HERBAL MONOGRAPHS FIGWORT/311enlarges and the one-seeded fruit becomes embedded in it. It
appears as a single purple-brown fruit.Leaves, Stem and Root: Ficus carica is a deciduous, heavily
branched tree growing to 4 m or more. The leaves are downy
A. beneath and are 10 to 20 cm long, broad-ovate to orbicular
with 3 to 5 deep lobes.Habitat: Indigenous to Asia Minor, Syria and Iran. It is
cultivated or grows wild in many subtropical regions.
Production: Figs consists of the dried fruits of Ficus carica.
ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
Furanocoumarins: including psoralen, bergaptene
Fruit acids: citric acid, malic acidMonosaccharides/oligosaccharides (approximately 50%), to
some extent transformed into inverted sugarMucilages
PectinVitamin B and C^ EFFECTS
No information is available
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Unproven Uses: Fig preparations are used as a laxative.
Chinese Medicine: In China, figs are used for dysentery and
enteritis.
PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction
with the proper administration of designated therapeutic
dosages.
LITERATURE
Kern W, List PH, Horhammer L (Hrsg.), Hagers Handbuch der
Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde. 1-8, Springer Verlag
Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.
Siewek F et al. (1985) Z NaturForsch 40 (1/2): 8.
Teuscher E, Biogene Arzneimittel, 5. Aufl., Wiss. Verlagsges.
mbH Stuttgart 1997.«
Figwort
Scrophularia nodosa
DESCRIPTION
Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts of the plant are the
dried herb harvested before flowering, the herb with the root,
and the root alone.Flower and Fruit: The reddish-brown or greenish-yellow
flowers are in terminal panicles. The calyx has 5 segments,
with ovate, narrow-tunicate margined cusps. The corolla is a
bilabiate, swollen, almost globular tube. The upper lip is
divided into 2 and the lower lip is 3-lobed with revolute
lobes. There are 4 stamens and 1 superior ovary. The fruit is
an ovate, many-seeded, and pointed green capsule.Leaves, Stem and Root: The perennial plant grows from 50
to 100 cm high. The root capitula have ovate, tuberous
nodes. The stem is erect, sharply quadrangular, often purple,
glabrous, and has a row of hairs at the nodes. The leaves are
crossed opposite, dark green, oblong, double serrate and
often cordate at the base.
Habitat: The plant is indigenous to Europe, central Asia, and
North America.
Other Names: Throatwort, Carpenter's Square, Kernel wort,
Heal-All Scrofula Plant, Rosenoble
ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
Iridoides: including monoterpenes
Flavonoids: including among others, diosmin
Tannins
Saponins
EFFECTS
Figwort has a diuretic and mildly laxative effect. (No new
research is available.)
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Unproven Uses: External uses as folk remedies have
included skin rashes, venereal warts, hemorrhoids, lacrima-
tion and earache. According to English sources, the plant
was used as a remedy for rabies.
Homeopathic Uses: The drug is used for low resistance,
chronic tonsillitis, and tonsillar hypertony as well as for
lymphedema.
PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction
with the proper administration of designated therapeutic
dosages.
DOSAGE
Preparation: Homeopathic preparations of the mother tinc-
ture are derived from the whole Figwort plant in dilutions.
Homeopathic Dosage: 15 to 20 drops to be taken orally 3
times daily. Scrophularia nodosa can be administered by
injection for long-term treatment
LITERATURE
Inouye H et al., (1974) Planta Med 25:285.