Is the term substitution relevant to Pharmacognosy and/ or vegetable crude drug industry?
2010
Reevaluating the Term Substitution in Pharmacognosy
publication
Author Information
Author(s): Selvam A. B. D.
Primary Institution: Botanical Survey of India
Hypothesis
Is the term substitution relevant to Pharmacognosy and/or the vegetable crude drug industry?
Conclusion
The term 'substitution' is an irrelevant term in pharmacognostic studies and should be replaced with 'alternative' or 'alternative source'.
Supporting Evidence
- The term 'substitution' has been used incorrectly in pharmacognostic studies for centuries.
- Adulteration and substitution are two familiar practices in the crude drug industry, but substitution is not a fraudulent activity.
- The drug plant Coscinium fenestratum is considered a substitute despite having similar features to Berberis aristata.
Takeaway
Some plants are wrongly called substitutes when they should be considered alternatives because they have unique properties.
Limitations
The study does not provide empirical data to support the claims made about the term substitution.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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