Download Lec.no17 panax, Paronychia,peganum

Lec. No.17.
Selected Medicinal Plants
25-Panax ginseng
Family Araliaceae
Ren Shen (Chinese)
Introduction:
-Ginseng is the most famous Chinese herb
-It has therapeutic benefits for about 7,000 years.
-An Arabian physician brought ginseng back to Europe in the 19th century
- It is known for its ability to improve stamina (‫ )جلد وتحمل‬and resistance
to stress.
Plant Description:
-A perennial plant growing to 1m with oval, toothed leaves and clusters
of small flowers.
Habitat and Cultivation:
-It is native to northeastern China, Eastern Russia and North Korea, but
extremely rare in the wild.
- Ginseng cultivation requires great skill.
-It is propagated from seed in spring and requires rich moist, but welldrained soil.
-The plant takes at least 4 years to mature (Active constituents are
concentrated), the root is then normally harvested in autumn, washed and
steamed before being dried.
1
Parts Used:
Fresh and dried roots
Active Constituents:
-Triterpenoid saponins (ginsenoides)
-Acetylenic compounds
-Panaxans
-Sesquiterpenes
Key Actions:
-Adaptogenic
-Tonic
Traditional and Current use:
-Therapeutic actions:
As an adaptogenic , ginseng's action varies. It has stimulant effect on
young people with strong vital force, but is tonic, restorative and even
sedative for those weakened by illness or old age.
-Chinese remedy:
-In China it is best known as stimulant, tonic herb for athletes and those
subjected to physical stress and as male aphrodisiac.
- It is also tonic for old age, and traditionally taken by people in northern
and central China helping them to stand long hard winters.
-Western Tonic:
-In the West ginseng is viewed not so much as a medicine, but as life
enhancing tonic.
-It is useful for those subjected to stressful events, such as taking exams.
-Ginseng is often abused in the West and should not be taken for more
than 6 weeks
Research:
Adaptogenic:
-It has been researched in details for over the past 20-30 years in China,
Japan, in China Korea, Russia.
-It's Adaptogenic quality (helping the body to adapt to stress, fatigue,
and cold) has been confirmed.
-Trials show that ginseng significantly improves the body's capacity to
cope with hunger, extreme temperature, and mental and emotional
stress.
2
-Ginseng produces sedative effect when the body requires sleep; this is
because of the action of ginsenoids which similar in structure to the
body's own stress hormones.
Other Research:
-Ginseng also increases immune function and resistance to infection,
and supports liver function.
Cautions:
Do not exceed the dose (can cause insommia and high blood pressure)
Do not take for more than 6 weeks
Avoid caffeine while taking ginseng.
Do not take if pregnant.
Remedy for short term stress:
Take ginseng pills, chew 0.5-1 g of root a day or use it in cooking.
26- Paronychia argentea
Family Caryophyllaceae
‫رجل الحمامة‬
Plant Description:
- An evergreen perennial herb, with stem spreading on the ground.
- Leaves 0.5-1 cm long with sharp ends, flowers are minute and arranged
in a head surrounded by hyaline bracts.
Habitat & Cultivation:
-is native to the Central and West Mediterranean. It grows on dry and
waste lands, and flowers between February and June
-The plant requires well-drained soil.
Parts Used: Shoot.
Active Constituents:
-oleanane saponins
-flavonol glycoside
-flavonoids
3
Medicinal Actions & Uses:
- It is commonly used in our countries to treat sand and stones in the
kidney beside urinary tract infections (as a decoction, which may be taken
three times/day in 150 ml dose).
- An infusion of the leaves is aphrodisiac and diuretic.
-It has been searched that Paronychia argentea can be used in treating
diabetes as Teucrium polium plant
.
27- Peganum harmala
Family Zygophyllaceae
Harmala ‫الحرمل‬
Plant Description:
- Multibranched, shrubby perennial growing to 50 cm
- With deeply cleft linear leaves and produces white 5-petaled flower, and
rounded 3-celled seed capsules.
Habitat and Cultivation:
-Native to the Middle East, North Africa and Southern Europe
- It thrives in saline soil in semidesert areas.
- Seeds are gathered in summer.
Parts Used: Seeds and roots
Active Constituents:
-It contains up to 4% indole alkaloids (including harmine, harmaline, and
harmalol)
Harmine has been used to help in reducing the tremors of Parkinsonism.
History and Folklore:
 Since the earliest times harmala has been used in the Middle East
to induce intoxication.
 Known to Greek physician Discorides, Glen and Avincenna.
 It was used to expel intestinal worms and to promote the onset of
menstrual flow.
 In our country, herbalists use harmala to treat Hypertension, as a
blood purifier, common cold, back pain, ulcer, impotence,
nervosity, arthritis, skin diseases, wounds and lice.
4
Medicinal Action & Uses:
 Harmala has long history as aphrodisiac.
 It is rarely used in contemporary herbal medicine due to its
potential toxicity.
 The seeds has been taken
-to treat eye disorders
- to stimulate breast-milk production.
 In central Asia, harmala root is a popular medicinal remedy used
in:
- the treatment of rheumatism
- Nervous conditions.
Caution:
- This plant is toxic and should not be used under any circumstances.
5