Plants produce chemical compounds as part of their normal metabolic activities. The compounds include primary metabolites and secondary metabolites. It is the secondary metabolites and pigments that can have therapeutic actions in humans and which can be refined to produce drugs.
The classes of secondary metabolites are:
- Alkaloids
- Terpenoids
- Aliphatic, Aromatic and Heteroaromatic
- Polyketides
- Phenols
- Iridoids
- Steroids
- Volatile oils, Resins & Balsams
- Saponins
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