Medical Plants | Biology for Grade 12 PDF Download

MEDICINAL PLANT:

The branch of science in which study of medical plants is done known as Pharmacognosy.

Hippocrates is known as father of medicine. "Discorides" is known as father of pharmacognosy.

 1. CINCHONA OFFICINALIS 

Cinchona Officinalis

(i)    Hindi Name  – "Quinine" or "Jaisuitbark" or "Peruvian bark" or "Countess bark".

Cinchona officinalis is dicotyledon and belong to Rubiaceae family.

Distribution – This plant is mainly found in Peru country. Its many species are grown in India. Indonesia and Jawa Island. The maximum amount of quinine (medicine) obtains from C.lidgerina.

(ii)   Habit – This is medium size plant and perennial. The credit goes on "La-condamine" for discovery of this plant. The name of Cinchona was coined by "Linnaeus" on the name of Mrs. of Vice Roy of Peru Island – "Cinchon". This plant first time introduced inIndia from Jawa-Island by "Anderson".

(iii)  Source of Medicine – This quinine is obtains from the bark of plants of genus of cinshona. First of all bark removed from the stem, branches and root (mainly stem) during the rainy season. The bark almost contain approximately 25 type of alkaloids like Quinine, Quinidine. Cinchonine and Cinchonidine. The chemical formula of quinine is C₂₀H₂₄O₂N₂. The quinine is obtained in the form of quinine sulphate. All the alkaloids of Cinchona collectively known as "Totoquine".

(iv) Medicinal uses –

(i)    The maximum uses of quinine is for treatment of Malaria. It is effective on asexual stage – (schizont of malarial parasite).

(ii)   Quinine used in bacterial infection and pneumonia for their treatment because it is antibacterial.

(iii)  Its application is also effective in the infection of protozoans. It is used in ameobic dysentry.

(iv)  Quinine is "insects repellent". It uses for protection of costly clothes, fur and feathers.

(v)   Exclusing quinine, Quinidine used as "inhibit auricular stimulation" [cardiac depressant].

(v)   Quinine is also used for making hair lotion.

(v)   Precautions –

(i)    High-dose of quinine can causes "blindness", "deafness" and "giddiness".

(ii)   It should not be given to pregnant ladies and heart patient.

2. CURCUMA LONGA

"Haldi" or "Turmeric" This is of family zingiberaceae and monocotyledon plant.

(i)   Distribution  – The cultivation of turmeric is mainly in India & China. But now a days it is also grown in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Peru.

(ii)   Habit – This is a perennial herbs which grows as under ground rhizomes.

(iii)  Source of Drug –

(i)    The medicine obtains from the under ground rhizomes.

(ii)   First of all rhizomes boil in water for 10-12 hours, then after dries in sun light. By this process, the yellow colour oozes from the secreting cells and spread over the all parts of rhizome.

(iv)  Composition of Drug  – This is a cellular and in the form of powder. Turmeric is a type of tissues. (It contains volatile oils. The main coloured alkaloids are curcumine and zingiberine. The volatile oil usually is umbelliferine.

(v)  Medicinal Uses –

(i)    Turmeric used as a carminative (digestive). it remove indigestion. It increase the secretion of bile juice.

(ii)   It is a tonic and stimulant.

(iii)  It used as in the form of antihelmintic.

(iv)  Its decoction is useful in cold and cough.

(v)   It is also used as blood purifier.

(vi)  It used with milk as pain killer for any type of injury. It also help in wound healing.

(vii) It used with milk as pain killer for any type of injury. It also help ion wound healing.

(viii) "Kumkum" which is the symbol's of Indian married woman's is formed from turmeric. When turmeric powder treated with concentrated sulphuric acid then it changed into red colour powder.

(ix)  There is no side effect of turmeric. It is used as spices

 3. FERULA ASAFOETIDA

"Hing" or "asafoetida" or "Devil's dung"

The family asafoetida is Umbelliferae or Apiaceae. It is dicotyledon plant. This plant is perennial herbs

(i)    Distribution  – It is extensively found in India, East Iran and West Afganistan. In India, only grown in velley of Kashmir.

(ii)   Source of Drug – This drug obtains from the root. If the roots cut from the base of the stem then it give more medicine. The resin like material come out from the cut. It becomes dark brown in colour after dryness. This is very bitter in taste and it has pungent smell. the cut is made on the root in the month of April before flowering.

(iii)  Composition of drug – Asafoetida is acellular oleogum resin. It contains carbon disulphide, Penine, Umbelliferine and Ferulic acid. Its pungent smell and bitter taste is only due to presence of carbon disulphide compound. It lack alkaloids.  

(v)   Medicinal Uses –

(i)    It used as a spasm releiver. It cure flatulent colic pain.

(ii)   It used in Cholera, whooping cough and Jaundice.

(iii)  It is used in the disease who is suffering by "fits" or Epilepsy.

(iv)  It is used in respiratory disease - bronchitis.

(v)   It help to remove worms from alimentary canal.

(vi)  It is used as spices in India

(vii) It is used to check abdominal swelling in the form of paste.

(viii) It is very useful medicine to remove constipation. [As powerful anticonstipation agent].

(ix)  It has no side effect.

 4. PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM

Common name – "Post", "Poppy", "Apheem"

This plant is dicotyledon of papaveraceae family.

(i)    Distribution  – It is extensively cultivated in India, Japan, China, Pakistan, Turkee and Iran. In India it is grown in district of Rajasthan such as Banswara, Jhalawar, Chittore; and Faizabad of Uttar Pradesh; Ratlam, Neemach and Mandsor in M.P. It is also known as "Black Gold". The cultivation of poppy is under the control of Government. The 70% of opium of world is cultivated in India.

(ii)   Habit – The plant is annual herb. The fruit is a capsule and persistant with stigma. The flowers are big, white, pink or red in colour.

(iii)  Source of Drug –  The drug obtains from the unriped capsule. The parallel cuts are marked on the capsule. From these cuts yellow coloured milk comes out. It is known as latex. When dries, it becomes dark brown or black in colour. This opium is bitter in taste and with smell. The cultivation of best quality or opium is in Mandsore district of Madhya Pradesh.

(iv)  Composition of Drug  – The drug is acellular latex. The latex of opium contains 25 types of alkaloids. Out of them the main alkaloids as follows –

Other alkalloids – The pseudomorphine, protopine cryptopine etc. narcotic substances obtain. Some of more dangerous substances obtain from the opium which have many times more effective than opium such as – Heroin or Diacetylemorphine.

(v)   Medicinal Uses –

(i)    Morphine is a effective and strong analgesic. It is extensively used in all type of pain like burning, fracture of bones, kidney pain etc. (Visceral pain)

(ii)   The opium has sedative action and induce sleep. It means it release all anxiety and bring a sound        sleep.

(iii)  Codeine used in cough and cold. It is an effective drug for cough.

(iv)  This drug is used for treatment of insomnia. All the alkaloids of opium have effect on central        nervous system.

(v)   It is used in dysentry.

(vi)  The paste of opium is used for piles.

(vii) It stops the possibility of abortion and it is also very useful to relieve the pain after the birth of child.

(viii) It is also very useful in ulcers and gastritis.

(vi) Side effects – The continuous use of opium a person becomes addictive and then after it has no effect. It reduce hunger and responsible for constipation. Chinese started a opium-war because there habitants were addicted.

(vii) Precaution – 

(i)    Opium should not be given to the child and old persons.

(ii)   The person should not taken those who are suffering by respiratory disease.

 5. RAUWOLFIA SERPENTINA 

(i)  Common Name – "Sarp Gandha" or "Small Moon" or "Chnad Mukha" or "Serpent Root" or "Snake root". It is a dicotyledon plant of apocyanaceae family.

(ii)  Distribution  – It is naturally found in Burma, Pakistan, Jawa, Nepal and Thailand. It is distributed in Assam, Sikkim, Bihar and U.P. in India The name of this plant (Rauwolfia) coined by "Charles Pluminger" on a German Scientist – Leonard rauwolf.

(iii) Habit – It is perennial, erect bushes.

(iv)  Source of Drug –  It is usually obtains from the root with bark of the plant. First of all root taken with its bark after 2-3 years old plant. The roots are pungent and bitter in taste.

(iv)  Composition of Drug  – The drug obtains in form of cellular and powder. The root of Rauwolfia contains almost 70 types of alkaloids in which reserpine and serpentine is the main alkaloids. The other alkaloids are Ajmaline, Rauwolfine, Riscinnamine and Yohimbine etc. The chemical formula of Reserpine is C₃₃H₄₀N₂O₉. The first time reserpine extracted by Muller and Schitler from the plant. Reserpine is a most important drug.

(v)  Medicinal Uses –

(i)    Reserpine is used from ancient period for snake's biting, epilepsy, insanity and insomnia.

(ii)   Reserpine reduce high blood pressure. It decrease high blood pressure during hypertension.

(iii)  It is used to cure voice which is disturb due to drinking of alcohol.

(iv)  It is used to cease the effect of high madness (mental imbalance or Schizophrenia) it is also very        useful to release the fear and anger as well as reduced the excitement.

(v)   It is called as "medicine of insanity" in India.

(vi)  Reserpine increase the peristalsis movement and secretion of gastric juice.

(vii) The flow of blood increase in brain through the ajmaline. The juice of leaves of ajmaline removes the opacity of white region of eye.

(viii)  The effect of L.S.D. (Lysergic acid di-ethylamide) on central nervous system, decreased by reserpine.

(xi) It is used to stop the aggressive nature of wild animals.

(x)   It contract the uterus, so that it is used to stop the excess bleeding during birth.

(vii) Precautions –  This drug should not be given to patient of peptic ulcer, asthma and heart patients.