MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS

GÜLŞAH ARMUT
0404180068
Abstract
People have been interested in plants since they existed. According to archaeological findings
dating from ancient times, people primarily benefited from plants for obtaining nutrients and
relieving health problems. It is known that plants with therapeutic properties have been used
in diseases since the beginning of human history.
Most of the world's population is dependent on compounds of plants for health care purposes
and other needs. Plants contain a variety of biologically active compounds. These compounds
and their derivatives are used in the pharmaceutical industry, cosmetics, aroma and fragrance,
spices, pesticides, repellents and herbal drinks. They contain a large reservoir of bioactive
compounds that have yet to be discovered for their medicinal and aromatic properties. The
demand for herbal medicines is increasing day by day, as these herbal medicines do not have
side effects, but every synthetic medicine has some side effects. Therefore, plant derived
products are potential candidates to become next-generation medicinal products. Economic
income from aromatic plants also has an important place for most countries. In this article, we
will talk about the most used aromatic herbs like
Key words: aromatic plants, biological compounds, economical importance of aromatic plants

Introduction
Aromatic plants; It is known that they have many uses such as food, cosmetics and spices and
have been used for similar purposes since the beginning of human history.
Aromatic plants contain many biologically active compounds, mainly polyphenolics, which
have been found to possess antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antiprotozoal, antifungal,
and anti-inflammatory properties. They can be obtained from flowers, buds, seeds, leaves,
twigs, bark, wood, fruits and roots. In this article, we will see mostly using aromatic plants.
1. Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
Curcuma longa L. belonging to family Zingiberaceae
is a cultivated plant of the Asian tropical region. It is
popularly called turmeric, and is used as a coloring
and flavoring agent for food.
1.1 Biological compounds
It has been demonstrated that there are three major
constituents curcumin, p-hydroxycinnamoyl (feruloyl)
methane and p,p’-dihydroxydicinnamoylmethanel. Its
oil has components such as sesquiterpene, ketones and
alcohols.
Its active ingredients include the flavonoid curcumin
(diferuloylmethane) and various essential oils, including tumerone, atlantane, and
zingiberone. Other components include sugars, proteins and resins. There is 0.3-5.4 curcumin
in raw turmeric. The formula of Curcumin is given below.

1.2 Medicinal and biological uses

Urcumin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anticarcinogenic and antifungal effects.
Published in several studies, turmeric shows that it inhibits the growth of different types of
cancer cells. It also helps relieve strong inflammations such as bursitis, arthritis and back pain.
Turmeric primarily lowers histamine. Afterwards, it increases the body's natural anti-
inflammatory adrenal hormone and cortisol circulation, thus prolonging the washing action of
toxins except for the small joints where cellular wastes and inflammatory compounds are
frequently caught. Studies have confirmed the benefits of turmeric in the digestive system.
The essential oil and curcumin in turmeric have strong anti-inflammatory effects. Turmeric is
good for diabetes, Alzheimer's and infectious diseases. An important feature is that it
strengthens the immune system and provides our body with protection and resistance against
possible diseases.
In its homeland, India, in medicine; It is used in the treatment of anorexia, bile disorders,
cough, diabetic wounds, liver disorders, rheumatism and sinusitis.
1.3 Economical importance
Rhizomes are economically important part and they are dried, powdered and marketed for
various culinary other purposes.
It is a common ingredient of Indian curry and other food preparations particularly in South
Indian cooking.
Turmeric is also known for its medicinal value and its used as an antiseptic aince ancient
times. It is widely used in dye, drug and cosmetic industries. It is also used in pujas and
religious ceremonies.

2. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Lavandula (common name lavender)
is a genus of 47 known species of
flowering plants in the mint family,
Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old
World and is found in Cape Verde
and the Canary Islands, and from
Europe across to northern and eastern
Africa, the Mediterranean, southwest
Asia to southeast India.

2.1 Biological compounds

The material used for herbal purposes includes lavender flowers (Lavandula flores) containing
essential oil (3%), anthocyanins, phytosterols, sugars, minerals, and tannins. The qualitative
and quantitative composition of the essential oil of lavender is variable and depends on
genotype, growing location, climatic conditions, propagation, and morphological features.
The essential oil contains over 300 chemical compounds. The dominant components are
linalool, linalyl acetate, terpinen-4-ol, acetate lavandulol, oci-mene, and cineole.
2.2 Medicinal or/and biological uses
Lavender essential oil has good antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and a significant
positive effect on the digestive and nervous systems.
Lavender extract prevents dementia and may inhibit the growth of cancer cells, while
lavender hydrolate is recommended for the treatment of skin problems and burns.
Also, as an aromatic, it has a sweet fragrance with lemon or citrus notes.It is used as a spice or
condiment in pastas, salads and dressings, and desserts. Their buds and greens are used in
teas, and their buds, processed by bees, are the essential ingredient of monofloral honey.
2.3 Economical importance
Lavender is of highly acclaimed economic importance due to its therapeutic and beauty uses.
It is widely used to make perfumes, talcs, essential body oils, night creams, lotions, soaps, and
other cosmetic products. Lavender essential oils are used in aromatherapy in various herbal
spas and hotel industries in the world.
3. Drimia maritima (Ada soğanı)
Drimia maritima (syn. Urginea maritima) is a species of flowering plant in the family
Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae (formerly the family Hyacinthaceae). This species is
known by several common names, including squill, sea squill, sea onion, and maritime squill.
It may also be called red squill, particularly a form which produces red-tinged flowers instead
of White.It is native to southern Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa.
2.1 Biological compounds
It contains sugars, tannin, organic acids, mucilage, saponin, sterols, Calcium-oxalate, resin
and heart-effective glycosides such as glucoscillaren, scillaren, proscillaeridin A-B.
2.2 Medicinal and biological uses
The plant has been used as a poison and as a medicinal remedy. The main active compounds
are cardiac glycosides, including unique bufadienolides such as glucoscillaren A,
proscillaridine A, scillaren A, scilliglaucoside and scilliphaeoside. The plant can have a
cardiac glycoside content of up to 3%. Scilliroside, the most important of the toxic
compounds, is present in all parts of the plant.The broad leaves of this plant, when they
completely dry-out, lose their toxicity and are consumed by cattle and sheep.
This species has been used as a medicinal plant since ancient times. It is noted in the Ebers
Papyrus of the 16th century BC, one of the oldest medical texts of ancient Egypt. Pythagoras
wrote about it in the 6th century BC. Hippocrates used it to treat jaundice, convulsions, and
asthma. Theophrastus was also familiar with it. Its primary medicinal use was as a treatment
for edema, then called dropsy, because of the diuretic properties of the cardiac glycosides. A
solution of sea squill and vinegar was a common remedy for centuries. The plant is also used
as a laxative and an expectorant.
Also, the plant has also been used as a poison. It is very bitter, so most animals avoid it. Rats,
however, eat it readily, and then succumb to the toxic scilliroside. This has made the plant a
popular rodenticide for nearly as long as it has been in use as a medicine.
3.3 Economical importance
Since the Drimia maritima is used both medicinally and as an ornamental plant, it has a high
economic value.
4. Black Cumin (Nigella sativa )
Nigella sativa (black caraway, also known as black
cumin, nigella or kalanji) an annual flowering plant in
the family Ranunculaceae, native to eastern Europe
(Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania) and western Asia
(Turkey, Iran and Iraq), but naturalized over a much
wider area, including parts of Europe, northern Africa
and east to Myanmar.
4.1 Biological compounds
The most important active compounds of black seeds
are thymoquinone, thymohydroquinone,
dithymoquinone, p-cymene, carvacrol, 4-terpineol, t-
anethol, sesquiterpene longifolene α-pinene and
thymol among others. Seeds also contain alkaloids as
isoquinoline and pyrazol ring bearing alkaloids.
Additionally, N. sativa seeds contain α-hederin, a
water soluble pentacyclic triterpene and saponin.
4.2 Medicinal and biological uses
Thymoquinone, the main active phenolic compound from the volatile oil of Nigella sativa L.
seeds has been commonly used traditionally for several diseases due its high antioxidant
properties. In in vitro and in vivo studies, thymoquinone has suggested to have many
beneficial effects such as antiinflamatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects. In the studies
on thymoquinone toxicity, its toxic effects could only be demonstrated at very high doses.
Thymoquinone has attracted noteworthy scientific attention for its high biological activity and
low systemic toxicity, which might be a promising alternative to conventional therapeutic
drugs.
Regarding to the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant,
antineoplastic, antimicrobial, and other activities, N. sativa and TQ may be effective
therapeutic agents in various infectious and noninfectious skin conditions including different
types of allergy, autoimmunity, skin inflammations and wounds, cancer, and vitiligo.
4.3 Economical importance
Black cumin has high economic value both in food and in medicinal terms.
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9.https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_so%C4%9Fan%C4%B1