Following standard pharmacognosy classification, the main chemical compounds present in medicinal plants or their extracts can be divided into several groups based on their structure.
Different parts of medicinal plants (leaves, stems, roots, seeds, flowers or fruits) are rich sources of bioactive compounds (Knez Hrnčič et al., 2020). Similar protective and health-promoting effects of plant-derived bioactive compounds have also been found for humans and animals, and their general perception as being safe, natural and having fewer side effects in comparison with chemical drugs makes them highly attractive for consumers and numerous industries. The biologically active compounds in medicinal plants are classified according to various criteria. Following standard pharmacognosy classification, the main chemical compounds present in medicinal plants or their extracts can be divided into several groups based on their structure.