Ginseng, RAUWOLFIA, SARSAPARILLA, Alkanna, Calumba and Dandelion

origin:
The roots of the cultivated perennial herbs of
Panax quinquefolium (American ginseng) and of
Panax schin seng (Chinese ginseng) (Fam.
Araliaceae).
Collected from 5-6 years old plants, in autumn,
carefully cleaned and dried.

Morphological Description
 odor: slightly aromatic
taste: sweetish, pungent, mucilaginous and slightly bitter.
color: varying from yellowish white (American and Chinese
ginseng) to yellowish brown (Korean).
shape: subcylindrical , branched and shows distinct
annulations at the top.
 There is a transversely wrinkled rhizome in the upper part of
the root .
 Internally, broad, whitish bark, a dark brown cambium line
and a radiate wood. Numerous oil and resin canals are
scattered through the bark and wood.

Active Constituents
 Triterpenoidal saponins (ginsenosides or panaxosides).
 High molecular weight polysaccharides glycans (panaxans)
possessing hypoglycemic activity.
 Polyacetylenes and Vitamins A, B1, B12 and E.
Chemical Identification
 1- Powder + conc. sulfuric acid ----- brick-red color changes to violet.
 2- Few drops of a decoction ----- evaporate to dryness----- residue +
benzidine solution in conc. sulfuric acid -------- brick-red color chang
to red-violet on standing (+ve oxidizing agents).

Therapeutic Uses
 General tonic (Adaptogenic) for different types of
stress(increases nervous and physical performance)
 CNS stimulant (improves age-related depression and
lack of concentration)
 Immunomodulator and Antioxidant activity.
 Improves carbohydrate tolerance in diabetics
(saponins and polysaccharide)
 Aphrodisiac actions and in cocaine withdrawal.
 However, Ginseng is not suggested for people with
hypoglycemia, high blood pressure, or heart
disorders.

Allied species
 Panax from the greek word panacea= to cure all.
 Other related species:
 Panax quinauefolium L. (American ginseng)
 Panax japonicum (Japanese ginseng )
 Panax pseudoginseng (Himalayan ginseng)
 Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian ginseng)
 all of the above mentioned ginseng types are the same
botanical family except Indian ginseng (Withania
somnifera F. Solanaceae)

Synonyms: Indian Snake Root.
 Dried roots and rhizomes of Rauwolfia
serpentina (Fam. Apocynaceae).

Externally: the roots and rhizomes closely
resemble each other.
Shape: subcylindrical or slightly tapering,
tortuous, with faint longitudinal ridges
color: greyish-brown.
odor: odorless.
taste: bitter

About 30 different alkaloids (0.7-2.4%). The most important of which
are reserpine, rescinnamine and ajmaline.
 essential hypertension (reserpine and rescinnamine).
neuropsychiatric disorders (reserpine and rescinnamine).
Treatment of cardiac arrhythmias due to ajmaline content, which has
pharmacological properties similar to those of quinidine.

 Dried root, sometimes also the rhizome of Smilax ornata,
known as Jamaica Sarsaparilla, or of other varieties of
Smilax (Fam. Liliaceae)
root shape: long, slender, with a shrunken and
longitudinally furrowed surface.
color: dark reddish brown in,
odor: odorless
taste: somewhat sweetish acrid.

Steroidal saponins (e.g. sarsaponin and similagenin).
 Resin and traces of volatile oil.
 general tonic.
For partial synthesis of cortisone (steroidal saponins are
closely related to cortisone and sex hormones).
Formerly used for treatment of
certain skin diseases e.g. psoriasis and eczema,
 rheumatism and syphilis.

Drug Bot. origin Active const. Uses
Alkanna
root ‫كحالء‬
Alkanna tinctoria,
Boraginaceae
red colouring substances
of naphthaquinone
derivatives alkannic
acid.
For microscopical
detection of fats and
oils.
Calumba
root
Jateorhiza
palmata
(Menispermaceae)
Alkaloids, bitter
principles, and mucilage.
bitter tonic and
stomachic.
Dandelion
root
the vertical
rhizome and tap
root of Taraxacum
officinale, Family
Compositae
25% inulin and other
polysaccharides.
Sesquiterpene lactones
Triterpenes
Mild laxative.
in atonic dyspepsia.
hepatic stimulant,
Diuretic.

 Carefully dried rhizomes of Zingiber
officinale (Fam. Zingiberaceae), deprived
of the dark outer tissues and known as
unbleached Jamaica ginger. (Monocot.)
Ginger yields not less than 1% of volatile oil.

shape: horizontal, flattened, sympodially branched
pieces.
color: pale yellowish buff .
odor: agreeable aromatic
taste: agreeable, pungent, aromatic.
fracture: short with projecting fibers.

1. The Cortex
shows scattered secretion cells with
yellowish-brown oleoresinous content
and The endodermis.
2. The Stele
 numerous oleoresin secretion cells
and numerous non-lignified vessels
and septated fibers.

color: yellowish-white
odor: agreeable aromatic
 taste: pungent.
scitaminaceous starch granules, which are simple,
oval, oblong with a terminal protuberance in which the
hilum is situated and show fine transverse striations.
 thin-walled septate fibers with oblique slit-like pits.
Yellowish-brown oleoresin masses, either free or in
cells.

Volatile oil 1-2 % contains monoterpenes and
sesquiterpenes (e.g. zingiberene).
Gingerol (Gingerols) oily liquid, phenols and
causes the pungency of ginger. The pungency of
gingerol is destroyed by boiling with 2% KOH.
 Zingerone ????: pungent but possesses in
addition a sweet odour. Its pungency is
destroyed by prolonged contact with 5% NaOH
 Shogaol represents the compounds formed by
loss of water from gingerol; it is an artifact of
extraction.
 Starch (Ginger bread man ) and mucilage.

 1) Antiemetic: prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting associated
with motion sickness.
 - US study indicated that powdered ginger "act locally" may be a
more effective anti-emetic than dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) "act
centrally".
 2) Digestive stimulant, enhance digestion (In treatment of
dyspepsia), carminative (for flatulence) and spasmolytic (for
colic).
 3) Anti-inflammatory agent in treatment of rheumatic &
muscular disorders.
 4) Diffusive stimulant, metabolic (heating) and circulatory
enhancing agent for weight control and sexual tonic.
 In treatment of → colds & flu (specially the fresh rhizomes).
 5) antioxidant activity .

Chemical tests
 1) (+) with Sudan III → Red stain "due to volatile oil"
 2) (+) with Iodine (t.s) → Brown stain "due to resin" & Blue
stain [due to starch].
Side effects & Contraindications
1- Increase bleeding time (powerful thromboxane synthase
inhibitor). (in a dose 2-5 gm dried ginger), Thromboxane is a
vasoconstrictor “a potent hypertensive agent” and it facilitates
platelet aggregation.
 SO Patients taking anti-coagulant drugs should consult
their physician prior to self-medication with ginger. ( Asprine-
like action)
 2- not be used for vomiting in pregnancy as a medication.
 3- Renal Patients with stones

Ginseng, RAUWOLFIA, SARSAPARILLA, Alkanna, Calumba and Dandelion

Ginseng, RAUWOLFIA, SARSAPARILLA, Alkanna, Calumba and Dandelion

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Ginseng, RAUWOLFIA, SARSAPARILLA, Alkanna, Calumba and Dandelion