PCG 211: Organized Vegetable Drugs of Plant (Leaves and Flower Components)

Vocabulary flashcards covering the definitions, morphological features, and specific pharmacognostic examples of organized leaf and flower drugs based on the lecture notes.

Crude Drugs

Products from natural sources (plants, animals, and minerals) in their raw form.

Organized Drugs

Direct parts of plants that consist of cellular tissues.

Unorganized Drugs

Products prepared from plants via intermediary physical processes, such as incision, drying, or extraction, that do not contain cellular tissue.

Chemotaxonomical status

The chemical similarity of a taxon used as a basis for classification.

Petiole

A short leaf stalk that joins the leaf to the stem.

Sessile

A condition where the leaf is directly joined to the stem without a petiole.

Lamina

The flat part of the leaf, also known as the leaf blade.

Stipules

Appendages located at the base of the petiole.

Glabrous

A term describing a leaf surface that is smooth and lacks hairs.

Pubescent

A term describing a leaf surface that is hairy.

Lanceolate

A leaf shape that is longer than wide with the widest part at the middle and a pointed apex.

Cordate

A heart-shaped leaf structure with the stem attached in the cleft.

Serrate

A leaf margin with tooth-like projections pointed away from the petiole.

Pinnate venation

An arrangement of veins characterized by two rows of veins on each side of a common axis (feather-like).

Reticulate venation

A venation pattern where veins are arranged in a network-like form.

Paracytic stomata

Also known as rubiaceous type, these are stomata present on both surfaces of a leaf (e.g., Senna) and are flanked by subsidiary cells parallel to the pore.

Anomocytic stomata

Also known as ranunculaceous type, these are stomata where the surrounding cells are indistinguishable from other epidermal cells.

Mesophyll

The tissue layer located between two epidermis layers, containing vascular tissue and categorized into palisade and spongy types.

Sennoside A and B

Primary crystalline glycosides found as constituents in the Senna leaf.

Borntrager’s test

A chemical identification test for anthraquinone glycosides that involves boiling the drug with dilute sulphuric acid and using benzene or chloroform to produce a pink to red ammoniacal layer.

Digitoxin

A cardioactive glycoside found in the dried leaves of Digitalis purpurea Linn.

Froth Test

A chemical test used for Bitter leaf where the formation of persistent foam indicates the presence of saponins.

Eugenol

A chief volatile oil constituent found in both Scent leaf and Clove flower-buds, providing a pungent-aromatic taste.

Calyx

The outer part of a flower consisting of units called sepals.

Androecium

The male reproductive organ of a flower, composed of individual units called stamens.

Gynoecium

The female reproductive organ of a flower, composed of units called carpels.

Hypanthium

A subcylindrical swelling of the torus forming the stalk of the clove flower-bud, tapering at the lower end.

Endothecium

A characteristic fibrous layer in anther walls consisting of parenchymatous cells with spiral bands of lignified thickening.

Pyrethrins

Two groups of esters (Pyrethrins I and II) found in Pyrethrum flowers that serve as strong contact poisons for insects.