Synonym: Catharanthus, periwinkle.

Biological source: It is the dried whole plant of Catharanthus roseus

Family:. Apocynaceae.

Geographical source: Indigenous to Madagascar, South Africa, India, U.S.A., Europe, Australia and Caribbean islands

Macroscopic characters Roots:

Colour:

The leaves are green,

Roots are pale grey,

Flowers are violet pink-white or carmine-red in colour.

Odour: Characteristic

Taste: Bitter.

Shape: Leaves are simple, petiolate, ovate, or oblong, acute apex and glossy appearance.

Chemical constituents:

• Indole alkaloids are present in vinca

• 20 dimeric indole dihydroindole alkaloids

• Vinblastine contains indole alkaloid part called catharanthine and dihydroindole alkaloid part called vindoline,

• ajmalicine,

• lochnerine

• Serpentine and tetrahydroalstonine.

Uses:

• Vinca is used to extract vincristine, vinblastine and ajmalicine.

• Vincristine sulphate act by arresting mitosis at the metaphase in treatment of acute leukemia of child

• Hodgkin disease, reticulum cell sarcoma, lymphosarcoma ana myosarcoma

• Vinblastine sulphate act by arresting mitosis at metaphase or by interfering with amino acid metabolism. It suppresses immune response and is mainly used in the treatment of hodgkin's . disease and other lymphomas and choriocarcinoma.