Page 217 - PG 101-Course notes مذكرة النظري 24-25 with spec

Medicinal plants (PG 101) Level 1 Clinical Pharmacy-PharmD

a) Morphological characteristics of the plant. e.g., Piper nigrum (black), Myristica

fragrans (having an odour), Atropa belladonna (beautiful lady), Barosma betulina

(serrate margin), Glycerrhiza glabra (smooth surface) etc.

b) The geographical source or history of the drug e.g., Cannabis indica (native to

India), Olea Arabica (Arabian area), Iris Germanica (from Germany) etc.

c) The pharmaceutical activity or active constituents e.g., Bravera anthelminica

(expel worms), Papaver somniferum (induce sleep), Quillaia saponaria, (contain

saponins) etc.

d) A general meaning or a special indication e.g., Triticum sativa (cultivated)

e) The person who discovered it e.g., Cinchona Ledgeriana (after Ledger)

f) The generic name may also indicate a certain character of the drug e.g.,

Xanthoxylum meaning yellow wood.

II- The Geographic Source of Drugs:

➢ The geographical source or habitat is the region in which the plant or animal

yielding the drug grows. Knowledge of the geographic source also assists in the

identification of the biological origin because it is generally known that plants of

a certain type come from particular districts. It is important to note that plants

cultivated in a certain geographic area will develop the desired type of active

constituents.

187