PDR for Herbal Medicines

414/HYDRANGEA" PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

LITERATURE

Bate-Smith EC, (1978) Phytochemistry 17:267.

Der Mardirossian A et al., (1976) J Toxicol Environ Health 1:

939.

Frohne D, Pfander HJ, Giftpflanzen - Ein Handbuch fur

Apotheker, Toxikologen und Biologen, 4. Aufl., Wiss. Verlags-

Ges. Stuttgart 1997.

Hausen B, Allergiepflanzen. Pflanzenallergene, ecomed

Verlagsgesellsch. mbH, Landsberg 1988.

Kern W, List PH, horhammer L (Hrsg.), Hagers Handbuch der

Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde 1-8, Springer Verlag

Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.

Leung AY, Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used

in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics, John Wiley & Sons Inc., New

York 1980.

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

Verlag, Heidelberg 1992.

Madaus G, Lehrbuch der Biologischen Arzneimittel, Bde 1-3,

Nachdruck, Georg Olms Verlag Hildesheim 1979.

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

4. Aufl., Ecomed Fachverlag Landsberg Lech 1993.

Hydrangea arborescens

See Hydrangea

Hydrastis canadensis

See Goldenseal

Hyoscyamus niger

See Henbane

Hypericum perforatum

See St. John's Wort

Hypoxis rooperi

See African Potato

Hyssop

Hyssopus officinalis

TRADE NAMES

Hyssop (available from numerous manufacturers and as

combination product), Hyssop Herb

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the leaves, the

flower tips and the essential oil.

Flower and Fruit: The dark-blue bilabiate flowers are

medium-sized false whorls in one-sided, terminal, leafy

racemes. The calyx is downy, 5-tipped and glabrous inside.

There are 4 stamens, which are turned away from each other

and extend far above the perianth. The style is very long.

Leaves, Stem and Root: The plant is an evergreen subshrub

about 60 cm high. The stem is erect, quadrangular, shrubby

and branched. The leaves are sessile, lanceolate, acute,

entire-margined, punctate, glabrous, dark green and paler

beneath.

Characteristics: The plant has a weak sweetish smell. The

taste is bitter.

Habitat: The plant is indigenous to southern Europe and

grows wild in the Mediterranean region. It is cultivated

elsewhere.

Production: Hyssop herb consists of the fresh or dried

aboveground parts of Hyssopus officinalis. Hyssop oil

consists of the essential oil of Hyssopus officinalis, obtained

by steam distillation.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

In the foliage:

Volatile oil

Tannins

Bitter principles: including, among others, marubiin

Flavonoids: glycosides of hesperidin and diosmetin

In the volatile oil:

Chief components: 1-pinocamphone, isocamphone, pinocar-

vone, alpha- and beta-pinene

EFFECTS

1-pinocamphone and isopinocamphone are the toxically

active constituents of the drug. The oil has an antimicrobial

and anthelmintic effect. Extracts of the leaves are antimicro-

bial, antiviral (herpes simplex) and mildly spasmolytic.