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Part1: Medicinal or pharmaceutical Plants
1-Liverworts: From pedigree of embryophytes this plant is found throughout the world, especially in the tropic region. Few genera of this family are also aquatic. Liverworts grow on damp rocks and moist soil, while leafy liverworts habitat also on tree trunks in damp woods of low temperature, preferably in deep shades away from sunlight (Bidartondo & Duckett, 2009).
Figure 1: Liverworts (Aphotoflora.com, 2014)
2-Ginseng (Panax ginseng): It is a deciduous perennial of North America and eastern Asia. Suitable average temperature for ginseng is 50°F under 70-90% artificial or natural shade. Generally prefers a loamy and well-drained acidic soil with a high organic content (Yun, 2001).
Figure 2: Ginseng (Gobotany.newenglandwild.org, 2014)
3- Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum): Thorny plant of southern Europe, Northern and Mediterranean Africa, preferably most temperate regions of the world. Plant prefers high fertile soils and areas of nitrogen rich soils. Mostly found near river flats, around stock yards and sheep camps (Flora, Hahn, Rosen & Benner, 1998).
Figure 3: Milk Thistle (Chilkov, D. (2013).
4- Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis): A perennial, succulent plant, cactus-like plant that grows in dry and hot climates,with high temperatures. Aloe Vera grows on sandy and medium or loamy and well-drained soil. It can grow on nutritionally poor (acid, basic or neutral) soils. Needs direct light to grow and no shades (Nih.gov, 2014).
Figure 4: Aloe vera (Spicesmedicinalherbs.com, 2014).
5- Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis): A conifer, habitant of narrow band along the
north Pacific coast from south-central Alaska to northern California. Typically grows in high rainfall areas and cool climates with low temperatures. It grows on moist and well-drained acidic soils such as headlands, floodplains, glacial outwash, marine terraces, headlands, avalanche tracks (Nih.gov, 2014).
Figure 5: Sitka spruce (Earle, 2014).
Part 2: Importance of these plants and how they are being used to solve real-world problems.
Traditional medicinal plants have for long been the foundation of pharmacology and therapeutics. Drug discovery has benefitted largely from traditional medicinal plants. Traditional medicine and Ethnobotany can be a precious tool for potential pharmaceutical research (Nih.gov, 2014).
Liverworts contain cellular oil body and generate aromatic compounds, terpenoids and acetogenins and also demonstrate activities like insecticide, cytotoxic, muscle relaxant, anti-HIV, anti-obesity, antimicrobial, neurotrophic and antifungal (Asakawa, 2008). Ginseng is a respected physical vitality herbal medicine used to invigorate weak bodies. Silibinin is a chemical in milk thistle reduces the liver damage which is caused by mushroom poisoning. Some researches highlight the benefit of milk thistle in liver damage caused by industrial poisons like xylene and toluene. It also improves the survival rate in hepatitis B or C. It is found to be useful in gallbladder problems, spleen disorders, malaria and lungs swelling, also in menstrual problems and many other ailments (Nih.gov, 2014). Milk thistle along with a combination of certain herbs like peppermint leaf, licorice, caraway, german chamomile, the mustard plant, lemon balm and angelica has been found beneficial in heartburn (dyspepsia). Clinical use of aloe vera is highly known. It is useful in reducing blood glucose and blood lipid levels. It is also a useful treatment for psoriasis and genital herpes.Sitka spruce pitch is a beneficial medicine for sore throats, cold, rheumatism, toothaches and internal swellings (Asakawa, 2008).
References
Aphotoflora.com,. (2014). Marchantia polymorpha - Common Liverwort (Liverwort Images).
Retrieved 14 November 2014, from
http://www.aphotoflora.com/liverwort_marchantia_polymorpha.html
Asakawa, Y. (2008). Liverworts-potential source of medicinal compounds. Current pharmaceutical
design, 14(29), 3067-3088.
Bidartondo, M., & Duckett, J. (2009). Conservative ecological and evolutionary patterns in
liverwort-fungal symbioses. Proceedings Of The Royal Society B: Biological
Sciences, 277(1680), 485-492. doi:10.1098/rspb.2009.1458
(Chilkov, D. (2013). Milk Thistle Protects Cells FromToxic Chemotherapy Side Effects - Integrative
Cancer Answers. Integrative Cancer Answers. Retrieved 14 November 2014, from
http://www.integrativecanceranswers.com/milk-thistle-protects-cells-fromtoxic-
chemotherapy-side-effects/#.VGXtkU3SbIU
Earle, A. (2014). Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) description. Conifers.org. Retrieved 14 November
2014, from http://www.conifers.org/pi/Picea_sitchensis.php
Flora, K., Hahn, M., Rosen, H., & Benner, K. (1998). Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) for the
therapy of liver disease. The American journal of gastroenterology, 93(2), 139-143.
Gobotany.newenglandwild.org,. (2014). Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng): Go
Botany. Retrieved 14 November 2014, from
https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/panax/quinquefolius/
Nih.gov,. (2014). National Institutes of Health (NIH). Retrieved 14 November 2014, from
http://www.nih.gov/
Spicesmedicinalherbs.com,. (2014). Aloe Vera Herb,Aloe Vera Plant,Benefits of Aloe Vera,Perennial
Herb. Retrieved 14 November 2014, from
http://www.spicesmedicinalherbs.com/aloe-vera.html
Yun, T. (2001). Brief Introduction of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. Journal Of Korean Medical
Science, 16(Suppl), S3. doi:10.3346/jkms.2001.16.s.s3
