PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS

LITERATURE

Blaschek W, Hansel R, Keller K, Reichling J, Rimpler G,

Schneider G (Eds), Hagers Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen

Praxis. Folgebande 1 und 2. Drogen A-Z. Springer. Berlin,

Heidelberg 1998.

C

Jacob's Ladder

Polemonium caeruleum

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part is the herb.

Flower and Fruit: The numerous flowers grow in clusters at

the end of the lateral branches. They are open, slightly

hanging and have 5 sepals and 5 petals. The corolla is 2 to

2.5 cm, deep blue and has a short pollen tube. The stamens

are enclosed in the tube and have yellow anthers.

Leaves, Stem and Root: The plant is a perennial. The plant is

bright green and smooth. The upper section is covered in

short glandular hairs. The rhizome is short and creeping, and

the stem is 45 to 90 cm high, hollow and quadrangular. The

^| leaves with numerous pairs of leaflets are 1.25 to 2.5 cm

long. These are pinnate and alternate.

Habitat: The plant is indigenous to central and northern

Europe.

Production: Jacob's Ladder is the aerial part of Polemonium

caeruleum.

Other Names: Charity, English Greek Valerian

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Triterpene saponins

Flavonoids

EFFECTS

All parts of the plant contain saponin, which has astringent,

diaphoretic and hemolytic effects.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Unproven Uses: Jacob's Ladder is used for febrile and
£ inflammatory conditions.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction

with the proper administration of designated therapeutic

dosages.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: The ground drug is used as an

infusion.

JALAP 427

LITERATURE

Reznicek G et al., A new ester saponine from Polemonium

caeruleum. In: PM 59(7)12. 1993.

Further information in:

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

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

Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.

Jalap

Ipomoea purga

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part is the root tuber.

Flower and Fruit: The flowers are single or in twos

(occasionally in threes or fours), radial, with their structures

grouped in fives. There are 5 narrow-lanceolate, purple-

punctate sepals. The petals are fused to a 7 cm wide, funnel-

shaped red corolla, and there are 5 stamens. The superior

ovary is 2-chambered. The fruit is a capsule with 4 seeds.

Leaves, Stem and Root: This winding herb grows up to 4 m

high. The leaves are alternate, up to 9 cm long and 5 cm

wide, cordate, acuminate and entire. The stem is purple-

tinged and glabrous. The rhizome is tuberously thickened.

milky, approximately 5 cm long, with tuberous, thickened

secondary roots.

Habitat: Ipomoea purga grows in South and Central

America, Mexico and Jamaica.

Production: Jalap resin (also known as jalap or Jalapae

resina) is the resin of Ipomoea purga derived from alcoholic

extraction of the jalap root powder. The tuberous, tfiickened

secondary roots (black rhubarb tubers) of Ipomoea jalapae

tuber are harvested from May to autumn and dried in the sun-

on hot ash or over an open fire

Not to be Confused With: Jalap resin may be confused with

Brazil jalap, Aloe, Orizaba jalap, colophonium, starch.

dextrin and guaiac resin. Confusion can arise between Jalap

tuber and Ipomoea orizabensis, Ipomoea operculata, Opercu-

lina turpethum, Convolvulus scammonia and Mirabilis

jalapa.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

Ipomoea purga is a centuries-old purgative and vermifuge. It

has also been used as an anthelmintic.

COMPOUNDS: JALAP RESIN

Glycoretines: convulvin (55%, non-ether-soluble), jalapin

(7%, ether-soluble), convulvin and jalapin are mixtures made

up of resinous glycosides of hydroxy-fatty acids (CI2 to

CI6) with oligosaccharides, their hydroxy 1 groups estered to