Medicinal Plants of the World

Medicinal Plants
of the
World
Volume 3
Chemical Constituents,
Traditional and Modern
Medicinal Uses

By

Ivan A. Ross

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Preface

This volume of the series Medicinal Plants of the World: Chemical Constituents, Modern and
Traditional Medicinal Uses contains information on 16 plant species and follows the same
format as volumes 1 and 2. Some of the plants discussed in volume 3 may be considered
controversial in their classification as “medicinal.” However, the Paracelsian dictum that
“sola dosis fecit venenum” has been appreciated since ancient times, and throughout the ages
many highly toxic materials used for lethal purposes have also found applications in modern
medicine. It has been recognized that plants contain substances that are either harmful or
toxic. However, it is wrong to think that there are plant toxins that are known or that are
likely to have adverse effects on any and every form of life. A common feature of most toxic
plants is that they are also known for their curative properties, and although they may provide
the cure for an individual’s disease at one dose, they may cause the death of the same indi-
vidual at another.
Poisons are widespread in plants, and humans have tried to either get rid of them or convert
them to their own advantage. By their very nature, poisons are biodynamic substances
because they affect, or are intended to affect, the functioning of the victims’ body. This also
means that they have been, and are, important sources of medicine. With such potentially
dangerous substances, it also means that care in medication is essential, and it raises the
question of the relationship between the toxic dose and the therapeutic dose. For full advan-
tage to be taken of their properties, a combination of reliable sources of materials and effective
methodologies is required to enable not only isolation of the substances responsible, but also
the investigation of their mechanisms of action. As more sophisticated methods are evolved
to elucidate their chemical and pharmacological natures, it will be possible to target more
precisely the use of these substances as possible templates to produce medicinal agents.
I am very grateful to a number of individuals for their valuable cooperation in this work.
I owe sincere appreciation to Professor Ron Olowin of St. Mary’s College of California for
granting me permission to use his photograph of Plantago ovata and Mr. Gary Monroe of Reno,
Nevada for sharing his picture of Larrea tridentata.
In work of this nature there is always room for improvement. Suggestions from readers are
welcome and will be gratefully received.
Ivan A. Ross

v
Acknowledgments

I am very grateful to Dr. Diana E. Dyrda of the University of Agriculture, Lublin,

Poland for her contribution in collecting data and working on the manuscript, and to
Yvonne Gordon for editing this work. Also, to our families for enduring our absence in
their lives.

vii
Contents

Preface ....................................................................................................................... v
Acknowledgments ................................................................................................... vii
List of Plants in Volumes 1 and 2 ........................................................................... xiii
List of Color Plates ................................................................................................... xv
Abbreviations Used in the Chemical Constituents Section .................................... xvii

1 Camellia sinensis ..................................................................................... 1

Common Names ............................................................................ 1
Botanical Description .................................................................... 2
Origin and Distribution .................................................................. 2
Traditional Medicinal Uses ............................................................ 2
Chemical Constituents ................................................................... 2
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ............................... 9
References .................................................................................... 19
2 Cannabis sativa ..................................................................................... 29
Common Names .......................................................................... 29
Botanical Description .................................................................. 30
Origin and Distribution ................................................................ 30
Traditional Medicinal Uses .......................................................... 30
Chemical Constituents ................................................................. 32
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ............................. 39
References .................................................................................... 94
3 Cocos nucifera .................................................................................... 117
Common Names ........................................................................ 117
Botanical Description ................................................................ 118
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 119
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 119
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 120
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 121
References .................................................................................. 143
4 Coffea arabica ..................................................................................... 155
Common Names ........................................................................ 155
Botanical Description ................................................................ 156
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 156
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 156
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 157
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 162
References .................................................................................. 184
ix
X CONTENTS

5 Daucus carota ..................................................................................... 197

Common Names ........................................................................ 197
Botanical Description ................................................................ 198
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 198
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 199
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 200
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 202
References .................................................................................. 210
6 Ferula assafoetida................................................................................ 223
Common Names ........................................................................ 223
Botanical Description ................................................................ 224
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 224
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 224
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 225
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 226
References .................................................................................. 230
7 Hordeum vulgare ................................................................................ 235
Common Names ........................................................................ 235
Botanical Description ................................................................ 235
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 236
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 236
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 237
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 239
References .................................................................................. 250
8 Larrea tridentata ................................................................................. 263
Common Names ........................................................................ 263
Botanical Description ................................................................ 263
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 263
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 264
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 264
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 265
References .................................................................................. 268
9 Nicotiana tabacum .............................................................................. 271
Common Names ........................................................................ 271
Botanical Description ................................................................ 272
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 272
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 272
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 273
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 284
References .................................................................................. 339
CONTENTS XI

10 Olea europaea..................................................................................... 373

Common Names ........................................................................ 373
Botanical Description ................................................................ 374
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 374
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 375
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 376
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 379
References .................................................................................. 388
11 Oryza sativa ........................................................................................ 401
Common Names ........................................................................ 401
Botanical Description ................................................................ 402
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 402
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 402
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 403
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 405
References .................................................................................. 410
12 Plantago ovata..................................................................................... 419
Common Names ........................................................................ 419
Botanical Description ................................................................ 419
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 420
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 420
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 420
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 421
References .................................................................................. 431
13 Saccharum officinarum ....................................................................... 437
Common Names ........................................................................ 437
Botanical Description ................................................................ 438
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 438
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 438
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 439
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 440
References .................................................................................. 453
14 Serenoa repens .................................................................................... 461
Common Names ........................................................................ 461
Botanical Description ................................................................ 461
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 462
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 462
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 462
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 463
References .................................................................................. 478
XII CONTENTS

15 Sesamum indicum ............................................................................... 487

Common Names ........................................................................ 487
Botanical Description ................................................................ 488
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 488
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 488
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 490
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 491
References .................................................................................. 498
16 Zingiber officinale ............................................................................... 507
Common Names ........................................................................ 507
Botanical Description ................................................................ 509
Origin and Distribution .............................................................. 509
Traditional Medicinal Uses ........................................................ 509
Chemical Constituents ............................................................... 512
Pharmacological Activities and Clinical Trials ........................... 517
References .................................................................................. 543
Glossary .................................................................................................................561
Cross Reference ..................................................................................................... 579
Index ..................................................................................................................... 607
About the Author ................................................................................................... 623
 List of Plants Covered in Medicinal Plants
of the World Volumes 1 and 2

Volume 1
1. Abrus precatorius
2. Allium sativum
3. Aloe vera
4. Annona muricata
5. Carica papaya
6. Cassia alata
7. Catharanthus roseus
8. Cymbopogon citratus
9. Cyperus rotundus
10. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
11. Hibiscus sabdariffa
12. Jatropha curcas
13. Lantana camara
14. Macuna pruriens
15. Mangifera indica
16. Momordica charantia
17. Moringa pterygosperma
18. Persea americana
19. Phyllathus niruri
20. Portulaca oleracea
21. Psidium guajava
22. Punica granatum
23. Syzygium cumini
24. Tamarindus indica

xiii
XIV CONTENTS

Volume 2
1. Allium cepa
2. Althaea officinalis
3. Anacardium occidentale
4. Ananas comosus
5. Angelica sinensis
6. Azadirachta indica
7. Echinacea angustifolia
8. Ephedra sinica
9. Eucalyptus globulus
10. Ginkgo biloba
11. Glycyrrhiza glabra
12. Hypericum perforatum
13. Laurus nobilis
14. Lycopersicon esculentum
15. Matricaria chamomilla
16. Morinda citrifolia
17. Musa sapientum
18. Myristica fragrans
19. Nelumbo nucifera
20. Pimpinella anisum
21. Ricinus communis
22. Tanacetum partheium
23. Tribulus terrestris
24. Vitex agnus-castus
 List of Color Plates

Color plates appear as an insert following page 270.

Plate 1. Camellia sinensis (see full discussion in Chapter 1).

Plate 2. Cannabis sativa (see full discussion in Chapter 2).
Plate 3. Cocos nucifera (see full discussion in Chapter 3).
Plate 4. Coffea arabica (see full discussion in Chapter 4).
Plate 5. Daucus carota (see full discussion in Chapter 5).
Plate 6. Ferula assafoetida (see full discussion in Chapter 6).
Plate 7. Hordeum vulgare (see full discussion in Chapter 7).
Plate 8. Larrea tridentata (see full discussion in Chapter 8).
Plate 9. Nicotiana tabacum (see full discussion in Chapter 9).
Plate 10. Olea europaea (see full discussion in Chapter 10).
Plate 11. Oryza sativa (see full discussion in Chapter 11).
Plate 12. Plantago ovata (see full discussion in Chapter 12).
Plate 13. Saccharum officinarum (see full discussion in Chapter 13).
Plate 14. Serenoa repens (see full discussion in Chapter 14).
Plate 15. Sesamum indicum (see full discussion in Chapter 15).
Plate 16. Zingiber officinale (see full discussion in Chapter 16).

xv
Abbreviations Used in Chemical Constituents Sections

Aer Aerial parts

An Anther
As Ash
Bd Bud
Bk Bark
Bu Bulb
Call Tiss Callus tissue
Cr Crown
Ct Coat
Cx Calyx
Cy Cotyledon
Em Embryo
EO Essential oil
Ep Epidermis
Fl Flower
Fr Fruit
Gel Jell
Hu Hull
Ju Juice
Lf Leaf
Lx Latex
Pc Pericarp
Pe Peel
Pl Plant
Pn Panicle
Pt Part
Pu Pulp
Rh Rhizome
Rt Root
Sd Seed
Sh Shoot
St Stem
Tr Trunk
Tu Tuber
Tw Twig

xvii