Question

Find the incorrect match between the plant and its medicinal use

Plants	Medicinal use
a. Cinchona officinalis	Anti-malarial
b. Catharanthus roseus	Anti-helminthic
c. Rauwolfia serpentina	Anti-hypertension
d. Taxus brevifolia	Anti-cancer

Choose the correct option:

• A. a and b
• B. Only b
• C. b and d
• D. Only d

Answer 1

The correct option is B Only b

One of the reasons for conserving biodiversity is the narrowly utilitarian services (direct benefits to humans) that it renders. More than 25% of the drugs currently present in the market worldwide are derived from plants and 25,000 species of plants contribute to the traditional medicines used by native peoples around the world. There is a possibility of more medicinally useful plants present in the tropical rain forests waiting to be explored.

Cinchona officinalis is a medicinal plant and one of the several Cinchona species used for the production of quinine, which is an anti-fever agent. It is especially useful in the prevention and treatment of malaria.

Catharanthus roseus is applyed to wasp stings and to heal wounds as it relieves muscle pain. Its application ranges widely from the prevention of diabetes to treatment of stomach ache. It is used to extract the the anti cancer compounds: Vinblastine and Vincristine

Rauwolfia serpentina is a safe and effective treatment for hypertension. Reserpine is the medicine obtained from this plants used in the treatment of hypertension.

Paclitaxel is the most well-known natural-source cancer drug derived from the bark of Taxus brevifolia and is used in the treatment of breast, lung, and ovarian cancer. Thus only option ‘b’ has an incorrect match.