PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS

Habitat: Laos

Production: Siam Benzoin is the balsam of Styrax tonkinen-

sis, or other related species, obtained by making cuts in the

trunk. The optimal age of tree to be harvested is 7 years. The

tree is cut, which stimulates it to exude resin to heal the cuts.

The resin is then collected in a vessel, and left to melt to a

homogenous mass in the sun.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Ester mixture (90%): bestehend aus coniferyl benzoate (60

to 70%), p-cumaryl benzoate (10 to 15%), as well as

cinnamyl benzoate, cinnamyl cinnamate

Benzoic acid (10 to 20%)

Vanillin (0.5%)

Triterpenes: alpha-siaresinolic acid (5%)

EFFECTS

The expectorant effect with which the drug is credited could

not be proven experimentally (it possibly originated in

connection with an "aroma therapy," due to its vanilla

content).

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Siam Benzoin is used for respiratory

catarrh.

Chinese Medicine: In China, preparations are used for

stroke, syncope, post partal syncope due to heavy loss of

blood, chest and stomach 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, powdered drug and

other galenic preparations for internal use.

Preparation: To prepare a tincture, use powder in 90%

ethanol (V/V) 1:5 macerate (DAB9).

Daily Dosage: 0.5 gm; single dose: 0.05 gm

Storage: Should be tightly sealed, and protected from light.

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.

James WD, White SW, Yanklowitz B, Allergic contact
dermatitis to compound tincture of benzoin. J Am Acad
Dermatol, 11:847-50, 1984 Nov.

SIBERIAN GINSENG / 693

Siberian Ginseng

Eleutherococcus senticosus

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the pulverized root

rind, the pulverized root and an alcoholic fluid extract of the

rhizome and the roots.

Flower and Fruit: The flowers are in umbels. The central

umbel is on a long, thick peduncle. The style is fused into a

column to the tip and has 5 small stigma lobes.

Leaves, Stem and Root: Siberian Ginseng is a 1 to 3 m high

shrub whose branches are thickly covered with'pale, thorny

bristles pointing downward at an angle. The leaves are in

groups of 5 and are thorny-serrate. The petiole is covered in

fine bristles.

Habitat: Siberian Ginseng grows in Siberia, northern China,

Korea and Japan.

Production: Siberian Ginseng consists of the dried roots and/

or rhizome of Eleutherococcus senticosus as well as their

.preparations in effective dosage.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Caffeic acid derivatives: including chlorogenic acid

Hydroxycoumarins: isofraxidin

Lignans: sesamine, eleutheroside D (epimeric diglucosides

of syringaresinols)

Steroids: including beta-sitosterol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside

(daucosterol, eleutheroside A, 0.1%)

Phenylacrylic acid derivatives: eleutheroside B (syringin)

Polysaccharides: immunostimulatingly effective polysaccha-

rides (eleutherane A-G)

Steroid glycosides: eleutheroside A (daucosterol, beta-stig-

masterol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside)

Triterpene saponins: eleutheroside I, eleutheroside K (beta-

hederin), eleutheroside L, eleutheroside M (hederasaponin

B), for all of these aglycone oleanolic acid

EFFECTS

The liquid extract of the drug has an immune-stimulating/

immune-modulating and antiviral effect. In various stress

models, e.g., immobilization test and coldness test, the

endurance of rodents was enhanced. With healthy volunteers,

the lymphocyte count, especially that of T-lymphocytes,

increased following intake of liquid extracts.