Medicinal Flowers

Members belonging to Family Compositae:
1- Roman chamomile.
2- German chamomile.
3- Pyrethrum.
4- Santonica.
5- Calendula.
6- Safflower.
7- Arnica.
Compositae Flowers

Compositae Flowers
• General characters:
1- Plants are annual or perennial herbs.
2- Flowers:
• Inflorescence (capitulum = flower head).
• Receptacle: - swollen & flattened or conical.
- sessile flowers are inserted.
• The flowers are very small and called florets

• There are two types of florets on the
capitulum:
• 1- Ray florets = ligulate florets.
• 2- Disc florets = tubular florets.
receptacle
involucre
disc florets
Ray florets

German chamomile
(Wild chamomile)

Botanical Origin:
Dried flower-heads of
Matricaria chamomilla L.,
Family: Compositae.
Geographical Source:
Western Asia, Europe, North
Africa.
German chamomile ‫األلمانى‬ ‫البابونج‬ ‫زهر‬

Description:
Condition: dried flower-heads
(single, consists of few ray
florets and numerous disc
florets)
Shape: hemisphere
Colour: greenish-yellow to
yellowish-brown
Odour: pleasant, aromatic, apple-
like
Taste: aromatic but slightly bitter
Size: ~ 6 mm in diameter

Inflorescence:
Single capitulum,
- composed of: ray and disc florets
- carried on conical hollow receptacle
which
- Surrounded by involucre, there is no
paleae
Involucre: 2-4 rows of bracts
• The flower head consists mainly of disc
florets and few ray florets.

German chamomile flower showing hollow receptacle

- Single outer whorl
- 10-20 Pistillate florets
- Zygomorphic, incomplete.
- Calyx is absent
- Corolla with three rounded
teeth, the central one is small.
- Gynaecium has bicarpellary,
unilocular inferior ovary, long
style and bifid stigma
Ray floret

- numerous, central
- Hermaphrodite florets
- Calyx is absent.
- Corolla is tubular, yellow with 5
apical teeth
- Androecium with 5 epipetalous
syngenesious stamens
- Gynaecium as ray floret
Disc floret

• Physical characters:
• Colour: greenish-yellow to yellowish-brown.
• Odour: aromatic
• Taste: slightly bitter
Powdered German
chamomile

• Microscopical characters:
1- Fragments of spiny pollen grains.
2- Fragments of papillosed epidermis.
3- Compositae glandular hairs.
4- Non-glandular hairs: multicellular uniseriate
cells.
Powdered German
chamomile

1) Volatile oil (0.3-2%) including
sesquiterpenes:
-bisabolol (up to 50%),
- chamazulene (1-15%, ),
- bisabolol oxides A and B,
- proazulene (matricarin and matricin)
- Chamazulene (blue colour) is formed from
matricarin during steam distillation of the oil
Active constituents

2) Flavonoids: apigenin, apigenin glycoside,
quercetin, rutin.
3) Coumarins: umbelliferone and heniarin
4) Other constituents:
- phenolic carboxylic acids,
- polysaccharides,
- mucilage,
- choline,
- amino acids
- and tannins.

1- Internal Uses:
- Carminative
- Antispasmodic
- Mild sedative
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-septic
- Anti-catarrhal
- Travel sickness
- Dyspepsia
- Nervous diarrhea
- Peptic ulcer
Uses

• 2- External Uses:
• For hemorrhoids.
• Leg ulcers.
• Skin & mucous membrane diseases.
• Bacterial skin diseases (oral cavity and gums).
• Inflammation & irritation of the respiratory
tract.

• 1- Test for volatile oils:
Powdered chamomile + Sudan III
Examine under the microscope
ORANGE RED colour is produced.
• 2- Test for Flavonoids:
• Aqueous extract of the powder + caustic
alkalies YELLOW COLOUR solution
Chemical Tests

Roman chamomile
(Garden chamomile)

Botanical Origin:
Dried expanded flower-heads of
Anthemis nobilis L., Family:
Compositae.
Europe
Roman chamomile ‫الرومانى‬ ‫البابونج‬ ‫زهرة‬

Description:
Condition: dried flower-heads (double capitulum)
Shape: hemispherical
Colour: white become yellowish when kept
Odour: strong aromatic
Taste: aromatic, bitter
Size: 10~ 20 mm in diameter

Inflorescence
Double capitulum, mainly several
rows of ray florets and few central
disc florets.
Involucre: 2-3 rows of bracts.
Receptacle: solid & Conical in shape.
Paleae: present membranous
structure, lanceolate in shape.

Ray floret [%, O , K0, C(3), A0, G(2) ]
- Pistillate florets
- Kind: zygomorphic, incomplete
- Insertion: sessile.
- Corolla is strap-like, arranged in
several rows with three rounded
teeth, the central one is more
protruding.
- Calyx is absent
-Gynaecium has bicarpellary,
unilocular inferior ovary,
long style and bifid stigma

Disc florets
- Hermaphrodite florets
- Actinomorphic
- Corolla is tubular, yellow with 5 apical teeth
- Androecium with 5 epipetalous syngenesious
stamens
- Gynaecium as in ray floret
- Calyx is absent

1) Volatile oil (0.6-2.4%) of blue colour due to
azulene, chamazulene.
• In addition to: esters of isobutyl and hexyl
alcohols combined with angelic acid, tiglic acid,
butyric acid.
2) Flavonoids: apigenin, luteolin, quercetin and
their 7-O-glucosides.
Active constituents

3) Coumarin: scopoletin-7-glucoside.
4) Other constituents:
- anthemic acid,
- tannins,
-phenolic and fatty acids.

• 1- Internal Uses:
- Aromatic bitter stomachic.
- Carminative and diaphoretic.
- Tranquilizer
- Anti-emetic
- Anti-spasmodic
- Ulcer protective
• 2- External Uses:
- In mouthwashes, shampoos & poultices.
Uses

Differences between German and
Roman chamomile
Roman
chamomile
German
chamomile
Point of
comparison
CultivatedWildNature
Double
capitulum
Single capitulumInflorescence
Large
(10-20mm)
Small
(6mm)
Size
PresentAbsentPalea
Conical &
solid
Conical &
hollow
Receptacle

• Botanical Origin:
It is the dried flower-heads of
Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium
Visiani, Family: Compositae.
- Kenya,
- Tanganyika,
- Uganda
- & Congo.
Pyrethrum

• Description:
Condition: dried flower-heads
Shape: hemispherical to globular
Colour: dull, brownish-yellow
Odour: faint aromatic
Taste: slightly bitter and acrid

Inflorescence: capitulum, composed of ray
and disc florets carried on flat receptacle and
surrounded by involucre, there is no paleae
Involucre: 2-4 rows of bracts

Ray floret
- Single outer whorl
- 15-23 pistillate florets, strap-like, cream or
straw-coloured corolla with three rounded
teeth, the central one is small
- Calyx is tubular &membranous
- Ovary is inferior with style and
bifid stigma

Disc florets
- Numerous, central and hermaphrodite
- Corolla is tubular, yellow with 5 apical teeth
- Androecium with 5 epipetalous syngenesious
stamens
- Gynaecium with bicarpellary, unilocular,
inferior ovary, style and bifid stigma
- Calyx is tubular and membranous

Powdered Pyrethrum
Physical characters:
- Colour: yellowish-green.
- Odour: faintly aromatic
- Taste: bitter, acrid.

Active constituents:
1) Two groups of esters known as Pyrethrins:
- Pyrethrin I & Pyrethrin II
- Cenerin I & Cenerin II
2) Traces of volatile oil.
3) Resin.
4) Apigenin glycosides.
5) Triterpene alcohols.

Uses:
1- A safe Insecticide, it is harmless to humans and
warm blooded animals.
2- Scabicide
3- Ectoparasiticide in veterinary medicine.

Special Chemical Tests:
• Williamson’s Test:
(Williamson’s reagent: phosphoric acid + glacial acetic
acid)
- Extract the powder with ether,
- evaporate till dryness,
- treat the residue with few drops of Williamson’s
reagent  crimson red colour.

Advantages of using Pyrethrum as an insecticide

Santonica
(Wormseed, Worm wood)

It is the dried unexpanded
flower-heads of
Artemisia cina Berg.,
Family: Compositae.
• Geographical Source:
• Pakistan & Turkestan.
Santonica ‫الشيح‬ ‫زهر‬
‫الخراسانى‬
(Wormseed, Worm wood)

• Description:
• Colour: greenish-yellow turning brown on
drying and keeping.
• Shape: Ovoid
• Surface: shining and slightly hairy.
• Involucre:
- commonly 16 rows.
- ovate to lanceolate shining bracts.
- bearing hairs on the dorsal surface
- Compositae glandular hairs on each side & few
cottony hairs

• Ray floret: Absent
• Disc floret:
- tubular
- hermaphrodite
• Corolla:
- Contorted at the base, divided near
the apex into five short, triangular
teeth.

Powdered Santonica
• Colour: grayish-green
• Odour: aromatic
• Taste: bitter camphoraceous

Powdered Santonica
(Microscopical characters)
spherical pollen grains
cottony or wooly non-
glandular hairs

2- Fragments of epidermis of the bract showing
anomocytic stomata.
3- Fragments of Compositae glandular hair.
4- Fragments of fibrous layer of anther.
5- Fragments of papillosed stigma.

• 1- Sesquiterpene lactones:
- Santonin (2-3.5%)
- Artemisin (8-hydroxy santonin)
• 2- Volatile oil (2%):
- Cineole
- Terpinole
- Terpinene
- Pinene
Active Constituents

1- Santonin is used as an anthelmintic for
roundworms. (e.g .Ascaris).
2- Santonin has a tonic and stimulant effect on
the digestion.
• N.B.: Santonin is strongly bitter so it is mixed
with honey to disguise their bitterness.
Uses

• 1- Kaselbach test:
Dried Benzene extract of the powder (residue)
+
Drops of potassium methoxide
CARMINE RED COLOUR
Special chemical Tests

• 2- Powdered Santonica + few drops of alc. KOH
ORANGE COLOUR
• 3- Dried benzene extract (residue)
+ few drops of conc. H2SO4 + few drops FeCl3 (T.S)
REDDISH VIOLET colour

Calendula ‫األقحوان‬
Chinese Safflower
• It is the dried corollas of
ligulate florets of
Calendula officinalis L.,
Family: Compositae.
• Geographical Source:
• Mediterranean region.

• Description:
• Ray (ligulate) floret:
Corolla: - bright yellow.
- strap-shaped.
- three toothed.
- 4-5 veined.
- entire margin.
The tubular basal part is hairy
may enclose the remains of
the style and bifid stigma

• Colour: orange.
• Odour: characteristic.
• Taste: characteristic.
Powdered Calendula

Non-glandular hairs of
multi-cellular uni- and
bi-serriate types
Glandular hairs of
multicellular, bi-seriate
long stalk and multi-
cellular bi-seriate head.
Pollen grains may be found
spherical with three germ
pores and three germ furrows
and spiny exine
Microscopical characters:

1- A carotenoid pigment: Calendulin
(which is water soluble that colours water yellow).
2- Calendula saponin
(which on hydrolysis yields oleanolic acid aglycone,
glucose, galactose and gucuronic acid).
3- Volatile oil (up to 0.12%)
containing γ-terpinene, γ- and δ-cadenine.
Active Constituents

4- Flavonoids: Isorhamnetin and quercetin
glycosides.
5- Other constituents: resin, polysaccharides
and tritrepenoids (α- and β- amyrins).

1- Substitute for saffron.
2- Internal uses:
- Anti-inflammatory for the digestive system (mouth, peptic
ulcers, gastritis, colitis,….etc.)
- Spasmolytic for gastro-intestinal spasms.
3- External uses:
- used for cuts and wounds as it astringes the capillaries
and controls bleeding thus promotes wound heeling.
- Anti-inflammatory for minor burns including sunburns,
acne, eczema and conjunctivitis.
- It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal actions thus used for
mouth ulcers, diaper rashes, varicose veins, leg ulcers and
athlete’s foot.
Uses

Safflower ‫العصفر‬
American Saffron, False Saffron
It is the dried disc florets of
Carthamus tinctorius L.,
Family: Compositae.
• Geographical source:
Western parts of the USA,
Mexico and Australia.

1- Red colouring substance: Carthamin or
Carthamic acid.
2- Yellow colouring substance “Safflower-
yellow”.
3- Fixed oil and mucilage.
Active Constituents

1- Safflower flowers are occasionally used in
cooking as a cheaper substitute for saffron.
2- It is used as a natural textile dye.
3- It is used externally as an anti-inflamatory for
wounds and skin rashes.
Uses

Arnica ‫األرنيكا‬ ‫زهر‬
(Mountain tobacco)
It is the dried flower-heads of
Arnica montana L., Family:
Compositae.
central Europe

1- Volatile oil (0.5 %) containing: dimethyl ether
of thymohydroquinone,
2- Sesquiterpene lactones: (0.2%) Helenalin and
its derivatives.
3- Flavonoids: quercetin-3-O-glucoside, luteolin-
7-O-glucoside and kampferol-3-O-glucoside.
Active Constituents

1- Counter irritant in the form of tincture for
bruises, sprains.
2- A healing agent for ulcers (promotes healing
of damaged tissues).
3- Tonic for face.
4- In hair preparations.
Uses

• It is the dried flowers of
Lavendula officinalis Chaix et
Villare, Family: Labiatae.
• Geographical Origin:
• Native to the western
Mediterranean region.
Lavender flowers
(‫الالوندة‬ ‫زهرة‬)

Powdered Lavender
Physical characters:
• Colour: earthy grey
• Odour: fragrant aromatic
• Taste: somewhat camphoraceous

Powdered Lavender
Microscopical characters)
Labiaceous hair
(multicellular 8-celled radiating
head and unicellular stalk)
S.V T.V
Non-glandular hairs
pollen grains
Numerous
spherical or
hexagonal pollen
grains with six
germ pores and
six germ furrows
and smooth exine.

• The fresh flowering spikes:
- 1- Volatile oil (0.8-2.8 %): 7-14 % esters of
linalyl acetate, linalool, borneol, geraniol,
cineole, camphor, limonene and α-terpineol.
2- Tannins (5-10%).
3- Coumarins.
4- Flavonoids (Luteolin).
Active Constituents

• Internal Uses:
- Digestive tonic and carminative to relieve
flatulence.
- It also calms the nerves, tension headache
and migraine.
Uses

• External Uses:
- Burn.
- Sunburns.
- Rheumatism.
- Muscular pain.
- Cold sores.
- Insect and snake bites.
- Head lice.
- General relaxant, especially in baths, relieves
irritability, exhaustion and depression.
- In perfumery, deodorant, in shampoo, to scent linen
and to perfume baths.
- Fumigating clothes to keep them free from moths.

• Powdered lavender
+ Sudan III
examine under the microscope
orange red oil globules
(indicating the presence of volatile oil)
Microchemical Test

• It consists of the dried calyx
and epi-calyx of the flowers
of Hibiscus sabdariffa L.,
Family: Malvaceae.
• Geographical origin:
• Indigenous to subtropical
regions, South of Egypt, Nuba
& Sudan.
Red sorrel ‫الكركديه‬ ‫كئوس‬
Karkade, Hibiscus, Jamaica sorrel

• Colour: crimson red
• Odour: characteristic, aromatic
• Taste: warm, slightly acidic &
mucilagenous.
Powdered Red sorrel

• 1- Fragments of epicalyx showing epidermis
with straight anti-clinal walls, thick, striated
cuticle, anomocytic stomata and non-
glandular, uni-cellular hairs arising from a
cicatrex.
• 2- Fragments of calyx: showing outer
epidermis with straight, irregularly thickened
anti-clinal walls, striated cuticle and
anomocytic stomata.
Powdered Red sorrel
(Microscopical characters)

• 3- Fragments calyx showing inner epidermis with
straight, beaded anti-clinal walls, smooth cuticle, no
hairs or stomata.
• 4- Fragments of mesophyll containing cluster crystals
of calcium oxalate.
• 5- Numerous non-glandular hairs from the calyx,
unicellular long hairs, allembic hairs, cottony hairs
either single or grouped in stella, stellate hair of large,
straight, unicellular arms and asperities of multicellular,
uniseriate structure.
• 6- Fragments of delicate spiral and annular vessels,
lignified fibres with straight or tortuous margin.

1- Organic Acids (15%):
- citric acid.
- Tartaric acid.
- Malic acid.
- Hibiscic acid.
2- Large amounts of Mucilage.
3- Colouring matter of Anthocyanins:
- gossipetin (hydroxy-flavone).
- hibiscin (Daphnidin-3-glucoside).
- flavonoids as hibiscetin.
4- Tannins & Vitamin C.
Active Constituents

1- Substitute for coffee, tea for caffeine sensitive
persons.
2- It decreases blood pressure of hypertensive
persons while exerts no effect on normal
persons.
3- Emollient and sedative.
4- Source of Vitamin C.
5- Mild laxative.
6- It gives an euphoric impression.
Uses

7- Intestinal anti-septic and diuretic.
8- Weight reducing agent.
9- The red colouring matter is used in:
- cosmetics,
- jams,
- as a poultice for treatment of abscesses.

• 100 gm powder + 300 ml 1% HCl
boil, filter Filterate
1- 5ml Filterate + 5ml KOH (T.S) BLUE colour
2- 5ml Filterate + dil.NH4OH + FeCl3 (drops) BLACK
colour
3- 5ml Filterate + 5ml sod.acetate (T.S) VIOLET
colour
4- 5ml Filterate + 2ml conc. NH4OH GREEN colour
5- 5ml Filterate + 6ml 10% lead acetate BLUE ppt.
Special Chemical Tests

It is the dried stigmas and tops
of styles of Crocus sativus L.,
Family: Iridaceae.
Spain.
Saffron ‫الزعفران‬ ‫مياسم‬
Spanish saffron, Hay Saffron

1- Saffron contains more than 150 volatile and
aroma-yielding compounds.
• It also has many non-volatile active
components, many of which are carotenoids,
and various α- and β-carotenes.
Active Constituents

2- The bitter glucoside Picrocrocin is
responsible for saffron's flavour.
- Protocrocin which undergo pyrolysis during
drying and gives crocin and picrocrocin.
3- Saffron's golden yellow-orange colour is
primarily the result of α-crocin.
• Crocin is a yellow glycoside, soluble in water
giving yellow colour.
4- Essential oil containing terpene, terpene
alcohol and esters.

1- Saffron is used as a spice that has
possible anticarcinogenic (cancer-suppressing),
anti-mutagenic (mutation-preventing),
immunomodulating, and antioxidant-like
properties.
2- It has also been used as a fabric dye (a natural
dye).
3- Natural colouring matter for food industry,
cosmetics and medicines.
4- Saffron stigmas, and even petals, may be helpful
for depression.
Uses

1- Saffron colours water yellow.
2- Saffron + conc. H2SO4  a deep colour which
changes to violet and finally to wine red
(purplish red).
Special chemical tests

• 1- Recoloration:
- The exhausted saffron is recoloured using log
wood, Brazil wood, aniline dyes and other
synthetic pigments.
- Detection: by water which is coloured red instead
of yellow colour produced by genuine saffron.
• 2- Factitious saffron:
- Dough of flour is made into the shape of saffron,
dyed or thread coated with waxy layer and dyed.
Adulterants

• 3- Weighting:
- Weighing of saffron is made by treatment with
mineral, vegetable oil, glycerin, ammonium
nitrate  this gives the drug a glossy
appearance.
- Detection: - the glossy appearance of the drug.
- oil leaves a fixed oil stain on paper.
- by the appropriate chemical test.

Corn silk ‫الذرة‬ ‫شواشى‬
It is the dried styles and
stigmas of Zea mays L.,
Family: Graminae.
- native to South America.
- now cultivated throughout
the world.

• The fresh drug contains:
• 1- Water (83 %).
• 2- Volatile alkaloid: hordenine.
• 3- Crystalline principle: maizinic acid.
• 4- Volatile oil containing carvacrol.
• 5- Other constituents: sugars, tannins, bitter
glycosides, saponins and pigments.
Active Constituents

• 1- Dieuretic used to treat fluid retention and
jaundice.
• 2- Urinary tract antiseptic.
• 3- Antioxidant and antitumour against
carcinoma.
• 4- Hypoglycaemic.
Uses

Red rose ‫الورد‬ ‫زهر‬(‫احمر‬ ‫ورد‬)
Rose rouge, Red rose petals, French rose
It is the dried petals of Rosa
gallica L., Family: Rosaceae.
- native to southern and central
Europe.
- cultivated as a garden plant in
numerous places everywhere.

• The rose petals contain:
1- Volatile oil (0.03 %) contains:
- 15-20 % colourless solid:
stearoptene.
- liquid part consists of
alcohols: geraniol, citronellol
and phenyl ethanol esters.
2- Flavonoid: Quercetin.
3- Gallic acid and tannins.
Active Constituents

1- The petals used medicinally as an agreeable
astringent vehicle or as a colouring agent.
2- The oil is used as flavouring agent in many
industries.
3- A good astringent jam for children in cases of
diarrhea.
4- In perfumes industry.
Uses

Crataegi ‫المدقة‬ ‫أحادى‬ ‫زعرور‬
Hawthorn, One seed Hawthorn
It is the dried flower bearing
branches of Crataegus
monogyna Jacq., Family:
Rosaceae.
- native to Europe, north west
Africa and western Asia.

1- Bioflavonoids include oligomeric procyanidins.
2- Flavonoids: hyperoside, vitexin, vitexin-
rhamnoside, kaempferol and quercetin.
3- Triterpenes, ursolic, oleanolic and crataegus acid.
4- Simple phenolic acids: Chlorogenic and caffeic
acids.
Active Constituents

1- Treatment of cardiac insufficiency.
2- Cardiotonic.
3- Hypotensive.
4- Potent antioxidant.
5- Smooth muscle relaxant.
Uses

Tilia ‫الزيزفون‬ ‫زهر‬(‫التليو‬)
(Lime tree flowers, Linden flowers)
- It is the dried inflorescence
with their attached bracts of
Tilia europa L., Tilia cordata
Mill., Tilia platyphyllos
Scop., Family: Tiliaceae.
- central Europe and western
Asia.

1- Flavonoids: mainly hesperidin and quercetin
glycosides.
2- Mucilage: arabino-galactans.
3- Volatile oil containing farnesol, farnesyl acetate,
geraniol and eugenol.
4- Phenolic acids: chlorogenic and caffeic acids.
5- Tannin glycosides: Tiliacin.
Active Constituents

Medicinal Flowers

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