Industrial production of griseofulvin MCQs With Answer

Industrial production of griseofulvin MCQs With Answer

Industrial production of griseofulvin is an essential bioprocess topic for B.Pharm students, covering microbial fermentation, strain selection, downstream processing, purification and formulation of this antifungal drug. Griseofulvin, a fungal metabolite produced by Penicillium species, demands optimization of media composition, pH, temperature, aeration and agitation to maximize yield. Students should grasp biosynthetic pathways (polyketide origin), analytical assays (HPLC, LC‑MS), extraction and crystallization techniques, polymorphism, stability concerns, quality control under GMP, and scale‑up challenges including kLa and solvent recovery. This focused overview links theory with industrial practice. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which fungal genus is classically known as the primary industrial producer of griseofulvin?

• Aspergillus niger
• Penicillium
• Saccharomyces
• Fusarium

Correct Answer: Penicillium

Q2. Griseofulvin biosynthesis in producing fungi mainly follows which metabolic pathway?

• Isoprenoid pathway
• Shikimate pathway
• Polyketide pathway
• Amino acid condensation pathway

Correct Answer: Polyketide pathway

Q3. What is the typical optimal pH range maintained during fermentation for griseofulvin production?

• pH 2.0–3.0
• pH 5.0–6.0
• pH 7.5–8.5
• pH 9.0–10.0

Correct Answer: pH 5.0–6.0

Q4. Which temperature range is commonly used for cultivating griseofulvin‑producing Penicillium strains industrially?

• 10–15 °C
• 25–28 °C
• 37–40 °C
• 45–50 °C

Correct Answer: 25–28 °C

Q5. Which simple fermentable carbon source is most commonly used in production media for griseofulvin?

• Lactose
• Cellulose
• Glucose
• Glycerol

Correct Answer: Glucose

Q6. Which nitrogen source is frequently used in media to support griseofulvin biosynthesis?

• Inorganic nitrate only
• Peptone
• Pure albumin
• Nitrite salts

Correct Answer: Peptone

Q7. Why is aeration critically important during submerged fermentation for griseofulvin production?

• To prevent contamination only
• To maintain anaerobic conditions
• To supply dissolved oxygen and support secondary metabolite formation
• To increase medium viscosity

Correct Answer: To supply dissolved oxygen and support secondary metabolite formation

Q8. Which fermentation mode often gives higher yields of griseofulvin in laboratory and pilot studies?

• Continuous submerged fermentation
• Solid‑state fermentation
• Chemostat anaerobic fermentation
• Microaerophilic batch fermentation

Correct Answer: Solid‑state fermentation

Q9. Which solvent is classically used for extraction of griseofulvin from fungal biomass?

• Water
• Chloroform
• Acetic acid
• 1 M NaOH

Correct Answer: Chloroform

Q10. What is the primary industrial technique used to obtain solid griseofulvin after solvent extraction?

• Lyophilization
• Spray drying
• Crystallization
• Adsorption onto activated carbon

Correct Answer: Crystallization

Q11. Which analytical method is standard for assay and quantification of griseofulvin in production QC?

• Gas chromatography without derivatization
• High‑performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• Thin‑layer chromatography alone
• Turbidimetric assay

Correct Answer: High‑performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

Q12. A commonly used HPLC mobile phase for griseofulvin analysis is:

• Methanol–water with buffer
• Acetonitrile–water
• Hexane–isopropanol
• Pure water

Correct Answer: Acetonitrile–water

Q13. Which hyphenated technique is most useful for identification of unknown related substances in griseofulvin samples?

• UV spectrophotometry only
• LC‑MS (liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry)
• Polarimetry
• Conductivity measurement

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

Q14. Polymorphism in griseofulvin crystals primarily affects which pharmaceutical property?

• Color only
• Solubility and bioavailability
• Intrinsic pH of the drug
• Melting point unrelated to processing

Correct Answer: Solubility and bioavailability

Q15. What is the primary pharmacological mechanism of action of griseofulvin?

• Inhibition of fungal cell wall synthesis
• Inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis
• Disruption of microtubule function by binding tubulin
• Direct DNA intercalation

Correct Answer: Disruption of microtubule function by binding tubulin

Q16. Griseofulvin is mainly effective against which class of organisms?

• Yeasts such as Candida species
• Dermatophytes like Trichophyton and Microsporum
• Systemic molds only
• Gram‑negative bacteria

Correct Answer: Dermatophytes like Trichophyton and Microsporum

Q17. Which oral formulation strategy is commonly used to improve oral delivery of griseofulvin?

• Enteric coated aqueous solution
• Micronized powder in tablets or suspension
• Intravenous aqueous injection
• Transdermal patch

Correct Answer: Micronized powder in tablets or suspension

Q18. What is a major formulation challenge for griseofulvin in oral products?

• Excessive water solubility
• High hygroscopicity leading to clumping
• Poor aqueous solubility
• Unlimited chemical stability at high temperatures

Correct Answer: Poor aqueous solubility

Q19. Which physical processing technique is commonly applied to increase griseofulvin bioavailability?

• Compression at very high force
• Micronization (particle size reduction)
• Spray painting tablets
• Coating with hydrophobic polymers

Correct Answer: Micronization (particle size reduction)

Q20. A common industrial approach for strain improvement to increase griseofulvin yield is:

• Sterile filtration only
• Mutagenesis and selection
• Elimination of carbon source
• Cold storage without selection

Correct Answer: Mutagenesis and selection

Q21. In reporting fermentation productivity for griseofulvin, which unit is commonly used?

• mg per colony forming unit (mg/CFU)
• g per liter (g/L)
• mol per cell
• ppm only

Correct Answer: g per liter (g/L)

Q22. Which parameter is considered critical when scaling up griseofulvin fermentation from lab to industrial bioreactors?

• Color of the fermenter paint
• kLa (oxygen transfer coefficient)
• Amount of laboratory glassware
• Shape of the inoculation loop

Correct Answer: kLa (oxygen transfer coefficient)

Q23. Which industrial practice mitigates solvent emissions and reduces environmental impact during griseofulvin purification?

• Open‑tank venting
• Solvent recovery and recycling
• Direct discharge to sewer
• Using excess solvent without capture

Correct Answer: Solvent recovery and recycling

Q24. How should spent fungal biomass from griseofulvin production be rendered safe before disposal?

• Direct dumping into municipal landfill
• Autoclaving or validated sterilization
• Feeding raw biomass to livestock
• Evaporation under open air

Correct Answer: Autoclaving or validated sterilization

Q25. Which analytical technique is most appropriate to characterize crystal form (polymorph) of griseofulvin?

• Infrared only
• X‑ray powder diffraction (XRPD)
• Simple melting point measurement
• Optical rotation

Correct Answer: X‑ray powder diffraction (XRPD)

Q26. Which processing variables strongly influence which polymorph of griseofulvin is produced during crystallization?

• Atmospheric pressure only
• Solvent choice and cooling/crystallization rate
• Time of day when crystallization occurs
• Color of the crystallizer

Correct Answer: Solvent choice and cooling/crystallization rate

Q27. How would you describe griseofulvin’s intrinsic solubility in water?

• Highly soluble
• Moderately soluble
• Practically insoluble
• Instantly miscible at all concentrations

Correct Answer: Practically insoluble

Q28. To improve oral absorption of griseofulvin in patients, it is often recommended to take the drug with:

• A glass of water only on an empty stomach
• A fatty meal
• A high‑fiber snack
• Alcoholic beverage

Correct Answer: A fatty meal

Q29. For structural elucidation of an unknown impurity in griseofulvin, which analytical method is most informative?

• TLC with UV lamp only
• LC‑MS/MS
• Density measurement
• pH titration

Correct Answer: LC‑MS/MS

Q30. Under GMP, which document is essential to trace production steps, materials and in‑process checks for a batch of griseofulvin?

• General company brochure
• Batch manufacturing record (BMR)
• Personal laboratory notebook of an intern
• Random email correspondence

Correct Answer: Batch manufacturing record (BMR)

G S Sachin

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