Medicinal Plants Plants produce an amazing amount of complex chemicals we can use as medicines to “curb and cure” disease.

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With
elements of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen
and sugars plants create compounds such
as terpenes, alkaloids and glycosides
to name a few. Alkaloids are the better
known chemical compounds with compound rings of carbon and nitrogen to
produce things like caffeine, cocaine, morphine, codeine, etc. What’s even more
amazing is that plants can produce more
than just one of these chemicals – the
opium poppy produces 26 alkaloids. For
chemical compounds, it is sometimes all
in the family – the Rosaceae family (Rose)
members have a particular cyanogenic
glycoside called amygdalin which causes
bitter tastes and smells. This is particularly
noticeable in the genus Prunus, which includes almonds, plums, apricots, cherries
and peaches.
Of course, if there are chemicals plants
make that can help, there are also those
that can harm us. Many chemical compounds in plants were meant to act as
a defensive system against predators,
invaders and other plants. Take the black
walnut tree (Juglans nigra), it releases a
compound called naphthalene glucoside
from its roots into the soil. The chemical
then turns into juglone which is known for
the affect of inhibiting seed germination
and growth of seedlings competing for
light and space. Plant compounds can also
the stunt the growth of juvenile animals,
act as birth control or actually mimic reproductive hormones to stimulate bree