The Classifications of
Medicinal and Aromatic
Plants
Subtopics
Classification Classification Classification
According to their According to their According to their
usage active constituents period of life
Botanical Classification
Classification of
of Medicinal and
Natural Products
Aromatic Plants
1- According to the usage
1- According to the usage
• Medicinal herbs have therapeutic powers and are used in
Medicinal
Herbs making medicines because of their healing characters.
• Culinary herbs are probably the mostly used as cooking
Culinary
herbs because of their strong flavours like mint, parsley,
Herbs
basil.
1- According to the usage
• Aromatic herbs have some common uses because of their
pleasant smelling flowers or leaves.
Aromatic • Oils from aromatic herbs can be used to produce perfumes, toilet
Herbs
water, and various smell. e.g. mint, rosemary, basil etc.
• Ornamental herbs are used for decoration because they have
Ornamental brightly coloured flowers and leaves like lavender.
Herbs
2- According to the active constituents
Aromatic
Astringents
Bitter
Mucilaginous
Nutritive Herbs
2- According to the active constituents
Aromatic Herbs
Aromatic herbs are divided into two subcategories: stimulants and nervines.
Stimulant Herbs increase energy and activities of the body, or its parts or
organs, and most often affect the respiratory, digestive, and circulatory
systems; e.g. fennel, ginger, garlic, lemon herb.
Nerving Herbs are often used to heal and soothe the nervous system, and
often affect the respiratory, digestive, and circulatory systems as well; e.g.
ginger.
2- According to the active constituents
Astringent (contractile) Herbs:
Astringent Herbs have tannins, which have the ability to precipitate
proteins, and this contracts, or tones living tissue, and helps to stop
discharges.
They affect the digestive, urinary, and circulatory systems, and large
doses are toxic to the liver.
They are antiseptic, anti abortive and astringent; e.g. peppermint.
2- According to the active constituents
Bitter Herbs
• Bitter Herbs are named because of the presence of phenols and phenol
glycosides, alkaloids, or saponins, and are divided into four subcategories:
• Laxative herbs
• Diuretic herbs
• Saponin-containing herbs
• Alkaloid-containing herbs.
2- According to the active constituents
Mucilaginous Herbs
Mucilaginous herbs contain polysaccharides, which give these herbs a slippery,
mild taste that is sweet in water.
Since most mucilage are not broken down by the human digestive system, but
absorb toxins from the bowel and give bulk to the stool,
These herbs are most effective as compressing agents, and are also used in the
digestive tract.
2- According to the active constituents
Nutritive Herbs
These herbs derive both their name and their classification from the nutritive
value they provide to the diet.
They are true foods and provide some medicinal effects as fiber, mucilage, and
diuretic action.
But most importantly they provide the nutrition of protein, carbohydrates, and
fats, plus the vitamins and minerals that are necessary for adequate nutrition.
e.g. apple, banana, barley grass, bee pollen, carrot, grapefruit, lemon, oat straw,
onion, orange, papaya, pineapple, and wheat germ.
3. According to the period of life
3. According to the period of life
Annuals They complete their life cycle in one year; start them from
seed.
Biennials They are plants which live two season and flowering in the
second season only.
Perennials They grow for more than one season and include parsley,
mint, sage and thyme.
Most can be started from young plants except for parsley.
4. Botanical Classification of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants
Compositae Umbelliferae Leguminosae
Labiatae family
family family family
Rosaceae family Rutaceae family Cruciferae family
Caryophyllaceae Malvaceae
family family
4. Botanical Classification of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants
A. Medicinal plants of the Compositae family
The Compositae family, also known as the Asteraceae family, contains the
highest number of medicinal plants as compared to other families.
Medicinal plants belonging to this family include the sunflower (Helianthus
annuus) chamomile (Anthemis arvensis) and daisy (Amblyolepis setigera).
4. Botanical Classification of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants
B. Medicinal plants of the Labiatae family
A very important medicinal plant family is the Labiatae family, also known as the
Lamiaceae or mint family.
Plants in this family are herbs or shrubs often with an aromatic smell.
They are common in the Mediterranean countries for the fact that some of them
produce a high amount of essential oil that enables them to survive the hot summer
season.
Some examples from this family include lavender (Lavandula L.) , balm (Dicerandra
Benth) , mint (Mentha L.), thyme (Acinos arvensis) and rosemary (Rosmarinus L.).
4. Botanical Classification of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants
C. Medicinal plants of the Umbelliferae family
The Umbelliferae, Apiaceae or carrot family consists of plants with a
characteristic umbrella-arranged fruit.
These plants usually produce an essential oil, an asset to survive during the hot
summer days. In fact the oil has a cooling effect on the plant.
Some examples from this family include wild celery (Apium graveolens), wild
carrot (Daucus carota L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgaris), anise (Myrrhis odorata),
and wild parsley (Petroselinium crispum).
4. Botanical Classification of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants
D. Medicinal plants of the Leguminosae family
The Fabaceae, Leguminosae or pea family consists of large number of plants,
both native and naturalised, that have been cultivated for fodder, food and
ornamental aims.
Amongst these plants, those with medicinal virtues include the ceratonia
(Ceratonia siliquia), the garden pea (Pisum sativum) and false acacia (Robinia
pseudoacacia).
4. Botanical Classification of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants
F. Medicinal plants of the Rutaceae families
The Rutaceae or rue family is a small family that consists of
cultivated fruit trees and medicinal herbs.
Plants in this family include the orange (Citrus xaurantium), lemon
(Citrus limon), tangerine (Citrus paradisi) and grapefruit (Citrus
paradisi).
4. Botanical Classification of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants
I. Medicinal plants of the Caryophyllaceae family
The Caryophyllaceae or pink family group plants that usually have four to five
petalled flowers that are usually white or pink in color.
Examples from this family include sandwort (Arenaria serpyllifolia), common
chickweed (Stellaria media), sand spurrey (Spergularia rubra), nail wort
(Paronychia argentea), viscid sandwort (Alsine tenuifolia).
4. Botanical Classification of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants
E. Medicinal plants of the Rosaceae family
A large of species in Rosaceae or rose family, have a medicinal value.
Most of these are trees or shrubs with variable characteristics.
This family is popular for its edible and juice fruit shrubs and trees. Some
examples of this family include rose (Rosa gallica), strawberry (Fragaria
moschata), round pear (Pyrus amydaliformis) and peach (Prunus persica (L.)),
4. Botanical Classification of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants
G. Medicinal plants of the Cruciferae family
The Brassicaceae, Cruciferae or cress family is characterized by plant that have
flowers with cross-like petals.
This family groups a large group of medicinal plants that include Wallflower
(Cheiranthus cheiri), Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta), Black mustard (Brassica nigra),
Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum), Watercress (Nasturtium officinale).
4. Botanical Classification of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants
K. Medicinal plants of the Malvaceae
The Malvaceae or mallow family groups those plants that have five-petalled
flowers and a nutlet-like fruit.
Examples include common mallow (Malva sylvestris) hairless cotton
(Gossypium herbaceum), and marshmallow (Althaea officinalis).
2.5 Classification of natural Products
Classification
Classification
based on their
based on their
chemical
biogenesis
structure
Classification
Classification
based on their
based on their
physiologic
taxonomy
activity
2.5 Classification of natural Products
A. Natural Products classification based on their chemical structure:
It is based on the type of chemical skeleton. So there are
1. Aliphatic or non aliphatic fatty compounds of open chain as: fatty acids,
sugars and a great amount of amino acids.
2. Acyclic and cycloaliphatic compounds as terpenoids, steroids and some
alkaloids.
3. Aromatic or benzoic compounds as phenols, quinones, etc.
4. Heterocyclic compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids and nucleic acid bases.
2.5 Classification of natural Products
B. Natural Products classification based on their physiologic activity:
Approximately one half of the medicines used today are natural products, i.e.
alkaloids, antibiotics or synthetic alternative.
For that it is usually employed a classification that represents the physiologic
activity, such as hormones, vitamins, antibiotics ad mycotoxins.
2.5 Classification of natural Products
C. Natural Products classification based on their taxonomy:
• This classification is based on morphological studies of plants, or plant
taxonomy.
2.5 Classification of natural Products
D. Natural Products classification based on their biogenesis:
There are at present three known major routes or routes that enable key biosynthesis of the
vast majority of different types of natural products known:
Mevalonic acid route: from it, prenyl units are formed, an after successive links they led
to isoprenoids (terpenoids, steroides, carotenoids)
Shikimic acid route: From it, amino acids are formed and from them, and other aromatic
compounds more complex (phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, alkaloids)
Acetate – Malonate Route (polyketide route): From malonate and acetate are formed
polyketides (Ketogenines) and fatty acids are formed.
