Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

USES

Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.

Root bark and its extracts are used as tonics

and in uterine-relaxant, antidiarrheal, diuretic,

and general antispasmodic preparations.

Food. Stem bark extract is used as a flavor

ingredient primarily in alcoholic and non-

alcoholic beverages in very low concentra-

tions, with maximum use level at less than

0.001%.

Dietary Supplements/Health Foods. Root

bark used in capsules, tablets, tinctures, and

infusion, primarily for uterine-relaxant and

antidiarrheal activity (WREN).

Traditional Medicine. American Indians

used the root and/or stem bark for the treat-

ment of painful menses, to prevent miscar-

riage, as a postpartum antispasmodic, and for

asthma (FOSTER AND DUKE). The root bark was

also used as a tonic for the female reproduc-

tive organs and as a diaphoretic (MOERMAN)

and the bark was used to treat dysentery.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Crude, fluid extract, solid extract, and pow-

dered extract are readily available; crude and

fluid extract were formerly official in N.F. and

U.S.P. Strengths (seeglossary) of extracts are

expressed in weight-to-weight ratios between

crude and extracts.

Regulatory Status. Regulated in the U.S. as a

dietary supplement; approved for food use in

food as a natural flavoring substance

(§172.510).

REFERENCES

See the General References forBAILEY1;FEMA;FOSTER AND DUKE;KROCHMAL AND KROCHMAL;MCGUFFIN

1 & 2; uphof;APPLEQUIST;WICHTL;WREN;YOUNGKEN.

1. C. H. Jarboe et al.,J. Med. Chem., 10 , 488
   (1967).


2. R. Upton, ed., Cramp bark (Viburnum
   prunifolium), American Herbal Pharma-
   copeia, Santa Cruz, CA, 2000.


3. R. Upton, ed., Cramp bark (Viburnum
   opulus), American Herbal Pharmacopeia,
   Santa Cruz, CA, 2000.


4. L. Tomassini et al.,Planta Med., 65 , 195
   (1999).
   5. L. Tomassini et al.,Phytochemistry, 44 ,
   751 (1997).
   6. C. H. Jarboe et al.,J. Org. Chem., 34 , 4202
   (1969).
   7. C. H. Jarboe et al.,Nature, 212 , 837 (1966).
   8. G. Balansard et al., Plantes Med.
   Phytother., 17 , 123 (1983).

BLESSED THISTLE

Source:Cnicus benedictusL. (Family Com-

positae or Asteraceae).

Common/vernacular names:Carbenia bene-

dicta, carduus benedictus, cnicus, Holy

thistle.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Thistle-like, highly branched, reddish annual

up to 60 cm in height; leaves are long and

narrow with prominent white veins beneath;

flowers pale yellow in prickly green heads;

whole plant covered in thin down; indigenous

to waste lands and fields of the Near East

100 Blessed thistle