PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS

Indian Physic

Gillenia trifoliata

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part is the dried and

pulverized root bark.

Flower and Fruit: The flowers are white and tinged with red.

They are arranged in a few loose, terminal panicles.

Leaves, Stem and Root: This perennial herb has irregular,

cylindrical roots, which are usually transversely grooved and

up to 15 cm long. The external surface is blackish, and the

transverse section shows a thick, reddish bark, which easily

separates from the white woody center. Sprouting from the

root are a number of stems 60 to 90 cm high. The leaves and

leaflets have various forms.

Characteristics: Indian Physic is odorless, but the plant has a

pleasantly bitter taste.

Habitat: The plant is indigenous to the eastern U.S., and is

cultivated in Europe and elsewhere.

Production: Indian Physic is the root bark of Gillenia

trifoliata.

Other Names: Indian Hippo, Bowman's Root, American

Ipecacuanha, Gillenia

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Resins

Gillein (Gillenin)

The constituents of the drug have not been fully investigated.

EFFECTS

The drug is an expectorant, emetic and a "blood purifier."

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: The drug is used in the treatment of

digestive disorders, particularly in cases in which a safe and

reliable emetic is required. Folk medicine applications also

include use with dyspepsia, dropsy, rheumatism and chronic

constipation.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

Health risks or side effects following the proper administra-

tion of designated therapeutic dosages are not recorded.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: The drug is available as a powder,

an infusion or a tonic for internal use.

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.

INDIAN SQUILL/421

Indian Squill

Urginea indica

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The parts used medicinally are the horizon-

tal and vertically cut strips of the dried, middle, fleshy onion

layers of the white flowering variety (which are collected

after flowering) as well as the fresh, fleshy onion layers of

the white and red varieties.

Flower and Fruit: The inflorescence is a 10 to 60 cm long,

loose raceme with 4 to 30 flowers in the axils of the bracts,

which usually drop before the flower. The peduncle is

upright, up to 1 m high, cylindrical, ribbed, glabrous and

reddish-brown. The pedicle is up to 3.5 cm long, splayed

when in flower and upright when the fruit is ripe. The

flowers are radial with 6 corolla-like tepals, which are 5 to

12 mm long, campanulate and reddish-green. There are 6

stamens, 3 fused carpels and a 3-chambered, superior ovary.

The fruit is a capsule, 10 to 25 cm long, with 12 to 30 seeds.

The seeds are clavate to elliptical with a diameter of 4 to 10

mm, dark brown to black, with orbicular, translucent wings.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Indian squill is a herbaceous

perennial bulb plant that reaches up to 35 cm. The flowering

varieties might reach up to 1 m high. The leaves are basal, in

2 rows, 13 to 35 cm long, 6 to 30 mm wide, linear to

lanceolate or sword-shaped, flat, parallel-veined, glabrous

and whorled at the base. The bulb is whitish, globose to

ovoid with a diameter of 3 to 7 cm. The outer layer is

membranous, the inner one fleshy.

Characteristics: The bulb tastes bitter; slimy.

Habitat: India and Sri Lanka

Production: Indian squill is the dried and cut bulb of Urginea

indica freed from the outer layers shortly after harvesting.

The bulbs are dug up, cleaned and cut into quarters. Then the

core is removed and the remaining pieces are dried in the sun

or over a fire until the weight is reduced by 80%.

Not to be Confused With: Because of the similarity in name,

it can be confused with Scilla indica.

Other Names: South Indian Squill

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Cardioactive steroid glycosides (bufadienolids, 0.1 to 1.5%):

chief components proscillaridin A and scillaren A, including

as well scillipheoside, scillarenine-bis-alpha-rhamnoside,

scillicyanogenine glucoside, scillicyanosidine glucoside,

scilliglaucosidine glucoside

Mucilages (50%, glucomannoxylans)