152 Handbook of herbs and spices
10.2 Herbs and spices as digestive stimulants......................................
A digestive stimulant action has been attributed to many herbs and spices listed in
Table 10.1. Many of these are employed in medicinal preparations for use against
digestive disorders and in traditional medicine as tonic, stomachic, carminative,
antispasmodic and diuretic (Shylaja and Peter, 2004). Plant substances such as chirata,
gentian, calama, quassia, orange peel and many spices such as mint, garlic, ginger,
ajowan, cumin, fennel and coriander are contained in preparations available to correct
digestive disorders (Platel and Srinivasan, 2004). Extracts from bitter candy taft,
chamomile flower, peppermint leaves, caraway fruit, liquorice root, lemon balm
leaves, angelica root, greater celandine herbs and milk thistle fruit are also basic
constituents of a commercially available drug with multiple pharmacological properties
relevant for gastrointestinal pathophysiology (Saller et al., 2002). Pharmacological
in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that they possess antibacterial, antisecretory,
cytoprotective and anti-ulcerogenic as well as spasmolytic effects (Saller et al., 2002;
Khayyal et al., 2001). Several herbal medicinal products (included in Table 10.1)
have been identified also for use in the relief of symptoms of non-ulcer dyspepsia
(Thompson Coon and Ernst, 2002). Human studies have shown that red pepper
powder is significantly more effective in decreasing the symptom intensity of patients
with functional dyspepsia (Bortolotti et al., 2002).
Ta b l e 10.1 Herbs, plant substances and spices with digestive stimulatory action and recommended
for the treatment of dyspepsia
Ajowan^6 Coriander6,10 Mistletoe^10
Allspice^9 Cloves^10 Mustard^3
Angelica root4,5,7,10 Coriander^10 Onion^8
Anise^10 Cumin^6 Orange peel6,10
Artichoke^10 Dandelion^10 Oregano^9
Banana^10 Devil’s claw^10 Oregon grape^10
Basil, sweet^9 Dill9,10 Paprika^8
Bay leaves^9 Elecampane^10 Parsley^9
Bitter candy taft4,5,7 Fennel6,9 Peach^10
Black pepper3,8 Fenugreek1,2,10 Peppermint leaves4,5,7,9,10
Blessed thistle^10 Galangal^10 Quassia^6
Bogbean^10 Garlic^6 Radish^10
Boldo^10 Gentian6,10 Red pepper (capsaicin)1,2,3
Calama^6 Ginger1,2,6,10 Rosemary9,10
Caraway fruit4,5,7,9,10 Horsetail^10 Sage9,10
Cardamon^10 Haronga^10 Sandy everlasting^10
Capsicum^3 Horehound^10 Spearmint^9
Celandine herbs4,5,7,10 Juniper^10 St John’s wort^10
Celery^9 Leek^9 Star anise^10
Centuary^10 Lemon balm leaves4,5,7 Ta r r a go n^9
Chamomile flower4,5,7 Liquorice root4,5,7 Thyme9,10
Chicory^10 Liu-Jun-Zi-Tang^10 Turmeric (curcumin)1,2,0
Chirata^6 Marjoram^9 Wo r mwood^10
Chive^9 Meadowsweet^10 Yarrow^10
Cinchona^10 Milk thistle fruit4,5,7,10
Cinnamon8,10 Mint^6
1: Bhat et al. (1984); 2: Bhat et al. (1985); 3: Glatzel (1968); 4: Hohenester et al. (2004); 5: Khayyal et al.
(2001); 6: Platel and Srinivasan (2004); 7: Saller et al. (2002); 8: Sanchez-Palomera (1951); 9: Shylaja and
Peter (2004); 10: Thompson Coon and Ernst (2002).