1 INTRODUCTION OF BITTER
PRINCIPLES
In general, the bitterprinciples are heterogenous vegetative compounds that neither belong to the
class of alkaloids nor to the glycosides, but they do possess a
characteristic bitter taste.
It is, however, pertinent to
observe that bitter principles are invariably of vegetative origin and essentially
comprise of C, H, and O, but are found to be free from N.
Interestingly, at one point in
time the bitter principles were frequently and extensively utilized in
liquid medicaments to augment and stimulate appetite. It has been established
that the bitter constituent particularly stimulate the salivary glands
(gustatory-nerves) present in the mouth and cause an enhancement in the psychic
secretion of the gastric juice in the stomach. Since the past several decades
the extract of the following drugs have been employed both extensively and
intensively in various herbal systems of medicine, namely: calumba, cinchona
(or quinine) gentian, quassia, nux-vomica, etc.
The ‘bitter principles’ are
mostly found in a number of plants, and are observed to be present abundantly
in certain families, such as: Compositae Labiatae, and Gentiananceae.
Over the years, considerable
research has accelerated the investigation of a number of these bitter
compounds possibly for other meaningful applications, for instance: the bitters
(i.e., bitter principles) of the Simaroubaceae as
antitumour and antimalarial agents.
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