HERBS USED AS

HEALTH FOOD
 INTRODUCTION
 Over 120 compounds from 90 plant species are available as prescription
drugs.
 Over 80% of world’s population (9.3 billion people) relies on plant-based
medicines.
 Approximately $ 15 billion were spent in USA on phytopharmaceuticals.
 ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Nutritional therapies
Supplementation
Relaxation therapies
Exercise
Aromatherapy
Homeopathy
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Herbal Medicine
 HERBS
Herb refers to a herbaceous plant, defined as a small, seed-bearing plant without a
woody stem in which all aerial parts (i.e. above ground) die back to the ground at the
end of each growing season. 
The word herbaceous is derived from Latin herbāceus meaning "grassy",
from herba "grass, herb".
Usually the term refers to perennials, although herbaceous plants can also
be annuals (where the plant dies at the end of the growing season and grows back
from seed next year), or biennials.
 WHAT IS HERBAL MEDICINE

 Herbs: The word herbs have several different meanings depending upon prospective
 In horticulture terms – herbs refer to herbaceous plants i.e. non-woody vascular
plants.
 In Taxonomical terms – herbs refer to above ground part or the aerial part e.g.
Flowers, leafs & stem.
 In terms of herbal medicines – herbs refer to plants used in various forms or
preparation valued for their therapeutic benefits and sold as dietary supplements.
 WHAT IS HERBAL MEDICINE
 Herbal Medicine: Defined as approach to healing which uses plants or
plant-derived preparations to treat, prevent or cure various health condition
or ailments.
 Health Food: The product of natural origin used for general improvement
of health is referred to as HEALTH FOOD but not as drugs or medicinal
agents. They may be defined as food supplemented with herbal ingredients,
vitamins, minerals, & nutrients or ingredients isolated from the
conventional food.
 Nutraceuticals: Nutraceuticals are referred as any substance that can be
considered as food; provide health benefits including prevention of diseases
or promotion of health along with its normal nutritional value. The food
products used as Nutraceuticals usually contains antioxidants, probiotics,
omega 3 fatty acids & certain dietary fibers.
 GARLIC
Biological source: Garlic is the ripe bulb of Allium sativum belonging to the
family of Liliaceae.
Chemical Constituents:
Chief constituents is an essential oil which contains allylpropyldisulphide.
The Sulphur compounds include Allicin, a yellowish liquid responsible for the
odor of garlic.
It also have Alliin, volatile oil, mucilage and albumin
Allicin is garlic’s defense mechanism against attacks of pest. The compound is
not present in garlic unless tissue damage occurs. It is formed by the action of
enzyme alliinase on Alliin.
 GARLIC

Uses:
 carminative and expectorant
Used in fever, cough, febrifuge in intermittent
fever
Used in chronic brochities
Atherosclerosis and hypertension
 ONION
Biological source: Garlic is the ripe bulb of Allium cepa belonging to the family of Liliaceae.
Chemical constituents: It contains many organic Sulphur compounds like
 trans S-(1-Propenyl)cysteine sulfoxide
S-methylcysteinesulfoxide
These Sulphur compounds are converted to simple one by alliinase enzyme when onion is cut.
The lachrymating principle in cut onion is thiopropanal S-oxide.
Other constituents are
 phenolic acid
Sterols
saponin
 ONION
Uses:
 used in digestion problem including loss of
appetite
In chest pain and hypertension
Atherosclerosis
Used in sore mouth, asthma
Used as diuretics
 APRICOT
Biological source: An apricot is a fruit, or the tree
that bears the fruit, of several species in the
genus Prunus (stone fruits).

Usually, an apricot tree is from the species Prunus

armeniaca, but the species P. brigantina, P.
mandshurica, P. mume, P. zhengheensis and P.
sibirica are closely related, have similar fruit, and
are also called apricots.
 APRICOT
Chemical constituents:
•Apricots contain various phytochemicals, such as provitamin,  beta-carotene-
and polyphenols, including catechins and chlorogenic acid.
•Taste and aroma compounds include sucrose, glucose, organic acids, terpenes,
aldehydes
•Apricot kernels (seeds) contain amygdalin, a poisonous compound.
•On average, bitter apricot kernels contain about 5% amygdalin and sweet kernels
about 0.9% amygdalin. These values correspond to 0.3% and 0.05% of cyanide. Since
a typical apricot kernel weighs 600 mg, bitter and sweet varieties contain respectively
1.8 and 0.3 mg of cyanide.
 APRICOT
Uses:
 used in cough and asthma
Used in constipation and bleeding
Used against infertility
Manufacturing of cosmetics
 GINSENG
Biological source: Ginseng is the root of the
perennial herbs of Panax quinquefolius belonging
to the family of Araliaceae.
The word Panax means “all heal” in Greek, which
is based on the view that ginseng is powerful to
heal any kind of disease. Ginseng is originated
from the Chinese words “Jen Sheng,” meaning
“man-herb,” because the shape in root of the plant
resembles a humanoid form. The most extensively
investigated ginsengs are Panax ginseng (Korean
ginseng), Panax quinquefolius L. (American
ginseng), and Panax notoginseng (Chinese
ginseng)
GINSENG
Chemical constituents:
The major active compounds in ginseng are triterpenoid glycosides, known also as
the ginsenosides, contained in the roots, leaves, stems, flower buds, and berries.
Ginsenosides consist of a 4-ring steroid backbone structure . To date, more than 100
types of ginsenosides have been identified and isolated from the various parts of
ginseng.
 Generally, there are two major groups of ginsenosides: protopanaxadiols (PPD),
protopanaxatriols (PPT)
 Besides the ginsenosides, other components are also found in ginseng, such as
polysaccharides, flavonoids, volatile oils, and the recently identified nonsaponin
compound called gintonin 
 GINSENG
Uses:
Potent Antioxidant that May Reduce Inflammation
Ginseng could help improve brain functions like
memory, behavior and mood 
Could Improve Erectile Dysfunction in men
May Boost the Immune System
May Have Potential Benefits Against Cancer
May Fight Tiredness and Increase Energy Levels
Could Lower Blood Sugar
 SPIRULINA
Biological source: Spirulina is a blue-green
algae obtained from Spirulina maxima
belonging to the family of Oscillatoriaceae.
Chemical constituents: It contains 60%
protein, amino acid, lipids, vitamins (B1, B2,
B3, B6, B9), minerals, carbohydrates.
Uses:
It has antioxidant and antiaging effects
Stimulate immune system
Decrease cholesterol levels
EVENING PRIMEROSE

Biological source: Evening

primrose is a plant belonging to
the family Onagraceae, in which
the most numerous species is
Oenothera biennis. This research
mainly concerns extracts from
various parts of evening
primrose (e.g., the leaves, stems,
and seeds)
 EVENING PRIMEROSE
Chemical constituents:
• Common components of all parts of the Oenothera biennis plants are fatty acids,
phenolic acids, and flavonoids.
• In contrast, primrose seeds also contain proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and
vitamins. Therefore, it is believed that the most interesting sources of biologically
active compounds are the seeds and, above all, evening primrose seed oil.
•This oil contains mainly aliphatic alcohols, fatty acids, sterols, and polyphenols.
Evening primrose oil (EPO) is extremely high in linoleic acid (LA) (70–74%) and γ-
linolenic acid (GLA)
 EVENING PRIMEROSE
Uses:
1. Nerve damage caused by diabetes. Research shows that taking evening primrose
oil daily for 6-12 months improves symptoms of nerve damage caused by diabetes.
2. Osteoporosis. Taking evening primrose oil with fish oil and calcium, seems to
decrease bone loss and increase bone density in elderly people with osteoporosis.
3. Dermatitis
4. Eczema
5. Premenstrual Syndrome
 GINKGO/ MAIDENHAIR TREE

Biological Source
The leaves of Ginkgo are obtained from the dioeceous tree Ginkgo biloba, belonging to
family Ginkgoaceae.
Chemical Constituents
Ginkgo biloba leaf extract contains flavonol and flavone glycosides, lactone derivatives
(ginkgolides), bilobalide, ascorbic acid, catechin, iron-based superoxide,
The major classes of active ingredients are the ginkgolides and bilobalides (also
known as terpenes) and the flavonoids. Five diterpene lactones (ginkgolides A, B, C, J,
M ) have been characterized.
GINKGO
 GINKGO/ MAIDENHAIR TREE
Chemical Constituents:
The ginkgo seeds contain a potentially toxic substance, ginkgotoxin (4-O-
methoxypyridoxine), which has anti-vitamin B6 activity and inhibits GABA formation,
which can potentially lead to convulsions and loss of consciousness.
Commercial manufacturers use the Ginkgo biloba leaves to extract the active
ingredients. Ginkgo biloba leaf extract contains
• flavonol and flavone glycosides,
• lactone derivatives (ginkgolides),
• bilobalide, ascorbic acid
• catechin, iron-based superoxide, shikimic acid, sterols and vanilic acid.
The standardization of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract products is done by the active
ingredients: flavones, ginkgolides and bilobalides.
GINKGO/ MAIDENHAIR TREE
Uses:
 Ginkgo is used as an antiasthmatic and bronchodilator.
Extracts of the leaf containing selected constituents are used for improving
peripheral and cerebral circulation in those elderly with symptoms of loss of
short-term memory, hearing and concentration;
It is also claimed that vertigo, headaches, anxiety and apathy are cured.
 ALFALFA
Biological source:
Alfalfa, (Medicago sativa), also called lucerne or purple medic, perennial, cloverlike,
leguminous plant of the family (Fabaceae).
Chemical constituents:
Lucerne, is rich in protein, minerals (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, P, Zn, Si), vitamins (A, B, C, D,
E, K, U).
phytochemical substances (carotene, chlorophyll, coumarins, isoflavones, alkaloids,
saponins), contains secondary metabolites of plants (phytoestrogens: isoflavones and
coumestrol).
The proteins found in lucerne are comprised of numerous exogenous and semi-exogenous
amino acids which are desirable for human body.
 ALFALFA
Extract from the leaves of alfalfa has a positive,
multidirectional impact on the human body.
It increases the level of estrogen
 Prevents atherosclerosis
Helps blood circulation and strengthens
immunity
Protects against the development of dangerous
diseases of the digestive tract
Combats anemia and many other health ailments.