PDR for Herbal Medicines

50/ASARUM PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

brown glass, away from light), they can be stored for up to 2

years, after which period stability should be checked.

LITERATURE

Doskotch RW, Vanevenhoven PW, (1967) Lloydia 30:141.

Gracza L, (1987) Pharmazie 42 (2): 141.

Gracza L, In vitro studies on the expectorant effect of the

phenylpropane derivatives from hazlewort. 12. The active agents

in Asarum europaeum. In: PM 42(2):155. 1981.

Gracza L, Phytobiological (phytophamacological) studies on

phenylpropane derivatives from Asarum europaeum L. 10.

Actice principles of Asarum europaeum L. In: Arzneim Forsch

30(5):767-771. 1980.

Gracza L, Uber die Wirkstoffe von Asarum europaeum. 16.

Mitt., Die Iokalanasthetische Wirkung der Phenylprpanderivate.

In: PM 48(3): 153-157. 1983.

Mose JR., Lukas G, (1961) Arzneim Forsch 11:33.

Rosch A, (1984) Z Phytother 5(6):964.

Trennheuser L, Dissertation Saarbriicken. 1961.

Further information in:

Frohne D, Pfander HJ, Giftpflanzen - Ein Handbuch fur

Apotheker, Toxikologen und Biologen, 4. Aufl., Wiss. Verlags-

Ges Stuttgart 1997.

Hansel R, Keller K, Rimpler H, Schneider G (Hrsg.), Hagers

Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 5. Aufl., Bde. 4-6

(Drogen), Springer Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1992-

Asarum europaeum

See Asarum

Asclepias inearnata

See Swamp Milkweed

Asclepias tuberosa

See Pleurisy Root

Ash

Fraxinus excelsior

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the dried leaves,

the fresh bark, the branch bark, and the fresh leaves.

Flower and Fruit: The flowers are in richly blossomed

panicles, the terminal ones appearing on the new flowering

branches. They are usually androgynous, occasionally male,

polygamous or dioecious. They have no calyx or corolla. The

anthers of the male flowers are dark purple and are on short

filaments. The female flowers consist of 1 inferior ovary

with a 2-lobed stigma and 2 split staminoids. The fruit is a

narrow lanceolate to oblong-obovate nutlet hanging on a thin

stem. The fruit is 25 to 50 mm long and 7 to 10 mm wide,

glossy brown, 1-seeded with a veined winged border.

Leaves, Stem and Root: The ash is an impressive 15 to 30 m

tall tree with a gray-brown, smooth, later fissured and

wrinkled bark and large, black-brown, pubescent buds. The

leaves are entire-margined, opposite and odd pinnate. There

are 9 to 15 leaflets. The leaflets are sessile, usually 5 to 11

cm long by 1 to 3 cm wide, oblong-ovate to lanceolate, long

acuminate, finely and sharply serrate. They are glabrous

above, rich green, loosely tomentose or almost glabrous, and

greenish brown beneath.

Habitat: The plant is distributed in most parts of Europe

except the northern, southern and eastern edges.

Production: Ash bark consists of the bark of young branches

of Fraxinus excelsior. Ash leaf consists of the leaf of

Fraxinus excelsior. The leaves are harvested in spring and

air-dried.

Not to be Confused With: It may be confused with Ailanthus

glandulosa.

Other Names: Bird's Tongue, European Ash, Common Ash,

Weeping Ash

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS: ASH LEAF.

Flavonoids: including rutin (0.1-0.9%)

Tannins

Mucilages (10-20%)

Mannitol (16-28%)

Triterpenes, phytosterols

Iridoide monoterpenes: including syringoxide, deoxy-

syringoxidin

Lewin L, Gifte und Vergiftungen, 6. Aufl., Nachdruck, Haug

Verlag, Heidelberg 1992.

Madaus G, Lehrbuch der Biologischen Arzneimittel, Bde. 1-3,

Nachdruck, Georg Olms Verlag Hildesheim 1979.

Roth L, Daunderer M, Kormann K, Giftpflanzen, Pflanzengifte,

4. Aufl., Ecomed Fachverlag Landsberg Lech 1993.
   Teuscher E, Lindequist U, Biogene Gifte - Biologie, Chemie,
   Pharmakologie, 2. Aufl., Fischer Verlag Stuttgart 1994.