PHCOG-1.2.

INTRODUCTION TO PLANT

COMPOSITION

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By Abdul Ghani Karimi

Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy.

Date: 08/01/1391

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

� The chemical composition of plants is very complicated.

� Plant are the only organisms, that process organic

compounds from the minerals.

� There are about 21 chemical elements have identified in

plants.

� 16 elements ( C, H, O, N, P, S, Mg, Na, K, Ca, Cl, Mn, Fe,

Co, Cu, Zn ) are common in the chemical composition of

all plants.

� Other five element consisting of B, Al, V, Mo, and I have

found in in some species.

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Inorganic

componentsWater

Organic

components

Constituents of Medicinal Plants

Primary Secondary

٣

Protein

Organic

acids

Vitamins

Enzymes

Lipids

Carbohydrates Mac.

Elements

Mic.

Elements

Na, K,

Ca, Mg,

Se, Cl,

and P

Fe, Cu,

Zn, B,

and I

Primary

metabolites

Secondary

metabolites

WATER ( H2O )

� Plants contain a huge amount (70-90%) of

water, but varies in different part of the plant.

�Water play an important role as a medium for�Water play an important role as a medium for

biochemical activity of plants.

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PRIMARY METABOLITES

The primary metabolites are as follow:

� Proteins

� Carbohydrates

� Lipids

� Enzymes

� Vitamins

AND

� Organic acids

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1. PROTEINS

�Proteins are complex, organic compounds

composed of many amino acids and devided

into two groups.

1. Simple proteins: i.e. albumins, globulins, glutelins,

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1. Simple proteins: i.e. albumins, globulins, glutelins,

albuminoids, histones and protamines.

ESSENTIAL AND NON ESSENTIAL AMINO

ACIDS

Essential Nonessential

Isoleucine Alanine

Leucine Arginine*

Lysine Aspartate

Methionine Cysteine*Methionine Cysteine*

Phenylalanine Glutamate

Threonine Glutamine*

Tryptophan Glycine*

Valine Proline*

Histidine Serine

Tyrosine*

Asparagine*

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2. COMPLEX PROTEINS (PROTIDES

Protides are conjugated with non proteinic

parts, which are classified according to

non proteinic parts. i.e. nucleoproteins, non proteinic parts. i.e. nucleoproteins,

glycoproteins, phosphoproteins,

haemoglobins …

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SOME EXAMPLE OF COMPLEX PROTEINS

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2.CARBOHYDRATES

�Monosaccharides: i.e. trioses, tetroses,

pentoses, and hexoses.

� Oligosaccharides

� Polysaccharides: i.e. starch, cellulose.

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• Many carbohydrates such as glucose, cotton,

starch, Gums, mucilage inuline and pectins

play an important role in the

pharmaceutical industry.

3. LIPIDS OR FATS

� Lipids are existed throughout plant organs, but mostly

in fruits and seeds.

� Lipids play an important role in the cellular

membranes membranes

� Lipids widely used in the pharmaceutical industry.

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4. ENZYMES

�They are proteins in nature.

�They act as biological catalysts in the process

of biochemical reactions inside the cells.

Corresponding chemical composition, they are �Corresponding chemical composition, they are

classified into two groups:

1- simple

2- complex١٣

5. VITAMINS

�Vitamins are very important for bio-

physiological processes of living organism.

�They have different chemical structures

�They act as co-enzymes.

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6. ORGANIC ACIDS

� They are widely distributed through the plants

� They take role in plant respiration

� They are as intermediate substances in many

biosynthetic processes

� They are pharmacologically active (ascorbic acid,

nicotinic acid, citric acid )

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SECONDARY METABOLITES

� Secondary metabolites which are pharmacologically

active, synthesized from primary metabolites.

� Their biogenesis and storage will be different for each

plant.plant.

� They are complex compounds and belong to different

chemical groups.

� The important groups are: alkaloids, terpenoids and

glycosides.

� Other specific groups are also exist.

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BIOSYNTHETIC PATHWAY OF SECONDARY

METABOLITIES

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MINERALS

�They are divided into two groups:

1. Macro elements: K, Na, Ca, Mg, Se, Cl, P

2. Microelements: Fe, Cu, Zn, I, B.

�The elements can be in different forms as;

- soluble salts

- crystalic salts

- combined to organic substances

- etc.

P in ATP, Fe, Cu, Mo and some others in enzymes composition.

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THE END OF PHCOG-1.2.

THANK YOU

Any question?Any question?Any question?Any question?

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