We all know before human can synthesize chemical, nature provide all chemical that we need, and from several sources indicate that nature chemical is still better than the one made in laboratory. We can all argue about that but the thing is that we know nature have a distinctive role in chemistry development.
One of natural resources that widely used to extract chemical substance is plants. List of chemicals derived from plants are used in many application from manufacturing to the most significant as medicine.
List of Chemicals Derived from Plants
With the raise of herbal supplement and drug, as consumer we might questioning whether the claim of herbal or nature composition in the supplement or drug is truthfully a nature substance. Is the chemical substance in the so called herbal product safe really from the nature as the product claimed ?
With thousands of products used in Europe, U.S., Asia and other part of the world we might curious what chemical does really derived from plants. This article will tell you what are some distinctive chemical derived from plants.
These are the list of chemicals derived from plants:
- Cynarin, this is one of the most widely used chemical for medicine. This chemical is derived from Artichoke Plant, a variety of a species of thistle cultivated as a food. Other than extracted to drugs, the plant also used as food such as herbal tea. The cynarin drug in Germany is used to treat hypertension, liver disorders, and high cholesterol levels. However in United States of America it’s also used as dietary supplements. High dose of cynarin based drug it can be bought only by doctor prescription although the small dose drug like supplement can be bought without it. You may also read about Uses of Organic Chemistry in Medicine
- Quinine, one of the most well known chemical derived from plant is quinine. It is well known for being cure for malaria decease. Quinine is derived from Cinchona Plant. Quinine comes from family Rubiaceae containing with 23 species of trees and shrubs. In United State of America, quinine based drug can be sold without prescription while in Europe you need doctor prescription in order to buy it. You may also read about Sub Branches of Pharmacy
- Coumarin, this chemical can be found in various plants such as tonka bean (Dipteryx odorata), vanilla grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), mullein (Verbascum spp.), sweet grass (Hierochloe odorata), cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia), sweetfromclover (Melilotus sp.), deertongue (Dichanthelium clandestinum), and the leaves of many cherry blossom tree varieties (of the Prunus genus). Coumarin is also found in extracts of Justicia pectoralis. Coumarin drug functioned as blood thinner, since 1940 scientist discover its function today coumarin drug (coumadin) is one of the eleventh mostfromprescribed medication in the United States, with annual sales of approximately US $500 million in the United States alone. You may also read about List of Chemicals in an Apple
- Emetine, this chemical is found in tropical plant called Cephaelis Ipecacuanha. It is a species of flowering plant in the Rubiaceae family. Cephaelis Ipecacuanha originally found in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil. The drug made from this chemical that later called Ipecac is used to induce vomiting mostly if someone accidentally swallowed a poisonous or harmful substance. You may also read about Useful Chemicals Found in Fruits and Vegetables
- Taxol, this chemical has distinctive role as it is used to treat tumor as an anti tumor agent under a branded drug named Paclitaxel which is used not only in U.S. but also all over the world. This chemical can be found and extracted from Taxus Brevifolia plant. This plant also called as Pacific yew or western yew, it is a conifer plant that originally found in Pacific Northwest of North America. Other than used as anti tumor agent this plant also used as decorative purposes by Japanese.
- Silymarin, It is derived from Asteraceae family plant that is Silybum Marianum or commonly know as cardus marianus, milk thistle, blessed milkthistle, Marian thistle, Mary thistle, Saint Mary’s thistle, Mediterranean milk thistle, variegated thistle and Scotch thistle. Other than processed into a medicine its root also can be eaten raw. silymarin drugs is used as antihepatotoxic. In U.S. the drugs are sold only in pharmacies and require a doctor’s prescription for liver problems.
- Acetyldigoxin, also known as cardiac glycoside is used as cardiotonic. This chemical is found on foxglove species called Digitalis lanata often called woolly foxglove or Grecian foxglove. The Digitalis lanata originally found in Eastern Europe.
- Morphine, widely know for its misuse morphine is actually derived from plant that commonly know as Opium Poppy. In a HBO series Game of Thrones this chemical referred as “milk of poppy”. As we know the function of morphine is analgesic drug. For its misuse, growing Papaver somniferum or Opium Poppy is prohibited but in most country of Europe it is legal to grow one although in Germany you need license to grow it.
- Nicotine, is one chemical that is used in various field from medical reason to recreational as we know is cigarettes. Nicotine is found in Nicotiana tabacum, or cultivated tobacco. One thing about the plant is almost all part of it contain nicotine chemical except its seeds.
- Gossypol, derived from the cotton plant Gossypium, in 1929 Jiangxi found interesting fact from his research that shown the compound causing the contraceptive effect for male. The gossypol also potentially could be a chemotherapy drug.
You may also read about List Of Chemicals That Glow Under Black Light
There are a long list of chemicals derived from plants and used in drug or other things, below we provide you thirty more of it :
- Acetyldigoxin for Cardiotonic from Digitalis lanata
- Adoniside for Cardiotonic from Adonis vernalis
- Aescin for Antifrominflammatory from Aesculus hippocastanum
- Aesculetin for Antifromdysentery from Frazinus rhychophylla
- Agrimophol for Anthelmintic from Agrimonia supatoria
- Benzyl benzoate for Scabicide from Several plants
- Berberine for Bacillary dysentery from Berberis vulgaris
- Bergenin for Antitussive fromArdisia japonica
- Betulinic acid for Anticancerous from Betula alba
- Borneol for Antipyretic, analgesic, antiinflammatory from Several plants
- Convallatoxin for Cardiotonic from Convallaria majalis
- Curcumin for Choleretic from Curcuma longa
- Cynarin for Choleretic from Cynara scolymus
- Danthron for Laxative from Cassia species
- Demecolcine for Antitumor agent from Colchicum autumnale
- Digoxin for Cardiotonic from Digitalis purpurea
- Emetine for Amoebicide, emetic from Cephaelis ipecacuanha
- Ephedrine for Sympathomimetic, antihistamine from Ephedra sinica
- Etoposide for Antitumor agent from Podophyllum peltatum
- Galanthamine Cholinesterase for inhibitor from Lycoris squamigera
- Glycyrrhizin for Sweetener, Addison’s disease from Glycyrrhiza glabra
- Gossypol for Male contraceptive from Gossypium species
- Hemsleyadin for Bacillary dysentery from Hemsleya amabilis
- Hesperidin for Capillary fragility from Citrus species
- Hydrastine for Hemostatic, astringent from Hydrastis canadensis
- Hyoscyamine for Anticholinergic from Hyoscyamus niger
- Irinotecan for Anticancer, antitumor agent from Camptotheca acuminata
- Kaibic acud for Ascaricide from Digenea simplex
- Kawain for Tranquillizer from Piper methysticum
- Kheltin for Bronchodilator from Ammi visaga
Today there must be more than a hundred and twenty chemical derived from plants used for medicine purposes all over the world.