BOTANY WITH BASICS OF HYDROBOTANY (AQUATIC PLANTS OF UKRAINE) - B.Ye. Yakubenko - 2011

IV. PLANT STRUCTURE

Medicinal Substances of Plant Origin

In the body, Alkaloids primarily affect the central or Peripheral Nervous system, stimulating or inhibiting physiological processes. This effect depends on the type of alkaloid and its concentration.

Alkaloids of ginseng, tall wingstem, Manchurian aralia, Chinese magnolia-vine, and Siberian ginseng exhibit a tonic effect.

Alkaloids of black henbane, deadly nightshade, and common thorn-apple exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. Under their influence, glandular secretion is also reduced. Analgesic properties are characteristic of opium poppy alkaloids.

Glycosides exert diverse effects depending on their chemical nature. For instance, monoterpene (bitter) glycosides of dandelion and buckbean act as choleretics and stimulate appetite.

Cardiac glycosides of large-flowered foxglove, purple foxglove, pheasant's eye, lily of the valley, and spreading treacle-mustard alleviate symptoms in patients with Heart Failure.

Triterpene glycosides of ginseng, Manchurian aralia, and Siberian ginseng are responsible for the tonic effect of these plants.

Steroidal glycosides (saponins) of Caucasian wild yam and puncture vine exhibit anti-sclerotic effects.

Phenol glycosides, phenolcarboxylic acids, and phenolic alcohols from the leaves of bearberry and lingonberry exert diuretic and disinfecting effects.

Anthracene derivatives and their glycosides (anthraglycosides) found in alder buckthorn, purging buckthorn, rhubarb, horse sorrel, and dyer's madder possess laxative properties.

Flavonoide glycosides have a wide spectrum of action. For example, bloody-twig hawthorn and five-lobed motherwort, which contain these substances, are used in cases of tachycardia, cardiac neurosis, and Hypertension; Water pepper acts as a hemostatic agent and is prescribed for uterine bleeding; sandy everlasting and common tansy act as choleretics.

Coumarins are glycosides based on the lactone of ortho-hydroxycinnamic acid. Coumarins and furocoumarins extracted from fig leaves, parsnip fruits, and toothpick ammi are used in the Treatment of vitiligo (Skin insensitivity to ultraviolet rays).

Glycosides containing various Phenolic Compounds from male fern serve as an anthelmintic agent, while those from chaga (birch bracket-fungus) act as an antitumor agent.

The thioglycoside sinigrin from Sarepta mustard exhibits an irritant effect.

Tannids (Tannins) of erect cinquefoil, great burnet, common oak, and European smoketree act as an astringent for treating diarrhea and also exhibit anti-inflammatory effects.

Essential Oils exhibit antiseptic, disinfecting, and irritant properties. Essential oils of common valerian, lemon balm, common wormwood, motherwort, and common hop have a sedative effect; essential oils of marshmallow, wild rosemary, elecampane, wild marjoram, coltsfoot, common agrimony, Jacob's ladder, licorice, eucalyptus, and common thyme act as expectorants and cough-relievers. Essential oils of sweet flag and common centaury improve the secretion of digestive juices and stimulate appetite. Essential oils of Sarepta mustard and cayenne pepper exert an irritant effect. Essential oils containing sandy everlasting, wild celery, peppermint, radish, and caraway have a choleretic effect. Irritant and diuretic properties are characteristic of essential oils of silver birch, smooth rupturewort, great burdock, common juniper, garden parsley, bearberry, dill, and three-lobe beggarticks.

Polysaccharides are used for therapeutic purposes due to their colloid-chemical properties. Rice starch powder is dusted onto affected areas in cases of skin inflammation and weeping eczema. Diabetics use inulin as a sugar substitute.

Mucilages (colloidal solutions of water-soluble polysaccharides) serve as demulcents for coughs and protective agents for diarrhea and inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa.

Resinous substances possess bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties, making them useful in the preparation of tinctures, ointments, and patches applied for treating purulent wounds and for Upper Respiratory Tract inhalations.

Vitamins, Enzymes, Antibiotics, and phytoncides also find application in medicine.