adulterations of herbal drugs

Main Drug

Adulterant

Gum of Gugglu (Commiphora wightii)

Gum of Shallaki (Boswellia serrata)

Leaf of Araluka (Ailanthus excels)

Leaf of Vasaka (Adhatoda vesica)

Arimeda (Acacia fernaciana)

Aragvadha (Cassia fistula)

Kuchala seed (Strychnos nuxvomica)

Katak seed (Strychnos potatorum)

Manjistha (Rubia cordifolia)

Kiratikta (Swertia chirayta)

Pattanga (Caesalpinia sappan)

Raktachandan (Pterocarpus santalinus)

Kampillaka (Mallotus phillipenensis)

Istica churna (brick powder)

Yastimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Gunjamool (Abrus precatorius)

Pippali (Piper longum)

Chavya (Piper retrofactum) and Tambula (Piper betle)

Guduchi satva (Tinospora cordifolia)

Powder or flour of potato, sweet potato

Erandkarkati seed (Caryca papaya)

Maricha (Piper nigrum)

Vidanga (Embelia ribes)

Sp. of Vidanga (Myrsine Africana)

Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna)

Jarula (Lagerstroemia speciosa)

Ashoka (Saraca asoca)

Kasthadaru (Polyalthia longifolia)

Talish patra (Abies webbiana)

Sthaunyak (Taxus baccata)

---

TABLE 3.5  Some Examples of the Preferred Time of Collection of Some Herbs

Name of the Plant

Preferred Time of Collection

Rationale

Rhubarb (Rhamnus purshiana)

Summer

Anthranols are converted to 

anthraquinones during summer only

Peppermint (Mentha sp.)

At a particular age of the plant

High proportion of Pulegone in young 

plants of peppermint will be replaced by 

Menthone and Menthol

Datura (Datura metel, D. innoxia)

At a particular age of the plant

Reduction in the percentage of alkaloids 

in datura

Vasaka (Adhatoda vasica)

Just before the flowering season

The whole plant has come to a healthy 

state and contains an optimum quantity of 

metabolites

Digitalis (Digitalis purpurea)

Just before the flowering season

Clove (Eugenia caryophyllus)

Before full expansion

Contains an optimum quantity of 

metabolites

Saffron (Crocus sativus)

Barks

Spring

Ease in separation

Inferior drugs may even lack any therapeutic value. Due to their resemblance to the original drug, they are used as adulter-

ants. Some other such examples include mother clove and clove stalks in clove buds.

3.2.1.8  Harmful Adulterants

Besides the techniques mentioned above, some other techniques are also being used for adulterating herbal medicines. For 

example, harmful adulterants are used, which are mixed with the authentic drug, for example, limestone in asafetida and 

rodent fecal matter to cardamom seed. Crude drugs in powder form also are being adulterated, for example, Dextrin in 

ipecacuanha, exhausted powder ginger in colocynth and ginger (see 

Table 3.5

).