HERBAL MONOGRAPHS THUJA/759Thuja
Thuja occidentalis
DESCRIPTION
Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the oil extracted
from the leaves and branch tips, the young dried branches,
the fresh, leafy annual branches and the fresh, leafy branches
collected in spring.
Flower and Fruit: The male flowers are dark brown, the
female flowers are yellow-green. They are monoecious. The
male flowers are arranged in small, terminal catkins and the
female flowers are-~almost star-shaped. The ripe cones are
brown-yellow, 6 to 8 mm long, ovate and covered in
coriaceous, obtuse scales. The lower ones are patent at the
tips. The seeds are brown-yellow, 3 to 5 mm long and
approximately 1 mm wide. They are narrowly winged the
whole way around.Leaves, Stem and Root: The plant is a narrowly clavate, 12 to
21 m high tree with short horizontally spread branches and
red-brown, striped peeling trunk. The trunk is usually
branched from the base up. The leaves are scale-like, crossed
opposite, imbricate, flattened on the branch side and folded
at the margins. They are dark green above and matte-green
beneath. The scales on the upper part of the branches have a
globular glandular swelling.
Habitat: The plant originated from eastern North America
and is found in Europe mainly as an ornamental plant and is
partly naturalized.
Production: Thuja herb is the young branch tips and young
shoots of Thuja occidentalis. The harvest should take place
in spring when the content of the active agents is optimal.
The herb should be dried in the shade and handled with care.
Not to be Confused With: Other forms of Thuja.
Other Names: Arborvitae, Hackmatack, Swamp Cedar, Tree
of Life, White Cedar
ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
Water-soluble immuno stimulating polysaccharides and
glycoproteins
Water-soluble immunostimulating glycoproteins
Volatile oil (1.4-4%): chief components (-)-thujone (alpha-
thujone, 59%), (+)-isothujone (beta-thujone, 7-10%), fen-
chone (10-15%)
Flavonoids: including among others, quercitrin, mearusitrin,
the biflavonoids hinoki flavone, amentoflavone, bilobetin-
procyanidins
Lignans
Tannins
EFFECTS
The antiviral effect of the drug is attributed to many reasons.
The topical use for viral wart growth is plausible. Prolifera-
tion of T cells caused by polysaccharides (esp. CD-4 and T-
helper/inducer-cells) and an increase in the production of
interleukin-2 has been demonstrated.
The essential oil, because of its thujone content, causes
spasm and leads in high doses to clonic-tonic convulsions,
severe metabolism disturbances through fatty degeneration
of the liver, and damage of the renal parenchyma.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Unproven Uses: Thuja is used for respiratory tract infections
and in conjunction with antibiotics in the treatment of
bacterial skin infections and herpes simplex. Other possible
uses include the treatment of rheumatism, trigeminal neural-
gia, strep throat, gout, pruritus, blepharitis, conjunctivitis,
otitis media, pertussis, tracheitis, kidney and bladder com-
plaints, enuresis, psoriasis, amenorrhea, and cardiac insuffi-
ciency. The drug is used externally as an ointment for
treating pains in the joints, arthritis, and muscle rheumatism,
as well as infected wounds and burns.
Homeopathic Uses: Thuja occidentalis is used for rheuma-
tism, depressive states, poor digestion, and skin and mucous
membrane conditions.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
The drug should not be used during pregnancy.
PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
General: The drug's toxic effect is due to the thujone
content. The doses should be strictly followed because of the
toxicity of the drug. Allopathic preparations do not contain
any thujone.The toxicological limit, up to which thujone can be
administered orally without risk to health, has been estab-
lished at 1.25 mg/kg body weight. Only poisonings con-
nected with the consumption of the leaves and shoots of
fresh plants have been recorded since 1980. In therapeutic
dosages of medications, the thujone content is far below the
toxicological limit.
Use in Pregnancy: The drug is misused as an abortifacient.
Thuja should not be taken during pregnancy.
OVERDOSAGE
Symptoms of poisoning, often seen after misuse of the drug
as an abortifacient, include queasiness, vomiting, painful
diarrhea, and mucous membrane hemorrhaging. Instances of
death have been reported.Following gastrointestinal emptying (inducement of vomit-
ing, gastric lavage with burgundy-colored potassium per-