HERBAL MONOGRAPHS HOUSELEEK/411root is the root of Cynoglossum officinale. The root is
gathered in the second spring and then dried.Other Names: Dog's Tongue, Dog-Bur, Gypsy Flower,
Sheep-Lice, WoolmatACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS: HOUNDS TONGUE HERB
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (0.7 to 1.5%): main alkaloids helio-
supine, echinatine, also 7-angeloylheliotridine,
acetylheliosupineEFFECTS:
No information is available.COMPOUNDS: HOUNDS TONGUE ROOT
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids: main alkaloids presumably, as in the
plant, heliosupine and echinatineTanninsEFFECTS: HOUND'S TONGUE ROOT
The root has antidiarrheal and wound-healing effects. It is
both toxic and carcinogenic.According to previous reports, cynoglossin has a paralyzing
effect on the peripheral nerve ends of frogs. The substances
consolicin and consolidin have a paralyzing effect on the
CNS, which is 3 times stronger than the effect of cynoglos-
sin. The toxicity should disappear with storage.INDICATIONS AND USAGE
HOUND'S TONGUE HERB
Unproven Uses: Preparations of Hound's Tongue have been
used as an antidiarrheal and an expectorant. The effective-
ness of the herb for the claimed applications is not
documented.CYNOGLOSSUM ROOT
Unproven Uses: In the past, it was used as an analgesic both
internally and externally, as a cough sedative and for
diarrhea. The root is used externally in the treatment of
wounds.PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
HOUND'S TONGUE HERB AND ROOT
WARNING: The traditional folk medicinal preparations
should not be used!Because of its high pyrrolizidine alkaloid content with 1,2-
unsaturated necine parent substances, the drug is both
hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic in effect. The drug
should under no circumstances be taken internally.
DOSAGE
HOUND'S TONGUE HERB AND ROOT
See Warning above regarding internal use.
Storage: The herb should be protected from light and kept
dry above annealed calcium chloride in air-tight, sealed glass
or chalk containers, with the possible addition of a few drops
of chloroform or carbon tetrachloride as an insecticide. It
should be^3 renewed annually.LITERATURE
HOUND'S TONGUE HERB
Frohne D, Pfander HJ: Giftpflanzen - Ein Handbuch fur
Apotheker, Toxikologen und Biologen, 4. Aufl., Wiss.
Verlagsges. mbH Stuttgart 1997.
Kern W, List PH, Horhammer L (Hrsg.), Hagers Handbuch der
Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde 1-8, Springer Verlag
Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.
Knight AP, Kimberling CV, Stermitz FR, Roby MR,
Cynoglossum officinale (hounds-tongue) - a cause of
pyrrolizidine-alkaloid poisoning in horse. In: J Am Vet Med
Assoc 185(6):647-650. 1984.
Lewin L, Gifte und Vergiftungen, 6. Aufl., Nachdruck, Haug
Verlag, Heidelberg 1992.
Mattocks AR, Pigott CD, Pyrrolizidine lakloids from
Cynoglossum germanicum. In: PH 29(9):2871. 1990.
Steinegger E, Hansel R, Pharmakognosie, 5. Aufl., Springer
Verlag Heidelberg 1992.
Teuscher E, Lindequist U, Biogene Gifte - Biologie, Chemie,
Pharmakologie, 2. Aufl., Fischer Verlag Stuttgart 1994.
HOUND'S TONGUE ROOT
Kern W, List PH, Horhammer L (Hrsg.), Hagers Handbuch der
Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde 1-8, Springer Verlag
Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.
Knight AP, Kimberling CV, Stermitz FR, Roby MR,
Cynoglossum officinale (hounds-tongue) - a cause of
pyrrolizidine-alkaloid poisoning in horse. In: J Am Vet Med
Assoc 185(6):647-650. 1984.
Mattocks AR, Pigott CD, Pyrrolizidine lakloids from
Cynoglossum germanicum. In: PH 29(9):2871. 1990.Houseleek
Sempervivum tectorumDESCRIPTION
Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the fresh leaves
before flowering and their juice.Flower and Fruit: The pink or red flowers are in cymes on
their own peduncles, which are about 22 cm high. The
individual flowers are short-pedicled and splayed in a star
shape. The 12 sepals and petals are twice as long as the
calyx. The 24 stamens are in 2 circles. There are 24 ovaries.
The small fruit is many-seeded and fused at the base.