cultivation, collection, conservation and elaboration...

CULTIVATION, COLLECTION, CONSERVATION AND ELABORATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

PRODUCTS

Workbook

Authorship: Astrid van Ginkel – FITOMON

Proofreading and checking:Eva Moré – Forest Research Centre of Catalonia(CTFC)

Cultivation, collection, conservation and elaboration of medicinal plants products

IntroductionThis handbook includes class notes and exercises to learn everything about medicinal plants production

This material has been produced thanks to the financial assistance of:

Herbal Initiative for Youth – bridging the oceanCapacity Building Project, Ref. No.: 569353-EPP-1-2015-2-SK-EPPKA2-CBY-ACPALA

www.herbs4youth.eu


INDEX

1. Cultivation2. Collection3. Processing

3.1. Primary Transformation3.2. Product manufacturing

Cultivation, collection, conservation and elaboration of medicinal plants products3.2. Processing: Product manufacturing

Manufacturing

The partial or total manufacturer of aromatic and medicinal herbal products maybe single plant packers or mixtures for infusion, tablet or capsule builder;packaging makers of extracts or essential oils; liquorists; or work with food(preserves, prepared food, bread, etc.); cosmetics, veterinary, air fresheners,ornamentation, etc., until obtaining a final product as it will be presented to theconsumer.

The production facilities must comply with the respective legislation in terms offacilities, product, staff, etc., depending on the use and final destination of theproducts that it manufactures.

Each product depending on whether it is a Food, Drug, Cosmetic, etc., mustcomply with requirements of good practices and specific legislation. Complyingwith GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) is the highest standards amanufacturer can achieve, and must be met in the manufacture of medicinalproducts. Foods must comply with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical ControlPoints).

More information: WHO Guidelines on good manufacturing Practices (GMP) for Herbal Medicines http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/m/abstract/Js14215e/Documento de Mínimos de Calidad de la Asociación Europea para las Especias http://www.esa‐spices.org/download/esaqualityminimadocument191104final‐trans.pdfhttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plantas_medi

cinale.jpg


Seasonings production

Spices and seasonings

It is designated by the name of spice or aromatic seasoning to plants or partsthereof, fresh or dried, whole, chopped or ground, which by their characteristiccolor, aroma or taste are intended for the preparation of food and beverages, inorder to incorporate these characteristics making them more palatable and tastyand, consequently, achieving a better use of them.

Salt and vinegar are considered natural condiments. The product obtained by thesimple mixing of various spices or seasonings with each other, and / or with otherauthorized food substances is understood as seasoning.

Among the spices are cinnamon, vanilla, pepper, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom,thyme, rosemary, sage, and a long etc. And marigold, mauve, sage, etc. asexamples of fresh flowers to aromatize and decorate.

These spices are often marketed fresh packaged as fourth range, or dried crushedor powdered, alone or mixed, in glass or plastic jars in small quantities.

More information: http://www.wikihow.com/Match‐Herbs‐and‐Spices‐to‐Vegetables

3.2.1. Food manufacturing3.2.2. Manufacture of medical products3.2.3. Manufacture of cosmetics3.2.4. Manufacture of agriculturalextracts3.2.5. Manufacture of air fresheners3.2.6. Quality control3.2.7. Marketing

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bengali_spices.JPG



Flavoured salts

The salt in food is the crystalline product constituted fundamentally by sodiumchloride in conditions that make it suitable for alimentary uses.

Brines for food use are referred to solutions in drinking water of edible salt, withsugar or not, vinegar, other seasonings, spices and other authorized substances.

A flavoured salt consists of a salt of feed use to which a dry spice or seasoninghas been added in a variable proportion which may range from 5 to 50%, or evenmore. Depending on the use and to what food the salt is intended to be added,different species, alone or mixed, will be used. They are marketed in smallquantities in glass or plastic containers.

Herb salt: https://youtu.be/4fZLD3BZD_UHow to replace salt with herbs and spices: https://youtu.be/8PRvNxHIQds


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kraeutersalz‐Herstellung_mittels_Steinmoerser_23012015_144.jpg



Aromatic vinegars

Vinegar is the liquid suitable for human consumption resulting from the doublealcoholic and acetic fermentation of agricultural origin products.

There are different types of vinegars: wine, fruit, cider (apple), alcohol, cereals,malt (barley), etc.

For the preparation of an aromatic vinegar, plants and/or parts of aromatic plantsand/or spices and/or fruits must be added: fruit juices, grape must, honey, sugar,salt or additives authorized for vinegar or raw materials (wine, cider, fruit juices,distilled spirits of agricultural origin, alcoholic beverages).

They are marketed in glass bottles from 250 ml to 1 litre.

Tarragon Vinegar Recipe

In a 250ml glass jar, pour 100 ml of white wine or cider, and add 10 g of freshspices (one or more, especially tarragon) and half lemon juice. Close. Leave tomacerate at room temperature in a cupboard for 3 months. Filter, pack and label.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goddard%27s_Pies_chilli_vinegar_bottles.jpg



Flavoured oils

It is an edible vegetable oil to which one or more spices are added, maceratingfor a month, or adding a few drops of essential oils.

Care should be taken to ensure that fresh herbs are completely submerged in theoil because otherwise mould may appear. It is safer to use dry plants.

It is marketed in glass bottles from 250 ml to 1 litre.

Aromatic Oil Recipe

In a glass container of 250 ml:

Add 100 ml olive oil, or otherAdd 10 g of spices (one or more).Macerate for 45 days.Shake every 2 daysFilter at the end


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Olive_Oil_Infused_Rosemary_(5551701707).jpg


Drinks

Infusions

An infusion is the liquid product obtained by the action of water, at boilingtemperature, on the plant species, in order to extract soluble substances from it.

The plant species for infusions used in food are those that, due to their aromaand flavour (characteristics of the species to which they belong), are used in foodfor their physiological or organoleptic action.

We often find a derivative called "Soluble extract", which is the water solubleproduct obtained by the partial or total evaporation of the infusion of thecorresponding plant species.

Among these species we can find tea, chamomile, mint, hibiscus, lemon verbena,linden or sarsaparilla.

These infusions may be individually sold or blended dried, whole or crushed in acellophane bag, paper bag, carton, or in infusion bags.


Top healing herbal teas: https://youtu.be/4iSz4Y0gPykhttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Floral_tisane_with_lemon.jpg


Drinks

Non‐alcoholic drinks

Fruit and other vegetables juices and their derivatives and also refreshing orenergy drinks, are considered non‐alcoholic beverages. Guaraná would be one ofthe plants considered stimulant due to the caffeine content.

Alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic beverages include aromatic wine, vermouth, beer or spirits. Some areobtained from cultivated or wild plants (gin), and others are flavoured witharomatic spices. In the market are multiple distillates, macerated or fermentedwith an important base of spices. You can macerate a distillate with cinnamon,you can macerate a liquor with wine, or you can ferment a beer with ginger.


•Palo: liqueur made by infusion and/or maceration of quinine (bark of Cinchona)and gentian (Gentian lutea roots) in a hydroalcoholic solution, with addition ofsugar, caramelized sucrose and ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin.•Peppermint: liqueur with a clear mint flavour, obtained by maceration ordistillation of peppermint alone or associated with other species of this genus, orextracts thereof, with an alcoholic strength not exceeding 40% vol.•Curaçao: spirit drink obtained by maceration and/or distillation of orangesand/or vegetable substances and/or by the addition of extracts thereof.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hierbas.jpg


Vegetable products

A wide variety of vegetable products can use aromatic and medicinal plants. With them canned, preserves, dried or germinated seeds can be elaborated.

Food supplements

Foodstuffs intended to supplement the normal diet are considered foodsupplements (or food supplements). They consist of concentrated sources ofnutrients or of other substances that have a nutritional or physiological effect, insimple or combined form. They are marketed in dosage form, i.e. capsules, pills,tablets and other similar forms, bags of powders, ampoules of liquid, bottles withdroppers and other similar forms of liquids and powders to be taken in small unitquantities.

The ingredients that are part of nutritional supplements are nutrients: vitamins,minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, enzymes, plants and their derivatives andother substances.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spirulina_tablets.jpg

Food supplements guidelines:http://www.foodsupplementseurope.org/publications‐guidelinesFood supplements regulation in Europe:https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/supplements_en


Medicinal products

A "Medicine" is any substance or combination of substances which possessesproperties for the treatment or prevention of diseases in humans or which maybe used in humans for the purpose of restoring, correcting or modifyingphysiological functions by exerting a pharmacological, immunological ormetabolic action, or to establish a medical diagnosis.

At veterinary level, veterinary medicinal products are considered to be 'pre‐mixtures for medicated feed' intended for incorporation into feed.

The marketing of herbal medicines implies considerable requirements withregard to facilities and authorizations.

Herbal medicines can be marketed in the form of capsules, tablets, drops, syrups,scrubs, ointments, etc.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Karela_capsules_2.jpg

LEARNING ACTIVITYConsult: Regulation the herbal industry in Jamaica. Standards & regulation (2014)http://src.gov.jm/wp‐content/uploads/2014/11/2REGULATION‐OF‐HERBAL‐PRODUCTSCopeland.pdfFind out the difference between a “food”, a “drug”, “herbs”, “herbal material”,“herbal remedy” and “health food”

See: http://www.healingherbsofjamaica.com/


Biocides

Biocidal means any substance or mixture which is composed of or generates oneor more active substances for the purpose of destroying, counteracting orneutralizing any harmful organism or of preventing its action or exerting on it aneffect of control of another type, by any method other than a mere physical ormechanical action.

Insect repellents and anti‐mosquito products are in this group. They are within“Medications” but their legal requirements vary.

Anti‐mosquito products based on essential oils such as geranium (Pelagornium“citrosum”), citronella (Cymbopogon citratus), basil, clove or mint are marketedin the form of spray or bracelets. The spray solution can be based on alcohol orvegetable oil that is applied directly on the skin.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Citronella#/media/File:Citronella_oil_spray.jpg

See:Mosquito repellent recipes:http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2013/07/natural‐homemade‐insect‐repellent‐recipes.html

LEARNING ACTIVITYFind out which plants are used as biocides in your area and check if there arecommercial products that have it as an ingredient.


Cosmetic product

It is called a cosmetic product to any substance or mixture intended to bebrought into contact with the superficial parts of the human body (epidermis,hair and hair system, nails, lips and external genital organs) or with teeth andmucous membranes, with the exclusive or main purpose of cleaning, perfumingthem, modifying their appearance, protecting them, keeping them in goodcondition or correcting body odours.

The market for cosmetic products with plant ingredients is booming. Vegetableextracts and essential oils are part of perfumes, soaps, bath salts, clays, creams,balms, ointments and oils for the skin, hair, mouth or nails.


Toothpaste with white clay for oral useIngredients:• 3 tablespoons of white clay.• Distilled water, sufficient to achieve the desired texture. It may be an infusion of mint(refreshing) or thyme (disinfectant), or strawberry juice (for children).• The tip of a coffee spoon of bicarbonate• 1 drop of Propolis Tincture (antiseptic) or sage tincture (whitening teeth) (optional).• 1 drop of peppermint essential oil.Preparation:• Put the clay in a bowl and add enough water slowly and mix until desired texture isachieved.• Add baking soda, tincture and/or essential oil, and mix.• Pack in a syringe.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cosmetica‐

natural.png


Extracts for agriculture

Extracts for agriculture can be classified into two groups: fertilizers and plantprotection products.

Fertilizer is defined as the product used in agriculture or gardening which,because of its nutrient content, facilitates the plant growth, increases their yieldand improves the quality of crops or, by its specific action, modifies, asappropriate, the fertility of the soil or its physical, chemical or biologicalcharacteristics. It must comply with the legal requirements.

Some plant extracts, for example, nettle (Urtica dioica), are very close to afertilizer, because they improve the growth of the plant.

Plant protection products (pesticides) are chemical mixtures containing one ormore active substances, the purpose of which is to protect plants and theirproducts from harmful organisms. Substances that destroy plants, regulate orinhibit germination are also considered plant protection products.

They contribute to increase yields in agriculture, but at the same time their usemay have adverse effects on plant production and may also pose risks to humans,animals and the environment, which is a high cost for society.

Certain extracts of plants are considered plant protection products: mint, thyme,citrus.


Video how to make nettle fertilizer:https://youtu.be/xjgU2xciE‐o


Air fresheners

Essential oils intended to be used in the form of environmental diffusion havespecial legal requirements. Most are marketed alone or mixed in topaz glassbottles of 10 to 15 ml.

Types of natural air fresheners:• Incense stick• Wooden objects• Scented Candles• Cardboard Strips• Diffuser of essential oil• Aromatic sachets• Potpourri


Ver:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make‐Incense‐Stickshttp://www.wikihow.com/Make‐Scented‐Candleshttp://www.wikihow.com/Make‐PotpourriVideo car fresheners: https://youtu.be/lKZ‐oClRGekVideo lavender scent pouch: https://youtu.be/DDBrPoxcZbw


Quality control

Quality Control is all the measures that are taken to ensure that raw materialsand manufacturing processes meet the guarantees of quality and purity required.

Quality control refers to sampling, specifications and testing, as well as to theorganization, documentation and approval procedures which ensure the actualexecution of the necessary and relevant tests until their quality has beenconsidered satisfactory for the raw materials, conditioning material and products(released for distribution and sale).

Pharmacognosy is the science responsible for the study and characterization ofplant drugs, through botanical classification (macroscopic drug morphology,histology and powder microscopy), chemical and physical‐chemicalidentifications, etc. of the active principles and qualitative and quantitativedetermination.


A drug is altered when it is in a defective state of preservation, without havingundergone any artificial manipulation.

It is considered an adulteration to add a foreign matter to a drug, either harmfulor harmless, or the extraction of its active ingredients (with which the drug isannulled).

A counterfeit entails the total or partial replacement of one drug for another.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ardabil_school_of_pharmacy‐laboratory.JPG

3.2. Processing: Product manufacturing

Types of Quality Controls

1) IDENTITY CONTROL:

• Nomenclature. Systematics, family, Latin name• Macroscopic examination: Morphological and organoleptic.• Microscopic examination: Histological sections, disintegrated tissues, vegetablepowders, diagnostic elemental organs, application of histochemical reagents.• Quantitative Microscopy: Methods with spores of lycopodium, number ofstomas, stomatal index, palisade ratio, number of islets.• Qualitative phytochemical tests.

2) PURITY CONTROL:

• Strange plant elements• Moisture control: Loss of mass by drying, methods based on distillation,chemical methods.• Mineral charge control: Total ash, sulfur ash, ash insoluble in HCl.• Control of heavy metals.• Control of pesticide residues: organophosphates, organochlorines andpyrethroids• Pollution control by radionuclides.• Control of microorganisms: Total viable aerobes, specific microorganisms.• Pollution control by radionuclides.• Control of microorganisms: Total viable aerobes, specific microorganisms.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ZeaStemcs100x4.jpg




Types of Quality Controls

3) WEALTH AND ACTIVITY CONTROL:

• Extractive materials.• Index of swelling.• Foam index.• Determination of essential oils.• Determination of chemical indices.• Assessment of active ingredients.• Biological assays and evaluations: bitter index, hemolytic activity, astringentpower.

4) STORAGE CONTROL:

• Bacterial and fungal contamination.• Attacks by arthropods.• Deterioration by rodents.

3.2.1. Food manufacturing3.2.2. Manufacture of medical products 3.2.3. Manufacture of cosmetics3.2.4. Manufacture of agricultural extracts3.2.5. Manufacture of air fresheners 3.2.6. Quality control3.2.7. Marketing



Identity Control of a plant drug

For a correct identity control of a plant drug is performed a:

Observation with magnifying glass of different structures of a medicinal herb:glands filled with essential oil, hairs, etc.: Thyme leaves (Thymus vulgaris),flowering summit of mallow (Malva sylvestris), basil leaves, others.

Identification under microscope of structures characteristic of herbs (trichomes,glands, starch, calcium oxalate crystals, stone cells, fibres, tracheids, vessels,epidermal cells, etc.: roots of Valeriana officinalis, thyme leaves, others. Asufficient amount of POWDER sample is dispersed on a slide, chloral hydrate anda cover are added and observed through a light microscope with magnificationsof 4x, 10x and 40x.

Identification by thin layer chromatography.Rapid identification of active substances by chemical reagents that producecoloration and/or precipitation in extracts of different drugs, allows us todetermine the presence/absence of them.




Identity Control of a plant drug

Chemical reagents

1. ALKALOIDES + Mayer y Dragendorff = brown or orange precipitate1 g of the drug powder, erlenmeyer, add a sufficient volume of 5% hydrochloricacid to cover the sample; heat in a water bath for 10 minutes, cool and filter.Place approximately 0.5 ml of the acidic filtrate in two test tubes. Add to each ofthe tubes previously labeled with the name of the sample and the reagent 2drops of the reagents of: Dragendorff, Mayer.

Species with alkaloids: Trigonella foenum‐graecum, Datura inoxia, Erythroxyloncoca, Atropa belladona, Papaver somniferum, Nicotiana tabacum, etc.

See alkaloids isolated from plants at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkaloid

2. SAPONINS + water + agitation = foam3 g of the sprayed drug, add water to cover the sample, filter, pass 4 ml of thefiltrate to a test tube and shake vigorously for one minute, if abundant stablefoam is formed for approximately 5 minutes, is presumptive proof of thepresence of Saponins in the sample. With vanillin sulfuric it is blue‐violet oryellow.Species with saponins: Cassava (Manihot esculenta), ginseng (Panax ginseng),etc. Ver https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponin


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Positivo_Alcaloides(Dragendorff).JPG



Chemical reagents

3. TANNINS + ferric chloride (III) = blue or green colourTo 1 g of the sprayed drug add water to cover the sample, heat in water bath for10 to 15 minutes, filter while hot. Take 1 ml of the filtrate in a test tube and addtwo (2) drops of ferric trichloride solution (1% FeCl3). The appearance of a green,blue or black colour is positive (+) test for phenolic compounds. To the filtrate 2add a few drops of gelatin salt, if there is turbidity formation or precipitate thetest is considered positive for tannins. Species with tannins: Caesalpinia spinosa,Schinopsis sp.

4. Valepotriates + acetic acid: HCl (2: 8) + heat = brown or blueTo 1 g of the sprayed drug add dichloromethane to cover the sample, heat in a 5‐minute water bath, filter while hot. Species with valepotriates: Valerianaofficinalis L.

5. Mucilages + water + agitation = gelationAdd to 1 g of different vegetable drugs crushed 10 ml of water (test tube). Shakeevery 5 minutes for 1 h. See if you have increased volume. Species withmucilages: linseed (Linum usitatissimum), chia (Salvia hispanica), marshmallow(Althaea officinalis)

6. Coumarins + UV365 = yellow‐green‐blue fluorescenceAdd to 1 g of different vegetable drugs crushed 10 ml of methanol. Heat in awater bath (60°C) for 5 min. Filter and evenly distribute the filtrate in test tubes,5 ml each. Look at the UV. Species with coumarins: Galium odoratum, Verbascumspp.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Positivo_Alcaloides(Dragendorff).JPG


Marketing

In the marketing phase of the elaborated products it is necessary to take intoaccount a series of elements, realizing a correct planning:

• Elaboration of a business plan, market study and interaction studies withusers. Budgets• Development of a sales plan with the communication of the benefits, andmarket positioning. Product life cycle analysis• Benchmarking and technological foresight.• Development and registration of the product name and brand.Registration of trademarks.• Selection of the packaging (according to the form of use and application),and labeling or serigraphy.• Design of etiquette, texts, packaging.• Define PV, PVD and PVP price• Dissemination products: web, brochures, etc.• Search for potential distributors or customers• Comply with norms and legal requirements of commercialization• Elaboration of technical documents and supporting argument for the saleand promotion of the cosmetic product.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spice_Market,_Dubai_(8667317177).jpg

See: Spices and herbs for home and markethttp://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2476e/i2476e00.pdf


LEARNING ACTIVITY

Define a food product based on aromatic herbs, and plan the production:• Ingredients needed• Packaging Materials• Formulation• Applications• Calculate production costs

Prepare the commercialization of manufactured products:

• Define the target market • Calculate the distribution costs (where you have to transport it)• Design the label, texts, packaging.• Prepare dissemination and information of the products: web, leaflets, etc.• Calculate the sales price


Concepts:

Marketing mixhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing_mixBusiness model canvas:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Model_Canvas

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Guaranae2.JPG

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