PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS

Silphium laciniatum

See Rosinweed

Silphium perfoliatum

See Cup Plant

Silybum marianum

See Milk Thistle

Simaruba

Simaruba amara
DESCRIPTION
Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part is the dried root bark.
Flower.and Fruit: The flowers grow in small racemes with
dense matte-white petals.
Leaves, Stem and Root: Simaruba amara is a tree that grows
over 18 m high. The roots are long and spread horizontally.
The leaves are 22 to 27 cm long. The tree has numerous
long, bent branches covered in smooth, grayish bark. The
bark that is used commercially is thin and flat with a
yellowish or grayish-yellow color. The bark is tough, fibrous
and almost impossible to break.
Characteristics: The taste is very bitter and odorless.
Habitat: The plant grows on the Caribbean islands and the
northern parts of South America.
Other Names: Dysentery Bark, Mountain Damson, Bitter
Damson, Slave Wood, Stave Wood, Sumaruba
ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
Bitter substances: quassinoids (breakdown products of
triterpenes), including among others simarubin (1%), simaru-
bidin, simarolide, 13,18-dehydro-glaucarubinone
Tannins (20-27%)
Volatile oil (0.1-0.2%)
5-hydroxy-canthin-6-one
Alkaloids
EFFECTS
The active agents are tannin, simarubin, essential oil and fat.
The drug has a sedative effect on the smooth muscle of die

intestine. It constricts the vessels of the intestinal tract.

Simaruba is a tonic and febrifuge.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Simaruba was formerly used in the treat-

ment of febrile illnesses and dysentery. Recent research

indicates that it may be effective in treating malaria. The

drug is used for unspecified enteritis, diarrhea and as a bitter.

It may cause vomiting, and is also used as an abortive.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction

with the proper administration of designated therapeutic

dosages. The drug triggers vomiting in high dosages.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: The drug is available as a liquid

extract for internal use.

Daily Dosage: The average dose is 1 gm of the drug to be

taken internally.

Storage: Protect against dampness.

LITERATURE

Bray DH et al., (1987) Phytother Res 1 (1):22.

Geissmann T, (1964) Ann Rev Pharmacol 4:305.

Kuroda K et al., (1976) Cancer Res 36:1900.

Polonsky J et al., (1978) Experientia 34 (9): 1122.

Further information in:

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

Birkhauser Verlag Basel, Boston, Berlin 1962-1997.

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

Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde 1-8: springer Verlag

Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.

Simaruba amara

See Simaruba

Simmondsia chinesis

See Jojoba

Sinapis alba

See White Mustard