PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS

Barley

Hordeum distichon

TRADE NAMES

Barley (available from numerous manufacturers and as

combination product), Barley Grain

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part is the polished grain

without the husk.

Flower and Fruit: The spike is 7 to 15 cm long. The long

form is nodding and the shorter one erect and compressed at

the side that does not bear spikelets. The spike spindle is

tough and loosens the spikelets when ripe. The lateral

spikelets are unbearded, male or sexless. The middle spikelet

is seed-bearing with a beard up to 15 cm long.

Leaves, Stem and Root: The plant is an annual that grows 60

to 130 cm high. It has a long hollow stalk and lanceolate

leaves. The leaflets are very wide, long and glabrous.

Habitat: Barley is cultivated worldwide.

Production: Barley seeds are the seeds of Hordeum

distichon.

Other Names: Pearl Barley, Pot Barley, Scotch Barley

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Polysaccharides: starch (50%), fructans

Mono- and oligosaccharides: saccharose, raffinose, glucodi-

fructose, glucose, fructose

Proteins (10%): including, among others, prolamines: hor-

dein- glutelins: hordenine (not to be confused with the amine

of the same name, see below)- albumins and globulins

Prolamines: hordein

Glutelins: hordenine (not to be confused with the amine of

the same name, see below)

Albumins and globulins

Fatty oil (2%): chief fatty acids linoleic and oleic acid

Vitamins: Vitamin E, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid,

vitamins B6, B2, folic acid

Hydroxycoumarins (only in the stalks): including, among

others, umbelliferone, scopoletin, nermann, aesculetin (in

the sprouts)

Amines: tyramine, hordenine (dimethyltyramine), gramine
also with certain strains (dimethy- laminomethylindol)

EFFECTS
Barley is soothing on the alimentary tract.

BAROSMA SPECIES / 63

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Barley has been used for convalescents and

in the treatment of diarrhea, gastritis and inflammatory

bowel conditions.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

General: No health hazards or side effects are known in

conjunction with the proper administration of designated

therapeutic dosages.

Pregnancy: Not to be used during pregnancy.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: Barley is used as a malt extract, in

preparations and in combinations.

How Supplied:

Capsules - 450 mg

LITERATURE

Bergantino E, Sandon'a D, Cugini D, Bassi R, The photosystem

II subunit CP29 can be phosphorylated in both C3 and C4

plants as suggested by sequence analysis. Plant Mol Biol,

36:11-22, 1998 Jan

Davies TG, Theodoulou FL, Hallahan DL, Forde BG, Cloning

and characterisation of a novel P-glycoprotein homologue from

barley. Gene, 199:195-202, 1997 Oct 15

Dhar ML et al., (1968) Indian J Exp Biol 6:232.

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

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

Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.

Labbe M, (1936) J Canad Med Assoc 34:141.

Oliver-Bever B 01x1), Medicinal Plants of Tropical West Africa.

Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, London 1986

Pajuelo P, Pajuelo E, Forde BG, Marquez AJ, Regulation of the

expression of ferredoxin-glutamate synthase in barley. Planta,

203:517-25, 1997 Dec

Rudi H et al., A (His)6-tagged recombinant barley endosperm

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase expressed in the baculovirus-

insect cell system is insensitive to allosteric regulation by 3-

phosphoglycerate and inorganic phosphate. FEBS Lett, 419,

1997

Schuurink RC, Shartzer SF, Fath A, Jones RL, Characterization

of a calmodulin-binding transporter from the plasma membrane

of barley aleurone. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 95:1944-9, 1998

Feb 17

Barosma species

See Short Buchu