PDR for Herbal Medicines

606/POMEGRANATE PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

Liquid extract — percolation of 1000 parts coarse powder

and 59% ethanol (V/V). The percolate is evaporated to the

initial amount of the drug (EB6).

Decoction — 250 parts bark powder and 1500 parts water

boiled for 30 minutes (Belg IV).

Daily Dosage:

Tapeworm treatment 1 (decoction) — 4 doses of 60 ml with

2 hour intervals between doses accompanied before treat-

ment and after treatment by a laxative.

Tapeworm treatment 2 (maceration) — administration of 3

doses of 65 ml with a duodenal probe at 30 minute intervals;

a laxative is administered after an hour.

As pomegranate bark juice extract — single dose: for

tapeworm 20 gm.

Homeopathic Dosage: 5 drops, 1 tablet or 10 globules every

30 to 60 minutes (acute) or I to 3 times daily (chronic);

parenterally: 1 to 2 ml sc acute: 3 times daily; chronic: once

a day (HAB1).

Storage: Pomegranate should be sealed in containers and

protected from moisture.

LITERATURE
Beckham N, Phyto-oestrogens and compounds that affect
oestrogen metabolism. In: Aust Herbalism 7:11-16. 1995.
Foder GB, Colasenko B, In: Alkaloids, Vol. 3, Ed. SW.
Pelletier, John Wiley 1985.
Neuhofer H et al., The occurence of pelletierine derivatives in
Punica granatum. In: 37. Annual Congr Med Plant Res
Braunschweig 1989 Pl-13. 1989.
Schilling G, Schick H, On the structure of punicalagin and
punicalin. In: Liebigs Ann Chem (11):2240. 1985.
Tanake T et al.. (1986) Chem Pharm Bull 34(2):656.
Wylegalla R, Biblische Botanik: Pflanzen und Friichte aus dem
gelobten Land. In: DAZ 137(11):867-869. 1997.
Further information in:
Hansel R, Keller K, Rimpler H, Schneider G (Hrsg.), Hagers
Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 5. Aufl., Bde 4-6
(Drogen), Springer Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1992-
1994.
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.

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

4. Aufl., Ecomed Fachverlag Landsberg Lech 1993.

Pontian Rhododendron

Rhododendron ponticum

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part of the plant is its leafy

branches.

Flower and Fruit: The inflorescence is an umbelliferous

raceme with 8 to 15 single flowers on 3 pubescent pedicles

that are up to 3.5 cm long. The flower structures are in fives

and fused. The calyx is inconspicuous, up to 3 mm long, and

5-toothed. The corolla is campanulate, 5-lobed, 4 to 5 cm in

diameter, violet to pink-violet with green-yellow spots on the

upper lobes. There are 10 stamens and a multi-chambered

ovary on sessile disc. The fruit is an elongate-cylindrical

capsule. The seeds are small and can fly.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Rhododendron ponticum is an

evergreen shrub typically growing up to 5 m high, occasion-

ally up to a tree height of 8 m. The leaves are 8 to 15 cm

long, 3 to 5 cm wide with a 1 to 2 cm long petiole. The

lamina is elliptical-elongate, acute at both ends, entire,

coriaceous, dark green, smooth and glabrous above, pale

green and glabrous beneath. The plant is heavily branched.

The branches are glabrous.

Habitat: The plant is indigenous to the Balkan states, the

Commonwealth of Independent States, Spain, Portugal and

England.

Production: Pontian rhododendron herb is the dried leafy

branches of Rhododendron ponticum.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Diterpenes of the andromedan type: grayanbtoxin I (andro-

medotoxin, acetylandromedol, asebotoxin, rhodotoxin, 0.001

to 0.02%), grayanotoxin II (andromedol), grayanotoxin HI

(andromedenol)

Flavonoids: myricetin, gossypetin, azaleatin, malvin

Steroids: sterols, including beta-sitosterol, alpha-amyrin,

ursolic acid

EFFECTS

The drug has the effect of reducing blood pressure in animal

experiments, due to the diterpenes it contains of the

andromedan type (grayanotoxins). Historically,' effects also

have been described as stimulating, narcotic, diaphoretic and

diuretic.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Therapeutic use is no longer recommended because of the

drug's possibly dangerous side-effects due to its toxic

content.