Aromatic Waters

Q: What are aromatic waters?

Ans: Aromatic waters are saturated solutions (unless otherwise specified) of volatile oils or other aromatic or volatile substances in distilled water. They are usually employed for flavoring. They are clear and free from solid impurities.

Q: Classify aromatic waters?

Ans:

• Simple aromatic waters

• Concentrated aromatic waters

Q: What do you know about concentrated aromatic waters?

Ans: These products are alcoholic, non-aqueous preparations containing 2% of volatile oils. They are forty times stronger than the ordinary aromatic waters. Many volatile oils contain aromatic part and non-aromatic part. The aromatic portion is much more soluble in a weak alcohol than the non-aromatic portion.

Q: What do you know about camphor water?

Ans: They are made by mixing racemic camphor with ethanol and by adding sufficient amount of water.

Q: What are the uses of camphor water?

Ans: Camphor water has been used as the vehicle in ophthalmic solutions owning to its ability to contribute refreshing, stimulating effect to the preparation.

Q: How aromatic waters smell?

Ans: They possess an odor similar to the plant or volatile substance from which they are made. They are free from foreign odor.

Q: How aromatic waters should be stored?

Ans: Aromatic water deteriorates with time and it should be made in small quantities and protected.

(These Viva Type Questions will help you to prepare for Pharmacy Exams)

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Interesting books:

Tinctures

Q: What are tinctures?

Ans: These are alcoholic or hydroalcoholic solutions made from materials of plant origin or from chemical substances. Most of the tinctures are prepared by percolation or by maceration.

Q: What is the method generally used for the preparation of tinctures?
Ans: Herbs are placed in a container and a spirit containing 40% pure ethanol is added. The jar is placed for 2-3 weeks and shaken occasionally so that the concentration can be increased of the solution.

Q: What are the examples of tincture?
Ans: Iodine tincture, alcoholic tincture, digitalis tincture, belladonna tincture

Q: What do you know about iodine tincture?
Ans: It is a hydroalcoholic solution having

• Elemental iodine i.e. 2%,

• Potassium iodide i.e. 2.4%, so that the dissolution is facilitated and

• Alcohol i.e. 47%.

Q: What is the use of iodine tincture?
Ans: It is used as an antiseptic/germicide for scratches and cuts on the surface of the skin. It has been used as a skin disinfectant before surgery but is now largely replaced by organic forms of iodine.

Q: What do you know about belladonna tincture?
Ans: It is a green hydroalcoholic liquid having the alkaloids scopolamine and atropine and other substances that are extracted from the leaves of Atropa belladonna.

Q: What is the use of belladonna tincture?
Ans: Earlier it was widely used in treatment of ulcer or the palliative treatment of diarrhea, either alone or in combination with antacids and insoluble clays.

Q: What do you mean by palliative treatment?
Ans: It means the relief of mental and physical pain or symptoms without actually treating the causes, especially in patients suffering from a fatal (dying) illness.

(These Viva type Questions can help you in the preparation of pharmacy exams)
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Further Reading:

Surface tension

Q: What do you mean by surface tension?

Ans: It represents the intermolecular attraction due to cohesive quality at the surface of the liquid, in contact with another fluid or solid, which tends to move the molecules of the liquid inside from the surface.
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Further Reading:

Some viva questions from Pharmacognosy

Q: What do you know about ergot alkaloids?
Ans: These include alkaloids which we get from the ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea or derived semisynthetically.

Q: Give examples of ergot alkaloids?
Ans: Ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, ergonovine, methysergide, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).

Q: What do know about Glycoside?
Ans: It represents a derivative of sugar that decomposes into a sugar and non-sugar component. It is obtained by extraction of crude drug with alcohol. For example digitalis glycosides.

Q: What do you mean by essential oils?
Ans: These are the products obtained from plant having volatile nature. They represent the taste and odour of that particular plant from which these are obtained such as camphor, menthane and terpenes.

Q: What do you mean by antibiotic?
Ans: It represents a soluble substance which is obtained from bacterium or mold (fungus) having the ability of stopping the growth of micro-organisms. They are inactive against viruses.

Q: What do you know about vaccine?
Ans: Vaccine represents a product, having dead or weakened micro-organism of kind causing a specific disease, used to stimulate the immune system for the production of antibodies in competition with that specific disease.
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Further Reading: