This document discusses several herbs containing different active constituents. It provides detailed information on Cannabis/Indian hemp, including its origin, cultivation, chemical constituents and uses. It also describes the morphological features and active constituents of peppermint and thyme.

2. Herbs
chemotaxonomy
Herbs Containing
Alkaloids
1- Lobelia
2- Solanaceous Herbs
Stramonium
Egyptian Henbane
Belladonna
3- Catharanthus (Vinca)
4- Ephedra
5- Broom Tops
Herbs Containing
Volatile oil
1- Peppermint
2- Thyme
3- Cymbopogon
(Half Bar)
4- Lemon Grass
5- Savin Tops
Herbs Containing Resins
Cannabis- Indian Hemp

4. CANNABIS HERB (Indian Hemp,
Hashish, Marihuana)
Origin: The dried flowering and fruiting tops of the
cultivated female plants of Cannabis sativa Linne var.
Indica, Fam. Cannabinaceae.
Several varieties of Cannabis have been found on the
market.
cultivated in tropical countries for resin % production.
Indian cannabis yields 20% resin, Mexican cannabis
15%, American cannabis 6%.
Cultivation and collection
annual, cultivated by seedling in August and collected
in February-March

6.  1- Indian Hemp or ganjah: resinous tops
(fruits, large foliage leaves )are cut and pressed
into cakes by rolling between hands.
 2- Bhang (Hindustani) or Hashish in arabic:
larger leaves and twigs of both male and
female plants, it is used in India for smoking
with or without tobacco and other drugs as
Opium, Datura or cooking prepared by mixing
with melted butter.
 3- Charas or Churrus (crude resin): It is
obtained by rubbing the flowering tops
between the hands beating them in cloths or
carpets from which it is scrapped off. It is also
used as an ingredient of smoking mixtures.

7. Stem: cylindrical, pale green to light
brown, ,hollow.
Leaves: palmately compound.
Leaflets: linear-lanceolate, serrate, 5-7
in number,
inflorescence: cymose, panicles ‫عنقود‬
Fruit: Indehiscent, ovoid, unilocular,
containing a single oily seed.
Seeds: small, ovoid

10. Powdered Cannabis
Colour: dark green
Odour: narcotic characteristic
No taste

11. Microscopical characters:
 1- Glandular trichomes showing globular
multicellular head of 8-16 radiating club-
shaped cells and a long or short multicellular
pluriseriate stalk.
 2- Leaf tissue with cluster crystals of Ca Ox.
 3- Curved hairs with or without cystolith of
CaCO3.
 4- Few reddish fragments of papillosed
stigma.
 5- Laticiferous vessels and pericyclic fibers.

12. Active Constituents:
1- 15-20% resin, contains the major active euphoric principle
9-tetrahydrocannabinol (9THC).
2- Numerous, phenolic cannabinoids of varying euphoric
activity e.g. cannabinol, cannabinal, tetrahydrocannabivarin,
cannabivarin and cannabidiverin.
3- nitrogenous bases (chloine and trigonelline)
4- traces of volatile oil.
5- Oxidase enzyme which appears to oxidise the cannabinoids
causing gradual deterioration of the drug.

14. Action and Uses:
 9THC (Narcotic Analgesic, antiemetic, anorexia and multiple
sclerosis).
 Cerebral stimulant
 Used as a sedative in migraine, neuralgia, hysteria,
 cramps of summer diarrhea and spasmodic cough.
 Cannabis acts upon the central nervous system, especially the
higher psychic centers producing mental excitement ‫اثاره‬ and
exhilaration ‫ابتهاج‬ ‫او‬ ‫انتعاش‬ ….. Euphoria
 In large doses, it produces delirium ‫هذايان‬ with hallucinations
followed by sleep interrupted by dreams, marked weakness dad
mental depression.

15.  1- Powdered cannabis + drops of HCl → effervescence is produced,
visible under the microscope, due to the calcium carbonate in the
cystolith.
 2- Powder cannabis + petroleum-benzene, shake, filter. Filtrate +
drops of NaOH shake + amyl alcohol, mix → violet-pink to light
violet-red or even deep violet-red colour is produced (Beam’s test).
 3- Multi-panel drugs of abuse urine test (emit- enzyme
multiplied immunoassay technique)

16. 4- Modified Beam’s test (Fahmy & El-Keiy):
Evaporate the ethanolic extract,
mix the extract with little sand,
extract with pet. ether, transfer the extract to a separating
funnel, wash successively with 5% Na2CO3, 5% H2SO4
then wash with water, decolorize with charcoal,
evaporate the extract, add few drops of N/10 alc. KOH
where a purple colour is obtained.

17. ‫زيت‬
‫الحشيش‬
‫استعماالته‬
‫مخدر‬ ‫تأثير‬ ‫له‬ ‫هل‬
‫متلخبط‬ ‫انا‬

20. Origin: It’s the dried over ground parts of
Mentha piperita (Linn.) var. vulgaris known as
black peppermint or var. officinalis known as
white peppermint, Family Labiatae.
 yields not less than 0.5% of volatile oil of
peppermint.

21. Morphological characters:
Odour: aromatic characteristic.
Taste: aromatic followed by cooling
sensation.
Stem:
 Herbaceous, perennial.
 Quadrangular
 Green to dark purple.

22. Leaves:
opposite decussate
ovate lanceolate.
Light or dark green with purplish tinge.
upper surface: dark green nearly glabrous.
lower surface: light green, hairy especially
on the veins
Apex: acute.
Margin: sharply serrate.
Petiole: long slightly hairy.

23. Flowers
- small - purple - Zygomorphic - Spike.
Calyx: long, tubular, equally 5-toothed green to dark
purple.
Corolla: dark purple, bilabiate.
Stamens: 4 short and equal.
Ovary: superior, bicarpellary tetralocular.
Fruit:
blackish-brown, ellipsoidal.

24. Microscopical characters

25. Powdered Mentha Herb
 Color: green to light olive green.
 Odour: aromatic characteristic.
 Taste: aromatic followed by a
sensation of cold in the mouth.

27. Active Constituents:
 Volatile oil (menthol 42%, menthyl acetate, menthone, cineole),
 Resin, tannin and bitter principles.
Chemical test:
 Three drops of the oil are added to 5 ml of glacial acetic acid
containing 0.3% nitric acid then heated gently on a boiling water bath
for 1-5 minutes where a blue colour which fades to golden yellow is
obtained.

28. Uses:
 Carminative(colic, IBS), antiemetic(nausea), antispasmodic
(colic,IBS) (Menthol, ca channel blocker in GIT, relaxation of
smooth muscles)
 promote bile secretion.
 stimulant
 antiseptic, aromatic flavoring agent, It is also used in toothpaste,
mouthwashes and similar oral preparations.
 Menthol employed in preparations as a local antipruritic, anesthetic
agent(cooling effect, affect nerve ending) for sore muscles.
 a counter-irritant 3% ( improve hair growth in half time required
for minoxidil)

29. Adulterants:
Japanese peppermint:
It’s obtained from Mentha arvensis Dc. and contains up to 85%
of menthol but no golden-yellow color when tested with glacial
acetic acid containing 0.3% nitric acid.
Spearmint
It’s obtained from Mentha virides (Mentha spicata). It has
crumbled, opposite, ovate-lanceolate to rhomboidal leaves with
acute apex, unequally serrated margin. It has bright green color
free from purplish tinge. It contains about 50% carvone,
limonene, phellandrene and esters. It’s mainly used in tooth
pastes, mouth washes and chewing gum.

30. It’s the dried leaves and flowering tops of
Thymus vulgaris (Linn.) Family Labiatae

31. Morphological characters:
Odour: agreeable aromatic
Taste: aromatic somewhat pungent.
Stem: quadrangular, grayish-brown or
purplish.
Leaves: linear lanceolate, opposite decussate,
sessile or shortly petiolate.

33. Active constituents:
About 3% volatile oil as thymol, carvacrol and cineole.
saponins, tannins and bitter principles.
Uses:
It’s an excellent expectorant (dissolves mucous),
antispasmodic action (relieves bronchial spasm) and
has an antiseptic effect (cough preparations).
It’s effective for treatment of digestive disorders and
flatulence.
It has antibacterial and antifungal properties.