The active ingredients of medicinal plants

Medicinal plants, processed to drugs contain a number of active substances, most of which act on the human organism. These active substances, their structure and their placement in the plant are examined by the plant chemistry (phytochemistry). This is closely related to pharmacology, the science that studies the effects of drugs on the human body.

The medicinal plants contain two different types of active substances. First of all, these are substances that are essential for the life of the plant itself and are produced in all green plants by photosynthesis. Then, the plant contains substances that are apparently useless for the plant (dietary fiber), but are often important therapeutics.

These are for example essential oils, resins and other important substances such as the alkaloids of ergot or opium. These substances are usually found in plants together with other substances. The individual ingredients complement each other and enhance the effect, but the main active ingredient determines the medicinal use of the plant.

However, how strongly the secondary active ingredients influence the effect of a medicinal plant becomes clear when the main active ingredient is isolated. The effect often changes considerably. Only the interaction of all ingredients (including dietary fibres) gives the medicinal plant its unique effect.

The active ingredients are not evenly distributed throughout the plant. Sometimes they are preferably stored in flowers, leaves, roots, seeds, fruits or in the bark. The active ingredient content of medicinal plants fluctuates – depending on their location, harvest and introduction.So it is important to harvest at the right time and to take great care during the preparation.

The word “drug” does not mean that it is a narcotic or addictive substance. The pharmacist uses the word “drug” as a term for prepared medicinal plants. The occupational title “druggist” is also derived from this term. Only recently have addictive and narcotic substances also been described in this way.

The most important active ingredient groups of our medicinal plants are

Alkaloids Here it is a question of very strongly working plant-poisons. These are, for example, atropine (poison of belladonna), morphine (poison of the opium poppy) or colchicine (poison of the autumn crocus). They are processed in large quantities by the pharmaceutical industry.

They can also be found in non-toxic medicinal plants, where they support the healing effect of the main active ingredient as side effects. Glycosides They are widely distributed in the plant kingdom. They split up in water to form a sugar and a non-sugar, the so-called “aglycon”.

Aglycon determines the effect. The absorption of active ingredients from the plants and their transport to specific organs is favorably influenced by Aglykon. Saponins They are widely distributed in the plant kingdom and are similar in structure to glycosides.

Saponins influence the absorption of other plant active substances in the medicinal plants, whereby sometimes small amounts of active substances have a great effect. However, they are not entirely harmless, as they have the property of allowing the red blood pigment to escape from the red blood cells. Some saponins are therefore toxic and cannot be used.

Bitter substances They taste bitter, irritate the taste receptors on the tongue, increase the appetite and increase the production of gastric and other digestive juices. Tanning agents Tanning agents are plant ingredients that are able to bind proteins of the skin and mucous membrane and convert them into insoluble substances. This is also the basis of their healing effect, as they remove the breeding ground for many bacteria that have settled on the skin and cause illness.

Essential oils These are volatile liquids with a characteristic scent, similar to oils. Plants contain particularly high levels of essential oils in warm and sunny weather, which is also the best time to harvest. Fatty oils They are liquid at room temperature, not soluble in water.

These include our vegetable oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, almond oil and many more. The oils are not only used for the preparation of medicines (for example castor oil) but of course also as food. Glucokinins These are active plant substances that can influence the sugar metabolism in the human body.

Plant slime They consist of multiple sugars, swell in cold water and gel. In many cases, they significantly increase the intensity of other active ingredients contained in the plant. Flavonoids These are substances with the same basic chemical structure and are widely distributed in the plant kingdom.

They are also known as “bioactive substances” and their presence increases the value of plants for the human body and is a decisive factor in the overall effect of a medicinal plant. Amara bitter substances which influence the stomach function in case of loss of appetite and are administered before meals. For example: centaury, gentian, marshmallow, bitter clover, coltsfoot, hemp.

Astringentia Acts on the skin surface and mucous membranes. For example: bearberry, sage, bloodroot, daisy, lady’s mantle, oak bark. Anti-inflammatory agents They favourably influence wound healing, reduce inflammation and accelerate the regeneration of destroyed tissue.

For example: chamomile, marigold, sweet clover, rosemary. Carminatives favour the release of intestinal gases and relieve cramps. For example: chamomile, anise, fennel, peppermint, juniper, caraway, sage.

Diaphoretics These are substances that support sweating. For example: lime blossom, mullein, speedwell, pansy. Anti-diaphoretic substances that act against excessive sweating.

These include: Valerian, sage, belladonna and externally applied walnut and oak bark. Diuretics These drugs have diuretic effects. These are for example: bearberry, juniper, elderberry, parsley.

Expectorantia These substances facilitate expectoration, reduce inflammation and soothe coughing. For example: marshmallow, mallow, plantain, Iceland moss. Aniseed, fennel, peppermint, thyme, coltsfoot, for example, have a mucolytic effect and thus also make coughing easier.The excretion of the bronchial tubes increases, among other things: primrose, liquorice, mullein.

Antitussika They belong to the expectorants and relieve coughing fits. These are mainly tea mixtures, composed of for example: marshmallow, mallow, plantain, Iceland moss. Cholagoga support the formation and release of bile juices.

These are primarily: agrimony, artichoke, elecampane, rhubarb, radish, milk thistle. Laxantia are laxative agents that accelerate the intestinal activity. For example: rotten tree bark, cross herb, liquorice root, rhubarb root.

Cardiotonics These are drugs that stimulate heart activity and promote the excretion of water. These are mainly: red and wooly foxglove, adonis rose, lily of the valley, hawthorn and hellebore. Antiasthmatic drugs They counteract bronchial spasms and are used to treat asthma.

These include: henbane, belladonna (poisonous!) and jimson weed. Sedatives These substances have a mild sedative effect.

For example: valerian, hops, passion flower and heather. Antisclerotica These substances act against calcification of the blood vessels. Drugs containing rutin and vitamin C are used here.

For example: garlic, hawthorn, sundew and mistletoe. Hypotensives They work against high blood pressure in the early stages. For example: valerian, oats, garlic, honey clover, hawthorn and hops.

Anthelmintics They work against intestinal parasites. For example: spotted fern, goosefoot, carrot, onion, fumitory, pomegranate, larkspur and pumpkin. Antidiabetics They can positively influence diabetes by promoting the secretion of insulin from the pancreas.

For example: hawkweed, cranberry, bean, blueberry, burdock. Gynaecologicals These substances act on the uterus and urinary tract. For example: ergot (poisonous!

), ground ivy, shepherd’s purse, black cumin, knotweed. Opstipantia These act against diarrhoea. For example: activated carbon, oak bark, cinquefoil, bloodroot. Cytostatics They contain substances that can influence the formation of tumors. For example: mistletoe, water lilies, evergreen.