PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS BRITISH ELECAMPANE (XUAN-FU-HUA) / 119

Hansen CBS 5926 ,und deren Schicksal wahrend der Magen-
Darm-Passage. Therapiewoche 38 (Sonderheft): 33-40.
Hochter W, Chase D, Hagenhoff G, (1990) Saccharomyces
boulardii bei akuter Erwachsenediarrhoe. Miinch Med Wschr
132: 188-192.
^Hojgaard L, Arffmann S, Jorgeasen M, Krag E, (1981) Tea
consumption, a cause of constipation. Br Med J 282: 864.
Jahn HU, Zeitz M. (1991) Immunmodulatorische Wirkung von
Saccharomyces boulardii beim Menschen. In: Seifert J,
Ottenjann R, Zeitz M, Bockemuhl J (Hrsg) Okosystem Darm
III. Springer-Verlag, S 159-164.
Kollaritsch HH. Toburen D, Scheiner O, Wiedemann G, (1988)
Prophylaxe der Reisediarrhoe. Munch Med Wschr 130: 671-673.
Massot J, Desconclois M, Astoin J, (1982) Protection par
Saccharomyces boulardii de la diarrhee Escherichia coli du
souriceau. Ann Pharm Fr 40: 445-449.
Plein K, Hotz J, (1993) Therapeutic effect of Saccaromyces
boulardii on mild residual symptoms in a stable phase of
Crohn's disease with special respect to chronic diarrhea - a
pilot study. Z Gastroenterol 31: 129-134.
Schmidt CH, (1977) Unspezifische Steigerung der
,^ Phagozytoseaktivitaten von Peritoneal-makrophagen nach oraler
™ Gabe verschiedener Hefepriiparationen. Dissertation Freie
Universitiit Berlin.
Sinai Y, Kaplan A, Hai Y et al., (1974) Enhancement of
resistance to infectious disease by oral administration of
Brewer's Yeast. Infection Immunol 9: 781-787
Surawicz Ch, Elmer GW, Speelman P, McFarland LV, Chinn J,
van Belle G, (1989) Die Prophylaxe Antibiotika-assoziierter
Diarrhoen mit Saccharomyces boulardii. Eine prospektive
Studie. Gastroenterol 96: 981-988.
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Maurier F, (1983) Prevention par Saccharomyces boulardii des
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Further information in:
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Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 5. Aufl., Bde 4-6
m (Drogen), Springer Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1992-
^* 1994 (unter Saccharomyces).

Schulz R, Hansel R, Rationale Phytotherapie, Springer Verlag

Heidelberg 1996.

Teuscher E, Biogene Arzneimittel, 5. Aufl., Wiss. Verlagsges.

mbH Stuttgart 1997.

Wagner H, Wiesenauer M, Phytotherapie. Phytopharmaka und

pflanzliche Homoopathika, Fischer-Verlag, Stuttgart, Jena, New

York 1995.

British Elecampane

(Xuan-Fu-Hua)

Inula britannica

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part is the flower.

Flower and Fruit: The semi-globose composite flowers are

surrounded by bracts; they have a diameter of 2.5 to 5 cm,

are single or in umbelliferous racemes with bracts arranged

in a number of rows. The lingual florets are yellow and up to

1 mm wide, the tubular florets are 5-tipped, androgenous and

numerous. The anther has an appendage tail. The fruit is a

cylindrical, long-ribbed, 1.3 mm long achene. The pappus is

single-rowed, approximately 5 mm long and consists of fine,

rough bristles.

Leaves, Stem and Root: This herbaceous perennial grows up

to 60 cm high. The leaves are alternate and simple. The

lower leaves narrow into the short petiole, entire or dentate.

The upper leaves are sessile and rounded at the base,

lanceolate, sparsely pubescent above, and are covered below

in dense silky hairs or almost glabrous. The stem is upright,

round, weakly ribbed, silky-haired to almost glabrous. The

root is creeping.

Habitat: The plant is indigenous to Asia and Europe.

Production: Elecampane flowers are the inflorescences of

Inula britannica and Inula japonica, dried in the sun or shade

after harvesting.

Not to be Confused With: Arnicae flos

Other Names: Alant-Okleuveasis

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Sesquiterpenes: sesquiterpene lactones, particularly gaillar-

din but also including britanin

Flavonoids: including isoquercitrin

Caffeic acid derivatives: including chlorogenic acid

EFFECTS

It has been reported that a watery extract of the sesquiter-

pene-containing drug inhibits in vitro cAMP-phosphodiester-

ase up to 60%, and prevents the infection of human embryo

muscle cells with the herpes simplex virus II. The drug is

also assumed to possess potential for sensitization, due to the

sesquiterpene lactones with exocyclic methylene groups it

contains. The secretolytic and emetic effect with which the

drug is credited has not been documented. The flower of the

East Asian species is used as a depurative.