Adulteration in Crude Drugs.

Definition of Adulteration :

• It can be defined as a debasement of an article with a substance of similar physical properties but with less therapeutic or commercial value.
• It is very common with costly and rare drugs and is done with the main intention of earning more profit.
• Sometimes adulteration can be accidental also due to carelessness, lack of knowledge of workers or simply ignorance towards the job.
• Adulteration can be characterized by following conditions,

1. Spoilage: It indicates the development of microbial growth resulting in loss of drugs activity.
2. Deterioration: It indicates loss of drugs potency due to improper storage or transportation.
3. Inferiority: It indicates the addition of inferior material to the genuine drug.
4. Substitution: It indicates partial or full replacement of the original drug with a substandard or local variety of drug.

Methods of Adulteration:

1. Replacement by Exhausted Drug:  

• It is very common with costly drugs which contain volatile oils as active chemical constituents, like clove, Ginger, fennel, Tea, etc.
• 
  
• The active chemical constituents are exhausted from these drugs & exhausted drug is adjusted properly (with artificial color, perfume) & mixed with the genuine drug.

2. Substitution by Similar looking but inferior drugs: -

• Any drug or variety which does not comply minimum standards laid down by the official books were known as inferior drugs or inferior varieties.
• The inferior varieties hence contain lesser active chemical constituents and are cheaper in cost also.
• e.g. Digitalis purpurea leaves are adulterated with inferior D. thapsi leaves.

3. Substitution by artificially manufactured substances: -

• This method is used for costly drugs.
• e.g. Nutmeg is substituted with crafted softwood.
• The addition of invert sugar to honey.

             4. Substitution by substandard commercial Varieties:-

• In this method, the genuine drug is mixed with a local substandard commercial variety.
• e.g. Capsicum annum is used to mix with Capsicum minimum.
• Seeds of Strychnous nuxblanda are used as an adulterant in the seeds of Strychnous nuxvomica.

           5. Presence of Vegetative matter from the same plant: -

• Sometimes ignorantly or intentionally other parts associated with the drug are added with the genuine drug.
• e.g. Clove stalks are used as an adulterant in cloves.
• Presence of stem parts with Aconite roots.
• Parts Of inflorescence of fennel, caraway, and coriander are used to mix in fennel, caraway & coriander respectively.

6. Addition of synthetic chemicals to enhance the natural characters: -

• Addition of Citric acid to Lemongrass Oil.
• Benzyl benzoate is added to Peru balsam.

7) Harmful adulteration: -

• This is a dangerous type of adulteration where harmful substances are added to genuine drugs.
• e.g. Rodent fecal material is added to Cardamom seeds.
• Addition of amber colored glass pieces to Colophony.

8) Addition of Powders: -

• This is very normal with powdered drugs.
• e.g. Addition of Dextrin to Powdered Ipecac.
• Addition of red sanders wood to capsicum powder.