Phytochemical and Biological Screening of Saudi Medicinal Plants Part-10* A Study on Saudi Plants of Family Compositae

Abstract

This paper presents the results of phytochemical and pharmacological studies of twenty three plants of Compositae family obtained from different regions of Saudi Arabia. The qualitative chemical analysis was done for the presence or absence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinones, flavonoids, saponins, coumarins, sterols/triterpenes, tannins, volatile oils, volatile bases and glucosinolates. Pharmacological parameters included effect of plant extracts on nervous system, cardiovascular system, smooth and skeletal muscles, serum glucose, cholesterol, electrolytes, blood coagulation, and toxicity studies in mice and brine shrimp. The results of this study indicate that many of these plants are of pharmacological importance and further phytochemical and biological studies are suggested.