Organoleptic evaluation is also known as macroscopic or morphological evaluation. The term organoleptic evaluation refers to the sensory evaluation. It is the study of drug using organs of senses.
It refers to method of analysis like:
- colour
- taste
- odour
- size
- shape and
- special features as touch, texture, fracture etc.
Obviously, the initial site of a plant or extract is so specific that it tends to identify itself. If this is not enough, then the odour and taste should be checked.
Organoleptic evaluation represents the simplest yet the most human form of analysis. For instance, talka gum which is used as a substitute for acacia is usually broken and sometimes are brown in colour and others colourless while acacia is white to yellow in colour.
Other examples are:
- Cinnamon Bark –Brown colour
- Jatamansi – Aromatic odour
- Capsicum – Pungent taste
- Digitalis — 10 – 30 cm long and 4 – 10 cm wide
- Nux vomica – Disc shaped
- Cascara barks – Fractured surface.
Plants can be identified by observing certain distinguishing morphological characteristics. Some of the morphological characteristics are:
- Plant type (woody or herbaceous)
- leaf type (simple or compound leaf)
- fruit type (simple, aggregate, collective fruit)
- flowers spike , umbel, cymose, , panicle, raceme)
- bark (quill, curved) etc.
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