Sources of Crude Drugs 
    CRUDE  DRUGS
    
     Crude drugs are the drugs, which are obtained from natural sources like plant, 
     insects, animals and minerals. They should be used as such as they occur in 
     nature without any processing except, collection, drying and size reduction.
    
     Crude drugs are also defined as drugs that have not been advanced in value or 
     improved  in  condition  by  shredding,  grinding,  chipping,  crushing,  distilling, 
     evaporating,  extracting,  artificial  mixing  with  other  substances  or  any  other 
     process beyond that which is essential to its proper packing and to prevention 
     of decay or deterioration during manufacturing.
    
     Crude drugs and their constituents are commonly used as therapeutic agents. 
     Source of crude drugs are plant (senna, opium, digitalis and Clove), Animal 
     (Musk, Honey, Shark liver Oil) and Mineral (Shilajit, Talc, Bentonite). 
    Drugs are obtained from six major sources:
   1. Plant sources
   2. Animal sources
   3. Mineral/ Earth sources
   4. Microbiological sources
   5. Recombinant DNA technology/ Tissue culture 
   6. Semi synthetic sources/ Synthetic sources
   1.  Higher  plants  as  sources  of  crude 
   drugs –
   Plant source is the oldest source of drugs. Most of the drugs in 
   ancient  times  were  derived  from  plants.  Almost  all  parts  of  the 
   plants are used i.e. leaves, stem, bark, fruits and roots. Significant 
   number of synthetic drugs obtained from natural precursors.
    A.Leaves:
    
    The leaves of Digitalis Purpurea are the source of Digitoxin and Digoxin, 
    which are cardiac glycosides.
    
    Leaves  of  Eucalyptus  give  oil  of  Eucalyptus,  which  is  important 
    component of cough syrup.
    
    Tobacco leaves give nicotine.
    
    Atropa belladonna gives atropine.
    B.    Flowers:
    
    Poppy Papaver somniferum gives morphine (opoid)
    
    Vinca rosea gives vincristine and vinblastine
    
    Rose gives rose water used as tonic.
    C. Fruits:
    
    Senna pod gives anthracine, which is a purgative (used in constipation)
    
    Calabar beans give physostigmine, which is cholinomimetic agent.
     D.    Seeds:
     
      Seeds of Nux Vomica give strychnine, which is a CNS stimulant.
     
      Castor oil seeds give castor oil.
     
      Calabar beans give Physostigmine, which is a cholinomimetic drug.
     E. Roots:
     
      Ipecacuanha root gives Emetine, used to induce vomiting as in accidental poisoning. It also 
      has amoebicidal properties.
     
      Rauwolfia serpentina gives reserpine, a hypotensive agent.
     
      Reserpine was used for hypertension treatment.
     F.      Bark:
     
      Cinchona bark gives quinine and quinidine, which are antimalarial drugs. Quinidine also 
      has antiarrythmic properties.
     
      Atropa belladonna gives atropine, which is anticholinergic.
     
      Hyoscyamus Niger gives Hyosine, which is also anticholinergic.
     G. Stem:
     
      Chondrodendron tomentosum gives tuboqurarine, which is skeletal muscle relaxant used in 
      general anesthesia
   2. Animal as source of drug
      Certain animal parts and animal products are used as drug 
   in therapeutic. The major group of animal products used in 
   medicine is hormone, enzyme, animal extractives organs and 
   bile acids. Second largest source of crude drugs.
  
   Pancreas is a source of Insulin, used in treatment of Diabetes.
  
   Urine of pregnant women gives human chorionic 
   gonadotropin (hCG) used for the treatment of infertility.
  
   Sheep thyroid is a source of thyroxin, used in hypertension.
  
   Cod liver is used as a source of vitamin A and D.