PDR for Herbal Medicines

78/BILBERRY PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

Sevin R, Cuendent JF. Effects d'unne association

d'anthocyanosides de myrtille et de beta-carotene sur la

resistance capillaire des diabetiques. Ophthalmologica: 152:109-

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     1966. Sticher O et al., (1979) Planta Med 35:253.
           Further information in:
           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-
     
     
     
     


118. 
     

     Madaus G, Lehrbuch der Biologischen Arzneimittel, Bde 1-3,
     Nachdruck, Georg Olms Verlag Hildesheim 1979.
     Roth L, Daunderer M, Kormann K, Giftpflanzen, Pflanzengifte,

     
     


119. Aufl., Ecomed Fachverlag Landsberg Lech 1993.
     Steinegger E, Hansel R, Pharmakognosie, 5. Aufl., Springer
     Verlag Heidelberg 1992.
     Teuscher E, Biogene Arzneimittel, 5. Aufl., Wiss. Verlagsges.
     Stuttgart 1997.
     Wichtl M (Hrsg.), Teedrogen, 4. Aufl., Wiss. Verlagsges.
     Stuttgart 1997.

Birch

Betula species

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the bark, leaves

and buds.

Flower and Fruit: The male flowers of Betula pendula are

sessile and oblong-cylindrical 6 to 10 cm long. The female

catkins are petioled, cylindrical and 2 to 4 cm long by 8 to 10

mm thick when fully grown. They are densely flowered, first

yellow-green, later light green. The fruit scales are brownish

and pubescent or glabrous. The middle lobes are small,

short-triangular and shorter than the broad, always revolute

side lobes. The fruit wings are half-oval and 2 to 3 times as

broad as the fruit.

The male catkins of Betula pubescens are sessile and oblong-

cylindrical. They are initially upright, later hanging, 2.5 to 4

cm long and 6 to 10 mm thick, greenish to light brown. The

middle lobes of the fruit scales protrude clearly, are usually

linguiform-elogated and generally longer than the usually

sharp-cornered, clearly evolute side lobes. The fruit scales

are about as broad as the fruit.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Betula pendula is a tree that grows
up to 30 cm high, witih a snow white bark that usually peels
off in horizontal strips or changes into a black, stony, hard
bark. Young branches are glabrous and thickly covered in
warty resin glands. The petioled leaves are dark green above,

a lighter gray-green below. They have serrate margins and

particularly tightly packed veins. The lamina are about 3 to 7

cm long by 2 to 5 cm wide, rhomboid-triangular, acuminate,

glabrous, densely covered in glands, and have a doubly

serrate margin. They are dark green and glabrous above and

a lighter green below; they are initially downy and later

pubescent in the vein axils.

Habitat: Betula pendula and Betula pubescens are indige-

nous to Europe from the northern Mediterranean regions to

Siberia and to temperate regions of Asia.

Production: Birch leaf consists of the fresh or dried leaf of

Betula pendula (syn. Betula verrucosa), Betula pubescens, or

of both species. The leaves are collected in the wild during

the spring and dried at room temperature in the shade. Birch

tar (Betulae oleum empyreumaticum retificatum) is a clear,

dark brown oil obtained from Betula pendula or Betula

pubescens through a distillation process.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS: BIRCH LEAF

Triterpene alcohol ester with saponin-like effect: betula-

triterpene saponins

Flavonoids: including hyperoside, quercetin, myricetin

digalactosides

Proanthocyan idins

Volatile oil: including sesquiterpene oxide

Monoterpene glucosides: including betula alboside A and B,

roseoside

Caffeic acid derivatives: including chlorogenic acid

Ascorbic acid

3,4'-dihydroxy propiophenone-3-beta-D-glucoside

EFFECTS: BIRCH LEAF

Birch leaves have a mild saluretic effect and are antipyretic.

In animal tests, they have been shown to increase the amount

of urine.

COMPOUNDS: BIRCH TAR

Phenols (6%): including among others guaiacol, cresole,

catechol, pyrogallol, 5-propyl-pyrogallol dimethyl ether and

5-methyl-pyrogallol dimethyl ether

EFFECTS: BIRCH TAR

The aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in birch tar are

irritating to die skin and have an antiparasitic effect. Its use

for diverse skin conditions and for parasitic infestation such

as scabies seems plausible.