Medicinal Plants

    I. Introduction
        A. Secondary metabolites
        B. Chemicals affect animal and human physiology
        C. Western medicine traces its traditions back to Greek and Roman herbal remedies

    II. History of plant based medicines
        A. Early Greek and Roman physicians
        B. Age of Herbals
        C. Modern prescription drugs
            1. 18th century: herbal botanists vs. regular medical physicians
            2. synthetic vs. naturally based plant products

    III. Role of synthetic drugs

    IV. The chemical compounds in medicinal plants
        A. Alkaloids
            1. properties
            2. importance to humans
        B. Glycosides
            1. properties
            2. importance to humans

    V. Examples of medicinal drugs from plants  (know plant name, chemical compound, and what it cures):
        A. Alkaloids
            1. Opium poppy:  morphine and codeine à severe pain; cough suppression
            2. Cinchona tree:  quinine à malaria
            3. Belladonna:  atropine à circulation system; muscle relaxant; pupil dilation; asthma
            4. Pacific Yew:  taxol à ovarian and breast cancer
            5. Madagascar Rosy Periwinkle:  vinblastine & vincristine à treat Hodgkin’s disease and childhood leukemia
            6. Snakeroot evergreen shrub:  reserpine à reduce blood pressure; treat schizophrenia
            7. Ephedra:  ephedrine à decongestant, treat asthma
            8. Curate tree: tubocurarine à muscle relaxant during surgery
            9. Chinese root: rubricine à treat skin ailments; anti-microbial agent
        B. Glycosides
            1. Foxglove: digitoxin à heart stimulant
            2. Yams: diosgenin à used to make hormones (estrogen, progesterone) and cortisone
            3. Willow tree bark: salicylic acid à aspirin
            4. Aloe vera:  aloin  à known as ‘the burn medicine plant’; heals skin

    VI. New Future drugs

    VII. Modern herbal medicines
        A. Herbal medicines are NOT drugs; NOT regulated by the FDA; Raw plants have variable doses; Long-term effects unknown and can do damage to your body; If you self medicate using
            herbals,  BE CAREFUL!