Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Flashcards
6 cards from real MPharm Master of Pharmacy practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Pharmacognosy and Natural Products flashcards as text
Which saponin-containing plant is used as a reference standard for bronchodilatory/expectorant activity in pharmacognosy?
Answer: Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice)
Glycyrrhiza glabra contains glycyrrhizin, a triterpenoid saponin with expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and demulcent properties used in respiratory formulations.
What is the significance of the endosperm in seed drug identification in pharmacognosy?
Answer: It provides microscopical and chemical characteristics used for authentication and quality control
Microscopic examination of endosperm tissue reveals characteristic cell shapes, starch granules, and inclusions that aid in botanical identification and adulteration detection.
Reserpine, derived from Rauwolfia serpentina, lowers blood pressure by which mechanism?
Answer: Depletion of catecholamines from storage vesicles in adrenergic neurons
Reserpine inhibits VMAT2 (vesicular monoamine transporter), depleting norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin from nerve terminals, reducing sympathetic tone.
Which chromatographic technique is used as the official method for fingerprinting and authentication of herbal drugs in the USP?
Answer: High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)
HPTLC provides characteristic fingerprint profiles of phytochemical constituents and is used in USP monographs for herbal drug identity testing.
Which plant-derived compound is the precursor to many semi-synthetic opioids such as hydrocodone and oxycodone?
Answer: Codeine and thebaine from Papaver somniferum
Thebaine and codeine, alkaloids from the opium poppy, serve as key precursors for the semi-synthesis of opioids including hydrocodone, oxycodone, and buprenorphine.
The drug physostigmine is derived from the Calabar bean (Physostigma venenosum) and acts as:
Answer: A reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
Physostigmine reversibly inhibits acetylcholinesterase, increasing acetylcholine levels at nerve synapses, used therapeutically for glaucoma and anticholinergic toxicity reversal.