Handbook of Medicinal Herbs

549

P

P

PACIFIC YEW (Taxus brevifolia Nutt.) X

PHR treats the European yew, Taxus baccata; APA treats the Western Yew, Taxus brevifolia; DEM
treats both; all apparently contain the antitumor compound, Monroe Wall, named taxol (Paclitaxel).

Activities (Pacific Yew) — Anticancer (1; APA); Antimelanomic (1; APA); Antimitotic (1; APA);
Antitumor (1; APA); Depurative (f; DEM); Diaphoretic (f; DEM); Poison (1; DEM).

Indications (Pacific Yew) — Cancer (1; APA; DEM); Cancer, breast (1; APA); Cancer, cervix (1;
APA); Cancer, ovary (1; APA); Cancer, skin (1; APA); Debility (f; DEM); Dysuria (f; APA);
Enterosis (f; DEM); Fever (f; DEM); Gastrosis (f; DEM); Hematuria (f; DEM); Hepatosis (f; APA);
Melanoma (1; APA); Metastasis (1; APA); Pain (f; DEM); Pulmonosis (f; DEM); Rheumatism (f;
APA); Stomachache (f; DEM); Sunburn (f; DEM); Tumor (1; APA); Wound (f; DEM).

Dosages (Pacific Yew) — Not appropriate for home use (APA).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Pacific Yew) — Not covered (AHP; KOM).
Very poisonous plant, causing colic, dry mouth, dyspnea, hypotension, mydriasis, paleness, quea-
siness, rash, reddening or blueness of the lips, unconsciousness, vertigo, and vomiting. Death may
result from asphyxiation and diastolic cardiac arrest. 50–100 g fresh needles can kill an adult (APA;
PHR). Fatalities reported from drinking yew tea (APA). Still, Indians ate the berries as food.

PAGODA TREE (Styphnolobium japonicum (L.) Schott) +

Synonym: Sophora japonica L., S. japonica f. pendula Zabel.

Activities (Pagoda Tree) — Abortifacient (f; DAA); Analgesic (f; LMP); Antibacterial (1; DAA);
Anticancer (f; DAA); Antifertility (f; DAA); Antiseptic (1; DAA); Astringent (f; WOI); Emetic
(1; DAA; LMP); Estrogenic (1; WBB; WOI); Hemostat (f; DAA); Laxative (f; DAA); Toxic (f;
DAA; HHB).

Indications (Pagoda Tree) — Apprehension (f; DAA); Bacteria (1; DAA); Bleeding (f; DAA);
Burn (f; DAA); Cancer (f; DAA); Cardiopathy (1; FNF); Caries (f; LMP); Childbirth (f; DAA);
Circulosis (f; PH2); Conjunctivosis (f; DAA); Constipation (f; DAA); Convulsion (f; DAA); Der-
matosis (f; DAA); Dysentery (f; DAA; PH2); Dysmenorrhea (f; LMP); Enterosis (f; LMP); Epilepsy
(f; DAA); Epistaxis (f; DAA); Escherichia (1; DAA); Fever (f; DAA); Gingivosis (f; LMP);
Glaucoma (1; FNF); Gonorrhea (f; DAA); Hematemesis (f; DAA); Hemorrhoid (1; DAA; FNF;
HHB); High Blood Pressure (1; DAA; FNF); Infection (1; DAA); Inflammation (f; PH2); Itch (f;
DAA); Leukorrhea (f; DAA); Metrorrhagia (f; DAA); Neurosis (f; DAA; PH2); Ophthalmia (f;
DAA); Orchosis (f; DAA); Pain (f; LMP); Scabies (f; LMP); Sore (f; DAA); Staphylococcus (1;
DAA); Toothache (f; LMP); Ulcer (f; LMP); VD (f; DAA); Vertigo (f; DAA).

Dosages (Pagoda Tree) — 8 g flower decoction/day (HHB); 1–3 g powdered flower (HHB).