Download Lect no.7 Classification of medicinal plants

Lect. No.7
Medicinal Plants Classification
-Aromatic and medicinal plants could be classified based on several criteria:
1] Botanical Classification:
-based on flower morphology, where related plants are put in ranks (Divisions (phyla), Classes, Orders, Families, Genera
and species) depending on their evolutionary relationships.
-Plant kingdom
Non-Vascular plants
e.g. Mosses
Vascular plants
Seedless plants e.g Ferns
Seed bearing plants
Angiosperms
Gymnosperms
(Division Anthophyta)
Naked seeds e.g. Conifers
Seeds inside fruits
Class Liliopsida
Class Magnoliopsida
Monocots
Dicots
e.g. Corn, Wheat, Palm
Herbs, shrubs,trees
mostly herbs
Different families e.g Liliaceae (Lily family)
Different families e.g Asteraceae (Compositae)
Graminae (Poaceae)
Cucurbitaceae
Arecacea (Palmae)
Euphorbiaceae
Iridaceae (Iris family)
Geraniaceae
Discoraceae (with glycosides)
Linaceae
Labiatae (Lamiaceae)
Leguminosae
Oleacea
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Rutaceae
Papaveraceae
Cruciferae
Malvaceae
Rosaceae
Solanaceae
Umbelliferae
2] Classification based on the plant organ used in treating illness:
A) Aerial vegetative (green organs)
-Stems and leaves e.g. parsley
-Leaves only like basil
-Stems only used as digitalis
-Shoots used as datura
B) Reproductive organs
-Flower buds are used as Eugenia caryophyllata ‫كبش قرنفل‬
-Whole flowers are used as Matricaria ‫ بابونج‬and Carthamus tinctorius safflower ‫عصفر‬
-Style and stigma of carpel as Crocus sativus saffron ‫زعفران‬
-Fruits are used as olive, Punica granatum pomegranate ‫ الرمان‬, cardamom (‫ )الهال‬Eletteria cardamomum.
-Seeds are used as Ricinus communis ‫ خروع‬, Helianthus ‫عباد الشمس‬, Nigella dativa ‫القزحة‬
C) Other parts used as
-Bulbs (modified stem) as Allium cepa
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- Corms (modified stem) Crocus sativus saffron‫زعفران‬
-Rhizome (modified stem) ginger (‫ )الزنجبيل‬Zingiber officinale
-Roots as cotton and orchids
3] Chemical classification based on active constituents plants contains as phenols, essential oils, fatty oils, glucosides,
resins, gums, mucilages, tannins, steroids and alkaloids.
-The active constituents are present in the storage organs of the plants, particularly in the roots and seeds and to lesser extent
in leaves, bark, wood, or other parts of the plant.
- The total amount of the chemical constituents present in any organ is so small.
4] Classification based on industrial uses of plants
-Aromatic Plants: used in food, cosmetics and food industries.
- Medicinal plants: plants that are used in medicine industry (extracts or herbal products).
- Spices, condiments and Flavoring agents: plants used mainly in food and food industry and may have medicinal uses.
- Insecticides: plants and their extract that can be used to fight insects.(Asphodilus bulb)
-Coloring Agents: used in coloring as Hibiscus sabdariffa ‫الكركديه‬
-Beverages: plants used as drinks and have medicinal value as Coffea arabica coffee , Camellia sinensis Tea, Cola nitida
cola, Theobroma cacao cocoa and chocolate
5] Classification based on season of cultivation and production
- Winter plants: cultivated in winter, withstand cold conditions as Nigella dativa ‫ القزحة‬and Carum carvi ‫الكراوية‬
- Summer plants: cultivated at end of spring and beginning of summer, as Mentha ‫النعناع‬, Salvia ‫الميرمية‬
-Neutral plants: cultivated at any season as ‫ حصا البان اكليل الجبل‬Rosmarinus
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6] Classification may be based on the therapeutic value of the plant products
-Medicinal plants can be divided according to their action into,
Sedative or Analgestic ‫ مسكنة‬Diuretic ‫مدر للبول‬
Astringents ‫(قابض) شاد للجلد‬
Expectorants ‫مقشع للبلغم‬
Antiseptic ‫مطهر‬
Antitussives ‫مضاد للسعال‬
Carminatives ‫طارد للغازات‬
Depuratives ‫منقيات‬
Emollients ‫مطريات‬
Laxatives ‫ملين‬
Vulneraries ‫مضمد للجروح‬
Antispasmodics ‫مضادات التشنج‬
Emmenagogues‫أعشاب‬
Nervines ‫ مسكنات لألعصاب‬Anti-inflammatory
septic
Aphrodisiac
‫محيضة‬
and the degree to which they affect different body systems.
-Herbs often have a pronounced action on a particular body system, for example, a plant that is strongly antiseptic in
the digestive tract may be less so in the respiratory tract.
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