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2-3
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Cognosy 1 – Lectures 2-3
Flowers
Clove ‫زهرة القرنفل‬
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Syn.: Caryophyllus
Origin: Dried flower buds of Eugenia aromatica (Syzygium aromatica) , Family Myrtaceae.
G.O: Moluccas Island & Zanzibar.
Description:
- Color: Bright-reddish to dark brown.
- Hypanthium: solid, cylindrical, four sided tapering towards the base.
- Actinomorphic & hermaphrodite
- Calyx: 4 thick, triangular, divergent, acute sepals, polysepalous.
- Corolla: Polypetalous, 4 unexpanded membranous, imbricated bowel shaped forming
nearly spherical dome-shaped head.
- Androecium
- Gynoecium
- Tetradelphous, polyandrous.
- Ovary is inferior, bicarpellary,
- Filament shows central vascular strand, oil bilocular with numerous ovules
gland & cluster crystals of Ca oxalate.
attached to an axile placenta.
- Anther shows polygonal isodiametric
- T.S diagram in ovary region:
fibrous layer.
 No lacunous or columella layers.
- Pollen grains are triangular, tricolpate with
 Presence of bilocular ovary with
truncate or emarginated apices or oval in
cluster crystal of Ca-oxalate.
outline (no germinal furrows).
- Below ovary, hypanthium shows:
o Central zone called columella.
o Surrounded by dark lacunous layer.
o Large outer zone with numerous shining schizolysogenous oval oil gland
- Odor: strong, spicy & aromatic.
- Taste: agreeable, warm, pungent & spicy, followed by slight sensation of numbness.
 Powder:
- Condition: coarse
- Odor: aromatic, characteristic
- Color: dark brown
- Taste: spicy, aromatic followed by slight numbness
 Active constituents:
 Action and uses:
1. Volatile oils (15-20%) containing:
1. Internally:
- Eugenol (80-90%) & acetyleugenol (3%)
a) Agreable aromatic stimulant, analgesic
2. Gallotannins (13%)
& antiseptic.
3. Resin & fixed oils
b) Antispasmodic & carminative
4. Flavonoids
c) Used for gastritis & intestinal paraside.
2. Externally: Toothache & dental industry
3. Commertially: Production of vanillin.
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 Chemical Tests:
Macro chemical tests
Micro chemical tests
Powder
Extract with
water
Aqueous extract
FeCl3
Deep Blue color
(Tannins)
Extract with
alcohol
Alcoholic extract
FeCl3
1. Powdered clove + KOH (50%) →
Aggregates of needle crystals of Potassium
eugenolate
2. Powder + Sudan III → red color (due to
volatile oil)
Deep Blue color
Eugenol +
Tannins
 Adulteration:
Clove stalks
The slender stem of
inflorescence (rachis),
opposite decussate
branching, brown in color.
Detection:
a) Presence of
isodiametric thickwalled sclereides.
b) Presence of prisms of
Ca oxalate crystals
from the cortex & pith.
c) Low percentage of
volatile oil (5-7%)
Mother clove
(anthophylli)
Ripe fruits of
clove, brown &
one seeded.
Detection:
a) Presence of
abundant
starch
b) Less volatile
oils (2-9%)
Exhausted clove
Brown clove
Clove dust
Detection:
a) Darker
b) Shrunken
c) Float on water
surface
d) No volatile oil
Expanded
flower from
which stamens
& corolla are
detached.
Separated
corolla &
stamens.
 Pharmaceutical preparation:
o Tooth pastes
o With laxative pills
o Eugenol or clove oil mixed with zinc oxide (temporary filling)
o Clovacaine solution [clove oil + lidocaine] (oral ulceration & inflammation & local anesthetic)
 Side effects:
1. Clove oil in concentrated form irritates the tissues (for mouth washes 1-5% oil).
2. Large amount of cloves or clove oil may cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain,
burns in mouth and throat, difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat.
3. May cause bleeding when taken with anticoagulant drugs.
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Family Compositae (Astraceae)
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Roman chamomile
German chamomile
Pyrethrum
Santonica
‫زهر الباونج الروماني‬
‫زهر البابونج األلماني‬
‫زهر البيرثروم‬
‫زهر الشيح الخرساني‬
General characters of family Compositae:
 Definition of capitulum or flower head:
- With very short axis which is either swollen and flattened or swollen into a conical
structure and on which are inserted sessile flowers.
- The flowers are generally small and called florets.
 There are two types of florets are in the same capitulum:
 Central, tubular or disc florets: have tubular corolla.
 Marginal, ligulate or ray florets: have strap-shapped corolla.
The florets may be all alike:
1. Disk florets only as in Santonica.
2. Ray florets only as in Dandalion.
Ray floret (ligulate)
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Zygomorphic
Pistillate
Calyx is present or absent
Corolla: 3 gamopetalous, ligulate,
white color
No androecium
Gynoecium: syncarpous, 2 carpels,
inferior ovary, one basal ovule, bifid
stigma.
Disc floret (tubular)
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Actinomorphic
Hermaphrodite
Calyx is present or absent
Corolla: 5 gamopetalous, tubular,
yellow in color
Androecium: 5 united forming
tubular, epipetalous, syngensious
Gynoecium: syncarpous, 2 carpels,
inferior ovary, one basal ovule, bifid
stigma.
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Pyrethrum
Insect flower
Dried flower head
(capitulum) of
Chrysanthemum
cinerarioefolium, Family
Compositae (Astraceae)
G.O
Kenya, Brazil & Dalmatia
- Shape: single capitulum,
hemispherical or
subglobular, dull
brownish-yellow or
grayish-brown.
- Receptacle: nearly flat
- Palea: absent
- Calyx: present, cupshaped
Description
Items
Syn.
Origin
German Chamomile
Dried and expanded flower
head (capitulum) of
Matricaria chamomilla Family
Compositae (Astraceae)
Roman Chamomile
Dried and expanded flower
head (capitulum) of
Anthemis nobilis Family
Compositae (Astraceae)
Western Asia, Germany & Egypt England, France & Hungary
Shape
Single capitulum
- Double capitulum
(flower head)
(flower head)
(cultivated)
- Single capitulum
(wild)
Ray floret Few
Numerous
Disc floret Numerous
Few
Receptacl Hemispherical (young) Conical, solid & pithy
e
& conical (old), hollow
Palea
Absent ***
Calyx
Volatile
oil
Absent
- Steam distillation:
Azure blue color
- Solvent extract:
yellowish-green color
due to matricin (which
upon heating
converted to blue
chamazulene)
Santonica
Arnica
Worm seed ***
Leopard Bane, Mountain Tobacco
Dried unexpanded flower head Dried flower heads of Arnica
of Artemisia cina Family
montana Family Astraceae
compositae (Astraceae)
N.B: Collected in unexpanded
form to prevent conversion of
active Santonin to inactive
chromosantonin (photosantonin).
Indigenous to Turkestan
Central Europe (Indigenous)
- Shape: ovoid, 2mm in length,
Calyx ***:
similar to seed in shape.
- Consists of a single row of
- Receptacle: conical, solid.
pappus (multicellular
- Palea: absent
projection, bristly hairs) each
- Involucre: imbricated bract
of which 4-5 cells in diameter,
- Ray floret: absent
minutely denticulate on the
- Disc floret: 3-5 tubular,
surface.
immature perfect flower.
- Presence of twin hairs.
- Key elements: cottony hair,
smooth pollen grain.
Present (membranous
bract)
Absent
- Steam distillation:
Azure blue color
- Solvent extract:
Azure blue color due to
chamazulene
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Active constituents
Action &
Uses
1. Two groups of esters (12%) known as “pyrthrins I
& II”:
a) Pyrethrin I : esters of
keto alcohols;
pyrethrolone,
cinerolone & jasmolone,
combined with
chrystanthemic acid
(monocarboxylic acid)
b) Pyrethrin II : esters of
the same keto alcohols
with pyrethric acid
(dicarboxylic acid)
2. Volatile oil (0.5%)
secreted in glandular
hairs
3. Resin (4-7%) present in
large duct in ovary wall
Uses:
1. Widely used as
insecticide (poison for
insects) either mixed with
synthetic products as
D.D.T or as extract in
kerosene used in form of
sprays for large variety of
insects such as house flies
and mosquitoes
(harmless to warmblooded animals).
2. Scabicide for human
beings.
1. Volatile oils: (0.3-2.0%):
a) Sesquiterpenes (bisabolol,
matricin (yellow color)
converted to chamazulene
(blue color) during steam
distillation (proazulene)
b) Matricarin (sesquiterpene
lactone)
2. Flavonoids (apigenin,
lutulin, quercetin & rutin)
3. Coumarin ***
4. Mucilage
1. Volatile oil (0.6-2.4%):
a) Has blue color due to
presence of
chamazulene.
b) Esters of isobutyl & hexyl
alcohols combined with
angilic, tigilic & butyric
acids.
c) Anthemol, bisabolol &
nobilin (sesquiterpene
lactone).
2. Flavonoids (apigenin,
lutulin & quercetin)
3. Coumarin
4. Anthemic acid (bitter
principle)
Internally:
- Antispasmodic [due to flavonoid apigenin], carminative &
bitter stomachic in Dyspepsia, peptic ulcer & gastritis.
- Sedative in restlessness.
- Antiemetic in travel (motion) sickness.
Externally:
- Anti-inflammatory for hemorrhoids (suppository); mucous
membrane inflammation (mouth wash), for oral cavity, gums
& anal-genital inflammation (bath & irrigation).
- Antiseptic for leg ulcer and bacterial skin diseases (lotion);
anti-dandruff & hair softener (shampoo).
N.B: Roman chamomile has mild antiseptic and antiinflammatory activities (small amount of sesquiterpenes)
1. Sesquiterpene lactones:
- Santonin (2-3.5%) has
anthelmintic property.
- Artemisin (8-hydroxysantonin)
2. Volatile oil (2%) consists of
cineole, terpineole &
terpinene
N.B: volatile oil is not
responsible for anthelmintic
property)
1. Sesquiterpene lactones (0.20.8%): helenalin &
hydrohelenalin
2. Volatile oil (0.5-1%)
containing thymol
3. Flavonoids (quecetin-3-Oglucoside & luteolin-7-Oglucoside)
- Anthelmintic property to:
a) Round worm e.g. Ascaris
due to santonin &
artemisin content.
b) Less effect on thread
worms.
c) No action on tap worms.
- Bitter stomachic (mixed with
honey to mask their
bitterness)
N.B:
Being bitter in taste, it can be
administrated in the form of
enema)
Internally: (not recommended)
- It’s toxic even in small dose &
may cause collapse. (due to
sesq. Lactone)
- It irritates mucous membrane
& causes stomach pain,
diarrhea & vomiting.
Externally: (topical application)
- Counter-irritant for bruises,
sprains, dislocations & edema
associated with fractures.
- Anti-rheumatic for joint pain.
- Anti-inflammatory for insect
bites & sore throat.
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Contra-indications
Pharmaceutical
preparation
Chemical
test
3. Ectoparasiticide in
veterinary medicine.
Large dose: persistent bitter,
toxic
Williamson’s test (test for
pyrethrins) → Crimson red
color
Kaselbach test (for santonin)
→ Carmine red color
- Pyresol: as spray for
insects
- Freedom shampoo: for
lice combat
- Camisan ointment & liquid
- Prostatin suppository
- Calma baby
- Digest Eze capsules
(improvement of gastro
intestinal tract function)
- Excessive dose may have
blood thinner properties
(coumarin), contraindication
with anticoagulant drugs e.g.
aspirin.
- Excessive use cause uterine
contraction during pregnancy
lead to abortion.
- In manufacturing, used in hair
tonics & anti-dandruff
preparations.
- Used to relieve stiffness from
flying or long-distance
driving.
- The oil is used in perfumes &
cosmetics.
Arnicare, Arniflora
- Mechanism:
Topical pain relief agent,
antiseptic, anti-inflammatory &
pain relieving properties.
- Preparations:
Quick dissolving tablets,
ointment: 4%, cream 7%, gel
7%
- Allergic reaction (nobilin)
- Large doses act as emetic
(anthemic acid)
- Pregnency.
- Children under 12 years.
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Other
items
Biological test (Knock down
test):
Test the rate of Knock
down of 100 blue flies in a
wire cage after spraying
with 1gm of powder. All
flies are knocked down
within 30 sec.
How does it kill insects:
- It induces a toxic effect in
insects when it penetrates
the cuticle & reaches the
nervous system (contact
poison).
- Pyrethrins bind to sodium
channels that are
responsible for the nerve
signal transmission along
the length of the nerve
cell.
- Normal function of the
channel is obstructed,
resulting in hyperexcitation of nerve cell &
consequently a loss of its
function.
Toxicity:
a) Dose should not exceed 50
mg, otherwise toxicity may
occur. It produces remarkable
disturbances of vision;
objects appearing first blue
and then yellow, blurred
vision and then blindness.
b) The absorbed santonin
renders the urine intensely
yellow if acidic or purplish if
alkaline.
Treatment of toxicity:
a) Gastric lavage ‫غسيل معوي‬
b) Milk (calcium) + respiratory
stimulant as effortil.
Milk (calcium) + santonin →
Ca santoninate (ppt)
Side effect: (in external use):
- Should not be applied to
broken skin.
- Prolonged use cause
dermatitis or eczema.
How does it work?
The active chemicals (helenalin
& hydrohelenalin) may modify
the action of immune cells, kill
bacteria, reduce the activity of
chemicals & blood cells that
cause inflammation and kill
cancer cells.
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