Handbook of Medicinal Herbs

A

DEM); Hematuria (f; DAA); Hepatosis (1; WO3); High Blood Pressure (1; PH2; WO3); High

Cholesterol (f; PEP; PH2); Hydrophobia (f; WO2); Hyperglycemia (f; PEP; PH2); Induration (f;

WO2); Infertility (f; DAA); Inflammation (f; WO2); Kidney Stone (f; DAA); Leprosy (f; DAA);

Leukemia (f; WO2); Nephrosis (f; DAA); Obesity (f; PEP); Polyuria (f; DAA); Rhinosis (f;

FAD); Snakebite (f; GMH); Sore (f; WO2); Stomachache (f; DEM); Stone (f; DAA; WO2);

Swelling (f; DAA; FAD; GMH); Toothache (f; WO2); Tuberculosis (f; DEM); Urethrosis (f;

PHR); UTI (f; PHR; WO3); VD (f; DAA; LMP); Venosis (f; DEM); Vertigo (f; WO3); Water

Retention (2; DAA; FAD; GMH; WO3); Wound (f; FAD; WO2).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Alisma) — Class 2d. Prolonged use may

cause GI irritation and gastroenterosis (AHP). Doses 20–40 times higher than clinical dose

hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic in rats (AHP).“Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper

therapeutic dosages” (PH2) (but PH2 designates no specific quantified dosage! JAD). Rhizome,

most often used as a diuretic, should not be used when there is a clear, thin vaginal discharge.

May cause more than usual excretion of sodium and urea in healthy subjects (TMA). LD50

= >4 g/kg orl mouse (LMP).

ALKANET, ALKANNA, DYER’S ALKANET

(Alkanna tinctoria Tausch) X

Synonyms — A. lehmanii (Tineo) A. DC., A. tuberculata (Forssk.) Meikle, Anchusa bracteolata

Viv., A. tuberculata Forssk., Lithospermum lehmanii Tineo

Activities (Alkanet) — Amebicide (1; FNF); Antibacterial (1; PHR); Antiseptic (1; PH2; PNC);

Astringent (1; LAF; PNC); Candidicide (1; PHR; PH2); Carcinogenic (1; FNF; PHR; PH2); CNS-

Depressant (1; FNF); Curare (1; FNF); Emollient (f; EFS); Genotoxic (1; CAN; FNF); Hepatotoxic

(1; CAN; PHR; PH2); Immunomodulator (1; LAF); Immunosuppressant (1; LAF); Neurotoxic (1;

FNF); Paralytic (1; FNF); Vulnerary (f; BIS; PNC).

Indications (Alkanet) — Abscess (f; LAF); Ameba (1; FNF); Bacteria (1; PH2); Burn (1; FNF);

Cancer (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, uterus (1; FNF; JLH); Candida (1; PHR; PH2); Decubitis (1; FNF);

Dermatosis (f; PHR; PH2); Diarrhea (f; PHR; PH2); EBV (1; FNF); Indolent Ulcer (1; PH2; PNC);

Induration (f; JLH); Inflammation (1; FNF); Leukemia (1; FNF); Snakebite (f; PNC); Sore (1;

LAF); Staphylococcus (1; PH2); Ulcus cruris (2; PHR); Uterosis (f; JLH); Virus (1; FNF); Wound

(1; PH2); Yeast (1; PHR; PH2).

Dosages (Alkanet) — No more than 0.1 μg pyrrolizidine alkaloids with 1.2 necine framework and

their N-oxides (PH2).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Alkanet) — AHP Class 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d. Long-

term use discouraged. Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). Effective July 1996, the AHP Board

of Trustees recommends that all products with botanical ingredient(s) that contain toxic PAs,

including Borago officinalis, display the following cautionary statement on the label: “For external

use only. Do not apply to broken or abraded skin. Do not use when nursing” (AHP). PAs are

genotoxic, carcinogenic, and hepatotoxic (CAN). Due to the PAs, alkanet use in pregnancy and

lactation is to be avoided (JAD). Consolicine & Consolidine: CNS-Paralytic (3 × cynoglossine)

(PHR). Dietary alkannin for 15 weeks at 1% of diet nontoxic in mice (LAF). Shikonin immuno-

modulatory at low doses, immunosuppressant at high doses.