MEDICINAL PLANTS

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

 What is a Medicinal Plant?

 A plant that contains medicinal or therapeutic properties is known as a

medicinal plant.

 A medicinal plant can be defined as a plant which (synthesizes and

accumulates secondary metabolites) possess therapeutic properties or exerts
pharmacological effect on animal body, especially on human body. In simple
words, a plant having medicinal properties is a medicinal plant.

 According to WHO consultative group on medicinal plants,

"A medicinal plant is any plant which in one or more of its organs, contains
substances that can be used for therapeutic purposes or which is a precursor
for synthesis of useful drugs".

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

 In the Indian Subcontinent the earliest mention of medicinal plants is found in
Rigveda (written in 3500 - 1800 BC).

 A more detailed account of medicinal plants is found in the Atharvaveda

(1,000 BC). Gradually the medicinal use of the plants became more
systematized.

 The Charak Samhita and Shusruta Samhita are the two most important works
and these were the basis of Ayurvedic system of medicine. Charak Samhita
perhaps listed 500 medicinal plants whereas in Shusruta Samhita medicinal
properties of about 700 plants were mentioned.

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

 How many medicinal plants in Bangladesh?

 Prof. M. Salar Khan and Ahmed Mozaharul Haque first in Bangladesh compiled a book on
medicinal plants under the title “Medicinal plants of Bangladesh - a preliminary list giving
actions and uses” where they recorded 182 species as medicinal. This was published by
BARC in 1975.

 In 1993, Prof. Md. Abul Hassan and Ahmed Mozaharul Haque published another book on
the medicinal plants under the title “Amader Bonoushadi Sampad (Our medicinal plants
wealth)” in Bangla where they recorded 499 plant species as medicinal, which was
published by Hassan Book House, Dhaka.

 Mohammad Yusuf and others recorded 747 plant species as medicinal in their book
“Medicinal plants of Bangladesh” published by BCSIR, Dhaka, 1994; 2nd edition 2009.

 From the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh another book on medicinal plants “Medicinal
plants of Bangladesh - chemical constituents and uses”, compiled by Prof. Abdul Ghani,
was first published in 1998 (2nd edition 2003), it contains 455 species of medicinal plants.
Dr. M. Oliur Rahman
 In 2010, a list of medicinal plants was compiled under the title “Listing of medicinal
plants in Bangladesh” by the Ministry of Forest and Environment which includes about
700 plant as medicinal.

 However, a thorough search of literature and ethnobotanical studies on all ethnic

groups living in different parts of Bangladesh will increase the number of medicinal
plants in Bangladesh to 1,000 (one thousand) or even more.

 At the present time there is huge number of recognized medicinal plants worldwide.
WHO listed 21,000 important medicinal plants throughout the world.

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

CLASSIFICATION

Medicinal plants Climbers Coccinia grandis

based on Habit
HERBS Epiphytes Vanda tesselata

Parasites Cuscuta reflexa

SHRUBS Abroma augusta

TREES Terminalia arjuna

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Habit
HERBS

Acalypha indica Achyranthes aspera Acorus calamus

Ageratum conyzoides Aloe indica Andrographis paniculata
Anisomeles indica Aristolochia indica Asparagus racemosus
Bacopa monnieri Boerhavia diffusa Catharanthus roseus
Centella asiatica Curculigo orchioides Cynodon dactylon
Datura metel Eclipta alba Elephantopus scaber
Euphorbia hirta Gloriosa superba Hemidesmus indicus
Hyptis suaveolens Ichnocarpus frutescens Kalanchoe pinnata
Leucas aspera Mikania cordata Mimosa pudica
Ocimum sanctum Plumbago zeylanica Rauvolfia serpentina
Scoparia dulcis Tinospora cordifolia Vernonia patula
Dr. M. Oliur Rahman
Based on Habit SHRUBS

Abroma augusta Adhatoda zeylanica Caesalpnia bonduc

Cajanus cajan Calotropis gigantea Capparis zeylanica

Carissa carandas Cassia alata Cassia occidentalis

Clerodendrum indicum Eupatorium odoratum Glycosmis pentaphylla

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Hiptage benghalensis Jatropha gossypifolia

Ocimum gratissimum Phyllanthus reticulatus Plumbago zeylanica

Ricinus communis Vitex trifolia Woodfordia fruticosa

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Habit TREES

Aegle marmelos Alstonia scholaris Aphanamixis polystachya

Azadirachta indica Barringtonia acutangula Cinnamomum tamala
Cinnamomum verum Crataeva magna Dillenia indica
Ficus benghalensis Holarrhena antidysenterica Hydnocarpus kurzii
Lawsonia inermis Litsea glutinosa Madhuca indica
Moringa oleifera Murraya paniculata Nerium indicum
Oroxylum indicum Punica granatum Saraca asoca
Streblus asper Strychnos nux-vomica Syzygium cumini
Tamarindus indica Terminalia arjuna Terminalia bellirica
Terminalia chebula Vitex negundo Zanthoxylum rhesta

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Habit
CLIMBERS AND CREEPERS

Allamanda cathartica Argyreia nervosa Aristolochia indica

Asparagus racemosus Boerhaavia diffusa Citrullus colocynthis
Clitoria ternatea Coccinea grandis Cucumis melo
Cucumis sativus Dioscorea alata Gloriosa superba
Hemidesmus indicus Ichnocarpus frutescens Mikania cordata
Momordica charantea Momordica cochinchinensis Mucuna pruriens
Paederia foetida Passiflora foetida Piper longum
Piper nigrum Smilax zeylanica Tinospora cordifolia

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Habit

PARASITES EPIPHYTE
Cuscuta reflexa Vanda tessellata

Cassytha filiformis

Dendropthae falcata

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

 Medicinal plants
based on Parts used

Whole Stem/
Root Leaf Flower Fruit Seed
plant Bark

Centella Rauvolfia Terminalia Adhatoda Rosa Terminalia Abrus

asiatica serpentina arjuna zeylanica centifolia chebula precatorius

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Parts Used
WHOLE PLANT

Acalypha indica Ageratum conyzoides Amaranthus spinosus

Andrographis paniculata Bacopa monnieri Boerhaavia diffusa

Centella asiatica Chenopodium album Cuscuta reflexa

Cynodon dactylon Eclipta alba Euphorbia hirta

Euphorbia thymifolia Hedyotis corymbosa Leucas aspera

Mentha arvensis Ocimum tenuiflorum Oxalis corniculata

Phyla nodiflora Portulacca oleracea Scoparia dulcis

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Parts Used

ROOTS

Aristolochia indica Asparagus racemosus Catharanthus roseus

Hemidesmus indicus Leea macrophylla Mirabilis jalapa

Plumbago indica Plumbago zeylanica Rauvolfia serpentina

Smilax zeylanica Tylophora indica Vetiveria zizanioides

Withania somnifera

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Parts Used
STEM (Aerial & Underground)

Acacia catechu Acorus calamus (rhizome) Alpinia nigra (rhizome)

Alstonia scholaris Anthocephalus chinensis Aphanamixis polystachya

Aquillaria malaccensis Artocarpus lacucha Azadirachta indica

Bombax ceiba Butea monosperma Careya arborea

Curculigo orchioides (tuber) Curcuma longa (rhizome) Curcuma zedoaria (rhizome)

Dioscorea alata Erythrina variegata Gmelina arborea

Holarrhena antidysenterica Lannea coromandelica Litsea glutinosa

Oroxylum indicum Saraca asoca Streblus asper

Terminalia arjuna Tinospora cordifolia Zingiber officinale (rhizome)

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Parts Used
LEAVES

Adhatoda zeylanica Aloe indica Calotropis gigantea

Calotropis procera Camellia sinensis Cinnamomum tamala

Clerodendrum viscosum Cymbopogon citratus Justicia gendarussa

Kalanchoe pinnata Lawsonia inermis Mikania cordata

Phyllanthus acidus Piper betel Senna alata

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Parts Used
FLOWERS

Calendula officinalis

Carthamus tinctorius

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Rosa centifolia

Tagetes erecta

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Parts Used
FRUITS

Aegle marmelos Ananas comosus Averrhoa bilimbi

Averrhoa carambola Benincasa hispida Carica papaya

Citrulus colocynthis Citrus aurantifolia Citrus maxima

Coriandrum sativum Limonia acidissima Mallotus philippensis

Momordica charantea Musa paradisiaca Piper longum

Tamarindus indica Terminalia bellirica Terminalia chebula

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Parts Used
SEEDS

Abrus precatorius Arachis hypogaea Areca catechu

Bixa orellana Brassica nigra Caesalpinia bonduc

Croton tiglium Entada rheedei Helianthus annuus

Hydnocarpus kurzii Jatropa curcas Linum usitatissimum

Nigella sativa Piper nigrum Ricinus communis

Sesamum indicum Strychnos nux-vomica Trigonella foenum-graecum

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

 Classification based on Diseases treated

 It is likely that a diabetic patient will search for the plants having antidiabetic properties,
a researcher interested in cancer will look for the anticancer plants. Classification of
medicinal plants according to the diseases they are used against will help the users in
their efforts of identifying the particular remedies for specific diseases.

 Most of the medicinal plants exert more than one pharmaceutical actions and is used
against several diseases. Therefore, in classifying plants on the basis of diseases
treated by them, a single plant may come repeatedly under different diseases.

 Prof. Abdul Ghani in his ‘Medicinal Plants of Bangladesh’ placed plant names under
201 diseases/medicinal properties. In his placement, for example, a single plant Abrus
precatorius comes under 17 diseases/medicinal properties, like Abortifacient,
Antiseptic, Aphrodisiac, Cancer, Colic, Cough, Leucoderma, Paralysis, Purgative,
Tonic, etc.

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

 Cancer Catharanthus roseus

Diabetes Gynura procubens

Diarrhoea Centella asiatica

Dysentery Litsea glutinosa

Cough and Cold Ocimum tenuiflorum

Based on
Diseases Fever Mikania cordata
treated
Rheumatism Calotropis procera

Asthma Acalypha indica

Jaundice Phyllanthus niruri

Constipation Aegle marmelos

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Based on Diseases Treated
CANCER
(Any malignant neoplasm resulting in serious illness and death)

1. Acorus calamus (Acoraceae)

2. Ageratum conyzoides (Asteraceae)

3. Allium sativum (Liliaceae)

4. Aphanamixis polystachya (Meliaceae)

5. Asclepias curassavica (Asclepiadaceae)

Asclepias curassavica Catharanthus roseus
6. Asparagus racemosus (Liliaceae)

7. Catharanthus roseus (Apocynaceae)

8. Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae)

9. Plumbago zeylanica (Plumbiginaceae)

10. Urginea indica (Liliaceae)

Asparagus racemosus Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Jatropha curcas
Based on Diseases Treated
DIABETES
(Metabolic disorder characterized by excessive thirst, frequent passing of large volume of
urine and usually with excess sugar in blood)

1. Acacia nilotica (Mimosaceae)

2. Barringtonia acutangula (Lecythidaceae)

3. Cinnamomum tamala (Lauraceae)

4. Coccinea grandis (Cucurbitaceae)

5. Ficus benghalensis (Moraceae)

Cinnamomum tamala Streblus asper
6. Momordica charantea (Cucurbitaceae)

7. Scoparia dulcis (Scropulariaceae)

8. Streblus asper (Rutaceae)

9. Syzygium cumini (Myrtaceae)

10. Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fabaceae)

Coccinea grandis Dr. M. Oliur Rahman Trigonella foenum-graecum

Based on Diseases Treated
DIARRHOEA
(A persistent purging or looseness of bowels)

1. Acacia nilotica (Caesalpiniaceae)

2. Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae)
3. Ageratum conyzoides (Asteraceae)
4. Andrographis paniculata (Acanthaceae)
5. Centella asiatica (Apiaceae)
Acacia nilotica
6. Piper longum (Piperaceae) Centella asiatica

7. Plantago ovata (Plantaginaceae)

8. Corchorus capsularis (Tiliaceae)
9. Euphorbia hirta (Euphorbiaceae)
10. Ficus benghalensis (Moraceae)

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Ageratum conyzoides Euphorbia hirta
Based on Diseases Treated
JAUNDICE
(Presence of excess bilirubin in blood)

1. Alocasia indica (Araceae)

2. Argemone mexicana (Asteraceae)
3. Asparagus racemosus (Liliaceae)
4. Averrhoa carambola (Averrhoaceae)
5. Cajanus cajan (Fabaceae)
Curculigo orchioides
Argemone mexicana 6. Boerhavia repens (Nyctaginaceae)
7. Curculigo orchioides (Liliaceae)
8. Eclipta alba (Asteraceae)
9. Phyllanthus niruri (Euphorbiaceae)
10. Terminalia chebula (Combretaceae)

Dr. M. Oliur Rahman

Averrhoa carambola Phyllanthus niruri
Based on Diseases Treated
ASTHMA
(A chronic disorder of the bronchial tube with difficulty in breathing)

1. Acalypha indica (Euphorbiaceae)

2. Acorus calamus (Acoraaceae)

3. Adhatoda zeylanica (Acanthaceae)

4. Datura metel (Solanaceae)

5. Euphorbia hirta (Euphorbiaceae)

Piper nigrum
Acorus calamus 6. Euphorbia thimifolia (Euphorbiaceae)

7. Hiptage benghalensis (Malphigiaceae)

8. Piper nigrum (Piperaceae)

9. Terminalia arjuna (Combretaceae)

10. Tylophora indica (Asclepiadaceae)

Hiptage benghalensis
Dr. M. Oliur Rahman Tylophora indica
Based on Diseases Treated
CONSTIPATION
(Insufficient evacuation and hard stool)

1. Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae)

2. Aloe barbadensis (Aloeaceae)

3. Benincasa hispida (Cucurbitaceae)

4. Carica papaya (Caricaceae)

5. Hygrophila auriculata (Acanthaceae)

Hygrophila auriculata Terminalia chebula
6. Ocimum basilicum (Lamiaceae)

7. Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaeae)

8. Terminalia chebula (Combretaceae)

9. Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae)

Ocimum basilicum
Dr. M. Oliur Rahman Zingiber officinale
Based on Diseases Treated
RHEUMATISM
(A group of diseases causing inflammatory affections of the fibrous tissues of
joints, muscles and other parts)

1. Alangium salvifolium (Rutaceae)

2. Allium sativum (Liliaceae)

3. Aphanamixis polystachya (Meliaceae)

4. Calotropis procera (Asclepiadaceae)

5. Cassia fistula (Caesalpiniaceae)

Aphanamixis polystachya
Cassia fistula
6. Justicia gendarussa (Acanthaceae)

7. Leucas aspera (Lamiaceae)

8. Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae)

9. Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae)

10. Vitex negundo (Verbenaceae)

Ricinus communis
Dr. M. Oliur Rahman
Calotropis procera
Based on Diseases Treated
TUBERCULOSIS
(A disease of lungs or other organs caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis,
characterized by the development of tuber cells)

1. Acalypha indica (Euphorbiaceae)

2. Adhatoda zeylanica (Acanthaceae)

3. Alpinia nigra (Zingiberaceae)

4. Asclepias curassavica (Asclepiadaceae)

5. Benincasa hispida (Cucurbitaceae)

Acalypha indica
6. Careya arborea (Lecythidaceae) Careya arborea

7. Cannabis sativa (Cannabinaceae)

8. Euphorbia hirta (Euphorbiaceae)

9. Sphaeranthus indicus (Asteraceae)

10. Vitex trifolia (Verbenaceae)

Adhatoda zeylanica Dr. M. Oliur Rahman Sphaeranthus indicus

Based on Diseases Treated
TONIC
(A medical preparation given for strength and vigour of the body)

1. Abelmoschus moschatus (Malvaceae)

2. Allium sativum (Liliaceae)

3. Bombax ceiba (Bombacaceae)

4. Centella asiatica (Apiaceae)

5. Hemidesmus indicus (Asclepiadaaceae)

Abelmoschus moschatus 6. Daucus carota (Apiaceae) Madhuca indica

7. Madhuca indica (Sapotaceae)

8. Oroxylum indicum (Bignoniaceae)

9. Terminalia chebula (Combrataceae)

10. Withania somnifera (Solanaceae)

Hemidesmus indicus Dr. M. Oliur Rahman Oroxylum indicum