PDR for Herbal Medicines

454/LACTUCARIUM

Other Names: Prickly Lettuce, Strong-Scented Lettuce,

Green Endive, Lettuce Opium, Acrid Lettuce, Poison Let-

tuce, Wild Lettuce

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Sesquiterpene lactones: lactucin, lactucopicrin (lactupictin,

intybin)

Triterpenes: including among others, taraxasterol, beta-

amyrin

EFFECTS

The herb is supposed to have a narcotic effect. It is an

analgesic and spasmolytic, and is said to act as a tranquilizer.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Medicines containing Lactucarium are used

to treat whooping cough attacks. The drug is used for

bronchial catarrh, asthma and urinary tract diseases. The oil

of the seeds is used for arteriosclerosis and was also used as

wheat germ oil.

Homeopathic Uses: Lactuca virosa is used for laryngitis,

tracheitis with heavy coughing, for swelling of the liver and

for urinary complaints.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction

with the proper administration of designated therapeutic

dosages. The drug possesses a low potential for sensitization.

OVERDOSAGE

The following signs of poisoning can occur through overdos-

age or following intake of the fresh leaves, as in salads:

outbreaks of sweating, acceleration of breathing, tachycardia,

pupil dilation, dizziness, ringing in the ears, vision disorders,

pressure in the head, somnolence, on occasion also excitato-

ry states. The toxicity is, however, relatively low. Following

gastrointestinal emptying (inducement of vomiting, gastric

lavage with burgundy-colored potassium permanganate solu-

tion, sodium sulfate), as well as instillation of activated

charcoal, the treatment of poisonings should proceed

symptomatically.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: Due to its poison content, the drug

is only administered under medical supervision. It is ground

and used as an alcoholic extract and further processed in the

pharmaceutical industry.

LITERATURE

Frohne D, Pfander HJ, Giftpflanzen - Ein Handbuch fur

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

Ges Stuttgart 1997.

Huang ZJ et al., (1982) J Pharm Sci 71(2):270.

PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

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

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

Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.

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.

Marquardt P et al., (1976) Planta Med 30:68.

, Rees S, Harborne J, (1984) Bot J Linn Soc 89(4):313.

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

4. Aufl., Ecomed Fachverlag Landsberg Lech 1993.
   Ruban G et al., (1978) Acta Crystalogr Sect B 34(4): 1163
   Teuscher E, Lindequist U, Biogene Gifte - Biologie, Chemie,
   Pharmakologie, 2. Aufl., Fischer Verlag Stuttgart 1994.

Lady Fern

Athyrium filix-femina

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part is the rhizome when

gathered in spring or autumn.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Athyrium filix-femina is a 10- to 40-

cm high fern. The pencil-thick, creeping rhizome is densely

covered with dark-brown hairs. Numerous tomentose, long,

branched, dark-brown root fibers sprout from the rhizome.

The not-so-numerous leaves are in rigid, upright, double

rows. They are coriaceous, glabrous, oblong-lanceolate or

oblong, deeply pinnatifid and wintergreen. The petioles are

semi-round, smooth and whitish. On the underside of the leaf

tips there are 2 parallel rows of large groups of filmless

sporangia, which are initially yellowish and later turn dark

brown.

Habitat: Lady Fern is indigenous to Britain, parts of Europe

and the U.S.

Other Names: Common Polypody, Brake Root, Rock Brake,

Rock of Polypody, Oak Fern

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Tannins (8%)

C-glucosyl flavones: including mangiferin

Phytoecdysones

Amaroids

Saponin: including the steroid saponin osladin

Essential oil