PDR for Herbal Medicines

52/ASIATIC DOGWOOD

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: In folk medicine, the drug has been used for

impotency, loss of semen, lumbago-sciatica syndrome, night

sweats and vertigo.

Chinese Medicine: In China, Asiatic Dogwood is used for

liver and renal disorders, tinnitus, hyperhidrosis, impotency

and low back and knee pain.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS

No health hazards are known in conjunction with the proper

administration of designated therapeutic dosages.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: Whole herb preparations and liquid

preparations for internal use

Preparation: The fruit is boiled or steamed with wine until

all the liquid has been drawn out.

Daily Dosage: 5 to 12 gm of drug.

Chinese Medicine Dosage: 3 to 9 gm of drug daily.

Storage: The herb should be protected from insects and

stored in dry place.

LITERATURE

Hansel R, Keller K, Rimpler H, Schneider G (Ed) Hagers

Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis. 5. Aufl., Bde 4-6

(Drogen), Springer Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1992-

1994.

Jeng H, Wu CM, Su SJ, Chang WC A substance isolated from

Cornus officinalis enhances the motility of human sperm. Am J

Chin Med, 25:301-6, 1997.

Jeng H, Wu CM, Su SJ, Chang WC Observations on the

biological characteristics of Cornus officinalis Chung Yao Tung

Pao, 25:8-11, Jul, 1985.

Asimina triloba

See American Pawpaw

Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis
DESCRIPTION
Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts of the plant are the
herb and the rhizome with roots.
Flower and Fruit: Thin pedicles measuring from 2 to 20 mm
long, grow 1 to 3 flowers from the nodes. The plants are
usually dioecious. The perigone of the male flowers is about
5 mm long, funnel-shaped and whitish to greenish-yellow.

PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

The perigone is longer than the cauline leaves and has

oblanceolate sections that are twice as long as the perigone

tube. The stamens are oblong and almost as long the

filaments. The perigone of the female flowers is much

smaller. The fruit is a pea-sized, brick-red round berry that is

up to 8 mm thick. The seeds are black with wrinkly stripes

and are 3 to 4 mm wide.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Asparagus officinalis is a perennial

with a short, woody rootstock. In the wild, the plant typically

reaches heights of 30 to 100 cm, but cultivated plants may

grow to 150 cm. The stem is erect, glabrous and smooth,

later inclined with numerous erect to leaning branches. The

scale sections at the base have short spurs. The round,

needle-like phylloclades are in clusters of 4 to 15 that are 5

to 25 cm long and about 0.5 cm thick. The root-stock is short

and thick. It produces a few ascending shoots that are as

thick as a finger, fleshy, white, and red or blue-reddish

tinged. (This is the edible asparagus.) The female plants are

often slimmer than the male, which are shorter and stockier.

Characteristics: The fruit is considered to be poisonous, but

that has not been substantiated.

Habitat: The plant grows in central and southern Europe, the

Middle East, western Siberia and northern Africa. It is

cultivated in many places.

Production: Asparagus herb consists of the above-ground

parts of Asparagus officinalis. Asparagus root consists of the

rhizome with roots of Asparagus officinalis, which are dug

up and air-dried in autumn, and also the fresh underground

shoots.

Not to be Confused With: This variety is sometimes confused

with other types of asparagus cultivated in the Mediterranean

region.

Other Names: Sparrow Grass

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS: ASPARAGUS HERB

Flavonoids: including rutin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin

Steroid saponins

EFFECTS: ASPARAGUS HERB

Animal experiments indicate the herb has a mild diuretic

action.

COMPOUNDS: ASPARAGUS RHIZOME AND ROOT

Steroid saponins: including asparagosides A, B, D, F, G, H,

I, the bitter steroid saponins, aspartic saponin I

Amino acids: among them sulphur-containing aspartic acid,

the esters 3-mercapto- butyric acid, 3-methylthio-isobutyric

acid, diisobutyric acid disulphide

Fructans: asparagose, asparagosine