Q.How do secondary metabolites are useful for mankind?

A = Catharanthus roseus (periwinkle/Vinca rosea), the plant source of the anticancer alkaloids vincristine and vinblastine.

Vincristine and vinblastine are alkaloids obtained from the medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus. …

Alkaloids are secondary metabolites; amino acids, organic acids, and enzymes are primary metabolites central to basic metabolism.

Plants produce two broad categories of chemical compounds:

1. Primary metabolites — directly involved in normal growth, development and reproduction (respiration, photosynthesis). Examples: amino acids (protein building blocks), common organic acids of respiration (e.g. citric acid, malic acid), and enzymes (catalytic proteins). …

Catharanthus roseus produces the secondary metabolites vincristine and vinblastine (anti-cancer alkaloids), and ajmalicine (used to treat hypertension).

Catharanthus roseus is a medicinal plant valued for its anti-cancer and antihypertensive alkaloids.

Catharanthus roseus (periwinkle/sadaphuli) is an important medicinal plant that synthesises several pharmacologically valuable secondary metabolites (alkaloids), which are not involved in primary growth/metabolism but have important defensive and, in this case, medicinal properties. Its major secondary metabolites include vincristine and vinblastine, both potent anti-cancer alkaloids used in chemoth …