PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS CALOTROP1S/141

Flower and Fruit: The bright yellow-to-orange flowers are

solitary, axillary and long-pedicled. They are 2.5 to 4 cm in

diameter with a cup-shaped receptacle. The sepals are fused.

Four crenate petals, orange-red at the base, form an open

dish. The stigma is thread-like. There are numerous yellow

JP*stamens. The fruit is an oblong, 4 to 6 cm pod-like exploding

capsule, which spreads small globular seeds.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Eschscholtzia californica is a bluish-

green annual or perennial that grows 30 to 60 cm high. The

leaves are sparse. The strongly pinnatifid leaves have linear

sections and taper to a thin tip.

Habitat: The plant grows in California and is cultivated in

central Europe and southern France.

Production: The Califomian Poppy herb consists of the

aerial parts of Eschscholtzia californica. It is collected in

uncultivated regions.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

lsoquinoline alkaloids: The main alkaloid is californidine.

Included are others, such as eschscholzine (escholzine),

^(rprotopine, alpha-allocryptopine. beta-allocryptopine.

Cyanogenic glycosides (in the freshly-harvested plant)

EFFECTS

The main active principle californidine has sleep-inducing,

sedative, anxiolytic and spasmolytic effects. In mice, a hot

water extract had a significant sleep-inducing effect. In other

animal experiments an anxiolytic and spasmolytic effect was

proven.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Preparations of the drug are used for

insomnia, aches, nervous agitation, enuresis nocturna in

children, diseases of the bladder and liver, reactive agitative

and masked depressions, melancholia, neurasthenia, neurop-

athy, organic neuroses, vegetative-dystonic disorders, mood

swings, weather sensitivity, vasomotor dysfunctions, vegeta-

tive-endocrine syndrome, constitutional weakness of the

nervous system and vasomotor cephalgia. The tea is used as

a sedative.

m

Homeopathic Uses: Eschscholtzia californica is used to treat

insomnia.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

General: Health risks or side effects following the proper

administration of designated therapeutic dosages are not

recorded.

Pregnancy: Not to be used during pregnancy.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: The drug is rarely prescribed, yet is

a component of some standardized preparations in combina-

tion with plant sedatives. Medical or clinical documentation

and other experimental material about phytotherapeutic

application of the Califomian Poppy herb are unavailable. As

the efficacy of the claimed uses has not been documented, a

therapeutic application cannot be justified.

Preparation: The tea is prepared using 2 gm herb per 150 ml

water. The liquid extract (Extractum Eschscholziae) should

be prepared according to the German Pharmacopoeia

(DAB) 10.

Daily Dosage: The tea is taken as a drink. The average

single dose for the liquid extract is 1 to 2 ml.

Homeopathic Dosage: from D2: 5 drops, 1 tablet or 10

globules every 30 to 60 minutes (acute) or 1 to 3 times daily

(chronic); from D4: parenterally: 1 to 2 ml sc acute: 3 times

daily; chronic: once a day (PF X).

LITERATURE

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.

Jain L et al., Alkaloids of Eschscholtzia californica. In: PM

62(2): 188. 1997.

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.
   Sturm S, Stuppner H, Mulinacci N, Vincieri F, Capillary zone
   electrophoretic analysis of the main alkaloids from
   Eschscholtzia californica. In: PM 59(7)25. 1993.
   Teuscher E, Lindequist U, Biogene Gifte - Biologie, Chemie,
   Pharmakologie, 2. Aufl., Fischer Verlag Stuttgart 1994.
   Weischer ML, Okpanyi SN, Pharmakologie eines pflanzlichen
   Schlafmittels. In: ZPT 15(5):257-262. 1994.

Calluna vulgaris

See Heather

Calotropis

Calotropis procera

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the dried root and

root bark. The bark with its outer cork layer removed is

known as Mudar, and is used medicinally.