# Modern drugs from herbalist plants **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 21, 2025, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939 "2025-06-21T16:26:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2025, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/21 "2025-06-23T15:55:25Z")
Would you count them if the medication was something that was originally created independently in a lab (that is it wasn’t being worked on as plant derived), but then we later find out the substance occurs in certain plants that were previously reported to be of medicinal use? What about substances that come from nature, but weren’t being used by herbalists for the purposes that they are now indicated, such as penicillin and lovastatin (found in certain fungi including oyster mushrooms)? As far as I know, penicillin mold wasn’t used as an antibiotic, and oyster mushrooms weren’t used for purposes of lowering cholesterol, but yet medications using the same active ingredients are prescribed. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/22 "2025-06-23T15:57:21Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > What about substances that come from nature, but weren’t being used by herbalists for the purposes that they are now indicated, such as penicillin As I pointed out above, mouldy bread was used as an antiseptic. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/23 "2025-06-23T18:54:01Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > Would you count them if the medication was something that was originally created independently in a lab (that is it wasn’t being worked on as plant derived), but then we later find out the substance occurs in certain plants that were previously reported to be of medicinal use? What about substances that come from nature, but weren’t being used by herbalists for the purposes that they are now indicated, such as penicillin and lovastatin (found in certain fungi including oyster mushrooms)? No and no. I guess I didn’t spell it out in the OP very well, but what I’m really interested in is cases where the herbal medicine was accepted by at least some people as an effective treatment which is why that plant was investigated by more recent researchers to identify the active ingredient. Quinine is a perfect example. The problem is that we don’t always know why a particular plant was investigated. However, in the case of penicillin, we know it was an accidental discovery and not intentionally investigated because it worked in herbal medicine. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2025, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/24 "2025-06-23T19:04:32Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > But was it part of a traditional medicinal usage? OK, with a little more time to search today: the [Kew cite](https://www.kew.org/plants/madagascar-periwinkle#:~:text=Health,for%20diabetes%2C%20hypertension%20and%20leukaemia.) states that Madagascar periwinkle was used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat leukaemia, but that’s the only time I have seen that claim made. [This review](https://www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/the-many-lives-of-a-medicinal-superstar-delving-into-the-global-story-of-catharanthus-roseus/) specifically contradicts Kew’s claim in a pretty detailed way - > In 1949, it was serendipitously discovered by Halina Czajkowski Robinson… it might have a role in lowering white cell count (5). This experiment led to the isolation and purification by Charles Beers of the alkaloids, vincristine, and vinblastine in 1958. Vinblastine, which stops cell division (mitosis), can be used in the treatment of breast, ovarian, lung, testicular and bladder cancer as well as Hodgkin’s disease (9). Vincristine is a revolutionary compound that is now said to have raised the survival rate in childhood leukaemia from less than 10% in 1960 to 90% today (8). So yeah, good spot, it looks like Kew are in error and I think I had better delete Madagascar periwinkle from the list. j ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2025, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/25 "2025-06-25T19:37:35Z")
As this thread appears to be running down, here’s Dara Ó Briain’s contribution to the debate. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qHNQqCCOoZ8/maxresdefault.jpg "Dara O'Briain on Homeopathy, Herbal Medicine, etc.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHNQqCCOoZ8&t=103) j ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2025, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/26 "2025-06-25T21:51:33Z")
_Rauvolfia serpentina_ (Indian snakeroot, _sarpagandha_), long used in Indian herbal medicine, the source of reserpine for lowering hypertension. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2025, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/27 "2025-06-25T23:55:15Z")
St Johns Wort, hypericin is the extract. Treats Mild depression and is being studied for treatment of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/28 "2025-06-26T07:04:22Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > _Rauvolfia serpentina_ (Indian snakeroot, _sarpagandha_), long used in Indian herbal medicine, the source of reserpine for lowering hypertension. I have a hard time believing that that plant was used in herbal medicine to reduce blood pressure. Or even that high blood pressure was a condition that traditional healers thought needed treating.. > [@chela](#): > > St Johns Wort, hypericin is the extract. Treats Mild depression This is one that I meant to include, or at least research for, the OP. But I forgot to do that. After research, I couldn’t even verify that hypericin is available by prescription, although the plant is available as a dietary supplement. It’s generaly agreed that the plant treats depression, though. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/29 "2025-06-26T16:46:02Z")
Read my words more carefully because I chose them carefully. I said that _reserpine_ derived from _Rauvolfia_ lowers hypertension. Indian herbalists had been using the plant to treat depression. Gandhi used it to relieve stress. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/30 "2025-06-26T16:55:07Z")
You didn’t get the question then. I wanted drugs derived from herbal plants where the two were used to treat the _same condition_. That is, the plant was commonly used by herbalists to treat some disease or set of symptoms and then some researcher looked into that plant to find the active ingredient that did that treatment. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/31 "2025-06-26T17:25:13Z")
I’m not well informed of the pharmacology, but… Willow bark → Salicylic acid (asperin) Foxglove (digitalis) → Digoxin (used for heart disease) Stretching a little… psylocybin mushrooms have shown potential as a treatmemt for depression, although they have not been approved for such use. ---
**Author:** ![moes\_lotion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@moes\_lotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moes_lotion)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/32 "2025-06-26T19:05:56Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Madagascar periwinkle is the source of the vinca alkaloids, used in certain cancer therapies. Bit of a hijack, but in the video game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. one of the medicines available to treat radiation exposure is call Vinca, and now I know where the name came from. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/33 "2025-06-26T19:18:12Z")
Have you seen this publication? > **[Plant-derived natural products for drug discovery: current approaches and...](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9579558/)** > > Nature has abundant source of drugs that need to be identified/purified for use as essential biologics, either individually or in combination in the modern medical field. These drugs are divided into small bio-molecules, plant-made biologics, and a... ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2025, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/34 "2025-06-27T00:52:08Z")
never mind ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2025, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/35 "2025-06-27T00:52:51Z")
Well, in that case it still counts because it was used by herbalists as stress relief and hypertension correlates with stress. That counts as close enough by my interpretation of your rules. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2025, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939/36 "2025-06-28T09:40:12Z")
> [@chela](#): > > Have you seen this publication? > > [Plant-derived natural products for drug discovery: current approaches and prospects - PMC](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9579558/) I’ve now read it. While it’s interesting, it doesn’t mention any specific instances of drugs/plants that I’m interested in. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939.md?page=1)