In this section, you will learn about agents showing anti tumor, antidiabetic and diuretic properties like vinca, podophyllum, gokhru, punarnava etc. This material is applicable for both diploma and bachelor in pharmacy.

1. STUDY OF CRUDE DRUGS
ANTI-TUMOUR, ANTIDIABETICS, DIURETICS
ANUBHAV GUPTA
B. PHARM
VBS Purvanchal University, Jaunpur
M. PHARM*
(Pharmacognosy)
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2. • Anti-tumour are also known as anti-cancer or anit-neoplastic drugs.
• These are the agents that is effective in the treatment of malignant or
cancerous disease, or they.
• This can be achieved either by inhibiting the cell growth by interfering with
DNA.
• Crude Drugs having this action are:
• Vinca
• Podophyllum
ANTI-TUMOUR
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3. Vinca
• Synonyms: Vinca rosea, Catharanthus,
Madagascar periwinkle.
• Biological Source: It consists of dried entire
plant of Catharanthus roseus.
• Family: Apocynaceae.
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4. Vinca
Morphology:
Colour: Leaves are green, flowers are violet,
pinkish white or carmine red .
Odour: Characteristics
Taste: Bitter
Chemical Test:
• Shows positive test for alkaloids.
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5. Vinca
Chemical Constituents:
• More than 90 alkaloids have been isolated from Vinca like
Ajmalicine, Serpentine.
• The important alkaloids in Catharanthus are indole
alkaloids Vinblastine and Vincristine
• Vindoline and Catharanthine are indole monomeric
alkaloids.
• It also contains monoterpenes, sesquiterpene, indole and
indoline glycoside.
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6. Vinca
Therapeutic Efficacy:
• Vinblastin is an antitumour alkaloid used in the treatment of
Hodgkin’s disease.
• Vincristine is a cytotoxic compound and used to treat
leukaemia in children.
• Vinca is used in herbal practice for its astringent and tonic
properties in menorrhagia and in haemorrhages generally..
• Also used in treatment of sore-throat, inflamed tonsils,
bleeding piles, it may also be used as a gargle.
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7. Podophyllum
• Synonyms: Podophyllum, American Mandrake,
May-apple root.
• Biological Source: Podophyllum consists of the
dried rhizomes and roots of Podophyllum
peltatum
• Family: Berberidaceae.
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8. Podophyllum
Morphology:
Podophyllum rhizomes are subcylindrical pieces of 5–20 cm length and 5–6
mm thickness having internode.
Colour: Dark reddish brown
Odour: Characteristic
Taste: Bitter-Acrid
Chemical Test:
Finely powdered sample + dissolved in 10 ml of KOH → formation of
yellow solution → turns dark on standing → acidify with HCl →
precipitation of resin takes place.
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9. Podophyllum
Chemical Constituents:
• Podophyllum rhizomes contain resinous material
known as podophyllum.
• It also contains some lignan derivatives like  and
-peltatin.
• It also contains desmethyl podophyllotoxin,
desoxypodophyllotoxin, and flavonoids like
quercetin and starch.
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10. Podophyllum
Therapeutic Efficacy:
• Podophyllum resin or podophyllin shows cytotoxic
activity.
• Semisynthetic derivative of podophyllin is etoposide that
is used a potent anticancer agent which is mainly used for
the treatment of lung and testicular cancer.
• Podophyllum resin is a strong gastrointestinal irritant and
also used as purgative.
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11. ANTIDIABETICS
• The agents or drugs which helps in to control and manage the blood glucose level of a
person suffering from diabetes are called antidiabetics.
• There are various classes of these agents like sulfonylureas, meglitinides, biguanides,
thiazolidinediones and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors.
• The most widely used antidiabetics drugs are: Metformin, Glibenclamide, Glipizide,
Sitagliptin etc.
• Crude Drugs having this action are:
• Pterocarpus
• Gymnema
• Fenugreek
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12. PTEROCARPUS
• Synonyms: Bijasal, Vijaysar Indian kino tree,
Malbar kino.
• Biological Source: It consists of dried juice
obtained by making vertical incisions to the stem
bark of the plant Pterocarpus marsupium.
• Family: Leguminosae.
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13. PTEROCARPUS
Morphology:
Colour: Resin is Ruby-Red in colour.
Odour: Odorless
Taste: Astringent
Chemical Test:
1. When the solution of drug is treated with ferrous sulphate,
green colour is produced.
2. With alkali (like potassium hydroxide) violet colour is produced.
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14. PTEROCARPUS
Chemical Constituents:
• Pterocarpus contains about 70–80% of
kinotannic acid, kino-red, k-pyrocatechin
(catechol), resin and gallic acid.
• Kinotannic acid is glucosidal tannin, whereas
kino-red is anhydride of kinoin.
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KINOTANNIC ACID

15. PTEROCARPUS
Therapeutic Efficacy:
• It is used as powerful astringent and also a good antidiabetic
agent.
• Used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery, passive
haemorrhage, toothache.
• It is used in dyeing, tanning, and printing.
• The aqueous infusion of the wood is considered to be of much use
in diabetes. The alcoholic, as well as, aqueous extracts of
heartwood are known to possess hypoglycaemic action.
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16. GYMNEMA
• Synonyms: Gurmar, Merasingi, Madhunashini,
Cow plant.
• Biological Source: Gymnema consists of dried
seeds of Gymnema sylvestre.
• Family: Apocynaceae.
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17. GYMNEMA
Morphology:
Colour: Leaves are Green
Odour: Pleasant and aromatic
Taste: Tasteless
Chemical Test:
1. Dilute solution anaesthetizes sweet taste bud.
2. Gives foam after shaking with water and on adding dil. HCl
forms voluminous precipitate.
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18. GYMNEMA
Chemical Constituents:
• The leaves contains triterpene saponins like
gymnemic acid and gymnema saponins.
• It also contains Gymnemasides which is a
major glycoside.
• It also has other phytoconstituents like flavones,
Chlorophylls, Resins, Tartaric acid, Beta-amyrin
etc.
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19. GYMNEMA
Therapeutic Efficacy:
• It is a good antidiabetic agent.
• It treats hyperlipidemia and coughing.
• Gymnema is also used for weight-loss.
• It has stimulant effect on heart and circulatory system.
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20. DIURETICS
• Diuretics are also termed as water-pills, which increases the flow of urine(diuresis) by
removal of excess water and salts.
• Since they helps in removal of salts(Na+) that`s why they are also used to lower the blood
pressure.
• Diuretics promotes removal of excess water, salts, poisons, accumulated metabolic
products like urea etc.
• Loop-acting, potassium-sparing and thiazide diuretics are most widely used diuretics.
• Crude Drugs having this action are:
• Gokhru
• Punarnava
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21. GOKHRU
• Synonyms: Caltrops fruit.
• Biological Source: There are two types of Gokhru, that is, Bada and Chota Gokhru.
• Chhota Gokhru is the dried ripe fruits of Tribulus terrestris.
• Family: Zygophyllaceae.
• Morphology:
Colour: Fruits are Yellowish
Odour: Odourless
Shape: Globular fruit, 5 to 10 woody cocci with two pairs of hard and sharp spines.
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22. GOKHRU
Chemical Constituents:
• Gokhru has traces of alkaloids like harmine and
harman.
• The main chemical constituents are saponins like
Teresterosin A & E and Tribulosin which on
hydrolysis yield steroidal sapogenins like diosgenin,
gitogenin and ruscogenin.
• Beside these some flavonoids, kaemferol, tribuloside
and resin are also isolated.
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23. GOKHRU
Therapeutic Efficacy:
• The fruit has cooling, antiinflammatory,
antiarthritic, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac properties.
• It is used in building immune system, in painful
micturition and impotency.
• It exerts a stimulating effect on reproductory
organs.
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24. PUNARNAVA
• Synonyms: Rakta Punarnava, Hog weed, Gadahpurna,
Horse purslane.
• Biological Source: It consists of dried herbal parts
of Boerhavia diffusa.
• Family: Nyctaginaceae.
• Morphology:
Colour: Leaves are Green, Stems are greenish-
purple, Flowers are pinkish
Odour: Odourless
Taste: Bitter
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25. PUNARNAVA
Chemical Constituents:
• Punarnava consists of nearly 0.1% of alkaloid known
as punarnavine.
• It also contains phenolic glycoside punarnavoside,
rotenoids, boeravinone, borhavine and potassium
nitrate.
• Beside these ursolic acid is also found.
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Borhavine

26. PUNARNAVA
Therapeutic Efficacy:
• The herb is used as diuretic and as an expectorant.
• Punarnava is stomachic and prescribed in jaundice.
• It is also treats weak digestive power, enlarged
spleen and abdominal pains.
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