PDR for Herbal Medicines

98/BLACK HELLEBORE PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

Daily Dosage: The average dose is 0.05 gm; the maximum

single dose is 0.2 gm; the largest daily dose is 1.0 gm. A

powder with a medium content of 10% is used for head

colds.

Homeopathic Dosage: 5 drops, 1 tablet or 10 globules every

30 to 60 minutes (acute) or 1 to 3 times daily (chronic);

parenterally: 1 to 2 ml sc acute, 3 times daily; chronic: once

a day (HAB34).

LITERATURE

Frohne D, Pfander HJ, Giftpflanzen - Ein Handbuch fur

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

Verlagsges. mbH Stuttgart 1997.

Glombitza KW et al., Do roots of Helleborus niger contain

cardioactive substances. In: PM 55:107. 1989.

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-

1994.

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.

Petricic J et al.. Acta Pharm Jugosl 27:127. 1977.

Petricic J, Acta Pharm Jugosl 24:179. 1974.

Poisonous Plants in Britain and their effects on Animals and

Man, Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, Pub; HMSO,

UK 1984.

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.
   WiPner W, Kating H, Botanische und phytochemische
   Untersuchung an europaischen und kleinasiatischen Arten der
   Gattung Helleborus. In: PM 26:128-143, 228-249, 364-374.


5. 
   

Black Horehound
Ballota nigra
DESCRIPTION
Medicinal Parts: The aerial parts of the plant are used
medicinally.
Flower and Fruit: The clearly stemmed flowers are 1 to 1.5
cm long. They are arranged in 4 to 10 fairly loose and often
short-stemmed cymes in the axils of the cauline leaves. The
bracteoles are arrow-shaped and soft. They are half as long
as the funnel-shaped calyx, which is downy to silky-shaggy
haired. The calyx has 5 awned tips. The corolla is usually

reddish-lilac, occasionally white. It contains a straight tube

that grows out of the calyx tube and has a ring of hairs at the

base. It has an elliptoid, slightly domed upper lip, which is

slightly compressed from the outside. There is an equally

long, downward hanging, white-marked lower lip, and an

obovate, often edged or weakly dentate middle lip. The

stamens are slightly hairy at the base and have small,

distinctly spreading pollen sacks. The plant produces a hard

fruit. The nuts are ovoid, 12 mm long and quite smooth.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Horehound is a perennial 0.30 to 1 m

high shrub with a short creeping rhizome and upright, sturdy,

angular, branched stems. The whole plant is pubescent and

fresh green. In the autumn, the plant is often tinged brown-

violet. The opposite leaves have a 0.5 to 1 cm long petiole.

The lower leaves are larger and have an ovate to almost

round, 2 cm long by 1.5 to 3.5 cm wide leaf blade. They are

weakly cordate, blunt or wedge-shaped at the base and finely

crenate to roughly and unevenly serrate. Both sides are

pubescent, the upper surface often becoming glabrous and

somewhat glossy.

Characteristics: The whole plant has an unpleasant smell of

essential oil.

Habitat: The plant is considered to be a weed in western,

central and northern Europe, but was intentionally intro-

duced to the U.S.

Production: Black Horehound is the aerial part of Ballota

nigra, gathered when in bloom. It is collected in the wild or

from cultivated plants propagated by sowing seeds or

planting cuttings at the end of winter. The harvest is in July

and August. There are no special conditions for drying.

Not to be Confused With: The drug can be confused with

Folia melissae. Adulterations with hybrids of Marubium

vulgare have been found on the market.

Other Names: Black (Stinking) Horehound

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Diterpenes, marrubiin: 7-acetoxymarrubiin, ballotinon, bal-

lotenol, ballonigrin (to some extent bitter principles)

Volatile oil (traces, unpleasant smell)

Caffeic and ferulic acid derivatives: including chlorogenic

acid

Tannins

EFFECTS

Horehound acts as a stimulant, antiemetic and antispasmod-

ic; however, the mode of action has not been satisfactorily

explained. According to older literature, a drop in arterial

blood pressure and bradycardia occurred in a dog when it