KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY

A report based
on phyto-
By,
Ajaya Acharya
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACY

pharmaceuticals
A brief of about 10 medicinal plants generally found on Nepal and their effect To Dr.
on pharmacy field along with their some diagnostic characters & its economic Rajendra
importance.
Gyawali
 ABSTRACT

This includes a brief of biological source, major drug components obtained along with its
structures & some importance in pharmacy fields related to different impact on human health
of about 10 medicinal plants along with its some diagnostic morphological characters.
Table of Contents
Study of roots and rhizomes bearing plant................................................................................................... 3
1. Spikenard(jatamashi) ........................................................................................................................ 3
2. Golden ragwort ................................................................................................................................. 3
3. Ginger ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Study of fruits bearing plant ......................................................................................................................... 4
1. Coriander .......................................................................................................................................... 4
2. Golden rain tree ................................................................................................................................ 5
Study of leafs bearing plants......................................................................................................................... 5
1. Aloe vera ........................................................................................................................................... 5
2. Rhododendron .................................................................................................................................. 6
Some other medicinal Plants found in Himalayan Region and Their Medicinal Benefits ............................ 7
1. Monkshood ........................................................................................................................................... 7
2. Nelly Moser ....................................................................................................................................... 7
3. West Indian Chickweed..................................................................................................................... 8
References .................................................................................................................................................... 9
 Study of roots and rhizomes bearing plant
1. Spikenard(jatamashi)
 Common names:-Nard, Nardin, Muskroot, Jatamashi(nepali name)
 Biological Source:- Nardostachys jatamansi, Nardostachys grandiflora
 Family:- valerian family or valeriaceae
 Geographical distribution:- sub-alpine region(2000-3000m), Himalayas of Nepal, China, and
India & some other European countries.
 Types:- flowering plants, endangered species, perennial
 Chemical constituent:- acaciin, ursolie acid, octacosanol, kanshone
,Anardosinonediol,nardosinone,aristolen-9beta-ol,oleanolic acid, beta-sitosterol

str 1:- 1- octacosanol

str 1.2:- Nardosinone str 1.3:- Oleanolic acid[1]

 Uses:-
 Sedatives,
 Incense & perfumes,
 herbal medicine said to fight insomnia, birth difficulties, and other minor ailments.

2. Golden ragwort
 Common names:- golden groundsel, squaw weed, life root, golden Senecio, uncum, uncum root,
waw weed, cough weed
 Biological source:- Packera aurea, formerly Senecio aureus
 Family:- Asteraceae.
 Geographical distribution:- native to eastern North America, from Labrador to Minnesota and
from North Carolina to Arkansas
 Types:- perennial flowering plant.
 Chemical constituents:- Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) florosenine, otosenine, and floridanine.
Eremophilane sesquiterpenes, such as trans-9-oxofuranoeremophilane, 8x-ethoxy-l0x-H-
eremophilane, and caccalol.

str 2.1:- Sesquiterpene 1

str 2.2:- Pyrrolizidine 1
 Uses:- uterine tonic, cause liver veno-occlusive disease, advantage in painful micturition with
tenesmus, specific influence upon the reproductive organs of the female, and to a less extent
upon the male

3. Ginger
 Common names:- ginger root or simply ginger
 Biological Source:- Zingiber officinale
 Family:- Zingiberaceae,
 Geographical distribution:- tropical rainforests from the Indian subcontinent to Southern Asia,
Europe
 Types:- herbaceous, perennial
 Chemicals constituents:- zingerone, shogaols and gingerols with [6]-gingerol (1-[4'-hydroxy-3'-
methoxyphenyl]-5-hydroxy-3-decanone) as the major pungent compound

(6)-Shogaol 1
Zingerone 1
Gingerol 1

 Uses:- Aromatic, carbinative, digestive & stimulant.

Study of fruits bearing plant

1. Coriander
 Common names:- Chinese parsley, "culantro" or "Mexican coriander"
 Biological source:- Coriandrum sativum,
 Family:- Apiaceae or Umbelliferae,
 Geographical distribution:- spanning from southern Europe and northern Africa to
southwestern Asia,
 Types:- annual herb,
 Chemicals constituents:- coriandrin and linalool, neryl acetate ,γ-terpinene
and α-pinene .
 coriandrin 1

coumarin 1

 Uses:-
 traditional medicines as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antibacterial agent
 antioxidant, antidiabetic,
 hepatoprotective, antibacterial, and antifungal activities.

2. Golden rain tree

 Common names:- Golden Shower, rajbriksya (राजवृक्ष)
 Biological source:- Cassia fistula, Cassia rhombifolia, Cassia excelsa
 Family:- Fabaceae,
 Geographical distribution:- Sri Lanka and southern Pakistan, Thailand, India,canada e.t.c
 Types:- perennial flowering tree.
 Chemicals constituents:- 1‐hexacosanol (1), 1‐octacosanol , palmitic acid , stearic acid , oleic
acid , linoleic acid , rhein, methyl ester , ziganein, vanillic acid

Vanillic acid 1
Rhein 1 oleic acid 1

 Uses:- strong lexatives, "disease killer", a purgative

Study of leafs bearing plants

1. Aloe vera
 Common names:- Chinese Aloe, Indian Aloe, True Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Burn Aloe, First Aid
Plant
 Biological sources:- A. barbadensis Mill., Aloe indica Royle, Aloe perfoliata L. var. vera, A.
vulgaris
 Family:- Asphodelaceae,
 Geographical distribution:- Australia,Bangladesh, Cuba, China, Mexico, India, Jamaica, Spain,,
Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, along with the USA
 Type:- xerophytic, evergreen and perennial
 Chemicals:- acetylated mannans, polymannans, anthraquinone C-glycosides, anthrones, other
anthraquinones, such as emodin and various lectins, ammino acids, vitamins etc.

Emodin 0-1
Anthraquinone 1
c glycoside 1

 Uses:- laxative, in Bp maintainance, woundhealing, as immunebooster, cardiac tonic, cosmetics

2. Rhododendron
 Common names:- pinxter flower, lali guransh
 Biological sources:- Rhododendron arboretum, Rhododendron ferrugineum, R. hirsutum, R.
chamaecistus, Rhododendron ferrugineum
 Family:- Ericaceae
 Geographical distribution:- North America to Europe, Russia, and Asia, and from Greenland to
Queensland, Australia and the Solomon Islands, Southwest China and northern Burma, from
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nepal and Sikkim.
 Type: - perennial flowering shrubs or small trees of which most species are evergreen.
 Chemistry:- rhodoaurichromanic acid A and rhodoaurichromanic acid B, lepidotum ,Two new
coumarin glycosides, 7-O-E-D-glucopyranosyl-8-methoxybenzopyranone (1) and 7-hydroxy-8-O-
E-glycosylbenzopyranone , daphnetin,
 Uses:- anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective, antioxidant
 Toxicology:- slightly hallucinogenic and laxative effect, pollen and nectar are venomous to
health in extra quantity.
Some other medicinal Plants found in Himalayan Region and Their
Medicinal Benefits

1. Monkshood
 Common names:- Indian Aconite, Vatsnabh/वत्सनाभ/MeethaVish
 Biological source:- Aconitum ferox, A. virorum
 Family:- Ranunculaceae,
 Parts used:- mainly dried roots,
 Geographical distribution:- high parts of Nepal, highest point of Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal,
India,
 Type:- A tuberous-rooted, herbaceous perennial plants
 Chemical constituents:- includes most toxic alkaloid (nepaline), Pseudo Aconitine. Other
alkaloids include aconitine, Picro aconitine, Benzylo aconitine and Homonopelin

Benzylo aconitine 1

 Uses:-
 Used in AYURBEDA for diuretic action, causes bradycardia and reduces sweating.
 antidote for poison,
 used for relieving all types of body pain, anxiety and breathing and also it helps in
reducing fever.
 in curing ailments like gout, asthma and diabetes
 it gives quick relief from all your health issues.
 Toxicology:- excessive doses cause,
 numbness of the mouth and throat and vomiting,
 Respiration slows and blood pressure synchronously falls to within 30-40 beats per
minute and consciousness characteristically remains unclouded until the end
 death by asphyxiation, although occasionally of death due to cardiac arrest

2. Nelly Moser
 Common names:- traveller's joy, leather flower, old man's beard, climbing plant
 Biological Source:- Clematis alpine, C. vitalba, C. terniflora, C. virginiana, and C. viticella
,Clematis Buchananiana
 Family:- Ranunculaceae
 Parts used:- seeds and acrid leaves.
 Geographical distribution:- alpine and sub alpine region, never grows in tropical region like
England, Darjeeling Hills
 Type:- annual or perennial both type of cultivation & collection.
 Chemistry:- triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids and many other compounds
 Uses:-
 for treating sinus inflammation, toothache, headache and indigestion
 effective treatment of skin infections
 locally to treat ear disorders and eczema

3. West Indian Chickweed

 Common names:- Tongue-grass, healing plant, magic plant, Adder’s mouth
 Biological source:- Drymaria cordata, Stellaria media
 Family:- Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family, Starwort Family)
 Parts used:- leafs, shoot and juice
 Geographical distribution:- Lowland in C. Japan. The plant grows in tropical and sub-tropical
India, but extends into the Himalayas up to elevations of 2100 metres & Nepal & china.
 Type:- Annual/Perennial , both favours harvesting.
 Chemical constituents and its mechanism:- emoidin ,parietin and questin ,sitisterol, daucosterol
saponins but not well known+no acceptable chemistry till now.

emoidin 1

 Uses:-
 for constipation, stomach and bowel problems, blood disorders, asthma and other lung
diseases,
 obesity, a vitamin C deficiency disease called scurvy, a skin condition called psoriasis,
rabies,
 itching, and muscle and joint pain.
 pounded leaf is applied to snake bites in China
 Toxicology:- must avoid from pregnancy women & children.
 References
 Callard, Chris (1998–2015). "Vireya Rhododendrons – Welcome". vireya.net. Retrieved 2013-02-
26
 "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". Retrieved June 19, 2014.
 Chadwick, John (1976). The Mycenaean World. Cambridge University Press. p. 119.
 Zingiber officinale". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research
Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 10 December 2017.
 http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/cook/SENECIO_AUREUS.htm Cook's Physiomedical
Dispensatory by William Cook, M.D., 1869
 HMDB entry for Oleanolic acid
 ^ "Nardostachys jatamansi", The Plant List, retrieved 2014-09-19
 http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/d/drymaria-cordata=west-indin-chickweed.php