HERBAL MONOGRAPHS LADY'S BEDSTRAW/455EFFECTS
The drug is a mild expectorant; a choleretic-type effect is
questionable.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Unproven •Uses: The drug is used for respiratory and
gastrointestinal tract illnesses.
PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction
with the proper administration of designated therapeutic
dosages.
DOSAGE
Mode of Administration: The drug is obsolete in German-
speaking countries. However, Lady Fern is still found in
commercial preparations as drops and tablets, as well as in
preparations used in the religious system of anthroposophy.
Daily Dosage: In anthroposophic medicine, the usual dose to
treat gastrointestinal illnesses is 1 to 2 tablets or 10 to 20
drops taken 3 times daily.
LITERATURE
Abraham H, Zucker und Supstoff. In: PTA 7(10):744. 1993.
Anonym, Niedere Pflanzen ganz gro|3 - 39. Jahrestagung der
Gesellschaft fur Arzneipflanzenforschung in Saarbriicken. In:
DAZ 131(37): 1899.
Constantinescu E et al.. (1966) Pharmazie 21:121.
Hegnauer R. Chemotaxonomie der Pflanzen, Bde 1-11,
Birkhauser Verlag Basel, Boston. Berlin 1962-1997.
Jizba J et al., (1971) Tetrahedron Lett 18:1329.
Kern W, List PH, Horhammer L (Hrsg.), Hagers Handbuch der
Pharmazeutischen Praxis. 4. Aufl., Bde 1-8, Springer Verlag
Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.
Madaus GrL^hrbuchjder Biologischen Arzneimittel, Bde 1-3,
Nachdruck, Ge.org Q/lms Verlag Hildesheim 1979".Lady's Bedstraw
Galium verum
DESCRIPTION
Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part is the dried herb.
Flower and Fruit: The small lemon-yellow flowers are in
dense terminal panicles. The peduncle is very downy. The
corolla is 2 to 3 mm wide, usually golden yellow, and smells
strongly of honey. The border of the calyx is pointed, and the
ovaries are bivalvular and inferior. The fruit is smooth,
indehiscent, 1.5 mm long, glabrous and eventually black.
Leaves, Stem and Root: The true plant is a 30 to 100 cm high
herbaceous perennial with a cylindrical, creeping rhizome
that sprouts runners. The stem is ascending or erect, bluntly
quadrangular with 4 vertical lines, downy or glabrous and
rough. The leaves are in false whorls of 8 to 12. They are
linear, dark green above, and gray and short-haired beneath.
Characteristics: The flowers have a strong honey fragrance.
Habitat: The plant grows throughout Europe (with the
exception of Lapland and arctic Russia), as well as in Asia
Minor, Iran and Syria.
Production: Lady's Bedstraw is the herb of Galium verum.
collected during the flowering season and dried.
Other Names: Yellow Galium, Cheese Rennet, Curdwort.
Maid's Hair, Yellow Cleavers, Petty Mugget, Cheese
Renning
ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
Iridoids: asperuloside, monotropein, scandoside, desacety-
lasperulosidic acid, asperulosidic acid, giniposidic acid.
daphylloside
Rennin
Flavonoids : including rutin, isorutin, palustroside, cynaro-
side, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-7-O-glucoside
Anthracene derivatives
Caffeic acid ester: chlorogenic acid
EFFECTS
No information is available.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Unproven Uses: Internally, the drug is used in folk medicine
for swollen ankles and as a diuretic for bladder and kidney
irritation. Externally, it is used for poorly healing wounds.
The efficacy of this drug has not been proven.
PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
Health risks or side effects following the proper administra-
tion of designated therapeutic dosages are not recorded.
DOSAGE
Mode of Administration: Currently obsolete but formerly the
drug was used internally as a tea and topically in alcoholic
extracts as a moist poultice.
Preparation: To prepare a tea or infusion, pour 250 ml of
cold water over 2 heaping teaspoonfuls of die drug, bring to
simmering point, simmer for 2 minutes and then allow to
draw.
Daily Dosage: Internally, 2 to 3 cups of tea daily.
LITERATURE
Bqjthe-Horvath K et al., PH 21:2917-2919. 1982.
Borisov MI et al., Rastit Resur 11:351. 1975.
Burnett AR, Thomsom RH, (1968) J Clin Soc (6):854.