Plant Based Drugs and Medicines

By Leslie Taylor, ND
October 13, 2000

For more on this subject, also see Chapter 2 of The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs.

Today there are at least 120 distinct chemical substances derived from plants that are considered as important drugs currently in use in one or more countries in the world. These chemical substances are shown in the table below. Several of the drugs sold today are simple synthetic modifications or copies of the naturally obtained substances. The original plant substance/chemical name is shown under the "Drug" column rather than the finished patented drug name. For example, many years ago a plant chemical was discovered in a tropical plant, Cephaelis ipecacuanha, and the chemical was named emetine. A drug was developed from this plant chemical called Ipecac which was used for many years to induce vomiting mostly if someone accidently swallowed a poisonous or harmful substance. Ipecac can still be found in pharmacies in many third world countries but has been mostly replaced by other drugs in the United States. Another example of this is the plant chemical named taxol shown in the drug column below. The name taxol is the name of the plant chemical orginally discovered in the plant. A pharmaceutical company copied this chemical and patented a drug named Paclitaxel™ which is used in various types of tumors today in the U.S. and many other countries.

The 120 substances shown below are sold as drugs worldwide but not in all countries. Some European countries regulate herbal sustances and products differently than in the United States. Many European countries, including Germany, regulate herbal products as drugs and pharmaceutical companies prepare plant based drugs simply by extracting out the active chemicals from the plants. A good example is the plant substance/drug shown below, cynarin. Cynarin is a plant chemical found in the common artichoke (Cynara scolymus). In Germany, a cynarin drug is sold for liver problems and hypertension which is simply this one chemical extracted from the artichoke plant or a plant extract which has been standardized to contain a specific milligram amount of this one chemical. These products are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies, sold in pharmacies in Germany and a doctor's prescription is required to purchase them. In the United States artichoke extracts are available as natural products and sold in health food stores. Some products are even standardized to contain a specific amount of the cynarin chemical. You can purchase these natural and standardized extracts over the counter without a prescription and you could not go to a pharmacy in the U.S. and obtain a cynarin drug with a prescription. Another similar example is the plant chemical, silymarin, shown in the drug column below. Silymarin is a chemical found in the milk thistle plant and natural milk thistle extracts standarized to contain specific amounts of silymarin are found in just about every health food store in the United States. However in Germany, silymarin drugs and milk thistle standardized extracts are sold only in pharmacies and require a doctor's prescription for liver problems.

Some of the drug/chemicals shown below are still sold as plant based drugs requiring the processing of the actual plant material. Others have been chemically copied or synthesized by laboratories and no plant materials are used in the manufacture of the drug. A good example of this is the plant chemical quinine, which was discovered in a rainforest tree (Cinchona ledgeriana) over 100 years ago. For many years the quinine chemical was extracted from the bark of this tree and processed into pills to treat malaria. Then a scientist was able to synthesize or copy this plant alkaloid into a chemical drug without using the original tree bark for manufacturing the drug. Today, all quinine drugs sold are manufactured chemically without the use of any tree bark. However, another chemical in the tree called quinidine which was found to be useful for various heart conditions couldn't be completely copied in the laboratory and the tree bark is still harvested and used to extract this plant chemical from it. Quinidine extracted from the bark is still used today to produce quinidine-based drugs. In the U.S. there are four patented brand-name heart drugs sold in pharmacies containing bark-extracted quinidine: Cardioquin™, Quinaglute Dura-tabs™, Quinidex Extentabs™ and Quin-Release™.

The following table below will help you begin your research on drugs made from plants. We don't have the time or resources to provide a full comprehensive list of all patented drug names and herbal drugs sold in other countries. The chemical/drug names and plant names will give you enough to start on to continue your research on important plant based drugs and medicines.

Drug/Chemical	Action/Clinical Use	Plant Source
Acetyldigoxin	Cardiotonic	Digitalis lanata
Adoniside	Cardiotonic	Adonis vernalis
Aescin	Anti-inflammatory	Aesculus hippocastanum
Aesculetin	Anti-dysentery	Frazinus rhychophylla
Agrimophol	Anthelmintic	Agrimonia supatoria
Ajmalicine	Circulatory Disorders	Rauvolfia sepentina
Allantoin	Vulnerary	Several plants
Allyl isothiocyanate	Rubefacient	Brassica nigra
Anabesine	Skeletal muscle relaxant	Anabasis sphylla
Andrographolide	Baccillary dysentery	Andrographis paniculata
Anisodamine	Anticholinergic	Anisodus tanguticus
Anisodine	Anticholinergic	Anisodus tanguticus
Arecoline	Anthelmintic	Areca catechu
Asiaticoside	Vulnerary	Centella asiatica
Atropine	Anticholinergic	Atropa belladonna
Benzyl benzoate	Scabicide	Several plants
Berberine	Bacillary dysentery	Berberis vulgaris
Bergenin	Antitussive	Ardisia japonica
Betulinic acid	Anticancerous	Betula alba
Borneol	Antipyretic, analgesic, antiinflammatory	Several plants
Bromelain	Anti-inflammatory, proteolytic	Ananas comosus
Caffeine	CNS stimulant	Camellia sinensis
Camphor	Rubefacient	Cinnamomum camphora
Camptothecin	Anticancerous	Camptotheca acuminata
(+)-Catechin	Haemostatic	Potentilla fragarioides
Chymopapain	Proteolytic, mucolytic	Carica papaya
Cissampeline	Skeletal muscle relaxant	Cissampelos pareira
Cocaine	Local anaesthetic	Erythroxylum coca
Codeine	Analgesic, antitussive	Papaver somniferum
Colchiceine amide	Antitumor agent	Colchicum autumnale
Colchicine	Antitumor agent, anti-gout	Colchicum autumnale
Convallatoxin	Cardiotonic	Convallaria majalis
Curcumin	Choleretic	Curcuma longa
Cynarin	Choleretic	Cynara scolymus
Danthron	Laxative	Cassia species
Demecolcine	Antitumor agent	Colchicum autumnale
Deserpidine	Antihypertensive, tranquillizer	Rauvolfia canescens
Deslanoside	Cardiotonic	Digitalis lanata
L-Dopa	Anti-parkinsonism	Mucuna sp
Digitalin	Cardiotonic	Digitalis purpurea
Digitoxin	Cardiotonic	Digitalis purpurea
Digoxin	Cardiotonic	Digitalis purpurea
Emetine	Amoebicide, emetic	Cephaelis ipecacuanha
Ephedrine	Sympathomimetic, antihistamine	Ephedra sinica
Etoposide	Antitumor agent	Podophyllum peltatum
Galanthamine	Cholinesterase inhibitor	Lycoris squamigera
Gitalin	Cardiotonic	Digitalis purpurea
Glaucarubin	Amoebicide	Simarouba glauca
Glaucine	Antitussive	Glaucium flavum
Glasiovine	Antidepressant	Octea glaziovii
Glycyrrhizin	Sweetener, Addison's disease	Glycyrrhiza glabra
Gossypol	Male contraceptive	Gossypium species
Hemsleyadin	Bacillary dysentery	Hemsleya amabilis
Hesperidin	Capillary fragility	Citrus species
Hydrastine	Hemostatic, astringent	Hydrastis canadensis
Hyoscyamine	Anticholinergic	Hyoscyamus niger
Irinotecan	Anticancer, antitumor agent	Camptotheca acuminata
Kaibic acud	Ascaricide	Digenea simplex
Kawain	Tranquillizer	Piper methysticum
Kheltin	Bronchodilator	Ammi visaga
Lanatosides A, B, C	Cardiotonic	Digitalis lanata
Lapachol	Anticancer, antitumor	Tabebuia sp.
a-Lobeline	Smoking deterrant, respiratory stimulant	Lobelia inflata
Menthol	Rubefacient	Mentha species
Methyl salicylate	Rubefacient	Gaultheria procumbens
Monocrotaline	Antitumor agent (topical)	Crotalaria sessiliflora
Morphine	Analgesic	Papaver somniferum
Neoandrographolide	Dysentery	Andrographis paniculata
Nicotine	Insecticide	Nicotiana tabacum
Nordihydroguaiaretic acid	Antioxidant	Larrea divaricata
Noscapine	Antitussive	Papaver somniferum
Ouabain	Cardiotonic	Strophanthus gratus
Pachycarpine	Oxytocic	Sophora pschycarpa
Palmatine	Antipyretic, detoxicant	Coptis japonica
Papain	Proteolytic, mucolytic	Carica papaya
Papavarine	Smooth muscle relaxant	Papaver somniferum
Phyllodulcin	Sweetner	Hydrangea macrophylla
Physostigmine	Cholinesterase Inhibitor	Physostigma venenosum
Picrotoxin	Analeptic	Anamirta cocculus
Pilocarpine	Parasympathomimetic	Pilocarpus jaborandi
Pinitol	Expectorant	Several plants
Podophyllotoxin	Antitumor anticancer agent	Podophyllum peltatum
Protoveratrines A, B	Antihypertensives	Veratrum album
Pseudoephredrine*	Sympathomimetic	Ephedra sinica
Pseudoephedrine, nor-	Sympathomimetic	Ephedra sinica
Quinidine	Antiarrhythmic	Cinchona ledgeriana
Quinine	Antimalarial, antipyretic	Cinchona ledgeriana
Qulsqualic acid	Anthelmintic	Quisqualis indica
Rescinnamine	Antihypertensive, tranquillizer	Rauvolfia serpentina
Reserpine	Antihypertensive, tranquillizer	Rauvolfia serpentina
Rhomitoxin	Antihypertensive, tranquillizer	Rhododendron molle
Rorifone	Antitussive	Rorippa indica
Rotenone	Piscicide, Insecticide	Lonchocarpus nicou
Rotundine	Analagesic, sedative, traquillizer	Stephania sinica
Rutin	Capillary fragility	Citrus species
Salicin	Analgesic	Salix alba
Sanguinarine	Dental plaque inhibitor	Sanguinaria canadensis
Santonin	Ascaricide	Artemisia maritma
Scillarin A	Cardiotonic	Urginea maritima
Scopolamine	Sedative	Datura species
Sennosides A, B	Laxative	Cassia species
Silymarin	Antihepatotoxic	Silybum marianum
Sparteine	Oxytocic	Cytisus scoparius
Stevioside	Sweetner	Stevia rebaudiana
Strychnine	CNS stimulant	Strychnos nux-vomica
Taxol	Antitumor agent	Taxus brevifolia
Teniposide	Antitumor agent	Podophyllum peltatum
a-Tetrahydrocannabinol(THC)	Antiemetic, decrease occular tension	Cannabis sativa
Tetrahydropalmatine	Analgesic, sedative, traquillizer	Corydalis ambigua
Tetrandrine	Antihypertensive	Stephania tetrandra
Theobromine	Diuretic, vasodilator	Theobroma cacao
Theophylline	Diuretic, brochodilator	Theobroma cacao and others
Thymol	Antifungal (topical)	Thymus vulgaris
Topotecan	Antitumor, anticancer agent	Camptotheca acuminata
Trichosanthin	Abortifacient	Trichosanthes kirilowii
Tubocurarine	Skeletal muscle relaxant	Chondodendron tomentosum
Valapotriates	Sedative	Valeriana officinalis
Vasicine	Cerebral stimulant	Vinca minor
Vinblastine	Antitumor, Antileukemic agent	Catharanthus roseus
Vincristine	Antitumor, Antileukemic agent	Catharanthus roseus
Yohimbine	Aphrodisiac	Pausinystalia yohimbe
Yuanhuacine	Abortifacient	Daphne genkwa
Yuanhuadine	Abortifacient	Daphne genkwa

CANCER AND AIDS RESEARCH

Searching for the cures

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has several ongoing collabrative programs which screen plants for the possiblility of new drugs and active plant chemicals for cancer and AIDS/HIV.
Because well over 50 percent of the estimated 250,000 plant species found on earth come from tropical forests, NCI concentrates on these regions. Plants have been collected from the African countries of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, and Tanzania. Collections are now concentrated in Madagascar (one of the most rapidly dissappearing rainforest regions in the world), and collaborative programs have been established in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
In Central and South America, samples have been collected from Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Martinique, Paraguay, Peru, and Puerto Rico. The NCI has established collaborative programs in Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama. Southeast Asian collections have been performed in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Collaborative programs have been established in Bangladesh, China, Korea, and Pakistan. In each country, NCI contractors work in close collaboration with local botanical institutions.
These collabrative programs include the following:

• The South American Organization for Anticancer Drug Development (SOAD) in Porto Alegre, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ in Rio de Janeiro, and the University Paulista in Sao Paulo investigate plants from Brazil.
• The Institute of Biological Diversity (INBio) in Costa Rica studies insects and plants.
• The Institute of Chemistry, National University of Mexico, studies medicinal plants.
• The Kunming Institute of Botany in China studies Chinese medicinal plants.
• The Korean Research Institute of Chemical Technology examines Korean medicinal plants.
• The H.E.J. Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, studies Pakistani plants.
• The University of Dhaka in Bangladesh studies plants and microbes.
• University of Panama studies Panamanian medicinal plants.
• Brigham Young University (Dr. Paul Cox) studies Polynesian medicinal plants.
• Tel Aviv University (Dr. Yoel Kashman) studies Red Sea marine invertebrates.
• The New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research studies marine organisms.
• The Cancer Research Center at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences in Moscow studies Russian medicinal plants.
• The Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association and the University of Zimbabwe study Zimbabwean medicinal plants.
• The South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research studies South African plants.

Thus far seven plant-derived anticancer drugs have received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for commercial production:

• Taxol / Paclitaxel
  A chemical discovered in the Pacific Yew tree (Taxus brevifolia) is now the first drug of choice in several tumorous cancers including Breast Cancer.
• Vinblastine
  A chemical discovered in the Madagascar Periwinkle in the 1950s. Vinblastine is the first drug of choice in many forms of leukemia and since the 1950's it has increased the survival rate of childhood leukemias by 80%
• Vincristine
  Another antileukemic drug discovered in the Madagascar periwinkle.
• Topotecan
  Has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of ovarian and small cell lung cancers. It is currently in clinical trials, either alone or in combination with other anticancer drugs, for several types of cancer. Topotecan is a analog (a synthesized chemical) of a plant alkaloid discovered in the Chinese tree species, Camptotheca acuminata
• Irinotecan
  Another chemical analog which has been developed from yet another plant alkaloid discovered in the same tree Camptotheca acuminata. It has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. It is currently in clinical trials for a variety of other cancers.
• Etoposide
  A semisynthetic derivative of a plant chemical epipodophyllotoxin discovered in the Mayapple plant family (Podophyllum peltatum)
• Teniposide
  Another semisynthetic derivative of a plant chemical discovered in the Mayapple plant family (Podophyllum peltatum).

Since 1986, over 40,000 plant samples have been screened, but thus far only five chemicals showing significant activity against AIDS have been isolated. Three are currently in preclinical development. Before being considered for clinical trials in humans, these agents must show tolerable levels of toxicity in several animal models. For AIDS, three agents are presently in preclinical or early clinical development. The following are plants and chemicals which are still under research for cancer and AIDS/HIV:

• (+)-Calanolide A and (-)-Calanolide B (costatolide) are isolated from Calophyllum lanigerum and Calophyllum teysmanii, respectively, trees found in Sarawak, Malaysia. Both these agents are licensed to Medichem, Inc., Chicago, which is developing them in collaboration with the Sarawak State Government through a joint company, Sarawak Medichem Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (+)-Calanolide A is currently in early clinical trials in the United States.
• Conocurovone, isolated from the shrub species, Conospermum incurvum (saltbush), found in Western Australia, has been licensed for development to AMRAD, a company based in Victoria, Australia.
• Michellamine B, from the leaves of Ancistrocladus korupensis, a vine found in the Korup rainforest region of southwest Cameroon, has undergone extensive preclinical study, but is considered too toxic for advancement to clinical trials.
• Prostratin, isolated from the wood of Homolanthus nutans, a tree found in Western Samoa, has been placed on low priority, largely due to its association with a class of compounds shown to be tumor promoters.
• A tree native to China--Camptotheca acuminata--is the source of four promising anticancer drugs, two of which have been approved by the FDA and are described above. The other two chemicals still under research include:
  • 9AC (9-aminocamptothecin): Currently in clinical trials for several types of cancer, including ovarian and stomach cancers and T-cell lymphoma.
    
  • Camptothecin: While no clinical trials are being performed in the United States, trials are ongoing in China.
    
• Homoharringtonine from the Chinese tree, Cephalotaxus harringtonia are in early clinical trials.
  
• Perillyl alcohol, and flavopiridol, a totally synthetic compound based on a flavone isolated from Dysoxylum binectiferum are in early clinical trials.
  
  
  

  The above text has been authored by Leslie Taylor, Milam County, Texas 77857 and copyrighted © 2000. All rights reserved. Please refer to the Copyright Statement on permitted uses of this document.

  
  
  
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