2. • Many of these plants have milky sap and many
species are poisonous if ingested.
• The plants in this family have diverse
alkaloids which have lead to their toxicity and
to their use in medicine.
3. • Apocynaceae are mostly trees, shrubs or
climbers rarely perennial herb. It comprises
comprising about 355 genera and 3700 species
• HABIT:
Plants are perennials herbs.
• HABITAT:
It is widely distributed all over the world
that especially abundant in sub-tropical and
temperate regions
4. • STEM:
Aerial, erect or climbing, cylindrical or
angular, herbaceous, woody usually solid
• LEAVES:
Simple, alternate or whorled, exstipulate.
5. • INFLORESCENCE:
Usually cymose and cyme may be axillary or
terminal.
• FLOWER:
Regular, bisexual, Hypogynous, Bracteate and
pentamerous
• CALYX:
5 sepals, gamosepalous mostly 5- lobed.
10. • BOTANICAL ORIGION: Rauwolfia
serpentina
• Common Name: Snake root, Chandrika.
• Part used: Dried roots and rhizomes
• Habit: Shrub
• Habitat: Found in Pakistan, India and Burma.
• Constituents:
Mainly contain alkaloidal bases and
from which more than 80 alkaloids have been
separated.
The major alkaloids are
14. • BOTANICAL ORIGION: Catharanthus
roseus, Vinca rosea
• Common Name: Vinca rosea, Catharanthus
• Part used: Dried whole plant
• Habit: Perennial herb
• Habitat: Found in many tropical and
subtropical regions esp. in South and North
America, Australia, India.
• Constituents:
Alkaloids are present in whole herb
but leaves and roots contain more alkaloids.
16. • MEDICINAL USES:
Vinblastine is an anti tumor alkaloid and
used in the treatment of Hodgkin’s
disease.
Vincristine is a cytotoxic compound and
used to treat leukemia in children.
As Astringent
As tonic
In diabetes
In bleeding piles used externally as well as
internally.
