PDR for Herbal Medicines

i

60/BALMONY

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Iridoide monoterpenes: catalpol

Resin: (bitter-tasting)

EFFECTS

No information available.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Homeopathic Uses: Chelone glabra is used in the treatment

of liver disorders, digestive disorders and worm infestation.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction

with the proper administration of designated therapeutic

dosages.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: The herb is available in homeopath-

ic dilutions.

LITERATURE

Belofsky G et al„ PH 28:1601. 1989.

Kern W, List PH, Horhammer L (Hrsg.), Hagers Handbuch der

Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde. 1-8, Springer Verlag

Berlin, Heidelberg, New York. 1969.

Bamboo

Arundinaria japonica

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the young shoots of

the plant.

Flower and Fruit: Greenish-yellow, round culms exceeding

3 m in height are surrounded at the culm nodes by dry leaf

sheaths, which do not fall off. The upper surface of the

leaves are shiny and dark green; the underside is matte and

gray-green. The leaf margins are sharply serrated.

Habitat: The plant is indigenous to the tropics, southern

subtropics and Asia.

Production: Bamboo sprouts are the young shoots of

Arundinaria japonica.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Soluble mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides

Silicic acid: to some extent water-soluble

EFFECTS
No information is available.

PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Bamboo is seldom used for medicinal purposes in Western

medicine.

Chinese Medicine: The drug is used for asthma, coughs and

disorders of the gallbladder.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction

with the proper administration of designated therapeutic

dosages.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: The juice from the young shoots is

hardened as bamboo sugar and used internally.

LITERATURE

No literature is available.

Baneberry

Actaea spicata

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part is the root.

Flower and Fruit: The white flowers are in ovate racemes.

They have 4 to 6 bracts, white stamens and 1 ovary. The fruit

is a black, many-seeded berry.

Leaves, Stem and Root: The plant grows 30 to 60 cm tall. It

is large, long-petioled, trifoliate and pinnate. The leaflets are

pinnatisect and serrate. The stem is erect and glabrous.

Characteristics: Baneberry is poisonous, as are several other

plants with similar qualities.

Habitat: The plant grows in most of Europe and in moderate

and arctic regions of Asia.

Production: Baneberry or Herb Christopher root is the root

of Actaea spicata.

Not to be Confused With: Helleborus niger is occasionally

used as a substitute by mistake.

Other Names: Bugbane, Herb Christopher, Toadroot

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Isoquinoline alkaloids: magnoflorine, corytuberine

Triterpene glycosides: including actein

Trans-aconitic acid

EFFECTS

The drug, which contains alkaloids (magnoflorine) and

saponins, was shown to inhibit growth of Mycobacterium

tuberculosis. An antirheumatic effect is being investigated.