Question

Name the secondary metabolites in catharanthus roseus.

Answer 1

Secondary metabolites are the organic compounds produced by the plants that are not involved in direct growth of the plant individual but they are involved in adding up an additional feature to the plant organism. They may be used as a weapon against the enemy plant for inhibiting its growth around the plant producing it, it can be used for transportation of some secretions produced by the plants, and may act as symbiotic agents between plants, insects and microbes.

Complete step by step answer:
To name the secondary metabolites of the plant catharanthus roseus, we will first study about this plant and its properties.
-Catharanthus roseus: It is the plant commonly known by various names such as bright eye, graveyard plant, old maid and many more names. It belongs to the family Apocynaceae. It is a native plant to Madagascar but is used as medicinal as well as ornamental plant.
-It is accepted as an ornamental plant because of its stiffness and intact conditions even during the dry and freezing conditions when the temperatures fall below 5-7 degree.
-It has medicinal properties and its roots and shoots are used to treat the diseases even though they are considered poisonous. It has its importance in Chinese traditional medicines to treat diseases like malaria and diabetes.
-Vincristine and vinblastine are two secondary metabolites of plant catharanthus roseus and are used as chemotherapeutic drugs to treat various types of cancer in the population.

Note: Secondary metabolites are not involved in the life processes of the individual plants and are categorised into five classes of metabolites according to their function and the property like fatty acid derived substances, terpenoids, nonribosomal polypeptides, alkaloids and polyketides.