Herbalism Herbal Pharmacology & Plant Constituents

Question 1

Which class of plant compounds is responsible for the astringent taste and tissue-tightening effects of herbs like witch hazel and oak bark?

Accepted Answer

Tannins

Answer

Alkaloids

Answer

Flavonoids

Answer

Saponins

Question 2

What type of plant constituent is berberine, the active compound found in goldenseal and barberry?

Accepted Answer

Alkaloid

Answer

Flavonoid

Answer

Tannin

Answer

Glycoside

Question 3

Saponins found in herbs like licorice root and ginseng are best known for their:

Accepted Answer

Surfactant, adaptogenic, and expectorant effects

Answer

Astringent and tissue-tightening properties

Answer

Sedative and anxiolytic action

Answer

Analgesic and antispasmodic properties

Question 4

Which constituent in milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is responsible for its hepatoprotective (liver-protecting) effects?

Accepted Answer

Silymarin

Answer

Rosmarinic acid

Answer

Hypericin

Answer

Curcumin

Question 5

Volatile oils (essential oils) in herbs like peppermint and lavender primarily exert their effects through:

Accepted Answer

Aromatic compounds interacting with olfactory and mucous membrane receptors

Answer

Binding to opioid receptors in the central nervous system

Answer

Inhibiting COX-1 and COX-2 enzyme pathways

Answer

Stimulating adrenal cortisol production

Question 6

Cardiac glycosides found in plants like foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) work primarily by:

Accepted Answer

Inhibiting sodium-potassium ATPase pumps in cardiac muscle cells

Answer

Blocking L-type calcium channels in the heart

Answer

Stimulating beta-1 adrenergic receptors

Answer

Increasing renal sodium and water excretion

Question 7

Quercetin, a flavonoid found abundantly in elderberry and onion skins, acts primarily as a(n):

Accepted Answer

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihistamine compound

Answer

Antimicrobial and antifungal agent

Answer

Diuretic and kidney tonic

Answer

Expectorant and mucolytic agent