Pharmacognosy Part 1 (1-50) for University and Pharmacy Exams with Chapter-wise MCQs Aligned to PCI Syllabus: Your Ultimate Guide to GPAT, NIPER, RRB, and DI Exam Success

Pharmacognosy Part 1 (1-50) 

This blog title refers to a resource that provides chapter-wise Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) on Pharmacognosy as per the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) syllabus. The content is aimed at helping students prepare for various pharmacy exams, including GPAT, NIPER, RRB, and DI exams. Pharmacognosy is the study of medicinal drugs derived from natural sources, such as plants, animals, and minerals. The chapter-wise format of the MCQs ensures that students can systematically test their knowledge and understanding of key topics, thereby increasing their chances of success in these exams. This resource is an ultimate guide that enables students to master Pharmacognosy and achieve their academic and career goals.

Also Read:-

Pharmacognosy Part 1 (1-50):- Click here

Pharmacognosy Part 2 (51-100):- Click here

Pharmacognosy Part 3 (101-150):- Click here

Pharmacognosy Part 4 (151-200):- Click here

In each of the simple choice problems, only one answer is correct. Choose the correct answer.

1. The volatile oils are complex mixtures of..........

A) mono- and sesquiterpenes and phenylpropane derivatives

B) mono- and diterpene alcohols and ethers

C) sesquiterpenes and other aromatic compounds

D) monoterpene acids and lactones

E) monoterpene ethers and aldehydes

2. Which of the following are known as balsams?

A) Resins dissolved in volatile oil

B) A mixture of volatile oils with sesquiterpenes

C) Resins dissolved in water

D) Polysaccharides mixed with volatile oil

E) Juices evaporated to dryness

3. Alkaloids are naturally occurring compounds which contain .............in their molecules.

A) one or more N atoms

B) two heterocyclic rings

C) a side-chain on one of the benzene rings

D) one or more N atoms originating from amino acids

E) one or more O atoms

4. The iridoids are...

A) constituents of volatile oils

B) starting units of tannin biogenesis

C) precursors of the biosynthesis of saponins

D) precursors of the biogenesis of certain alkaloids

E) constituents of fixed oils

5. Which of the following methods is used to get alkaloids in base form from plant material?

A) Adding ammonium hydroxide and water to the pulverized drug

B) Making an extract with mineral acid and organic solvent

C) Making an extract with base and organic solvent

D) Adding mineral acid and water to the powdered drug

E) Making an extract with organic solvent and warming it.

6. Which of the following explanations is why morphine can be separated from its accompanying

alkaloids?

A) Morphine contains a piperidine ring.

B) Morphine contains two methoxy groups.

C) Morphine contains a phenolic hydroxyl group whereas the accompanying alkaloids have

none.

D) Morphine does not contain phenolic hydroxyl group whereas the accompanying alkaloids

contain one.

E) Morphine and its accompanying alkaloids are inseparable.

7. Which of the following is the skeleton of Cinchona alkaloids?

A) Cevan

B) Tropane

C) Isoquinoline

D) Rubanol

E) Dammarane

8. Which of the following is the reagent for alkaloids?

A) 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine

B) Iron(III)chloride

C) Antimony(III)chloride

D) Potassiumtetraiodomercurate

E) Phloroglucinol in concentrated hydrochloric acid

9. Ergot is the......................of the fungus Claviceps purpurea.

A) vegetative form

B) dried sclerotium

C) ascospore

D) conidiospore

E) filamentous hyphae

10. Which of the following is the difference between the chemical structures of cotton and starch?

A) Cotton consists of α-glucose molecules, whereas starch contains branched β-glucose

residues

B) Cotton consists of unbranched β-glucose molecules, whereas starch contains unbranched α-

and β-glucose residues

C) Cotton is built up from glucose residues linked by 1,4-β-D-glucose bonds, whereas starch

contains branched and linear chains of 1,4-α- and 1,6-α-D-glucose residues

D) Both consist of branched and linear 1,4-α-D-glucose units

E) Both are built up from branched and linear 1,2-β-D-glucose residues

11. Which of the following is the structure of the flavonoids of Silybum marianum?

A) Dimeric flavan-3,4-diol

B) Monomeric flavon-3-ol

C) Flavonolignan

D) A simple flavanonol-glycoside

E) Isoflavanonediglycoside

12. Which of the following is the test for the identification of anthraquinones?

A) The Marquis test

B) The Froehde test

C) The Liebermann-Burchard test

D) The Bornträeger test

E) The murexide test

13. Which of the following is the way to detect procyanidins?

A) When heated with dilute NaOH, procyanidins give a green colour

B) Procyanidins give a yellow colour with concentrated nitric acid

C) When heated with cc. HCl, procyanidins give a red colour. On extraction of the mixture

with nBuOH, the butanolic phase turns red

D) When heated with resorcinol, procyanidins give a bluish-violet colour

E) Procyanidins give an orange precipitate with the Kedde reagent.

14. Which of the following is the assay for determination of the volatile oil contents of herbal drugs?

A) Steam distillation

B) Extraction with light petrol

C) Distillation by Marcusson’s method

D) Determination of the loss on drying

E) Determination of the alcoholic extract

15. Why is it not recommended to use Rheum raponticum instead of Rheum palmatum for medical

purposes?

A) Because the emodin content of R. raponticum is too high

B) Because the rhein content of the R. raponticum is too low

C) Because the chrysophanol content of R. raponticum is too high

D) Because R. raponticum contains a stilbene derivative which has undesirable hormonal

activity

E) Because the gallic acid content of R. raponticum is too low

16. Which of the following compounds transforms to chamazulen on steam distillation?

A) Lavandulol

B) Farnezol

C) Matricin

D) Gossypol

E) Parthenolid

17. Which of the following drugs contains inulin?

A) Cichorii radix

B) Symphyti radix

C) Plantaginis herba

D) Trigonellae foenugraeci semen

E) Tanaceti herba

18. Hashish is the ........ of Cannabis sativa.

A) gum of the male flowers

B) resin of the female flowers

C) gum of the male and female flowers

D) pressed juice of the leaves

E) latex of the tops

19. Which of the following is opium?

A) The dried latex exudate of the unripe incised capsules

B) The dried aqueous extract of the ripe capsules

C) The dried alcoholic extract of the unripe capsules

D) A concentrated alcoholic extract of the poppy straw

E) An aqueous extract of the ripe seeds

20. Which of the following is the common skeleton of physiologically active ergoline alkaloids?

A) Isolysergic acid

B) Clavorubine

C) Lysergic acid

D) 2-Phenylbenzopyran

E) Elimoclavine

21. Poppy straw is the industrial raw material of morphine production because ...

A) poppy straw contains only morphine

B) poppy straw does not contain other accompanying alkaloids

C) poppy straw has the maximum morphine content

D) poppy straw is the cheapest available raw material

E) poppy straw contains morphine derivatives

22. Which of the following achievements is associated with Miklós Békéssy?

A) The industrial production of essential oils by steam distillation

B) The industrial production of poppy alkaloids

C) The cultivation of ergot

D) the isolation of morphine

E) The production of ergot alkaloids by fermentation

23. Which of the following drugs has the highest caffeine content?

A) Mate folium

B) Theae folium

C) Guarana

D) Coffeae semen

E) Colae semen

24. Which of the following constituents is not present in Matricariae aetheroleum?

A) Chamazulene

B) Matricin

C) Spatulenol

D) α-Bisabolol

E) en-in-bicyclic ethers

25. Inulin is a(n)...

A) arabin

B) pectin

C) galaktane

D) mannan

E) fructosane

26. Which of the following is an alkaloid with a purine skeleton?

A) Hygrine

B) Theobromine

C) Ephedrine

D) Strychnine

E) Solanidine

27. Which of the following drugs has a carminative effect?

A) Frangulae cortex

B) Centaurii herba

C) Silybi mariani fructus

D) Foeniculi fructus

E) Graminis rhizoma

28. Which of the following drugs contains ajoene?

A) Valerianae radix

B) Agrimoniae herba

C) Echinaceae radix

D) Ginseng radix

E) Allii sativi bulbus

29. Which of the following plant constituents can be characterized by irreversible complexation

with proteins?

A) Alkaloids

B) Saponins

C) Tannins

D) Mucilages

E) Anthraquinone glycosides

30. Which of the following drugs contains aucubin?

A) Marrubii herba

B) Agrimoniae herba

C) Valerianae radix

D) Plantaginis lanceolatae folium

E) Cyani flos

31. Hide powder is used in the traditional method of tannin quantitation because ...

A) hide powder gives a colour reaction with tannins

B) hide powder reacts with polyphenols

C) hide powder reduces tannins

D) hide powder oxidizes polyphenols

E) hide powder reacts with tannins

32. Which of the following types of compound is arbutin, used in urological infections?

A) A flavonoid glycoside

B) A phenolic glycoside

C) A furanocoumarin

D) An iridoid glycoside

E) A gallitannin

33. With which of the following methods can the tertiary alkaloids be extracted in salt form?

A) With organic solvents such as chloroform

B) On boiling with aqueous ammonia solution

C) With organic solvents containing alkaline solution

D) With organic solvents containing acidic solution

E) With an acidic aqueous solution

34. Which of the following drugs contains anthraquinone derivatives?

A) Betulae folium

B) Graminis rhizoma

C) Rhei radix

D) Herniariae herba

E) Rubi idaei folium

35. Which of the following reagents is suitable for identification of the Secale cornutum alkaloids?

A) The van Urk reagent

B) The Fehling I and II reagents

C) Iron(III) chloride

D) Phloroglucinol in hydrochloric acid

E) The EP reagent

36. Iridoids are...:

A) stress compounds characteristic of the Lamiaceae family

B) sesquiterpenes with a bitter taste

C) monoterpenes with a cyclopenta-(c)-pyrane structure

D) pseudoalkaloids

E) constituents of balms since they have a pleasant scent

37. The bitter value is the .................... of an extract made of 1g of drug, which just has a bitter

taste.

A) highest dilution

B) lowest dilution

C) lowest concentration

D) highest concentration

E) highest trituration

38. Which of the following drugs contains laxative compounds?

A) Sennae folium

B) Hyperici herba

C) Urticae radix

D) Equiseti herba

E) Agrimoniae herba

39. Which of the following is the toxic compound of linseed?

A) Arabinoxylane

B) Ricin

C) Linamarin

D) Scopoletin

E) Rhein

40. Linoleic acid is a(n)...

A) saturated ω-6 fatty acid

B) unsaturated ω-6 fatty acid

C) unsaturated ω-3 fatty acid

D) ω-9 fatty acid

E) saturated ω-3 fatty acid

41. Which of the following contains a fixed oil rich in γ-linolenic acid?

A) Zea mays

B) Sesamum indicum

C) Oenothera biennis

D) Ricinus communis

E) Glycine max

42. Which of the following compounds contains an N atom?

A) Naphthoquinone Derivatives

B) Monoterpenes

C) Coumarins

D) Lignans

E) Alkylamines

43. Atropine is a 1:1 mixture of D and L-...

A) scopoletin

B) scopolamine

C) hyoscyamine

D) belladonnin

E) scopolin

44. Which of the following “mystic” plants contains alkaloids with a tropane skeleton?

A) Betel Palm

B) Mandrake

C) Hemlock

D) Cannabis

E) Iboga

45. Which of the following indications is not applicable for Capsici fructus?

A) Topical application in rheumatic disorders

B) Stomachic

C) Promotion of wound healing

D) Relieving neuralgias

E) Increasing the rate of hair growth

46. The main compound of Ephedrae herba is the analogue of the synthetic molecule...

A) amphetamine

B) ketamine

C) phencyclidine

D) ethyl morphine

E) methadone

47. Which of the following compounds is characteristic of Rauwolfiae radix?

A) Physostigmine

B) Quinidine

C) Reserpine

D) Cytisine

E) Capsaicin

48. The comfrey root is only suitable for topical application because the drug contains ...

A) alkaloids with a tropane skeleton

B) piperidine alkaloids

C) saponins

D) pyrrolizidine alkaloids

E) coumarins

49. The toxic Conii fructus can easily be confused with...

A) fennel seed

B) linseed

C) anise seed

D) coriander seed

E) castor bean seed

50. Which of the following is the main active component of betel nut?

A) Ephedrine

B) Chlorogenic acid

C) Capsaicin

D) Hypericin

E) Arecholin

Answers:- 

1. A

2. A

3. D

4. D

5. C

6. C

7. D

8. D

9. B

10. C

11. C

12. D

13. C

14. A

15. D

16. C

17. A

18. B

19. A

20. C

21. D

22. C

23. C

24. B

25. E

26. B

27. D

28. E

29. C

30. D

31. E

32. B

33. E

34. C

35. A

36. C

37. A

38. A

39. C

40. B

41. C

42. E

43. C

44. B

45. C

46. A

47. C

48. D

49. C

50. E