer: Fluid extract
Q7. What is “standardization” of a herbal medicinal product?
- Ensuring uniform marketing materials
- Adjusting product to contain a defined amount of marker constituents
- Using the same packaging size for all products
- Labeling the botanical name only in local language
Correct Answer: Adjusting product to contain a defined amount of marker constituents
Q8. Which test assesses inorganic contamination in herbal drugs?
- Extractive value
- Total ash value
- Phytochemical screening
- pH measurement
Correct Answer: Total ash value
Q9. Which is a primary purpose of macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of herbal drugs?
- To determine therapeutic dose
- To authenticate botanical identity and detect adulteration
- To measure residual solvents
- To calculate shelf life
Correct Answer: To authenticate botanical identity and detect adulteration
Q10. What does “marker compound” mean in herbal standardization?
- A toxic impurity always removed
- An analytical reference constituent used to assess quality and consistency
- A preservative added during formulation
- A colorant used for brand identity
Correct Answer: An analytical reference constituent used to assess quality and consistency
Q11. Which solvent is most suitable for extracting volatile oils?
- Water
- Non-polar organic solvents or steam distillation
- Strong acids
- Glycerin only
Correct Answer: Non-polar organic solvents or steam distillation
Q12. Which phytoconstituent class is commonly extracted by aqueous decoction?
- Volatile oils
- Glycosides and tannins
- Non-polar lipids
- Synthetic dyes
Correct Answer: Glycosides and tannins
Q13. What is a “herbal drug monograph”?
- A marketing brochure for herbal supplements
- A detailed official document describing identity, purity and tests for an herbal drug
- A recipe for culinary herbs
- An internal lab checklist only
Correct Answer: A detailed official document describing identity, purity and tests for an herbal drug
Q14. Which parameter helps estimate organic soluble constituents in a plant?
- Water content
- Acid-insoluble ash
- Successive extractive values with solvents
- Bulk density
Correct Answer: Successive extractive values with solvents
Q15. What is the purpose of maceration in herbal preparation?
- To sterilize the herb
- To allow solvent to penetrate plant tissue and dissolve constituents at room temperature
- To dry the plant rapidly
- To convert alkaloids to salts
Correct Answer: To allow solvent to penetrate plant tissue and dissolve constituents at room temperature
Q16. Which form is classified as a herbal medicinal product rather than a herbal drug preparation?
- Bulk dried leaves sold loose
- A packaged standardized capsule claiming therapeutic effect
- Fresh plant harvested from garden
- Crude powdered root in a sack
Correct Answer: A packaged standardized capsule claiming therapeutic effect
Q17. Which regulatory principle is most important for marketed herbal medicinal products?
- Color matching across batches
- Good manufacturing practices and batch-to-batch consistency
- Use of organic farming only
- Marketing in multiple languages
Correct Answer: Good manufacturing practices and batch-to-batch consistency
Q18. What does “fluid extract” typically indicate?
- A powdered herb compressed into tablets
- A liquid preparation containing concentrated plant constituents with known strength
- An essential oil diluted in water
- A solid residue after extraction
Correct Answer: A liquid preparation containing concentrated plant constituents with known strength
Q19. Which technique is primarily used to detect adulteration by substitution in powdered herbs?
- Organoleptic evaluation only
- Microscopic examination for diagnostic plant tissues
- Measuring tablet hardness
- Determining viscosity
Correct Answer: Microscopic examination for diagnostic plant tissues
Q20. Which ash value indicates contamination with silica from earthy matter?
- Total ash
- Acid-insoluble ash
- Sulfated ash
- Moisture content
Correct Answer: Acid-insoluble ash
Q21. Which herbal preparation is most suitable for preserving heat-sensitive constituents?
- Decoction
- Infusion prepared with hot water
- Maceration at cold temperature with suitable solvent
- Prolonged boiling
Correct Answer: Maceration at cold temperature with suitable solvent
Q22. What is the role of excipients in herbal dosage forms?
- They act as active herbal constituents
- They provide stability, facilitate processing and aid delivery without therapeutic action
- They are always toxic contaminants
- They replace the need for extraction
Correct Answer: They provide stability, facilitate processing and aid delivery without therapeutic action
Q23. Which analytical technique is commonly used for quantification of marker compounds in herbal products?
- Thin-layer chromatography qualitative only
- High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
- Simple organoleptic testing
- Visual color matching
Correct Answer: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
Q24. Which statement about herbal-drug interactions is correct?
- Herbal products never affect prescription drugs
- Herbal constituents can modulate drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters
- Herbs only interact with vitamins
- Interactions occur only with intravenous drugs
Correct Answer: Herbal constituents can modulate drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters
Q25. Which is a common preservative strategy for liquid herbal extracts?
- Addition of heavy metals
- Use of suitable alcohol concentration, pH control and antimicrobial preservatives
- Omitting any preservatives entirely
- Adding plant fibers for stabilization
Correct Answer: Use of suitable alcohol concentration, pH control and antimicrobial preservatives
Q26. What does “comminution” refer to in herbal drug processing?
- Freezing the plant material
- Grinding or pulverizing plant material to increase surface area
- Packaging the herb in blister packs
- Extracting with supercritical CO2 only
Correct Answer: Grinding or pulverizing plant material to increase surface area
Q27. Which constituent class is typically responsible for the aroma of many herbs?
- Alkaloids
- Volatile oils (essential oils)
- Saponins
- Inorganic salts
Correct Answer: Volatile oils (essential oils)
Q28. Which parameter is most relevant when determining shelf life of a dried herbal drug?
- Moisture content and microbial load
- Brand popularity
- Color of the packaging only
- Price of raw material
Correct Answer: Moisture content and microbial load
Q29. Which preparation is characterized by boiling plant material for a relatively short time and straining?
- Tincture
- Decoction
- Infusion
- Fluid extract
Correct Answer: Decoction
Q30. What is the primary advantage of standardized herbal medicinal products?
- Lower production cost regardless of quality
- Consistent therapeutic potency, safety profile and reproducibility
- Elimination of all natural variability
- Guaranteed absence of any side effects
Correct Answer: Consistent therapeutic potency, safety profile and reproducibility
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