This document provides information on several medicinal plants and their active compounds. It discusses Artemisia annua (artemisinin), Centella asiatica (asiaticoside, brahmoside), Bacopa monnieri (bacoside A, bacogenin), Camptotheca acuminata (camptothecin), Gymnema sylvestre (gymnemic acid), Taxus brevifolia (taxol), Azadirachta indica (neem), and their traditional uses, biological sources, chemical constituents, and medical applications such as treatment of malaria, wounds, cancer, diabetes, and more.

1. K.Sudheer Kumar,
Assistant professor.
Dept.of Pharmacognosy
Chilkur Balaji college of Pharmacy
Hyderabad.
E-mail:sudheer.y2k8@gmail.com
ARTEMISININ
CENTELLAASIATICA
BACOPA MONNIERI
CAMPTOTHECIN
GYMNEMIC ACID
TAXOL
NEEM

2. Biological Source:It is obtained from the leaves and
the closed, unexpanded flower heads of Artemisia
annuna Linn., belonging to family Asteraceae.
This particular herb has been used in the Chinese
system of medicine exclusively for the treatment of
malaria since more than one thousand years.
Chemical Structure: Though the herb was used for its
wonderful proven therapeutic efficacy for more than a
decade centuries, but its active
principal artemisinin was isolated and identified in
1972.
ARTEMISININ Synonym:sweet wormwood, sweet annie, sweet sagewort,

3. In traditional Chinese medicine, A. annua is traditionally used to treat fever.
Artemisia annua possesses the capacity to produce high phenolic compounds,
which result in high antioxidant activity.
Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone with an endoperoxide bridge and has been
produced semisynthetically as an Antimalarial drug.
Several studies show that flavonoids assimilation beverages treatments such as
tea might prevent, delay or help to cure Cancer
Animal experiments showed that artesunate, a synthetic derivative of artemisinin,
has anti-allergic properties, by effecting mast cell degranulation.
This makes artesunate a candidate for treatment of allergic Asthma.
MEDICINAL USES

4. CENTELLAASIATICA Synonym: centella , Gotu kola,Indian pennywort
Biological Source:Centella asiatica,is a small, herbaceous, frost-tender perennial
plant of the family Mackinlayaceae, It is used as a medicinal herb in Ayurvedic
medicine, traditional African medicine, and traditional Chinese medicine in English,
among various other names in other languages.
Chemical-constituents
pentacyclic triterpenoids including Asiaticoside,Brahmoside,Asiatic acid,
and Brahmic acid.

5. Compound R′ R″
Asiatic acid H OH
Brahmic
acid
OH OH
Asiaticoside H
O-glucose-
glucose- rhamnose
The CA extracts (CAE) have been used traditionally for wound healing and the research
has been increasingly supportive for these claims
CA was described to possess CNS effects in Indian literature such as stimulatory- nervine
tonic, rejuvenant, sedative, tranquilizer and intelligence promoting property
The antidepressant effects of total triterpenes from CA on the immobility time in forced
swimming mice and concentration of amino acid in mice brain tissue was observed
Asian CA increases the cerebral levels of GABA, which explains its traditional use as
anxiolytic and anticonvulsant.
A laboratory study was reported in which aqueous extract of CA was found to be effective
in inhibiting gastric lesions induced by ethanol administration
MEDICINAL USES

6. BACOPA MONNIERI Synonyms Herpestis; Brahmi.
Biological Sources:It comprises of the fresh stems and the fresh leaves of Bacopa
monnieri belonging to family Scrophulariaceae.
Chemical Constituents:The leaves contain saponin glycosides known as
Bacoside-A and Bacoside-B which on acid hydrolysis give rise to triterpenoid
aglycone termed as bacogenin-A and Bacogenin-B respectively.
It also contains Asiatic acid and Brahmic acid

7. BM has been studied extensively in animal models and in vitro. While BM is
implicated in the treatment of anxiety, epilepsy, and other neurodegenerative
disorders,
Bacopa monnieri, known to most as Brahmi, acts as an adaptogen; which means it
helps the body adapt to new or stressful situations
Although Bacopa has been indicated as a remedy for epilepsy in Ayurvedic medicine,
research in animals shows anticonvulsant activity
Animal studies have demonstrated Bacopa extracts have a relaxant effect on
chemically-induced broncho-constriction.
Use of Bacopa as a “cardiotonic” is frequently mentioned in Ayurvedic medicine.
A study in mice demonstrated high doses (200 mg/kg) of Bacopa extract increased
the thyroid hormone,
n vitro research demonstrated Bacopa saponin fractions have cytotoxic activity.
MEDICINAL USES

8. CAMPTOTHECIN Synonym:Camptotheca, Happy tree cancer tree,tree of life
Biological Sources:It was isolated from the bark and stem of Camptotheca
acuminata (Camptotheca, Happy tree), belonging to the family Cornaceae native
to China used as a cancer treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Camptothecin(CPT)
is a cytotoxic quinoline alkaloid which inhibits the DNA enzyme topoisomerase
I (topo I).

9. Structures:
CPT has a planar pentacyclic ring structure, that includes a pyrrolo[3,4-β]-quinoline
moiety (rings A, B and C), conjugated pyridone moiety (ring D) and one chiral center
at position 20 within the alpha-hydroxy lactone ring with (S) configuration (the E-
ring). Its planar structure is thought to be one of the most important factors in
topoisomerase inhibition.
Camptothecin

10. Camptotheca acuminate (Happy Tree) was first used traditional medicine (ancient
Chinese) as a treatment for common colds, psoriasis, liver problems and digestive
problems.
Scientific research has found the cancer-fighting properties in Camptotheca
acuminate thus it is called a cancer-tree. It contains pentacyclic quinolines
camptothecin and 10-hydroxycamptothecin which inhibits DNA topoisomerase I and
is very effective against cancer cells.
The extract of tender are beneficial for brain tumors, liver cancer, cancer in the
gastrointestinal tract, leukemia and other cancers.
MEDICINAL USES

11. GYMNEMIC ACID
Biological Sources: Gymnemic acids are glycosides isolated from the leaves
of Gymnema sylvestre belonging to the family Asclepiadaceae
It is regarded as one of the plants with potent anti-diabetic properties and being
used in folk, ayurvedic and homeopathic systems of medicine.
The “destroyer of sugar” is a traditionally used term for Gymnema sylvestre
because chewing the leaves will abolish the taste of sweetness.
Gymnema sylvestre leaves contain triterpene saponins belonging to oleanane and
dammarene classes.
Oleanane saponins are gymnemic acids and gymnemasaponins,
while dammarene saponins are gymnemasides.
anti-sweet compounds, or sweetness inhibitors. After chewing the leaves, solutions
sweetened with sucrose taste like water.
Gymnemic acid C43H66O14 (it has a 5 ring core with an attached sugar).
Synonym:“Gurmar” , Gymnema , Madhunaashini in Sanskrit

12. USES:Early research suggests when a specific Gymnema extract is taken orally
along with insulin or diabetes medications, blood sugar reduction in people with
type 1 or type 2 diabetes is enhanced.
Weight loss. Early research suggests that taking a specific combination of Gymnema
extract, hydroxycitric acid, and niacin-bound chromium by mouth for 8 weeks
might reduce body weight in people who are overweight or obese ,
also helps in Stimulating digestion , also acts as a laxative and diuretic
Gymnemic acid

13. TAXOL
Biological source: Taxol is derived from the bark of the Pacific yew tree Taxus
brevifolia belonging in to the family Taxaceae.
Taxol is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug.Taxol is
classified as a "plant alkaloid.
Taxol is used for the treatment of breast, ovarian, lung, bladder, prostate, melanoma,
esophageal, as well as other types of solid tumor cancers.Paclitaxel's mechanism of
action involves interference with the normal breakdown of microtubules during cell
division.
Chemistry:(a) It has a taxane ring system,(b) It has a four membered octane ring
(c) An ester side chain at C-13 of the taxane ring is a prime requirement for taxol’s
cytotoxic activity, and(d) The presence of an accessible hydroxyl moiety at C-2 of
the ester side chain renders an appreciable enhancement of the cytotoxic activity.
Synonym Paclitaxel; Taxol A

14. Uses
1. Taxol is primarily employed in the treatment and management of metastatic
carcinoma of the ovarian glands after the failure of follow-up chemotherapy.
2. It is also used in the treatment of breast cancer usually after the observed failure of
combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease.
(IUPAC) name
(2α,4α,5β,7β,10β,13α)-4,10-Bis(acetyloxy)-13-
{[(2R,3S)-3-(benzoylamino)-2-hydroxy-3-
phenylpropanoyl]oxy}-1,7-dihydroxy-9-oxo-
5,20-epoxytax-11-en-2-yl benzoate
Formula C47H51NO14
Paclitaxel

15. NEEM
The NEEM tree (Azadirachta indica belonging to the family Meliaceae ) is a tropical
evergreen tree native to India and is also found in other southeast countries. In India,
neem is known as “the village pharmacy” because of its healing versatility, and it has
been used in Ayurvedic medicine for more than 4,000 years due to its medicinal
properties.
In the first millennium BC the neem tree was called the "Sarva Roga Nivarini" (= one
that could cure all ailments and ills). The indian physicians CHARAKA (2nd century
AD) and SUSRUTA (4th century AD), whose books provided the foundation of the
Indian system of natural treatment.
Neem is also called ‘arista’ in Sanskrit- a word that means ‘perfect, complete and
imperishable’.
The seeds, bark and leaves contain compounds with proven antiseptic, antiviral,
antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer and antifungal uses. The Sanskrit name ‘nimba’
means ‘to give good health’
Synonyms:Azadirachta indica ,margosa

16. Classification
Common Name – Neem
Botanical – Azadirachta Indica
Kingdom – Plantae
Division – Magnoliophyta
Class – Magnoliopsida
Order – Sapindales
Genus – Azadirachta
Species – A. indica
Family – Meliaceae
Neem is a fast-growing tree that can reach a
height of 15–20 m, rarely to 35–40m.
It is evergreen, but in severe drought it may shed
most or nearly all of its leaves.
The branches are wide spread.
Taste is bitter.It blossoms in spring with the small
white flowers.
It has a straight trunk. Its bark is hard rough and
scaly, fissured even in small trees.
The color of the bark is brown grayish.
The leaves are alternate and consist of several
leaflets with serrated edges.
Its flowers are small and white in color.
The olive like edible fruit is oval, round and thin
skinned

18. Chemical composition of Neem
Neem tree has numerous medicinal properties by virtue of its chemical compounds. Neem
tree contain the highest concentration of Azadirachtin. Apart from Azadirachtin , Salannin,
Gedunin, Azadirone, Nimbin, Nimbidine, Nimbicidine, Nimbinol, etc are other important
Liminoids of neem.
S.no Part used Medicinal Properties
1. Leaves Leprosy, eye problems, intestinal worms, anorexia, skin ulcer
2. Barks Analgesic, alternative and curative fever
3. Flowers Bile suppression, elimination of intestinal worms and phlegm.
Fruits Piles, intestinal worms, urinary disorder, epistaxis, phlegm, eye
problem, diabetes, wounds and leprosy
4. Twigs Cough, asthma, piles, phantom tumor, intestinal worms,
spermatorrhoea, obstinate urinary disorder, diabetes
5. Gum Scabies, wounds, ulcers, skin diseases
6. Seeds Leprosy and intestinal worms
7. Oil Leprosy and intestinal worms

19. Cancer
Certain components of neem, such as limonin glucopyranoside, azadirone, quercetin and
kaemferol, may suppress the growth of cancer cells and reduce the incidence of tumors by
enhancing immune response, neutralizing free radicals and inhibiting division of cancer cells
Dental Health
Neem twigs are commonly chewed every morning in rural India to clean the teeth and prevent
dental infections.the inhibitory effects of neem extracts against oral bacteria such as
Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus salivarus, thereby proving the benefit of chewing
neem twigs.
Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Properties
The chloroform extracts of neem stem bark can reduce inflammation. Neem plant extracts can
also relieve pain via brain and spinal cord receptors known as opioid receptors.
Diabetes
Neem leaf extracts and neem seed oil helped reduce the blood sugar levels in diabetic Neem
extracts may, therefore, help manage blood sugar levels in diabetes patients and delay the onset
of the disease.

20. Thank you