Family Umbelliferae

Family Umbelliferae
Dr. Asra Hameed
Pharm.D (JUW)
asra_hameed1@hotmail.com

TOPICS INCLUDED:
FAMILY” Umbelliferae”
CONIUM
CARUM
FENNEL
CORRIANDER
ASAFOETIDA

The Umbelliferae Family
The Umbelliferae family is named after the
shape of its flowers, which are called
umbels.
The umbels are unique in their floral
uniformity
These distinctive umbrella shaped blooms
are attractive in arrangements and loved
by numerous beneficial insects.
They pollinate freely which allow it to
increase its natural distribution.
Seed dispersal occurs through wind.

It is an Angiospermic plant.
Its plants are used as important herbs.
Many are poisonous
Members of this family are loaded with
vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
 Many are indispensable in favorite recipes
and a treat eaten raw or cooked.
TYPE/Habbit : annual, biennial, perennial
herbs or woody shrubs.
WORLDWIDE NO. : 3,000 species in 300
Genera.
AROMA: often pungent or aromatic.

The plants are erect.
ROOTS: either tap root or fusiform, branched.
They possess alternate, undivided or divided
leaves, base of stalks often dilated & sheathing
the stem.
The flowers are small, usually less than 1.2cm
in diameter, regular, polygamous in umbels,
rarely in heads.
Umbels are compound or simple, with or
without bracts & bracteoles at the base of
primary & secondary rays, respectively.

The calyx is reduced to 5 tooth-like sepals.
The corolla consists of 5 distinct, typically inflexed
petals.
The androecium comprises 5 distinct stamens.
The gynoecium consists of a single compound pistil
of 2 carpels, 2 styles borne on an enlarged
stylopodium, and an inferior ovary with 2 locules,
each containing a single pendulous, apical-axile
ovule.

The fruit is a schizocarp.
Consisting of two one-seeded carpels
5 ridges or wings
Cremocarps, splited known as “mericarp”
Mericarp Possess stylopod at its apex.
Two surfaces of Mericarp, outer & inner
5 longitudinal straight or wavy ridges,
“primary ridges” (vascular bundles present)
Special secretory ducts ”vittae” found in mesocarp
Run from apex to base longitudanally through
mesocarp.

Important drugs belong to
this family are:
coriander
fennel
caraway
dill
anise

CONIUM
Conium means small genus of highly
toxic perennial.
SYNONYMS :
genus conium,poison parsley,poison
hemlock
MERONYMS
Members of conium:California
fern,conium maculatum , hemlock

BIOLOGICAL SOURCE
Conium is a genus of two species of highly
poisonous perennial herbaceous flowering
plantknown as conium maculatum.
 GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE
It is found in disturbed or waste areas such as
roadsides and the edges of cultivated
fields.Poison hemlock was introduced into North
America from Europe and is and can be found in
allareas of the U.S. except for dessert areas.
Poison hemlock can be found growing in the
samekind of habitats as the water hemlock.
conium maculatum, a Eurasian weed naturalized in
NorthAmerica, contains high concentrations of
piperidine alkaloids that act as chemical
defensesagainst herbivores.Conium maculatum is
a highly toxic weed found in waste places
throughout much of the world.

CULTIVATION AND
COLLECTION
Hemlock (Conium maculatum) was
occasionally deliberately grown as a
medicinal herb in thepast, even though it is
highly poisonous.
It is generally considered a weed of
gardens thesedays.
The Poisonous Hemlock does not require
any maintenance to grow and should
beeradicated upon sight

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS
The special and characteristic medicinal
substance contained in hemlock is a peculiar
alkaloid,called coniine, N-methyl coniine,
conhydrine, lambda-coniceine, and
pseudoconhydrine.Of the total alkaloids of
hemlock isolated by the method of Chemnitius and
fractionally distilled,the portion boiling up to 190
°C contains most of the coniine, γ-coniceine and
N-methylconiine,while conhydrine and ψ-
conhydrine remain in the higher boiling residues.
For the separation of coniine from coniceine,
Wolffenstein recommends conversion into
hydrochlorides.
These aredried and extracted with acetone, which
dissolves coniceine hydrochloride, leaving the
coniinesalt, from which the base may then be
regenerated.

MACROSCOPIC
CHARACTER
Colour: dark green
 Odour: unpleasant
 Taste: exteremly poisonous.
 Size : 5-8 ft
Shape: leaves are mostly triangular.
Flowers: clustered umbels up to 10-15 cm

MEDICINAL ACTION AND
USESAs a medicine, Conium is sedative and
antispasmodic, and in sufficient doses acts as
aparalyser to the centres of motion. In its action it
is, therefore, directly antagonistic to that of
Strychnine, and hence it has been recommended
as an antidote to Strychnine poisoning,
Hemlock juice (Succus conii) is prescribed as a
remedy in cases of undue nervous motor
excitability, such as teething in children, epilepsy
from dentition. cramp, in the early stages of
paralysis agitans, in spasms of the larynx and
gullet, in acute mania,
The drug has to be administered with care, as
narcotic poisoning may result from internal use,
and overdoses produce paralysis.

MEDICINAL ACTION AND
USESHemlock was formerly believed to exercise an
alterative effect in scrofulous disorders.
Both the Greek and Arabian physicians were in the
practice of using it for the cure of ndolent tumours,
swellings and pains of the joints, Baron Storch was the
first to call the attention of medical men to its use, both
externally and internally, for the cure of cancerous and
other ulcers, and in the form of a poultice or ointment
it has been found a very valuable application to relieve
pain in these cases.
In the case of poisoning by Hemlock, the antidotes are
tannic acid, stimulants and coffee, emetics of zinc, or
mustard and castor oil, and, if necessary, artificial
respiration.
 It is essential to keep up the temperature of the body.

It has been shown that the predominant
alkaloid in the plant changes with stage of
development, and even from hour to hour,
that the total amount of alkaloid varies with
the stage of growth and part of plant and
with geographic area,
 the plants from southern latitudes being
held more poisonous on the average than
northern-grown ones.
 Variability in toxicity of this kind may
explain the fact that in experimental
feedings of a cow in Texas,
TOXICITY:

TOXICITY:
Conium was found to produce symptoms but not
death at about two percent of the animals weight
and did not produce death even at almost 4
percent.
 Coniine is volatile and is lost slowly from Conium
while drying.
The hemlock alkaloids are present in least amount
in the root. As the plant grows, they accumulate in
the stem, leaves, and fruits, being greater in
amount in these organs in the order listed and in
each reaching a maximum just prior to maturation
of the seeds. Concentrations of total alkaloids as
high as 1.6 percent have been measured in the
green seed" (Kingsbury 1964).

CARUM
Carum is a genus of about 20
species of flowering plants in the
family Apiaceae, native to
temperate regions of the Old
World. The most important
species is Caraway (C. carvi), the
seeds of which are widely used as
a culinary spice.

 DEFINITION :
Carum is a large biennial aromatic herbs
that have white or yellow flowers in
compound umbels and include caraway.
English Name: Caraway
Family: Apiaceae
Genera: Carum
Scientific Name: Carum carvi
Local Name: Safeed zeera

Caraway is native to Europe, Asia, and
North Africa, though the plant has been
carried by colonials to all parts of the
globe.
It was well known to the ancient Arabians
and had made its way across the English
Channel well before the 14th century.
Caraway gets its name from Caria, a town
in Asia Minor that was probably once a
major production center for the herb.
CARAWAY FROM CARIA:

USES:
On the scientific
front, caraway
has been proven
to have following
properties:
carminative,
stomachic,
antibacterial,
indigestion,
constipation,
gas remedies
Stimulant
Spice
Astringent
Antihistaminic
,
antispasmodic

COLLECTION:
The plant produces lots of them.
All the gardener needs to do is collect the
seeds in July.
 They can also be found in the spice section
of almost any grocery store.
The seeds are rich in both medicinal and
aromatic substances.
 If you crush a handful of seeds, you will
smell what I mean.

CHEMICAL
CONSTITUENTS:
Fixed oil,
Proteins,
Aminaldehyde,
Alpha-pinine,
Beta-pinene,
Phellandene,
Aminaldehyde.

ORGANOLEPTIC
EVALUATION:
Texture: Rough
Fracture: Weak
External Markings:
longitudinal markings,
noch is present at one
side, stalk is present at
one side
Internal markings:
fibrous
Apex and Base: pointed

ORGANOLEPTIC
EVALUATION:
Shape: elongated and
tapering on both ends
Size: 4-6mm in length,
2mm thick
Odor and Taste:
Characteristic and
aromatic
External colours: Brown,
ridges are light in color
Internal colour: Brown

CULTIVATION:
The plant prefers warm, sunny locations
and well-drained soil rich in organic matter.
 In warmer regions it is planted in the winter
months as an annual.
In temperate climates it is planted as a
summer annual or biennial.
 There is however a polyploid variant (with
four haploid sets=4n) of this plant that was
found to be perennial.

SELECTION AND
STORAGE:Caraway seeds are available year around in the
markets either in the form of seeds or in ground
form. In the store, buy whole caraway seeds
instead of powder since, oftentimes it may contain
adulterated spicy powders.
Once at home, the seeds can be stored in cool,
dry, dark place in air sealed containers for many
months and can be milled using hand mill
whenever required.
Ground and powdered caraway should be stored
in the refrigerator in airtight containers and should
be used as early as possible since it loses its
flavor rather quickly.

OTHER USES:
Caraway seed nutrition
facts
Health benefits of caraway
seeds
Medicinal uses
It is also used in
pharmaceuticals as
flavoring agent in
mouthwash and gargle
preparations.
Culinary uses

CHEMICAL CONTITUENTS:
The chemical components
of Caraway oil are
Acetaldehyde, Cumuninic
aldehyde, Furfurol, Carvone
and Limonene.

FENNEL
a pale green vegetable with seeds
and leaves that are used for
flavouring food
Local Name: SAUNF
Scientific Name: Foeniculum
vulgare
Family: Umbellifereae
English Name: FENNEL

Appearance:
Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, is a
perennial herb. It is erect, glaucous
green, and grows to heights of up to
2.5 m, with hollow stems.
The leaves grow up to 40 cm long;
they are finely dissected, with the
ultimate segments filiform
(threadlike), about 0.5 mm wide.
(Its leaves are similar to those of dill,
but thinner.)
The flowers are produced in terminal
compound umbels 5–15 cm wide, each
umbel section having 20–50 tiny
yellow flowers on short pedicels.
The fruit is a dry seed from 4–10 mm
long, half as wide or less,

Essential Oil:
CHEST RUB – The essential oil
extracted from the fennel finds use as a
topical herbal remedy and can be
utilized as a massage or oil rub.
To treat chest problems, a combination
herbal oil is typically used, containing
about 25 drops of the thyme herbal oil,
the same amount of the oil of
eucalyptus, and the fennel oils, these
three are mixed in about 25 ml of the
sunflower or almond oil.

Collection and Harvesting:
Harvesting of the fresh leaves for
immediate use can be carried out
throughout the summer right up to the time
when the first frost appears - pluck leaves
from plants and use as and when needed.
Morning is the ideal time to collect the
leaves, and this must be done when the sun
is already shining and evaporated the dew
Preparation:
Seeds can be used whole or ground in a
spice mill or mortar and pestle. .

Uses:
for culinary purpose:
1.The bulb, foliage, and seeds of the fennel plant are widely
used in many of the culinary purpose
for different disease:
2.Fennel is used for various digestive problems including
heartburn, intestinal gas, bloating, loss of appetite, and
colic in infants. It is also used for upper respiratory tract
infections, coughs, bronchitis, cholera, backache,
bedwetting, and visual problems.
foods and beverages:
3.In foods and beverages, fennel oil is used as a flavoring
agent.
anti platelet:
4.Fennel oil has antiplatelet activity and ability to inhibit
clot retraction

Uses:
roots:
5.Roots of Fennel use in medicine
source of vitamin c:
6.In addition to its unusual phytonutrients, fennel bulb is an
excellent source of vitamin C.
source of fibers:
7.As a very good source of fiber, fennel bulb may help to
reduce elevated cholesterol levels. And since fiber also
removes potentially carcinogenic toxins from the colon,
fennel bulb may also be useful in preventing colon cancer. In
addition to its fiber, fennel is a very good source of folate
8.cosmetic prepration:Essential oil:
Many cosmetic preparations in the market also use extracts
of the fennel fruit and especially the volatile fennel oil as the
fragrance components in the product,

Chemical Constituents:
fennel consist of 3-7% of volatile oil.
about 20% protein and fixed oil. the
chief active constituent of volatile oil is
ketone, fenchone (about 20%) and a
phenolic ether, anethole (50%)
fenchene is a colourless pungent liquid
with aromatic odour. the anethole is
sweet in odour and taste. oil of fennel
is yellow in colour.

Selection of Fennel:
Good quality fennel will have bulbs that are clean, firm
and solid, without signs of splitting, bruising or
spotting.
The bulbs should be whitish or pale green in color.
The stalks should be relatively straight and closely
superimposed around the bulb and should not splay
out to the sides too much.
 Both the stalks and the leaves should be green in
color. There should be no signs of flowering buds as
this indicates that the vegetable is past maturity.
Fresh fennel should have a fragrant aroma, smelling
subtly of licorice or anise.
Fennel is usually available from autumn through early
spring.

Storage of Fennel:
Dried fennel seeds should be stored in an
airtight container in a cool and dry location
where they will keep for about six months.
 Storing fennel seeds in the refrigerator
will help to keep them fresher longer.

Food Allergy -- Fennel:
A fennel allergy is an adverse reaction by the
body's immune system to fennel or food
containing fennel. This type of allergy is rare and
serious reactions are very rare.
 e.g. skin, respiratory and behavioral symptoms.
Symptoms of Food Allergy -- fennel:Symptoms of Food Allergy -- fennel:
Runny nose
Watery eyes
Sore eyes
Itchy eyes
Red eyes

Treatments for Food Allergy --
fennel:
Avoid contact with the allergen,
adrenaline injection if anaphylactic
reaction occurs, antihistamines,
bronchodilators for asthmatic
symptoms

Treatment of different disease
by fennel:
 The well known aromatic culinary herb called the
fennel was extensively used as an herbal remedy
to aid digestion
 Some other uses of the fennel in the treatment of
disorders in women include its use as an aid in the
regulation of the menstrual cycle and as an herbal
aid in relieving period pains during menstruation
 it also is a very effective remedy for the treatment
of urinary infections in patients
 it a very effective remedy for disorders such as
arthritis and gout,
 Local application of the oil on the body or the
bruised seed exudates is used in alleviating the
pain of a toothache and earache in patients

CORRIANDER
Annual herb of the carrot family -
Umbelliferae- up to 60 cm. Erect, glabrous
stems with a strong scent.
Compound leaves, bipinnate or tripinnate;
the lower ones with longer stem and with
narrower segments then superior ones.
Whitish flower in umbel, with till 8 rays.
Very scented fruits.

Other Names: Coriandrum - Chinese
Parsley, Cilantro, Coriander
Scientific Name: Coriandrum sativum L.
Family: carrot family – Umbelliferae
Habitat: Native from Asia and Africa, it
can be found as a cultivated plant because its
fruits as a species or medicinal plant.

Parts used
The dried ripe fruits are used (the seeds) and an
essential oil is distilled from it.
Properties
Both seeds and leaves are rich in oils and act on
the digestive system, stimulating the appetite and
relieving irritation.
It contains coumarins, phenylpropanoids and
triterpenes, while the essential oil contains linalool
as well as furanocoumarins (coriandrine and
dihydrocoriandrine).
The unripe fruits also contain decanal and tricen-
2-al, which gives them a very particular smell.

Therapeutic uses
Internal use
The herb has great success in treating loss of appetite and
other dyspeptic complaints. When used in laxatives, it
eases griping.
The roots, leaves and leafstalks can be used to flavor
soups, salads, beans and curries.
Dried stems are used for smoking foods.
The seeds (dried ripe fruits) are used as an ingredient of
curry powders, pickles, pickling spice, baked foods,
sausages and sauces.
Chewing the seeds after eating garlic is used to freshen
the breath after eating garlic.
External use
Coriander is included in lotions and ointment to treat piles
(hemorrhoids), rheumatism, menstrual disorders and
painful joints.
Historically, the fruits have been used to treat wounds and
burns and the herb has antimicrobial properties.

Therapeutic uses
Aromatherapy and essential
oil use
Coriander essential oil can help improve memory
and has a positive effect on the digestive system.
It is helpful with arthritis and rheumatism.
It helps to detoxify the body and to stimulate the
spleen. It is indicated as being connected to
Prana - the life-giving spark of life.
It has a hormone balancing effect and helps with
menstrual problems.
It is not normally used in skin care products, but
toiletry items often use it as fragrance.
It has analgesic, anti-spasmodic, carminative,
deodorant, stimulant and stomachic properties

Safety precautions and
warnings
The essential oil may be sensitizing to the
skin, and some people may have an allergic
reaction to it.
 Very large doses may have a stupefying
effect on the mind.
Picking-up and storing:
The fruit will be picked up in the month of
July and August. The leaves should be
taken fresh. The fruit will dry off in a dark
place and they should be preserved in a
little bag.

ASAFOETIDA
Asafoetida is a perennial plant that grows about 6
feet (1.83 m) high and bears bright yellow clusters
of flowers.
The hollow stem and roots of the plant house a
milky substance that is rich in organic sulfur.
Asafoetida is Most similar in appearance to fennel.
This substance is sometimes dried and blended
with rice flour to create a flour that is used in
cooking.
Asafoetida tastes much like a combination of
strong onions with a touch of earthy truffles
This herb has a smell that's often compared to
rotting feet Native to the Middle East,

 Kingdom: Plantae
 Order: Apiales
 Family: Apiaceae
 Genus: Ferula
 Species: F. assa-foetida
 Odour : pungent & unpleasent
 Habitat: The species is native to the
mountains of Afghanistan, and is mainly
cultivated in nearby India.

Cultivation and
manufacture:
The resin-like gum comes from the
dried sap extracted from the stem and
roots and is used as a spice.
The resin is grayish-white when fresh but
dries to a dark amber color
The asafoetida resin is difficult to grate
and is traditionally crushed between
stones or with a hammer.
 Today, the most commonly available form
is compounded asafoetida, a fine powder
containing 30% asafoetida resin, along
with rice flour and gum Arabic.

Uses
This spice is used as a digestive aid, in food as a
condiment, and in pickles.
It typically works as a flavor enhancer .
. It is especially widely used in South Indian cuisine, which
is mainly vegetarian, and is often used to harmonize sweet,
sour, salty and spicy components in food.
In its pure form, its odour is so strong the aroma will
contaminate other spices stored nearby if it is not stored in
an airtight container: many commercial preparations of
asafoetida utilize the resin ground up and mixed with a
larger volume of wheat flour.
 However, its odour and flavour become much milder and
more pleasant upon heating in oil or ghee, acquiring a
taste and aroma reminiscent of sautéed onion and garlic..
Antiflatulent: Asafoetida reduces the growth of
indigenous microflora in the gut, reducing flatulence…

Medical applications:
Asafoetida was used in 1918 to fight the Spanish
influenza pandemic.
In 2009, scientists at the Kaohsiung Medical University
in Taiwan reported that the roots of Asafoetida produce
natural antiviral drug compounds that kill the swine
flu virus,
it is used as an antibiotic and it keeps small children
healthy by protecting them from diseases
 Asafoetida has a broad range of uses in traditional
medicine as an antimicrobial, with well documented uses
for treating chronic bronchitis and whooping cough, as
well as reducing flatulence. It is also helpful in cases
of asthma and bronchitis…
In Ayurveda, asafoetida is considered to be one of the best
spices for balancing the vata dosha.
It is pungent taste and at the end of digestion. It
aggravates pitta, enhances appetite, taste and digestion. It
is easy to digest

Side effects of asafoetida:
Anything in limit is safe for the human body.
However, anything used in excess is bound to
respond with a negative, undesired reaction.
 Asafoetida in normal limits is also safe for
humans.
 Intake of about 15 g of this resin produces no ill-
effects.
Anything beyond this safe limit causes undesired
effects.
 Side effects commonly observed due to excessive
intake of asafoetida are discussed below:

Side effects of asafoetida:
 Contact Dermatitis
 Swollen Lips
 Abdominal Gas and Diarrhea
 Skin Rashes
 Headache and Dizziness
 Apart from the side effects mentioned above,
prolonged use of this gum is known to cause
nausea, vomiting, and throat irritation in
individuals.
 Asafoetida formulation is also available in the form
of tincture which may cause burning sensation
while urinating and is also known to alter
menstruation time.

Contraindication:
 Use of this resin is contraindicated in some conditions which
are mentioned below:
Using asafoetida for treating pregnant and breastfeeding
women is highly unsafe and must be avoided.
 People with blood pressure-related problems like
hypertension or hypotension should be kept away from
asafoetida, as it is known to disturb blood pressure control in
the body.
 It is also unsafe for individuals with gastrointestinal irritation.
 Infants should not be administered with its dose because of
its tendency to cause blood disorders which can potentially
be life-threatening.
 Any person showing visible side effects should be
immediately taken to a doctor for a checkup.
 The doctor may analyze its criticality and take appropriate
measures to manage it.
 People have known asafoetida benefits since ages, but one
must always be very cautious while using anything that might
cause a health hazard and disturb the well-being of a person.

Family Umbelliferae

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