Handbook of Medicinal Herbs

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Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Wood Sorrel) — Not covered (AHP). “Haz-

ards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2) (but PH2 designates no

specific quantified dosage! JAD). 100 lb leaf yields 30 lb juice, yields 10 oz “Salt of Lemons”

(potassium superoxalate = ?potassium binoxalate = poisonous ink remover).

WOOLY DIGITALIS, WOOLY FOXGLOVE (Digitalis lanata Ehrh.) X

Activities (Wooly Digitalis) — Antidote (f; CRC); Cardiotonic (f; PH2; WOI); Diuretic (1; PH2);

Myocardiocontractant (f; PH2); Negative Chronotropic (f; PH2); Poison (1; FNF); Positive Inotropic

(f; PH2).

Indications (Wooly Digitalis) — Abscess (f; PHR; PH2); Adenopathy (f; JLH); Asthma (f; CRC);

Boil (f; PHR; PH2); Burn (f; WOI); Cancer, abdomen (f; JLH); Cancer, breast (f; JLH); Cancer,

colon (f; JLH); Cancer, knee (f; JLH); Cancer, lymph (f; JLH); Cardiopathy (2; PH2); Dropsy (f;

CRC; WOI); Edema (f; CRC); Enterosis (f; PH2); Epilepsy (f; CRC); Fever (f; CRC); Gastrosis

(f; CRC); Headache (f; PHR; PH2); Heart (f; CRC); High Blood Pressure (f; PHR; PH2); Hydropsy

(f; CRC); Icterus (f; CRC); Induration (f; CRC); Insanity (f; CRC); Migraine (f; PH2); Nephrosis

(f; CRC; WOI); Neuralgia (f; CRC); Palpitation (f; CRC); Paralysis (f; PHR; PH2); Scrofula (f;

CRC); Sore Throat (f; CRC); Swelling (f; JLH); Tumor (f; CRC); Ulcer (f; PHR; PH2); Water

Retention (1; PH2); Wound (f; PHR; PH2; WOI).

Dosages (Wooly Digitalis) — Prescription only (JAD). Rapid digitalization dose 0.75 mg digoxin;

maintenance dose 0.25–0.75 mg/day orl human (WOI).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Wooly Digitalis) — Not covered (AHP).

Should be classified as a drug only, requiring registration and prescription (AEH; JAD). Why repeat;

use with arrhythmogenic drugs (methylxanthines, phosphodiesterase inhibitors (including, I sup-

pose, Viagra), quinidine, sympathomimetics) increases risk of arrhythmia (PH2). Long-term dosage

is potentially gynecomastic. Overdoses may cause anorexia, confusion, depression, diarrhea, gastric

hypertonia, hallucination, headache, psychosis, stupor, tachycardia, and vomiting. Lethal doses

(2–3 g leaf in humans) induce asphyxiation or heart failure (PH2). Both the leaf and pure glycosides

are contraindicated in carotid sinus syndrome, first and second degree AV-block, hypercalcemia,

hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hypokalemia, thoracic aortic aneurism, ventricular tachycardia, or

WPW Syndrome (PH2). Wooly foxglove packs three times the biological punch of purple foxglove.

The Wealth of India states that this species is the only source of digoxin, which is ~300 times more

potent than prepared purple digitalis leaf.

WORMGRASS (Spigelia anthelmia L.) X

The Herbal PDR mentions wormwood grass as a selected common name; bad selection; earlier

names in Europe and America were American Wormgrass or Wormroot, not Wormwood. European

Floras and EFS, e.g., have tended to mix the North American S. marilandica (L.) L. with the more

tropical American S. anthelmia L.

Activities (Wormgrass) — Antifeedant (1; X10552828); Cardiac (f; EFS); Cardiotonic (1; EFS;

HH2; X11382246); Hypertensive (1; HH2; PH2); Positive Inotropic (f; HH2; PH2); Poison (f; PH2;

X11382246); Narcotic (f; EFS; FEL); Sedative (f; EFS); Soporific (f; EFS); Tonic (f; EFS); Toxic

(f; EFS); Vermifuge (1; HH2; MAD; PH2).

Indications (Wormgrass) — Angina (f; PH2); Ascaride (f; MAD); Cardiopathy (f; FEL; MAD;

PH2); Cough (f; MAD); Endocardosis (f; FEL; MAD); Gout (f; MAD); Headache (f; MAD; PH2);

Inflammation (f; PH2); Insomnia (f; EFS); Low Blood Pressure (1; HH2; PH2); Migraine (f; MAD);

Myocardosis (f; MAD); Nervousness (f; EFS); Neuralgia (f; FEL; MAD; PH2); Neurosis (f; MAD);