PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS

Production: Magnolia bark is the bark from the trunk and

branches of Magnolia glauca.

Other Names: White Laurel, Beaver Tree, Swamp Sassafras,

White Bay, Sweet Bay, Holly Bay, Indian Bark, Red Bay,

£ Swamp Laurel

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Neolignans: magnolol

Volatile oil

The constituents of the drug have not been widely

investigated.

EFFECTS

Magnolia has diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory and stimulant

effects. It is also a tonic.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: The preparations are used for digestive

disorders; used rarely, except in Oriental medicine.

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: Magnolia has been used internally

as a powder or liquid extract.

LITERATURE

Hegnauer R, Chemotaxonomie der Pflanzen, Bde 1-11,

BirkhaosirVErlag Basel, Boston, Berlin 1962-1997.

• -•*• •" ~ ..* -. -
  Kern W, List PH, Horharamer L (Hrsg.), Hagers Handbuch der
  Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde. 1-8, Springer Verlag
  Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.
  Yajara S, Nishiyori T, Kohda A, Nohra T, Nisbioka I, Isolation
  and characterization of phenolic compounds from Magnolia
  cortex produced in China. In: Chem Pharm Bull Tokyo
  39:2024. 1991.

Magnolia glauca

See Magnolia

Mahonia aquifolium

See Mountain Grape

MAIDENHAIR/491

Maidenhair

Adiantum capillus-veneris

TRADE NAMES

Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium variety available from

numerous manufacturers) Oregon Grape Root

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The dried fronds (Maidenhair) are used as a

drug as well the dried herb with rhizome and roots

(Maidenhair with roots).

Flower and Fruit: There are lumps of sporangia without a

veil on the underside of the lateral lobes. The sporangia are

square to reniform and later, dark brown.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Maidenhair is a hardy, up to 35 cm

high plant with an aromatic lily fragrance. It has a creeping

rhizbme. The leaves are double-rowed, tender, glabrous and

up to 50 cm long. They have a glossy black petiole and are

covered with hairs at the base. The leaf-blade is ovate to

oblong-ovate. The leaflets are light-green periolate. The

pinnules have hair-like petioles. The veins of the sterile

pinna terminate in teeth at the edge of the leaf.

Habitat: Southern Europe, Atlantic coast as far as Ireland,

from the south to the southern Alpine valleys (Tessin,

southern Tyrol).

Production: Maidenhair fern, which is gathered in June and

dried, is the frond of Adiantum capillus-veneris.

Not to be Confused With: It has sometimes been observed

that the drug has been made impure by an addition of

bracken leaf fronds (Pteridium aquilinum).

Other Names: Venus Hair, Rock Fem, Hair of Venus, Five-

Finger Fern, Maiden Fern

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Flavonoids

Proanthocyan idins

Hydroxycinnamic acid ester

EFFECTS

The drug is an expectorant, beneficial in bringing up phlegm,

and a demulcent.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: In the middle ages, the drug was used for

various illnesses of the respiratory tract, in the form of so-

called pectoral teas and as a syrup for severe coughs.

Because of its similarity to Maidenhair, the drug was used to

treat a lack of hair growth and to promote dark hair color.