This document discusses substitution, adulteration, and controversial herbal drugs. It defines substitution as replacing a herb with a different but similar herb due to non-availability, uncertain identity, cost, or geographical distribution of the original. It provides criteria for determining appropriate substitutes based on Ayurvedic texts. Examples of original herbs and their substitutes are given from various time periods. The document concludes with a table listing common substitutes used in practice from a textbook on herbal pharmacology.
2. Substitution:-
Def.-
Substitution is the addition of an entirely
different article, some times
morphologically similar or dissimilar but
most of the time they are having
similar pharmacodynamic property
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April23,
2020
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3. Why Need for Substitution
Non-availability of the drug.
E.g.: - Substitution for Ashtavarga Dravyas.
Uncertain identity of the drug .
E.g.: - for the herb Lakshmana white variety of
solanum.species is considered
Cost of the drug.
E.g.: - Kumkuma being costly herb is substituted by
Kusumbha
Geographical distribution of the drug ;
E.g. :- As Rasna, Pluchia lanceolata is used in Northern
India while in southern parts Alpinia galanga is considered
as the source
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April23,
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4. Criteria for Substitution
çfrfuf/k æO;ks dk xzg.k
dnkfpn~ æO;esda ok ;ksxs ;a= u yH;rsA
r=nq.k;qda æO;a ifjorsZu x`ársAA ¼HkS- j- ij- çdj.k 4@57½
dnkfpr~ fdlh vkS’kf/k ;ksx es ,d æO; ugha feyrk gks rks ml vkS’kf/k ;ksx es ml æO; ds vHkko esa
mlh æO; ds leku xq.k okyk vU; æO; ysuk pkfg,A
mnkgj.k & vfrl ds vHkko esa ukxjeksFkkA
;ksxks ;nç/kkua L;krL; çfrfu/kesr%A ;= ç/kkua rL;kfi ln`”ka rSo x`ársA
¼HkS- j- ij- çdj.k 4@100½
ysfdu vkS’k/k ;ksxksa ds vUnj dgs x;s vç/kku æO;ksa ds vHkko esa çfrfuf/k æO; ysuk pkfg, exj ç/kku
æO;ksa ds vHkko esa çfrfuf/k æO; ugh ysuk pkfg,A
mnkgj.k & P;ouçk”koysg esa vkeyk ds vHkko esa dksbZ vU; çfrfuf/k æO; ugha ysuk pkfg,A
5. Some examples:
Vaidik kal oSSfnd dky es
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;fn ra u foUns;q% cHkqzrwykfu QkYxqukfu ra m ra lkse ,o izR;{ka Hk{k;fr ;r i;%A
;fn lksee;gjs;q---------------gfjrku dq”kku fHk’kq.kq;krA ¼”k0 czk0 4@5@2@1&6½
lkse dq”k
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2020
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Substition some examples:
Samhita kal lfgrk dky es
;= Roso y{k.ksu lkekU;su lkekU;orkekgkjfodkjk.kkelkfUu/; L;kr] lfUufgrkuk
okvI;;q; RokUuksi;ksxks ?k`f.kRoknU;Lek}k dkj.kkr~] l p /kkrqjfHko/kZf;rO; L;kr]rL;
;slekuxq.k L;qjkgkjfodkj vlsO;k”p ]r= lekuxq.kHkwfe’Bk
ukeU;izd`rhukeO;kgkjfodkjk.kkeqi;ksx L;kr~A ¼p ”kk 6 @11 ½
pjd lfgrk es Hkh ,slk izlx vk;k gS fd ;fn nzO; miyC/k u gks ;k miyC/k gks dj
Hkh vU; fdlh dkj.ko”k mudk mi;ksx u gks lds ;k ?k`.k gksrh gks ;k v/keZ ;fn dk
Hk; gks tSls& v.Mk [kkus es ] rks ,slh fLFkfr es lekuxq.kokys rRln`”k vU; nzO;ks dk
mi;ksx djuk pkfg,A
39. ADULTERATION
A drug is considered as adulterated if does not meet the
prescribed standards because of :
substitution
deterioration
admixture
Sophistication
inferiority and spoilage
rendering the original drug qualitatively lower and sometimes
even harmful to health
40. TYPES OF ADULTERATION OF HERBAL DRUGS
Different methods used for adulteration may be grouped as
follows:
1. Substitution with Inferior Commercial Varieties
Due to morphological resemblance to the authentic
drugs, different inferior commercial varieties are used
as adulterant which may or may not have any
chemical or therapeutic potential as that original
natural drug
e.g. Cassia angustifolia, Cassia obovata and Cassia
auriculata have been used to adulterate Cassia
senna;
. Japanese ginger (Zingiber mioga) to adulterate
medicinal ginger (Zingiber officinale).
41. 2. Adulteration by Artificially Manufactured Substitutes
To provide the general form and appearance of various
drugs, some materials are artificially manufactured and are
used as substitute of the original one,
e.g. artificial invert sugar for honey; paraffin wax after yellow
coloration substituted for bees wax.
3. Substitution by Exhausted Drugs
Here the same plant material is mixed which is having no
active medicinal components as they have already been
extracted out. This practice is most common in case of
volatile oil containing materials like clove, fennel etc.,
where the dried exhausted material resembles the same
like original drug,
e. g.- Sometimes when coloring matters have been
extracted or removed during exhaustion, the residue is re-
colored with artificial dyes as is done with saffron and red
rose petals;Exhausted Gention made bitter with aloe.
42. 4. Substitution by Superficially Similar but Cheaper
Natural Substances
Usually here the adulterated product has no
relation with the genuine article, may or may not
have any therapeutic or chemical component as
that of original natural drug .
e.g. leaves of species - Ailanthus are substituted for
belladonna, mint etc.; Mother clove stalks are
substituted by clove; Leaves of Xanthium for
stramonium etc.
5. Adulteration by Addition of Worthless Heavy
Materials
A large mass of stone mixed with Liquorice root;
pieces of limestone are found in asafoetida and
lead shot has occurred in pieces of opium etc.
43. 6. Addition of Synthetic Principles
Sometimes to fortify inferior natural products,
synthetic principles are added
e.g. adding citral to citrus oils like oil of
lemon,orange oil.
7. Usage of Vegetative Matter from the Same Plant
This is done by mixing adventitious matters or
naturally occurring with the drug in excessive
amount or parts of plant other than that which
constitutes the drugs.
For example- liver warts and epiphytes growing in
bark portion are mixed with Cinchona
.stem portion are substituted with leaf drugs like
stramonium,senna.
44. 8. Adulteration of powders
Adulteration is frequently done in powdered
form of drug.
E.g.-red sandal wood in capsicum.
Powdered bark is adulterated with brick
powder.
58. CONTROVERSIAL DRUGS :
Controversial drugs (Sandigdha dravya) is a term used for
plants or their parts having disputed identity.
For proper efficacy (without side effects) proper
identification and selection of drug is very important.
An unknown drug is (fatal) like a poison, weapon, fire and
thunderbolt,while known is like ambrosia (life providing).
“ yatha visham yatha shastram…..(C. Su. 1/124)
In Ancient period there is no much controversy of
drugs . Due to close contact with nature in various
aspects of day to day life
Controversy gradually increased mainly from commentators
and nighantukar onwards
59. Probable Causes of controversy
Geographical variations
Lack of transportation
Rapid Urbanization
Drug Trading
Ignoring nama rupa vijnana
Commentators’ views coining a number of synonyms
language
Synonyms - Similarity in pronunciation , morphology,
pharmacology and the
Substitutes and adulterants
Lack of documentation
Lack of standardisation of particular dravya( like Botany)
Imbalance between demand & supply
Unscientific method of drug collection and storage
60. Expected background for the study of
Controversial drugs
Knowledge of Ayurvedic classics.
Sound knowledge of Sanskrit language.
Knowledge of modern botany.
Field survey and excursion tours.
Historical view about the plant source.
Geographical knowledge.
Knowledge of pharmacognosy & phytochemistry.
Related Indian literature like vedic sculpture.
Imagination power.
61. Classical literature
Commentators view
Views of various scholars working in the field
Collect and study the Available adulterants
Comparative study of morphology, pharmacological actions and
indications (Langali - Kebuk)
Discussion and conclusion
61
Methodology for confirmation of
drug :
62. Standardizati
on of Crude
Drugs
1. Microbial count
A. Total viable aerobic
count
B. Total viable anaerobic
count
C. Determination of
pathogens
D. Aflatoxin content
2. Pharmacological
A. Bitterness value
B. Haemolytic activity
C. Swelling index
D. Foaming index
3. Toxicological
A. Determination of
pesticide residues
B. Determination of heavy
metals
4. Antagonistic
A. Antibacterial
B. Antifungal
1. Qualitative
2. Quantitative
3. Chromatography
4. Radioactive
contamination
A. HPTLC
B. GLC
C. HPLC A. HPTLC Finger
printing
B. Secondary
metabolites
C. DNA
Fingerprinting
1. Colour
2. Odour
3. Taste
4. Texture
5. Fracture
1. Foreign matter
2. LoD (Moisture
content)
3. PH Record
4. Ash values
5. Extractive
values
6. Flurescence
analysis
1. Macro
scopic
2. Micro
scopic
A. Shape
B. External
C. Marking
A. Qualitative
B. Quantitative
C. SEM Studies
D. Powder
studies
Standardization of Crude Drugs
63. Benefits of identifying correct source
This will help to reduce adulteration.
Improves the rational use of the dravya in the part of treatment specially single
drugs.
Helps to find out the need of cultivation boost for a particular species.
Improves the sustainability of endangered medicinal plant species.
66. Bacopa monnieri
(Scrophulariaceae)
Hydrocotyle asiatica
(Umbellifereae)
According To Thakur Balwant Sing
(Brahmi)
Centella asiatica (Hydrocotyle asiatica) is also being used as Brahmi in
some places but now it has been identified with Mandukaparni. Two other
species of Hydrocotyle i. e. H. rotundifolia and H. javanica are also being
used in some part other as Brahmi or Mandukaparni
