Phytochemistry for Herbalists: A Meaningful Overview

 

You may be familiar with phytochemistry terms such as alkaloid, phenolic, terpene, polysaccharide, glycoside, and understand what they mean from context clues, but can you explain what they mean, or give an overview of these constituent types in comparison to each other? Can you infer their functional qualities and their safety significance? This is a concise overview of these critical terms and their use in herbal practice that will deepen your ability to understand, and apply, herbal phytochemistry.