Drugs from Plants

Drug/Chemical	Action	Plant Source
Acetyldigoxin	Cardiotonic	Digitalis lanata (Grecian foxglove, woolly foxglove)
Adoniside	Cardiotonic	Adonis vernalis (pheasant's eye, red chamomile)
Aescin	Antiinflammatory	Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut)
Aesculetin	Antidysentery	Frazinus rhychophylla
Agrimophol	Anthelmintic	Agrimonia supatoria
Ajmalicine	Treatment for circulatory disorders	Rauvolfia sepentina
Allantoin	Vulnerary	Several plants
Allyl isothiocyanate	Rubefacient	Brassica nigra (black mustard)
Anabesine	Skeletal muscle relaxant	Anabasis sphylla
Andrographolide	Treatment for baccillary dysentery	Andrographis paniculata
Anisodamine	Anticholinergic	Anisodus tanguticus
Anisodine	Anticholinergic	Anisodus tanguticus
Arecoline	Anthelmintic	Areca catechu (betel nut palm)
Asiaticoside	Vulnerary	Centella asiatica (gotu cola)
Atropine	Anticholinergic	Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade)
Benzyl benzoate	Scabicide	Several plants
Berberine	Treatment for bacillary dysentery	Berberis vulgaris (common barberry)
Bergenin	Antitussive	Ardisia japonica (marlberry)
Betulinic acid	Anticancerous	Betula alba (common birch)
Borneol	Antipyretic, analgesic, antiinflammatory	Several plants
Bromelain	Antiinflammatory, proteolytic	Ananas comosus (pineapple)
Caffeine	CNS stimulant	Camellia sinensis (tea, also coffee, cocoa and other plants)
Camphor	Rubefacient	Cinnamomum camphora (camphor tree)
Camptothecin	Anticancerous	Camptotheca acuminata
(+)-Catechin	Hemostatic	Potentilla fragarioides
Chymopapain	Proteolytic, mucolytic	Carica papaya (papaya)
Cissampeline	Skeletal muscle relaxant	Cissampelos pareira (velvet leaf)
Cocaine	Local anaesthetic	Erythroxylum coca (coca plant)
Codeine	Analgesic, antitussive	Papaver somniferum (poppy)
Colchiceine amide	Antitumor agent	Colchicum autumnale (autumn crocus)
Colchicine	Antitumor, antigout	Colchicum autumnale (autumn crocus)
Convallatoxin	Cardiotonic	Convallaria majalis (lily-of-the-valley)
Curcumin	Choleretic	Curcuma longa (turmeric)
Cynarin	Choleretic	Cynara scolymus (artichoke)
Danthron	Laxative	Cassia species
Demecolcine	Antitumor agent	Colchicum autumnale (autumn crocus)
Deserpidine	Antihypertensive, tranquilizer	Rauvolfia canescens
Deslanoside	Cardiotonic	Digitalis lanata (Grecian foxglove, woolly foxglove)
L-Dopa	Anti-parkinsonism	Mucuna species (nescafe, cowage, velvetbean)
Digitalin	Cardiotonic	Digitalis purpurea (purple foxglove)
Digitoxin	Cardiotonic	Digitalis purpurea (purple foxglove)
Digoxin	Cardiotonic	Digitalis purpurea (purple or common foxglove)
Emetine	Amoebicide, emetic	Cephaelis ipecacuanha
Ephedrine	Sympathomimetic, antihistamine	Ephedra sinica (ephedra, ma huang)
Etoposide	Antitumor agent	Podophyllum peltatum (mayapple)
Galanthamine	Cholinesterase inhibitor	Lycoris squamigera (magic lily, resurrection lily, naked lady)
Gitalin	Cardiotonic	Digitalis purpurea (purple or common foxglove)
Glaucarubin	Amoebicide	Simarouba glauca (paradise tree)
Glaucine	Antitussive	Glaucium flavum (yellow hornpoppy, horned poppy, sea poppy)
Glasiovine	Antidepressant	Octea glaziovii
Glycyrrhizin	Sweetener, treatment for Addison's disease	Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice)
Gossypol	Male contraceptive	Gossypium species (cotton)
Hemsleyadin	Treatment for bacillary dysentery	Hemsleya amabilis
Hesperidin	Treatment for capillary fragility	Citrus species (e.g., oranges)
Hydrastine	Hemostatic, astringent	Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal)
Hyoscyamine	Anticholinergic	Hyoscyamus niger (black henbane, stinking nightshade, henpin)
Irinotecan	Anticancer, antitumor agent	Camptotheca acuminata
Kaibic acud	Ascaricide	Digenea simplex (wireweed)
Kawain	Tranquilizer	Piper methysticum (kava kava)
Kheltin	Bronchodilator	Ammi visaga
Lanatosides A, B, C	Cardiotonic	Digitalis lanata (Grecian foxglove, woolly foxglove)
Lapachol	Anticancer, antitumor	Tabebuia species (trumpet tree)
a-Lobeline	Smoking deterrant, respiratory stimulant	Lobelia inflata (Indian tobacco)
Menthol	Rubefacient	Mentha species (mint)
Methyl salicylate	Rubefacient	Gaultheria procumbens (wintergreen)
Monocrotaline	Topical antitumor agent	Crotalaria sessiliflora
Morphine	Analgesic	Papaver somniferum (poppy)
Neoandrographolide	Treatment of dysentery	Andrographis paniculata
Nicotine	Insecticide	Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco)
Nordihydroguaiaretic acid	Antioxidant	Larrea divaricata (creosote bush)
Noscapine	Antitussive	Papaver somniferum (poppy)
Ouabain	Cardiotonic	Strophanthus gratus (ouabain tree)
Pachycarpine	Oxytocic	Sophora pschycarpa
Palmatine	Antipyretic, detoxicant	Coptis japonica (Chinese goldenthread, goldthread, Huang-Lia)
Papain	Proteolytic, mucolytic	Carica papaya (papaya)
Papavarine	Smooth muscle relaxant	Papaver somniferum (opium poppy, common poppy)
Phyllodulcin	Sweetener	Hydrangea macrophylla (bigleaf hydrangea, French hydrangea)
Physostigmine	Cholinesterase inhibitor	Physostigma venenosum (Calabar bean)
Picrotoxin	Analeptic	Anamirta cocculus (fish berry)
Pilocarpine	Parasympathomimetic	Pilocarpus jaborandi (jaborandi, Indian hemp)
Pinitol	Expectorant	Several plants (e.g., bougainvillea)
Podophyllotoxin	Antitumor, anticancer agent	Podophyllum peltatum (mayapple)
Protoveratrines A, B	Antihypertensives	Veratrum album (white false hellebore)
Pseudoephredrine	Sympathomimetic	Ephedra sinica (ephedra, ma huang)
nor-pseudoephedrine	Sympathomimetic	Ephedra sinica (ephedra, ma huang)
Quinidine	Antiarrhythmic	Cinchona ledgeriana (quinine tree)
Quinine	Antimalarial, antipyretic	Cinchona ledgeriana (quinine tree)
Qulsqualic acid	Anthelmintic	Quisqualis indica (Rangoon creeper, drunken sailor)
Rescinnamine	Antihypertensive, tranquilizer	Rauvolfia serpentina
Reserpine	Antihypertensive, tranquilizer	Rauvolfia serpentina
Rhomitoxin	Antihypertensive, tranquilizer	Rhododendron molle (rhododendron)
Rorifone	Antitussive	Rorippa indica
Rotenone	Piscicide, Insecticide	Lonchocarpus nicou
Rotundine	Analagesic, sedative, traquilizer	Stephania sinica
Rutin	Treatment for capillary fragility	Citrus species (e.g., orange, grapefruit)
Salicin	Analgesic	Salix alba (white willow)
Sanguinarine	Dental plaque inhibitor	Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot)
Santonin	Ascaricide	Artemisia maritma (wormwood)
Scillarin A	Cardiotonic	Urginea maritima (squill)
Scopolamine	Sedative	Datura species (e.g., Jimsonweed)
Sennosides A, B	Laxative	Cassia species (cinnamon)
Silymarin	Antihepatotoxic	Silybum marianum (milk thistle)
Sparteine	Oxytocic	Cytisus scoparius (scotch broom)
Stevioside	Sweetener	Stevia rebaudiana (stevia)
Strychnine	CNS stimulant	Strychnos nux-vomica (poison nut tree)
Taxol	Antitumor agent	Taxus brevifolia (Pacific yew)
Teniposide	Antitumor agent	Podophyllum peltatum (mayapple or mandrake)
a-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)	Antiemetic, decreases occular tension	Cannabis sativa (marijuana)
Tetrahydropalmatine	Analgesic, sedative, tranquilizer	Corydalis ambigua
Tetrandrine	Antihypertensive	Stephania tetrandra
Theobromine	Diuretic, vasodilator	Theobroma cacao (cocoa)
Theophylline	Diuretic, bronchodilator	Theobroma cacao and others (cocoa, tea)
Thymol	Topical antifungal	Thymus vulgaris (thyme)
Topotecan	Antitumor, anticancer agent	Camptotheca acuminata
Trichosanthin	Abortifacient	Trichosanthes kirilowii (snake gourd)
Tubocurarine	Skeletal muscle relaxant	Chondodendron tomentosum (curare vine)
Valapotriates	Sedative	Valeriana officinalis (valerian)
Vasicine	Cerebral stimulant	Vinca minor (periwinkle)
Vinblastine	Antitumor, Antileukemic agent	Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle)
Vincristine	Antitumor, Antileukemic agent	Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle)
Yohimbine	Aphrodisiac	Pausinystalia yohimbe (yohimbe)
Yuanhuacine	Abortifacient	Daphne genkwa (lilac)
Yuanhuadine	Abortifacient	Daphne genkwa (lilac)