PDR for Herbal Medicines

116 /BOSWELLIA CARTERI PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

Boswellia carteri

See Frankincense

Boxwood

Buxus sempervirens

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the dried Boxwood

tree leaves and the woody aerial parts of the plant.

Flower and Fruit: Clusters of axillary yellow flowers open

in early spring. The male flowers are evenly shaped and have

4 tepals, 4 stamens and a small rudimentary ovary. The

female flowers have 4 to 8 tepals, 3 fused carpels with 3 free,

short, thick styles. The fruit is a capsule with oblong. 5 to 6

mm long seeds.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Boxwood is an evergreen monoe-

cious shrub or tree growing to a height of 6 m with variable

forms and leaf shapes. The green branches are initially

pubescent, later glabrous, olive green, angular and densely

covered with ovate leaves, which are usually opposite. The

upper surface of the leaves is smooth, coriaceous, dark green

and very glossy. The lower surface is lighter in shade, and

the lamina margin is smooth.

Characteristics: The leaves have a nauseous taste.

Habitat: The plant is found mainly in southern and central

Europe with a clear division into east and west regions, i.e.,

northwest Spain and southern France in the west and the

Balkans to northern Greece and Asia Minor in the east. It is

otherwise extensively cultivated.

Production: Boxwood leaves are the leaves of Buxus

sempervirens. They are collected from the wild.

Other Names: Dudgeon, Bush Tree

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Steroid alkaloids: including cyclobuxine-D, cyclobuxine-B,

cycloprotobuxine-A, cycloprotobu

EFFECTS

The. cycloprotobuxine in the drug was shown to have a

cytotoxic effect in vitro as well as an inhibitory effect on the

growth of mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In animal tests, an inhibition of motility, including tetanus,

spinal paralysis and respiratory paralysis, was demonstrated.

A hypotensive effect has been described.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: In folk medicine preparations were used

internally for rheumatism and constipation (decoction), as a

diaphoretic (aqueous extract), for malaria (tincture) and

pneumonia (ethanol extract), and externally for rashes, hair

loss, gout and rheumatic complaints (ointment)

Homeopathic Uses: Buxus sempervirens is used for greasy

scalp with dandruff and for hair loss.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction

with the proper administration of designated therapeutic

dosages. Contact dermatitis, in particular through contact

with the freshly harvested plant, is possible.

OVERDOSAGE

The intake of toxic dosages of the drug leads to vomiting,

diarrhea, severe clonic spasms, eventually to signs of

paralysis and ultimately to fatal asphyxiation. The fatal

dosage in dogs is O.l gm of the alkaloid mixture/kg body

weight (approximately 5 to 10 gm of the drug/kg body

weight). The treatment for poisonings proceeds through

suppression of the spasms with diazepam or barbiturates (no

more than absolutely necessary) followed by gastric lavage

and possible oxygen respiration. Phenothiazines and analep-

tics are not to be administered.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: Boxwood is obsolete as a drug.

Homeopathic Dosage: 5 to 10 drops, l tablet or 5 to 10

globules, 1 to 3 times daily or 1 ml injection solution sc

twice weekly. (HAB34)

LITERATURE

Atta-ur-Rahman et al., Alkaloids from Buxus species. In: PH

31(8):2933-2935. 1992.

Atta-ur-Rahman et al.. New alkaloids from Buxus sempervirens.

In: JNP 52:1319-1322. 1989.

Atta-ur-Rahman et al., Steroidal alkaloids from leaves of Buxus

sempervirens. In: PH 30(4): 1295-1298. 1991.

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-

1994.

Khodshaev BU et al., (1984) Khim Prir Soedin 6:802.

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

Verlag, Heidelberg 1992.

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

4. Aufl., Ecomed Fachverlag Landsberg Lech 1993.