The document discusses several plants used in herbal medicines, including their botanical origins, active constituents, and uses. It describes thyme, peppermint, lavender, rosemary, anise, coriander, cumin, fennel, caraway, dill, and clove. For each it provides the plant part used, key active constituents like essential oils, and therapeutic uses such as for respiratory conditions, digestion, or flavoring. The document also compares properties of volatile and fixed oils.

1. Drugs containing
essential oils

2. Introduction
• Volatile oils constitute the most important odorous principles found in the
different plant parts. Because they evaporate at ordinary temperatures , on
exposure to air & Volatile in steam, they are called “volatile oils”, “ethereal
oils” or essential oils”.
• Volatile oils differ from fixed oils in both chemical and physical
characters: Volatile oils being capable of volatilization, so they can be distilled
from their natural sources.
• They don’t become rancid as fixed oils, but instead on exposure to light and
air, they will be oxidized and resinified.
They give red color with Sudan III.

3. • They are described as "volatile" or "etherial" oils to
indicate that they easily evaporate on exposure to air at
room temperature (volatile, from the Latin "volare" i.e. to
fly).
• They are also known as "essential oils" after the Latin word
"essentia", which means a liquid easily changed to a gas
and most probably because they represent the "essences"
or odoriferous principals of the plants.
• They are generally mixtures formed of hydrocarbons
( terpenes) and their oxygenated derivatives. They differ
entirely from "fixed" oils in both chemical and physical
properties.

4. AROMATHERAPY
• "Aromatherapy" is a branch of complementary
medicine, that uses essential oils for the
purpose of affecting a person's mood or
health.
• Essential oils can be massaged into the skin (the most
effective way of application), inhaled, added to bath water or
as compresses or poultices. They may cause damage to the
sensitive mucous membranes and skin, when used undiluted
externally.

5. Characterization of volatile from fixed oils
Property Volatile oil Fixed oil
Volatilization at ordinary
temperature Volatile Non-volatile
Steam Distillation Distillable Non-distillable
Solubility Soluble in organic solvents
(ether, CHCl3) and alcohol of
different strengths
Limited solubility in organic
solvents, almost are
insoluble in alcohol
Stain on filter paper Transient (temporary) Permanent and greasy
Response to long
exposure to air and light
Resinification Rancidity
Composition Different types of
hydrocarbons (Terpenes)
and oxygenated compounds
Glyceryl esters of fatty acids
Nutritive value None Nutritive
Saponification negative Easily saponified

6. ThymeMentha
Herba Thymi
Names: Common Thyme,
English Thyme, French
Thyme, Garden Thyme,
Summer Thyme.
Arabic name: ‫عشب‬‫الزعتر‬
Botanical Origin: Thyme
is the dried aerial parts of
Thymus vulgaris and
other Thymus species,
Family Labiatae. Thyme
should contain not less
than 1.2% volatile oil.
Herba Menthae Piperitae
Names: Peppermint,
Mentha
Arabic name: ‫النعناع‬ ‫عشب‬
‫الفلفلى‬
Botanical Origin:
Peppermint (BP) is the
dried leaves of Mentha
piperita Family Labiatae
contains not less than
1.2% of volatile oil

7. agreeable aromatic odour
and an aromatic somewhat
pungent taste.
Stem is quadrangular at
the upper part and
cylindrical on the lower,
grayish-brown or purplish
and hairy.
Odour &taste: aromatic
odour and taste followed
by a cold sensation
Stem: quadrangular,
green to dark purple,
nearly glabrous.
Morphology

8. Leaves : opposite
decussate, *sessile or
shortly petiolate,
linear lanceolate or
ovate-oblong with
grayish surface, acute
apex and entire
*revolute margin
Leaves: opposite
decussate, petiolate;
ovate lanceolate, light or
dark green with purplish
tinge, margin, sharply
serrate, upper surface
nearly glabrous, the lower
is hairy especially on the
veins

9. Bent hair
Bent hair
Bent hair
Diacytic stomata

10. Labiaceous hairs

11. Powder
Diacytic
stomata
Labiaceous hairs
Labiaceous hairs
Bent hair

12. Active ConstituentsActive Constituents
*Thyme contains volatile
oil (containing phenolic
compounds, mainly
thymol and carvacrol).
- Tannins and
flavonoids.
*The chief constituent
of peppermint is
volatile oil, which
contains up to 78% of
free menthol and up to
20% of menthol
combined as esters.
-The drug also contains
about 6 to 12% of
tannins& flavonoids.

13. Uses(Thyme)Uses (Mentha)
•The herb and its oil
have a secretolytic and
secretomotor effect. The
drug has antispasmodic
activity on the bronchial
muscles.
Thus, The plant is used
internally in the
treatment of dry cough,
whooping cough
(pertussis), bronchitis,
asthma.
The action is mainly due
to the volatile oil
•Spasmolytic and
carminative, thus an
infusion of peppermint
relieves colonic spasm,
flatulence and bowel
irritability.
•It is diaphoretic, thus the
oil is helpful remedy in
fevers and influenza.
•It has also anti-emetic
and peripheral vasodilator
effects.

14. Uses (Thyme)Uses (Mentha)
•Thymol is a powerful
antiseptic for internal and
external use. It is also
used as local anaesthetic.
•The herb and its oil have
desinfectant and
antimicrobial effect thus
use in stomatitis and
catarrahs of the upper
respiratory tract.
•Thyme has been used in
folk medicine as
carminative, digestive &
antispasmodic
Menthol acts locally on
the skin by stimulation of
the cold sensitive nerves.
thus, it is applied onto the
skin or mucous membrane
as an antiseptic and a
stimulant due to its
cooling and anesthetic
properties. So, it is used to
relieve itching and
inflammation.
•Inhalation of the herb and
the oil in boiling water are
effective against upper
respiratory infection.

15. *The oil of mentha should be administered
internally in the form of enteric-coated
capsules.
gallstonesMentha is contraindicated in case of
, use only afterand severe liver damage
consultation with a physician, due to its
choleretic action.

16. Lavender flower ‫الالوندة‬ ‫زهرة‬
• It is the dried flowers of Lavandula officinlalis,
family Labiatae
Constituents:
Volatile oil consisting mainly of linalyl acetate,
linalol and geraniol
 Uses:
Perfuming agent in manufacture of perfumes &
cosmetic prepartion

17. Rosemary ‫الجبل‬ ‫اكليل‬ ،‫لبان‬ ‫حصا‬
Botanical Origin: the dried flowering
tops of leafy twigs of Rosmarinus
officinalis family Labiatae
Constituents:
Volatile oil consisting mainly of cineole,
borneol, comphor and bornyl acetate.
 Triterpene alcohols a-and b-amyrin, rosmarinic acid
 Flavonoids
Uses
Perfumery industry, component of soap liniment & in
aromatherapy.

18. Anise Fruit ‫الينسون‬ ‫ثمرة‬
• Names: Anise, Anisum, Anise Fruit, Aniseed,
• Botanical Origin: the dried ripe fruit of
Pimpinella anisum L. Fam. Apiaceae
(Umbelliferae).
• Active Constituents:
1- Essential oil (1.5-5%) containing:
• anethole (80-90%) of the oil that is chiefly
responsible for the taste and the smell.
• Anisaldehyde .
2- Fixed oil, protein and coumarins.

20. Uses
• Expectorant and carminative on account of the secretolytic,
spasmolytic and secretomotor effects of its essential oil
(like fennel).
• relieving colic in children.
• in hard dry cough where expectoration is difficult. So, it
may be used in bronchitis in case of persistent irritable
coughing and in whooping cough.
• It has a sedative action.
• In folk medicine, it is used as lactagauge & emmenagauge.
• The oil is also employed in food and drink industry as
flavor enhancer.

21. Star Anise ‫النجمي‬ ‫الينسون‬
• The fruits of Illicium verum
(Fam.Illiciaceae)
Yield part of the official oil of anise, the
remaider being obtained from the fruits
of Pimpinella anisum L. (Fam.
Apiaceae) Umbelliferae.
.

22. ‫الكزبرة‬ ‫ثمر‬ Coriander
• Names: Coriander; Coriandrum.
• Botanical Origin: the dried ripe fruit of
Coriandrum sativum (Fam Apiaceae).
• 1- Volatile oil (1% up to 1.8% according to
origin), containing: D (+) linalool (55 -
74%).
• Monoterpene hydrocarbons:
• 2- Fats (up to 26%); fatty acids are oleic
and proteins.
• Flavonoid glycosides ( quercetin,
isoquercetin and rutin, coumarins, and
phenolic acids.

24. Uses
• used as a spice than a medicine.
• stomachic, spasmolytic, carminative and flavouring
agent.
• It has bactericidal and fungicidal properties.
• It is useful for sub-acid gastritis, diarrhea and
dyspepsia of various origins.
• It has strong lipolytic activity.
• It is added to purgative preparations of Rhubarb,
Frangula, Cascara and Senna to prevent the
gripping effect that occurs when anthraquinone
drugs are used.
• The high percent of fats and protein make
distillation residues suitable for animal feed.

25. Cumin
• It is the dried ripe fruits of Cuminum cyminum
family Apiaceae.
• It is indigenous to Egypt.

26. Powdered Cumin

27. Active Constituents
• The fruits contains about 2.5-4% of Volatile
oil, consisting mainly of cuminic aldehyde (25-
35%), pinine & α-terpeniol.
Uses
• Cumin is one of the commonest spices.
• It is used in folk medicine as an antispasmodic.

28. Fennel
• Botanical Origin:
It the dried fruits of Foeniculum vulgare
(bitter fennel) or F. vulgare variety dulce
(Sweet fennel) family Umbelliferae.
• Geographical Source:
India, China, Egypt and Europe.

29. Powdered Fennel
Key elements:
-Reticulate parenchyma.
-Endocarp with
parquetry arrangement.
-Endosperm containing
aleurone grains with
micro-rosette of calcium
oxalate.
- Fragments of vittae
(brownish color)
containing volatile oil.

30. Active Constituents
• Volatile oil:(1-4% in the bitter fennel & 2% in
sweet fennel), the main constituents of which
is anethole (60%) and fenchone(30%).
Therapeutic Uses
• Carminative
• Aromatic flavoring

31. Caraway fruits
• Name: Fructus Carvi, Carum,
Carawy fruit.
• Botanical origin:
The dried ripe fruits of
Carum carvi (Fam. Apiaceae)
• Active constituents
• Essential oil (3-7%) consists mainly of carvone
and limonene
• Fixed oil, proteins.

32. uses
• Antispasmodic, carminative & stimulant.
• It is used mainly for stomach complains in
both adults and children.

33. Dill ‫الشبت‬
• The dried ripe fruits of Anethum graveolens
(Fam. Umbelliferae).

34. Dill
Constituents:
1- Essential oil (3-4%) resemble oil of
caraway in containing carvone and
limonene.
Also may contain dillapiole and myristicin.
• Uses
• Carminative and flavour, it is much
used in infant’s gripe water

35. Clove
• Botanical origin:
It is the dried flower buds of Eugenia
caryophyllus family Myrtaceae.
• Geographical Source:
Madagascar, Indonesia, Brazil and smaller
amounts in Seri Lanka and Tanzania.

36. Clove Powder
Key Elements:
-Trianguler pollen grains.
-Schizolysigenous oil
glands.
-Fibrous layer of anther.
- Cluster crystals of
calcium oxalate.

37. Active Constituents
• Volatile oil (14-20%), the main constituent of
which is the phenolic compounds eugenol,
isoeugenol and acetyl eugenol, in addition to
sesquiterpenes(α- and β-phellandrene).
• Hydrolysable tannin.

38. Therapeutic Uses
• Stimulant and aromatic flavoring and
antiseptic.
• The oil has local anesthetic effect ( used for
treatment of toothache).
• The sesquiterpenes in oil of clove are cited to
be potential anticarcinogenic compounds.
• Eugenol is used for the preparation of vanillin.

39. German Chamomile
• Botanical origin:
It is the dried flower heads of Matricaria
recutita family Compositae.
• Geographical Sourse:
It is native to and cultivated in southern and
eastern Europe such as Germany and Hungery.

40. Powdered Matricaria

41. Active Constituents
• Volatile Oil (0.4%)blue in color due to the
presence of chamazulene {which is formed
from a sesquiterpene lactone (maticin) during
steam distillation} found in the oil together
with other sesquiterpenes (bisabolol and
farnesene.
• Apigenin flavonoid.
• Coumarins.

42. Therapeutic Uses
• Antispasmodic for digestive disorders.
• Anti-inflammatory in skin preparations.
• It has an ulcer-protective properties (due to
the bisabolol content).

43. Yarrow
• It is the dried flowering tops of Achillea
millefolium ( Compositae ).

44. Active Constituents
• Essential oil ( not less than 2% ) containing the
sesquiterpene (chamazulene),caryophylline,
sabinone,α & ß-pinine, borneol, bornyl
acetate, camphor and small quantities of
thujone.
• Sesquiterpene lactones.
• Flavonoids.
• Alkaloids.

45. Uses
• As chamomile, to treat various skin conditions
and digestive disorders.