Of the various plant-based laxative drugs available on the market, Senna (Cassia angustifolia and C. acutifolia, Family Caesalpinae) and Ispaghula (P. ovata, P. psyllium, Family Plantaginaceae) appear to the most widely used plant laxatives others being aloes, cascara, rhubarb along with agar and gums – acacia, tragacanth, sterculia and guar gum. Commercial Importance Chronic constipation is one of the…
Commercial cultivation of Duboisia species in Australia and of H. muticus in Egypt constitute the basis for supply of the global demand for tropane alkaloids. Also to a limited extent, H. niger is cultivated in the United States, UK and India. Indigenous to Western Europe and temperate forests of India, A. belladonna is cultivated in UK, Germany, former USSR, the United States and…
Several of the solanaceous plants used as sources of tropane alkaloids were well known for their poisonous nature and were also used medicinally. They have been included in the pharmacoepias and have been under cultivation in their source countries. A. belladonna is a tall perennial herb, commonly referred to as Deadly Nightshade; it was introduced into…
Out of 72 genera of the family Solanaceae, only eight genera namely Atropa, Hysocyamus, Scopolia, Mandrogora, Physochlaina, Datura, Solandra and Duboisia contain atropine, hyoscyamine and hysocine. The species under these genera can be classified into three categories: Table 3.4 Important plant sources of tropane alkaloids L leaves, FT flowering tops, R root, S stem, Sd seeds.
The term tropane alkaloids refers to a group of more than 200 compounds best known for their occurrence in the family Solanaceae comprising over 100 genera and 3,000 plant species. The most important natural tropane alkaloids are (-)hyoscyamine, its stable racemate, atropine and (-)scopolamine. Important sources of these alkaloids are Belladonna sps, Duboisia sps, Datura sps, Hysocyamus sps and Scopolia sps. Commercial Importance Tropane…
The International Aloe Science Council (IASC) estimates raw material sales of aloe vera as currently US $70–90 million globally with 35% growth expected in the next five years. The United States is by far the single largest supplier with 60% to 65% of total sales. Latin America constitutes another 20% to 25% and Asia and…
Native of northern Africa, A. barbadensis was introduced into Barbados islands in the 17th century. Employed as a purgative the drug was known in England in the 10th century. A. chinensis, a variety of A. barbadensis was introduced into Curacao from China in 1817. The drug was cultivated to a considerable extent in Barbados until the middle of the 19th…
Different aloes are associated with different macroscopical features depending on the species and the method of preparation. While cape aloes occurs as dark brown or greenish brown, glassy masses, curacao varies in colour from yellowish brown to chocolate brown. Sacotrine and Zanzibar aloes no longer official are of infrequent occurrence in commerce and they are…
Aloe species are grown as ornamentals in gardens and pots. Typical xerophytic plants, Aloe species have fleshy leaves which are strongly cuticularized and usually prickly at the margins. Only known as cultivated or naturalized plant, Aloe takes three years to attain harvestable size and can be harvested for seven years. While aloetic juice (for preparations of the purgative…
Indigenous to Africa the genus Aloe includes herbs, shrubs and trees bearing spikes of white, yellow or red flowers. Many species have been introduced into West Indies and Europe. Aloe comprises about 450 species in Africa and Arabia of which about 315 occur in mainland Africa, about 100 are endemic to Indian Ocean islands and 50 occur in Arabia.…