PDR for Herbal Medicines

598/PLANTAIN

and considered useful in alleviating bronchocele. The juice
was used as a snakebite antidote.
Indian Medicine: Uses include worm disease, scabies, severe
thirst, bronchitis, itching, kidney disease, pharyngalgia and
dysuria. Efficacy for these indications has not yet been
proven.
PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
No health hazards are known in conjunction with the proper
administration of designated therapeutic dosages. It is
conceivable that the amine content could trigger attacks of
migraine headache. The freqency of myocardial fibrosis in
tropical countries is said to be caused by chronic ingestion of
the plant. (Plantain should never be eaten raw; it must be
cooked or fried.)
DOSAGE
Mode of Administration: Preparations of the whole, cut and
powdered drug are administered orally.
Preparation: Plantain starch is extracted through the elutria-
tion of the ground fruit pulp. Plantain powder is produced by
dividing the fruit into slices and air- or chamber-drying them
to a water content of only 15%, and then grinding. Plantain
powder (or the unripened mashed fruit) is added to milk and
drunk or made into bread called Chapatis.
LITERATURE
Chattopadhyay S, Chaudhuri S, Ghosal S, Activation of
peritoneal macrophages by sitoindoside-IV, an anti-ulcerogenic
acylsterylglycoside from Musa paradisiaca. Planta Med, 94:16-8,
1987 Feb.
Englyst HN, Cummings JH. Digestion of the carbohydrates of
banana (Musa paradisiaca sapientum) in the human small
intestine. Am J Clin Nutr, 44:42-50, 1986 Jul.
Goel RK, Gupta S, Shankar R, Sanyal AK, Anti-ulcerogenic
effect of banana powder (Musa sapientum var. paradisiaca) and
its effect on mucosal resistance. J Ethnopharmacol, 18:33-44,
1986 Oct.
Lyte M, Induction of gram-negative bacterial growth by
neurochemical containing banana (Musa x paradisiaca) extracts.
FEMS Microbiol Lett, 44:245-50, 1997 Sep 15.
Mukhopadhyaya K, Bhattacharya D, Chakraborty A, Goel RK,
Sanyal AK, Effect of banana powder (Musa sapientum var.
paradisiaca) on gastric mucosal shedding. J Ethnopharmacol,
21:11-9, 1987 Sep-Oct.
Srivastava A, Raj SK, Haq QM, Srivastava KM, Singh BP,
Sane PV, Association of a cucumber mosaic virus strain with
mosaic disease of banana, Musa paradisiaca - an evidence using
immuno/nucleic acid probe. Indian J Exp Biol, 94:986-8, 1995
Dec.

Usha V, Vijayammal PL, Kurup PA, Aortic/glycosaminoglycans
alterations in antiatherogenic action of dietary fiber from unripe
banana (Musa paradisiaca). Indian J Med Res, 94:143-6, 1991
Apr.

Usha V, Vijayammal PL, Kurup PA, Effect of dietary fiber

from banana (Musa paradisiaca) on cholesterol metabolism.

Indian J Exp Biol, 44:550-4, 1984 Oct.

Usha V, Vijayammal PL, Kurup PA, Effect of dietary fiber

from banana (Musa paradisiaca) on metabolism of carbohydrates

in rats fed cholesterol free diet. Indian J Exp Biol, 44:445-9,

1989 May.

Platycodon grandiflorum

See Balloon-Flower (Jie-Geng)

Dragon Root

Asclepias tuberosa

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part of the plant is the root.

Flower and Fruit: The plant bears panicles of deep yellow

and orange petalous flowers on the apex of the stem.

Leaves, Stem and Root:. The plant is perennial, erect, 50 to

100 cm high with a fleshy tuberous root stock bearing a few

stout, hairy stems. The leaves are alternate, oblong, glabrous,

narrowly lanceolate and dark green. The under surface of the

leaves is somewhat lighter than the upper surface. The

rootstock is mildly ring-shaped with a branched crown. The

roots are grooved lengthwise, grayish brown on the outside

and whitish on the inside. The tissue is made up of

concentric rings, which divide easily. The root is tough, short

and starchy. Asclepias tuberosa is devoid of the latex typical

of the genus (see Asclepias incarnata).

Characteristics: Pleurisy Root has a nutty and bitter taste.

The odor is faint.

Habitat: Indigenous to America and Canada.

Production: Pleurisy Root is the root of Asclepias tuberosa.

Other Names: Butterfly Weed, Canada Root, Flux Root,

Orange Swallow-Wort, Swallow-Wort, Tuber Root, White

Root, Wind Root, Orange Milkweed

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Cardioactive steroids (cardenolids) : including frugoside,

glucofrugoside, coriglaucigenin (aglycone)

EFFECTS

Pleurisy Root is said to act as an expectorant, tonic,

diaphoretic and antispasmodic.