PSM 202 Medicinal and

Aromatic Crops (1 + 1)
• 1.History-importance – Scope- opportunities and constraints –area
and prodution - imports and exports - classification of medicinal
plants
• 2.GAP, GMP guidelines, institutions for promotion of medicinal
plants- contract farming
• 3.Uses - soil and climate - varieties - propagation - nursery practices
- planting and after care - nutrient management- irrigation - -harvest
- post harvest management-extraction-storage techniques –
chemical composition of Senna, Periwinkle and glory lily
• 4.Uses - soil and climate - varieties - propagation - nursery practices
- planting and after care - nutrient management- irrigation - harvest -
post harvest management-extraction-storage techniques – chemical
composition of Ashwagandha, Medicinal coleus and Aloe
• 5.Uses - soil and climate - varieties - propagation - nursery practices - planting and
after care - nutrient management- irrigation - harvest - post harvest management-
extraction-storage techniques –chemical composition of Long pepper and Isabgol
• 6.Uses - soil and climate - varieties - propagation - nursery practices - planting and
after care - nutrient management- irrigation - harvest - post harvest management-
extraction-storage techniques – chemical composition of Medicinal solanum,
Medicinal dioscorea and Rauvolfia
• 7.Uses - soil and climate - varieties - propagation - nursery practices - planting and
after care - nutrient management- irrigation - harvest - post harvest management-
extraction-storage techniques –chemical composition of Sweet flag and Belladonna
• 8.Uses - soil and climate - varieties - propagation - nursery practices - planting and
after care - nutrient management- irrigation - harvest - post harvest management-
extraction-storage techniques –chemical composition of Cinchona and Pyrethrum
• 9.Mid semester examination
• 10.History-importance – Scope- opportunities and constraints –
Origin, distribution- area and production- imports and exports of
aromatic crops
• 11.Uses - soil and climate - varieties - propagation - nursery
practices - planting and after care - nutrient management-
irrigation - harvest - post harvest management-storage techniques
–chemical composition of Ocimum ,Davana and Mentha
• 12.Uses - soil and climate - varieties - propagation - nursery
practices - planting and after care - nutrient management-
irrigation - harvest - post harvest management-storage techniques
–chemical composition of Lemon grass, Citronella and Vetiver
• 13.Uses - soil and climate - varieties - propagation - nursery
practices - planting and after care - nutrient management-
irrigation - harvest - post harvest management-storage
techniques –chemical composition of Geranium and Patchouli
• 14.Uses - soil and climate - varieties - propagation - nursery
practices - planting and after care - nutrient management-
irrigation - harvest - post harvest management-storage
techniques–chemical composition of Lavender ,bursera and Musk
• 15.Methods for extraction of secondary metabolites in medicinal
plants
• 16.Methods of distillation of essential oil from aromatic plants
• 17.’ Quality standards in medicinal and aromatic plants
 Scope and importance
• Plants have been one of the important sources of
medicines even since the dawn of human civilization.
• In spite of tremendous developments in the field of
allopathy during the 20th century, plants still remain
one of the major sources of drugs in modern as well as
traditional system of medicine throughout the world.
• Approximately one-third of all pharmaceuticals are of
plant origin, wherein fungi and bacteria are also
included. Over 60% of all pharmaceuticals are plant-
based.
• Plants may have bioactive constituents like
alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, phenols, tannin,
antioxidants and other groups of compounds
which may have marked pharmaceutical ac tions
as anti-cancerous, anti-malarial, anti-helminthic
or anti-dysentric, etc.
• Many of the essential oils, dyes, latex and even
vegetable oils are also widely used as medicines.
• The major families in which medicinal plants
occur are Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae,
Asteraceae, Poaceae, Rubiaceae,
Cucurbitaceae, Apiaceae, Convolvulaceae,
Malvaceae and Solanaceae.
• Drugs are derived from trees, shrubs, herbs and
even from primitive kinds of plants which do not
fallinto the above categories.
• They are made from fruits (Senna, Solanum viarum,
Datura, etc.), flowers(Butea monosperma,
Bauhinia variegata), leaves (Senna, Datura,
Periwinkle, Tylophora, etc.,), stems(Liquorice,
Ginger, Dioscorea, Costus, Garlic), roots (Rauvolfia,
Periwinkle, Ginseng, etc.,), seeds(Isabgol, Abrus,
Nux vomica) and even bark (Cinchona).
• The following are some of the reasons that make the large
scale cultivation of medicinal plants inevitable.
• 1.In nature, there remains a wide variation among the
plants with regard to their active principles. As only the
best among them are used for cultivation, it enables us to
obtain raw material of homogenous quality with high
potency.
• 2. It is easy to grow and fulfill the commitment of large
scale demand through cultivated sources rather than
from natural sources, which mainly depend on nature for
their regeneration and availability
• The increasing pressure of population and the
development of roads into remote areas have
resulted in deforestation and the eventual
loss of natural plant resources.
• In many cases, the important plant parts used
are roots or the entire plant, results in
destructive collection/ extractive methods,
which results in the extinction of many species
and ecotypes.
• The unauthorized collection of minor forest
produce by persons who are led by the
burgeoning demand for raw medicinal plant parts
has led to the deprivation of the rights and
opportunities of the forest-dwelling communities.
• Since government of India provides policy
support for promoting Indian system of medicine,
the pharma industries look for organized supply of
quality raw materials in larger quantities.
 PROSPECTS
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has
emphasized the need for better utilization of the
indigenous system of medicine, based on the locally
available medicinal plants in the developing countries.
• Medicinal plants and their derivatives will continue to
play a major role in medical therapy in spite of
advances in chemical technology and the appearance
of cheap, synthesized, complex molecules from
simple ones through highly specific reaction
mechanisms.
• Drug development out of medicinal plants is
less costlier than synthetic drug development.
• Our country is the proud possessor of an
impressive medical heritage which encompasses
various systems of medicine, viz., Ayurveda,
Siddha, Unani, folklore and grandma medicine
• India is the source of cheap labor and skilled
manpower which readily absorbs technological
change and also adopts the same.
• Being strategically located in the world map,
India could become a potential supplier of
phytopharmaceuticals, alkaloids and raw
medicinal herbs for the emerging world
market.
 CONSTRAINTS
• Although India is a leading exporter of medicinal
plants in the world, the rate of growth of these
crops in relation to their economic prospects is not
at all satisfactory. The reasons for this apparent
backwardness are many and varied.
• So far, there has been no organized research set-up
to continually recharge scientific inputs in order to
make their cultivation not only economically viable
but also more profitable, so that they can claim their
due share in the cropping systems of the country.
• In spite of the thrust given by the government of India
through the institutions like the Centre for Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants (CIMAP): the Regional Research Laboratories
(RRL), at Jammu, Bhubaneshwar and Jorhat; Directorate of
Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (DMAPR),
• National Botanical Gardens, Forest Research Institutes, state
Cinchona Directorates in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, the
replenishment of renewable inputs like quality planting
material of improved varieties, developing extension
literature, organizing training and quality testingare very
limited because of the number of medicinal plants as well as
their divergent uses.
• The other major constraint is marketing of the
cultivated raw material because of the quality
considerations
• Unstable market conditions have also kept
farmers away from taking up cultivation of
these crops
• The package of practices for number of
medicinal plants has not been standardized to
suit different agro ecological conditions
• The supply of raw material for the phytopharmaceutical
industry is virtually monopolized. Itis that supply and price
patterns are often determined by the minor forest produce
contractors/gatherers.
• To overcome these constraints, it is necessary to organize the
cultivation of medicinal crops on specific regional basis and
organize their marketing on similar lines as that of other cash
crops like coffee, tea cardamom, to maximise their production
and returns. In fact, in some states like Tamil Nadu, there are
some organized production systems like contractual farming,
group farming which are exclusively engaged in the
production, procurement and marketing of these Crops.
 Aromatic crops
• Out of the nearly 4,50,000 species known to
mankind , about 2000 species, which come from
about 60 botanical families, contain essential oils.
The families-Pinaceae among the gymnosperms,
Apiaceae, Myrtaceae, Rutaceae, Lauraceae,
Lamiaceae, Asteraceae (dicots),Poaceae,
Aracaceae, Zingiberaceae and Amaryllidaceae
(monocots) among the angiosperms, account for a
large number of plants bearing essential oils of
commercial importance.
• Among the essential oils exported from India are
Japanese mint oil, peppermint oil, sandalwood oil,
jasmine and tuberose concretes and many other
natural and synthetic perfumes in small quantities.
Besides menthol, attars (all-kinds), red sandalwood
powder, synthetic camphor, thymol, pepper oil ginger
oil, davana oil and spearmint oil are also exported.
India also imports a variety of essential oils such as
geranium, anise,patchouli, orange, lavender, nutmeg,
peppermint, citronella (Java), synthetic essential oils
 CONSTRAINTS
• Inefficient organization, lack of research, unplanned
exploitation of natural resources, failure to grow
them on a large scale, inferior methods of
production, malpracticesand adulteration are some
of the reasons for present poor state of affairs.
• It is unfortunate that with almost all types of
climate and soil existing in our vast country, the
possibilities of raising large- scale plantations of
essentials oil bearing plants on scientific lines has
not been explored.
• Senna- Cassia angustifolia Vahl.
Leguminosae
• Economic parts- Leaves and pods
Major constituents- Sennoside A, B, C, D
Uses- Laxative
SENNA
SENNA PODS
Senna
• Periwinkle -Catharanthus roseus
Family - Apocynaceae
• Economic part- Root, leaf and stem
• Major alkaloid- Vinblastine & Vincristine
• Anti cancerous property
PERIWINKLE
Periwinkle
• Glory lily - Gloriosa superba Lin.
Colchicaceae
• Economic part - Seed
Major constituents - Colchicine (0.5-0.7%) and
Colchicoside
Uses - cures gout, anti inflammatory,
anticancer
GLORY LILY
Glory lily
• Aswagandha - Withania somnifera
Solanaceae
• Economic part – Root
Major constituents- Total alkaloid (0.13-
0.31%) - Withanine, Somniferine
Uses – cures bronchitis, rheumatism,
inflammation
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha
• Medicinal coleus- Coleus forskohlii
• Liliaceae
• Economic part- Tuberous roots.
• Principle compound- Forskolin
• Uses- Hypertension, glaucoma, asthma,
congestive heart failures and certain types of
cancer.
Medicinal coleus
• Aloe- Aloe (Aloe vera)
• Gurguva aloe - Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis)
Cape aloe - Aloe ferox
Sagotrin aloe - Aloe perryi
• Lilliaceae
• Economic part- Leaves
• Principle compound- cathartic anthrax-glycosides (Aloin)
• Uses- laxative and anti-obesity preparation, as
• moisturizer, emollient or wound healer in various
cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations
Aloevera
• Indian long pepper (Tippili)
Piper longum Lin
Piperaceae
• Economic part- Fruit and root
• Piperine and piplartine alkaloids
• Uses- Bronchitis, stomach ache, diseases of
spleen and tumors
Long Pepper
Long Pepper
• Isabgol or Blonde psyllium- Plantago ovata
• Plantaginaceae
• Economic part- The husk of the seed is
economic part
• colloidal mucilage mainly consisting of
• xylose, arabinose, galacturonic acid.
• Uses- anti- diarreal drug, piles and kidney
problems
Isabgol
Isabgol
Isabgol
• Medicinal solanum- Solanum khasianum
Solanaceae
• Economic part- Berries
• Alkaloid- Glyco-alkaloid, solasodine
Medicinal Solanum
Medicinal Solanum
• Medicinal dioescorea- Dioscorea floribunda
• Dioscoriaceae
• Economic part-Rhizomes &fruits
• Principle compound- Diosgenin
Medicinal dioscorea
Medicinal dioscorea
Medicinal dioscorea
• Rauvolfia- Sarpagandha (Rauvolfia serpentina)
• Apocynaceae
• Alkaloid-rescinamine, deserpidine, reserpine,
serpentine
• Economic part-dried roots.
• Snake bite, insect stings, nervous disorders
and psoriasis
Rauvolfia
Rauvolfia
Rauvolfia
Rauvolfia
• Sweet flag-Acorus calamus
• Acoraceae
• Leaves, stems, and roots –medicinal value
• Economic part- Dried rhizome
• Good for many stomach related ailments like
indigestion, bloating, loose motion, acid
gastritis. It helps to cure stomach ulcer and
gastric problems
Sweet flag
Sweet flag
Sweet flag
• Belladona-Atropa belladonna
• Solanaceae
• Economic part-leaves, flowering tops and roots
• Tropane alkaloids
• Leaves-tinctures and plasters
• Sedative, stimulant, anti-diuretic, anti-asthmatic,
• anti-inflammatory.
Belladona (Atropa belladona)-Deadly night
shade
Belladona
• Cinchona-Cinchona succirubra, C.officinalis,
C.ledgeriana, C.robusta and C.hybrida
• Rubiaceae
• Economic part- Bark
• Cinchonidine, quinidine and cinchonine
• Stomachic and appetizer.
Cinchona
Cinchona
• PYRETHRUM-Chrysanthemum Cinerariaefolium
• Asteraceae
• Economic part- Seeds
• Pyrethrins.
• It is useful for the preservation of food grains
• Used in the preparation of insect-resistant
packaging, mosquito repellent aerosols and
Coils.
Pyrethrum