PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS SELF-HEAL/681

to be anticoagulative. The flavones are said to improve the

contractility and pumping ability of cardiac muscle, reduce

peripheral resistance and promote vascular elasticity.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: The drug is used as an infection prophy-

laxis, in particular during the time just before spring and

during periods of convalescence. It is used externally as a

treatment for radiation damage, such as x-ray damage and

sunburn, and as fatty oil for the treatment of wounds.

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: Buckthorn is an extract constituent

in various vitamin C concentrates and juices.

Daily Dosage: The recommended daily dose is 5 to 10 gm of

one of the Buckthorn products.

LITERATURE

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

Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde. 1-8, Sponger Verlag

Berlin, Heidelberg. New York, 1969.

Sedum acre

See Common Stonecrop

Selenicereus grandiflorus

See Night-Blooming Cereus

Self-Heal

Prunella vulgaris

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal part is the whole flowering

plant.

Flower and Fruit: The blue-violet or brownish-blue labiate
flowers are clustered in semi-whorls at the end of stems and
lateral branches. The accompanying leaves are red-brown.
The upper lip of the calyx has 3 tips and the lower lip has 2
tips. The corolla is about 1 cm longer than the domed upper
lip. The lower lip has 3 lobes. There are 4 stamens, the
longer ones have a straight awl-shaped tip. The style is
divided into two. The small fruit is flung out of the calyx.

Leaves, Stem and Root: The plant grows from 10 to 30 cm

high. The stems are usually ascendant, sometimes creeping.

The leaves are petiolate, ovate to lanceolate, dentate or

entire-margined and crossed opposite.

Habitat: Prunella vulgaris is indigenous to Europe and Asia

and practically all temperate regions of the world.

Production: Self-Heal is the complete plant in flower of

Prunella vulgaris.

Other Names: Woundwort, Prunella, Hook-Heal, Slough-

Heal, Brunelia, Heart of the Earth, Blue Curls, Heal-All,

Brown wort, Carpenter's Herb, Carpenter's Weed, Sickle wort

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Bitter principles

Flavonoids: including rutin, hyperoside.

Tannins

Triterpene saponins

Triterpenes, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid

'EFFECTS

There is no information available.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Self-Heal is used for inflammatory diseases

and ulcers in the mouth and throat, gastrointestinal catarrh,

as a remedy for diarrhea, hemorrhage and gynecological

disorders.

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: Self-Heal is available as crude

drug, as an extract and as a gargle solution.

Preparation: To prepare a tea, use 1 dessertspoon of the drug

per cup of water.

LITERATURE

Kojima H. et al., (1987) Phytochemistry 26(4): 1107.

Tabba HD, Chang RSh, Smith KM, Isolation, purification and

partial characterization of prunellin, an anti-HIV component

from aqueous extracts of Prunella vulgaris. In: Antiviral Res

11:263-274. 1989.

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.