9/25/2023
UNIT – 7.1
MEDICINAL PLANTS
Prepared by:
Gaurab Neupane
Agriculture Instructor
Rapti Technical School, Dang
Economic botany is the interaction of people with
plants to exploit different benefits.
Economic botany is the commercial exploitation of
ECONOMIC plants by people.
BOTANY Economic plants are defined as being useful either
directly, as in food, or indirectly, as products we use or
that enhance the environment.
1
9/25/2023
Medicines are any preparation or substances used to
treat diseases or heal or relieve pain.
The plants having medicinal properties are called
MEDICINAL medicinal plants (“JARIBUTI” in Nepali), the principal
sources of raw drugs. E.g. : Tulsi (Common cold)
PLANTS
The Plants rich in secondary metabolites and are a
potential source of drugs are called Medicinal plants.
GLOBAL
SCENARIO Over three-quarters of the world's population relies
mainly on plants and plant extracts for health care.
OF More than 30% of the entire plant species were used for
medicinal purposes at one time or another.
MEDICINAL Of the 2, 50,000 higher plant species on earth, more
than 80,000 are medicinal.
PLANTS
2
9/25/2023
Nepal is considered one of the important countries for
NEPALESE medicinal and aromatic plants.
10091 species of flowering and non-flowering species of
SCENARIO plants have been documented.
Out of which 700 are of medicinal values where 238
OF types are medically tested to find chemical constituents.
MEDICINAL In a database called MAPDON, about 1600 medicinal
plants are recorded.
PLANTS These resources are distributed in forests,
pasturelands, wetlands, crop fields, and common lands
of different parts of Nepal.
Pharmakon = Drug; Gnosis = Knowledge;
meaning knowledge of pharmaceuticals.
It means the science of preparation and the
use of medicines.
PHARMACOGNOSY This discipline is mainly concerned with the
history, distribution, collection, selection,
identification, cultivation, commerce and
preservation of crude drugs and raw
materials.
3
9/25/2023
It is the study of the preparation, practices
and action of drugs to treat illness, heal or
relieve pain.
PHARMACOLOGY It is mainly concerned with preparation,
qualities, uses, chemical constituents,
actions, experimental investigations and
evaluation of medicinal ingredients.
It is an official book issued by the proper
authority with a list of drugs and their
related plants, medicines and a description
PHARMACOPEIA of their properties, constituents, preparation
and uses for various ailments.
4
9/25/2023
Source of Income
Religious and Ritual Purposes
Eco-tourism
IMPORTANCE
Safe and no side effects
OF Research
Dyeing, Construction, Furniture, Fodders etc.
MEDICINAL Therapeutic Applications
PLANTS Cosmetics
Air purifiers
Insect repellents and insecticides etc.
English Name: Filed Mint, Corn Mint, Japanese Mint
Nepali Name: Pudina, Babari
Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Mentha
Distribution: It grows well from tropical to temperate regions.
arvensis Description:
A perennial herb, erect and ranges from 10-60 cm in height.
(Pudina/ Long leaves (2.5 - 5 cm), sub-sessile or sessile, ovate, serrate
margin.
Babari) The surface of the leaf is hairy or glabrous.
Flowers are borne on the axil of leaves on the upper stem.
5
9/25/2023
Parts Used: Stem and leaves
Important Bio-Chemical Constituent: Essential volatile oils,
Carvone-Pinen, Octyalcohol, Phellandrene, Menthol, Limonene
Mentha
arvensis
(Pudina/
Babari)
Uses:
The leaves are used as condiments or as a flavouring agent in
many foodstuffs or culinary preparation.
Mentha The oil is obtained from the leaves by the distillation process.
The oil is used in the preparation of pharmaceuticals.
arvensis The dry leaves are used medicinally as a carminative,
expectorant, refrigerant and stimulant.
(Pudina/
The menthol obtained from the oil is used in the treatment of a
Babari) cold.
The crushed leaves are applied to the forehead and body to
relieve headache and pains.
6
9/25/2023
Uses:
The hot infusion of leaves and stems taken as tea soothes
Mentha stomachache, mensuration disorder, urine infection and stops
diarrhoea.
arvensis It is useful in treating mouth ulcers, toothache and swollen
gums.
(Pudina/
Babari)
English Name: Vasaca, Malabar nut
Adhatoda
Nepali Name: Asuro, Vasaka
vasica/ Family: Acanthaceae
Distribution: It is usually found in tropical to temperate regions.
Justicia Description:
adhatoda Small evergreen gregarious shrub of about 1 – 3.5 m in height.
Leaves are elliptic-lanceolate and 10 – 16 cm long.
(Asuro, The bark of the plant is greyish or brown.
Flowers are two-lipped, borne in dense short terminal and
Vasaka) axillary spikes, white in colour with red spots or streaks within.
7
9/25/2023
Parts Used: Leaves, roots and flowers.
Adhatoda
Important Bio-Chemical Constituent: Vasicine, crystalline
vasica/ acid, a white crystalline alkaloid called quinazoline and essential
oil.
Justicia
adhatoda
(Asuro,
Vasaka)
Uses:
Adhatoda
The decoction of leaves is used as an antipyretic and to treat
vasica/ asthma.
Leaf juice is used in the treatment of scabies and other skin
Justicia problems.
The powdered dried root with black pepper is used to treat
adhatoda stomach pain.
Vasicine, an alkaloid found in leaves is a powerful expectorant
(Asuro, and antispasmodic and used in chest diseases.
Vasaka) Soft crushed leaves are applied over fresh wounds and
inflammatory swellings.
8
9/25/2023
English Name: Zinger, Black ginger, African ginger, Jamaica
ginger
Nepali Name: Aduwa, Sutho Sanskrit: Ardraka
Zingiber Family: Zingiberaceae
officinale Distribution: It is usually grown in the cub tropical to temperate
regions in areas of heavy rainfall.
(Aduwa) Description:
Slender perennial herb 30-100 cm tall, robust branched rhizome.
Pointed lance-shaped leaves, 15 – 30 cm long
Adventitious roots arise from the lower surface of the rhizome.
Parts Used: Rhizome
Important Bio-Chemical Constituent: Volatile oil, contains
monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and oxygenated terpenes. Other
Zingiber constituents are chavicol, zingiberene, etc.
officinale
(Aduwa)
9
9/25/2023
Uses:
The rhizome contains essential oil and acts as a stimulant,
carminative and flavouring agent.
Zingiber Used in the treatment of dyspepsia and flatulent colic.
officinale Rhizome juice with honey is used in the treatment of coughs and
asthma.
(Aduwa) A paste of ginger is used for headaches and toothache.
It is used in blood thinning and lowering the level of cholesterol,
and treatment of heart diseases.
Used as a remedy for nausea caused due to morning sickness and
chemotherapy.
English Name: Serpentine, Serpent wood
Nepali Name: Sarpagandha, Chand maruwa
Family: Apocynaceae
Rauwolfia
Distribution: Tropical to sub-tropical regions (100 – 2000m)
serpentina Description:
Large climbing or twinning perennial shrub.
Leaves are petiolate, bright green above and pale beneath, 10
cm long and 5 cm broad.
White or pinkish flowers, deep red peduncles in small clusters
Ripe fruit is dark, purple or blackish in colour
10
9/25/2023
Parts Used: Root and leaves
Important Bio-Chemical Constituent: Reserpine, rescinnamine,
serpentine, ajmaline, ajmalcine, etc.
Rauwolfia
serpentina
Uses:
The root paste is used to treat diarrhoea in cattle.
Root extractions are used in reducing blood pressure and as a
Rauwolfia sedative in the treatment of insomnia, hypochondria, mental
disorders and certain forms of insanity.
serpentina
Root juice is used in the treatment of malarial fever and stomach
disorder,
Root paste is used to treat snake bites by applying it to the
wounds.
Drug of the plant is useful in gynaecological conditions such as
menstrual, menopause, moliminia etc.
11
