PDR for Herbal Medicines

634 /RED CLOVER

Production: Red Clover flowers are the flowers of Trifolium

pratense. The dried flower buds are used to produce the drug.

Other Names: Purple Clover, Trefoil, Wild Clover

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Volatile oil: including among others, benzyl alcohol, 2-

phenyl ethanol, their formates and acetates, methyl salicy-

late, methyl anthranilate (likely only in the fresh blossoms)

lsoflavonoids: including among others, biochanin A

Coumarin derivatives

Cyanogenic glycosides: presumably lotaustralin, linamarin

EFFECTS

Red Clover has antispasmodic and expectorant effects and

also promotes the skin's healing process.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Internally, Red Clover is used for coughs

and respiratory conditions, particularly whooping cough.

Externally, it is used in the treatment of chronic skin

conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.

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 used internally and

externally as a liquid extract and in medicinal preparations.

Preparation: Liquid extract 1:1 can be prepared in 25%

ethanol.

Daily Dosage: The daily dosage is 4 gm of drug, taken as an

infusion, up to 3 times a day. Alternately, 1.5 to 3 ml of the

liquid extract can be taken 3 times daily.

LITERATURE

Dewick P, (1977) Phytochemistry 16:93.

Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, Vol. 1, 2nd Ed.,

CRC Pressr 1975.

Guggolz J et al., (1961) Agric Food Chem 9(4):33I.

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

Handbucruder Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 5. AufL, Bde 4-6

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

1994.

Kattaev NS et al., (1972) Khim Prir Soed 6:806.

Madaus G, Lehrbuch der Biologischen Arzneimittel, Bde 1-3,

Nachdruck, Georg Olms Verlag Hildesheim 1979.

Sachse J, (1974) J Chrom 96(1): 123.

PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

Wagner H. Wiesenauer M, Phytotherapie. Phytopharmaka und

pflanzliche Homoopathika, Fischer-Verlag, Stuttgart, Jena, New

York 1995.

Yoshihara T et al.. (1977) Agric Biol Chem 41(9): 1679.

1

Red Currant

Ribes rub rum

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the fruit and

leaves.

Flower and Fruit: The flowers are in hanging, many-

blossomed racemes. The green flowers are inconspicuous

and their structures are in fives. The sepals and petals are

fused with the hollowed receptacle. The calyx tips are wide

obovate and longer than the petals. The corolla tube is flat

with a pentagonal ring swelling. There are 2 carpels fused

with the corolla tube to an inferior, single-chambered ovary.

The ovary has a concave tip and a disc ring. The fruit is

multi-seeded red berry. The cultivated forms are pink or

white.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Ribes rubrum grows as a shrub, H

reaching up to 2 m high. The leaves are alternate, over 10 cm

wide with a petiole half as long as the lamina, which is 3- to

5-lobed. The lobes are blunt to acute, double crenate and

cordate at the base with an acute indentation.

Habitat: The plant is indigenous to Western Europe.

Production: Red Currants are the fresh ripe berries of Ribes

rubrum.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Fruit acids: chief fruit acid is citric acid; other acids include

malic acid, isocitric acid and tartartic acid

Monosaccharides/polysaccharides (7%): D-glucose,

D-fructose

Pectins (15%)

Fatty oil (in the seeds 20%) with gamma-linolenic acid (6%)

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C, 0.005 to 0.015%) J

Cqffeic acid derivatives: including caffeoyl glucose, p-cu-

maric acid-O-glucoside

EFFECTS

Red Currant is a source of vitamin C and exhibits in vitro

radical scavenger qualities. The fruit and juice are considered

cooling and antiscorbutic and have often been used as a

febrifuge. The jelly prepared from the berries has an