Unorganized drugs — dried juices are concentrated, dehydrated botanical extracts produced by reducing fresh plant sap or decoctions to a stable powder. For B.Pharm students, understanding dried juices covers extraction methods (maceration, percolation, decoction), concentration and drying techniques (tray, spray, freeze drying), physico‑chemical properties, quality control tests (moisture content, ash values, microbial limits, assay, TLC/HPLC fingerprints), standardization parameters, packaging, and stability. Emphasis on hygroscopicity, reconstitution behavior, drug:solids ratio and excipient compatibility is critical for formulation development. Regulatory expectations, storage conditions and shelf life estimation complete the picture. This focused knowledge bridges pharmacognosy and pharmaceutics for herbal product development. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. What is a dried juice in the context of unorganized drugs?
- A concentrated, dried product obtained by evaporating the aqueous extract of plant material
- A powdered form of whole plant parts like leaves or roots
- An isolated pure phytochemical obtained by chromatography
- A liquid extract preserved with alcohol
Correct Answer: A concentrated, dried product obtained by evaporating the aqueous extract of plant material
Q2. Which drying technique best preserves heat‑sensitive active constituents in dried juices?
- Sun drying
- Tray drying at high temperature
- Spray drying with controlled inlet temperature
- Open pan evaporation
Correct Answer: Spray drying with controlled inlet temperature
Q3. Which parameter is most critical to measure for quality control of dried juices?
- Moisture content (loss on drying)
- Color of the packaging
- Manufacturer’s logo clarity
- Viscosity of the fresh juice
Correct Answer: Moisture content (loss on drying)
Q4. Which test detects inorganic contamination in dried juices?
- Total ash value
- pH measurement
- Refractive index
- Ultraviolet absorption
Correct Answer: Total ash value
Q5. Which method is commonly used for chemical standardization (quantitative assay) of marker compounds in dried juices?
- High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
- Simple visual inspection
- Odor comparison
- Paper folding test
Correct Answer: High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
Q6. Why is hygroscopicity an important property for dried juices?
- It determines tendency to absorb moisture and caking during storage
- It improves flavor when mixed with water
- It reduces the active marker concentration permanently
- It enhances color stability under UV light
Correct Answer: It determines tendency to absorb moisture and caking during storage
Q7. Which packaging material is most suitable to protect dried juices from moisture and oxygen?
- Aluminum foil laminated pouch with moisture barrier
- Perforated paper bag
- Cloth sack
- Transparent polyethylene without barrier
Correct Answer: Aluminum foil laminated pouch with moisture barrier
Q8. What does the term drug:solids ratio in dried juices indicate?
- The weight of fresh plant material used per weight of final dried juice powder
- The pH range acceptable for storage
- The particle size distribution
- The number of active constituents identified
Correct Answer: The weight of fresh plant material used per weight of final dried juice powder
Q9. Which drying method converts liquid herbal juice into fine powder efficiently and is widely used at industrial scale?
- Spray drying
- Shade drying
- Sun curing
- Cold pressing
Correct Answer: Spray drying
Q10. Which physicochemical test helps assess microbial growth potential in dried juices?
- Water activity (aw)
- Total ash
- Melting point
- Refractive index
Correct Answer: Water activity (aw)
Q11. For reconstitution of a dried juice into a liquid dosage form, which property is most crucial?
- Solubility and dispersibility in the chosen solvent
- Bulk density of the powder
- Size of the manufacturing facility
- Color of the original plant
Correct Answer: Solubility and dispersibility in the chosen solvent
Q12. Which analytical fingerprint is commonly used to confirm identity and detect adulteration of dried juices?
- TLC or HPLC fingerprinting
- Microscopic pollen analysis
- Organoleptic tasting
- Bulk density measurement
Correct Answer: TLC or HPLC fingerprinting
Q13. Which microbial limit test result would be most concerning for an inhalable formulation prepared from dried juice?
- High total aerobic microbial count
- Acceptable moisture content
- Low ash value
- Appropriate bulk density
Correct Answer: High total aerobic microbial count
Q14. Loss on drying for a dried juice sample is 8%. What does this value primarily reflect?
- Residual moisture and volatile matter content
- Total ash content
- Extractive value in alcohol
- Particle size uniformity
Correct Answer: Residual moisture and volatile matter content
Q15. Which excipient property is most important when formulating tablets from dried juice powder?
- Flowability and compressibility
- Sweet taste
- Color matching
- Odor masking only
Correct Answer: Flowability and compressibility
Q16. Which stability study condition is essential to predict shelf life of dried juices?
- Accelerated stability testing at elevated temperature and humidity
- Freezing at −80°C for one day
- Exposure to direct sunlight for a few minutes
- Short-term shaking test
Correct Answer: Accelerated stability testing at elevated temperature and humidity
Q17. What is the main disadvantage of spray drying for some herbal dried juices?
- Potential thermal degradation of heat‑sensitive compounds
- Complete removal of toxins
- Excessively low production yields always
- Guaranteed microbial sterility
Correct Answer: Potential thermal degradation of heat‑sensitive compounds
Q18. Which parameter differentiates dried juice from powdered crude drug?
- Dried juice is derived from concentrated aqueous extract; powdered crude drug is dried whole plant material
- Dried juice always contains only volatile oils
- Powdered crude drug is chemically pure compound
- Dried juice is never used in formulations
Correct Answer: Dried juice is derived from concentrated aqueous extract; powdered crude drug is dried whole plant material
Q19. Which test would detect residual solvents in a dried juice prepared using organic solvents?
- Gas chromatography (GC)
- Total ash determination
- Loss on drying
- Colorimetric pH test
Correct Answer: Gas chromatography (GC)
Q20. When performing organoleptic evaluation of dried juices, which attributes are assessed?
- Color, odor, taste and texture
- HPLC retention time only
- Particle shape under electron microscope only
- Vitamin content by assay only
Correct Answer: Color, odor, taste and texture
Q21. Ash values in dried juices help to estimate which of the following?
- Inorganic residue or contamination with soil/minerals
- Total protein content
- Amount of essential oil present
- Viscosity of reconstituted juice
Correct Answer: Inorganic residue or contamination with soil/minerals
Q22. Which property is indicated by bulk density and tapped density measurements for dried juice powder?
- Flow characteristics and packing behavior
- Chemical instability
- Microbial contamination
- Flavor profile
Correct Answer: Flow characteristics and packing behavior
Q23. Which guideline or authority is commonly referred to for quality standards of herbal dried juices?
- WHO monographs and pharmacopeial standards
- Automobile safety standards
- Food packaging color codes
- Architectural building codes
Correct Answer: WHO monographs and pharmacopeial standards
Q24. Why is particle size reduction often performed on dried juice powders intended for solid dosage forms?
- To improve uniformity, dissolution rate and content uniformity
- To increase the ash value
- To decrease extractable markers
- To reduce bulk density only
Correct Answer: To improve uniformity, dissolution rate and content uniformity
Q25. Which preservative consideration is important for aqueous reconstituted preparations of dried juices?
- Selection to cover microbial spectrum without reacting with active markers
- Use of any preservative regardless of interaction
- Avoid all preservatives even when water activity is high
- Prefer preservatives that increase moisture content
Correct Answer: Selection to cover microbial spectrum without reacting with active markers
Q26. What does an HPLC fingerprint of a dried juice demonstrate?
- Characteristic pattern of multiple constituents for identity and batch-to-batch consistency
- Only total ash content
- Physical appearance of particles
- Moisture uptake rate
Correct Answer: Characteristic pattern of multiple constituents for identity and batch-to-batch consistency
Q27. In formulation development, why assess compatibility of dried juice with excipients?
- To ensure no chemical interactions that reduce potency or cause instability
- To improve color only
- Because excipients always stabilize herbal actives
- To increase production cost intentionally
Correct Answer: To ensure no chemical interactions that reduce potency or cause instability
Q28. Which indicator suggests adulteration in a dried juice sample?
- Unexpected HPLC peaks and abnormal ash values
- Perfect match with monograph fingerprint
- Low moisture and correct pH only
- Uniform particle size within specification only
Correct Answer: Unexpected HPLC peaks and abnormal ash values
Q29. For dried juices, which shelf‑life factor is primarily influenced by residual moisture?
- Microbial growth propensity and chemical degradation rate
- Color printed on the label
- Manufacturer’s margin of profit
- Initial extraction solvent color
Correct Answer: Microbial growth propensity and chemical degradation rate
Q30. What is a key advantage of freeze drying (lyophilization) for certain dried juices?
- Excellent preservation of heat‑sensitive and volatile phytochemicals with porous, rapidly reconstitutable powder
- Lowest equipment cost among drying methods
- Guaranteed elimination of all heavy metals
- Produces the most compact, non‑porous cakes that do not reconstitute
Correct Answer: Excellent preservation of heat‑sensitive and volatile phytochemicals with porous, rapidly reconstitutable powder
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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