| GOTETY
SRIMANNARAYANA M.sc.,
Ph.D., FIC
OTHER
ACADEMIC ACTIVITY
|
Books.
OUR HERBS OUR GUARDIANS OF HEALTH
Prof. G. Srimannarayana, M.Sc., Ph.D
OUR HERBS – OUR GUARDIANS OF HEALTH
PREFACE
The use of herbal medicines by mankind has long history. The ancient civilisation in India, China, Greece and Egypt had rich knowledge of the utility of medicinal plants.
In modern times the utility of medicinal plants declined with the advent of synthetic drugs, especially in developed western countries. However, in developing countries the use of easily accessible, low cost herbals still continued, along with modern medicine. Lately there has been revival of interest in the use of herbal medicines because of observed and proven efficacy of some herbals and being free from serious toxic effects associated with synthetic drugs. Now-a-days health foods and cosmetics, nutritional supplements based on herbals are becoming more and more popular.
The most potent medicines quinine, morphine, atropine, reserpine and vincristine and other valuable drugs were discovered by a systematic scientific study of herbal medicines.
Scientific research is in progress to discover new antimicrobial, antifertility, antidiabetic and anticancer compounds etc from plants. Research in herbal products has the best chance of discovering new prototype drugs.
Simultaneously, all over the world, effort is in progress to put to use the existing traditional herbs of well proven activity as decoctions, infusions, juices or herbal teas and capsules etc. for several ailments.
Another recent trend is to use standardized herbal extract, with active principle quantified, in the form of tablets and capsules.
In the declaration WHO about primary “health care for everybody” by the year 2000, medicinal plants have been assigned an important role.
Therefore in the present book on “Our Herbs-Our Guardians of Health” Indian traditional remedies in Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha is given. The description of the plant, distribution, part used as medicine, action and uses and chemical constituents are given. A special note is given on their status of commercial availability as vegetables, dried herbs, spices and if found food stores or can be grown in a home garden for ready to use.
A word of caution about its use. For those who are not familiar about herbs, always consult an herbal practioner. Try one herb each time. The doses given are only approximate. In the beginning use small doses wait for side effects, if any. If there is no side effects increase the dose gradually or cautiously. Also remember not all herbs are effective in every person and in every disease. It is better to use for minor ailments. However, the herbs selected in this book are well established in traditional use and considered as harmless. Pregnant women and children should contact an herbal practitioner before use. In this book brief background knowledge about plant remedies- Ayurveda, standardized herbal extracts and some possible toxic effects of herbals and interaction with modern synthetic drugs, role of antioxidants in maintaining health and foods which contain them are also given. The herbals selected in the book are commonly used as spices, as vegetables and are well known in Indian traditional medicine, since times immemorial. This book is addressed to herbal practitioners, chemists, biochemistry, clinicians and last but not the least to all those who have enthusiasm in herbal medicine.
This book on “Our Herbs – Our Guardians of Health” contains:
1.
Introduction
2.
Ayurveda, the science of life- source of herbals.
3.
Alternative medicines-Herbals.
4.
Antioxidants – choice of herbals.
5.
Herbal remedies from Indian herbs.
6.
Some more herbal remedies.
7.
Herbal remedies- some precautions
8.
Important group of chemical constituents, their activity and their mode
of action
9.
Clinical and experimental studies on some herbs
10.
Glossary of medical terms
11.
Bibliography
12.
List of the plants
C
O N T E N T S
1.
INTRODUCTION 5
2.
AYURVEDA,
THE SCIENCE OF LIFE- SOURCE OF HERBALS 9
3.
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES –HERBALS 14
4.
ANTIOXIDANTS- CHOICE OF HERBALS 30
5.
HERBAL REMEDIES FROM INDIAN HERBS 45
6.
SOME MORE HERBAL REMEDIES 158
7.
HERBAL REMEDIES-SOME PRECAUTIONS 167
8.
IMPORTANT GROUP OF CHEMICAL CONSTITUTENTS,
THEIR ACTIVITY AND THEIR MODE OF ACTION 171
9. CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON SOME HERBS 179
10.
GLOSSARY OF MEDICAL TERMS 189
11.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 192
12.LIST
OF THE PLANTS 197
INTRODUCTION
All over the world, in recent years, there is upsurge and interest among scientific institutions, biological research institutions and major pharmacological institutions in the use of medicinal plants, crude extracts or active ingredients.
Even today in developing countries and particularly among rural areas and urban poor, herbal medicine, is the only form of health care of course it is intricately woven with religious beliefs and only as a last resort they consult a regular physician. It is difficult to prediet how much of herbal medicine is real and how much is fiction. This is subject matter of research in modern laboratories of Eastern Europe, Mexico, India and China. Now-a-days even countries like US, UK, Japan are also interested to study the herbal medicine in all its aspects – botanical, chemical, pharmacological and its practical use if found suitable.
One of the reasons for this interest in herbal medicine is due to increase in awareness of the limited horizon of synthetic pharmaceuticals products to control major diseases and the need to discover new molecular structures from plant kingdom. The rediscovery of virtues of medicinal plants is particularly evident in the developed world from greatly increased publication and sales of herbal medicaments in health stores, food stores etc. As nutritional supplements or dietary supplements in USA and UK etc. Mostly these herbal suppliments or raw herbals are exported from China, India and South America.
Most of the plants used in traditional medicines of East are collected from the wild and only few have domesticated or under cultivation. There is a real danger of genetic erosion, which in turn calls for collection, conservation, research on propagation, cultivation, chemical investigation to determine the structure of active principles, asses their therapeutic activity. Possible modifications of the chemical structure of the active principle to make it a real drug is the logical consequence.
Considerable knowledge exists on medicinal plants in various countries. In India indigenous people (tribal people) practice medicines derived from plants to cure their ailments. Their knowledge is unwritten being transmitted from one generation to the other. With the advent of modernity the “tribal medicine” is loosing its importance even in tribal areas. There is urgent need to preserve that knowledge, so as to subject them to modern scientific methods of evaluation. In regions like Africa, South America, Indonesia, Thailand and China also such knowledge exists.
As a first step there is a need to catalogue the knowledge of medicinal plants in various countries and promote exchange of information.
This book contains information about 10 medicinal plants of India, very well reputed for their activity and are found as commercial Ayurvedic drugs in India. Some of them found their place in herbal shops of US and Europe.
For most of the herbs theraupeutic value was verified and the structures of chemical constituents were determined. However there are several gaps in the knowledge. In most cases the active principle was not determined with accuracy. In some cases the active principle may be a group of compounds (say alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids or essential oils) and yet in some cases there is no correlation between the physiological activity and the chemical constuituents isolated from plants. Yet the plants selected in this book are those which are very popular in Ayurvedic medicine and sold commercially. Chemical constituents of the herbals and also the active principle if known is mentioned for each herb.
The easy to read monograph may be useful to enthusiasts of herbal medicine in all spheres of activity herbal practioners, chemists, biochemists, Pharmacologists, cultivators, foresters and all those who want to preserve our national plant wealth for its use now and in future.
Botanical
medicine , phytomedicines or herbal medicines is the application of
various
parts plants or herbs to treat specific health problem. Mostly the
current
uses of herbal medicines are on the basis of traditional use of our
ancestors.
St. John’s Wort, for example, has been is used traditionally as an
anti-viral.
Modern
research proved to be effective in most of cases. St. Johns Wort, for
example,
showed to elevate CD4 counts (white blood cell counts) in some HIV
positive
patients especially suffering from depression. It is well known that
negative
emotions have an adverse effect on immune system, St. Johns Wort helps
to lift depression, thereby allowing the immune system to work more
efficiently.
In Germany, a country that uses herbs as part of mainstream medicine,
St.
Johns Wort is the most prescribed medicine.
In India, for example, the roots of Aswagandha (Withania somnifera) are advocated as nervine tonic, restorative, rejuvenative and aphrodisiac. Since it is a nervine tonic clinical studies were under taken to evaluate psychotric effects in 30 cases of anxiety neurosis. The study, at Banaras Hindu University in1978, revealed a symptomatic relief, a significant reduction in the level of anxiety, maladjustment, in mental fatigue rate and an improvement in memory span. The patients also showed significant reduction in the level of urinary 17-Hydroxy –corticosteriods and urinary catecholamines (as urinary VMA). Corticosteroids and Catecholamines are convetionally known as stress harmones and their turnover is notably increased during stressful states. A reduction in their level is an index of less stressful index.
Another example of successful clinical trial of Unani medicine Ammi majus as a remedy for white patches (leucoderma). A coumarin, 8-methoxy psoralen is the active principle. This active principle was extensively tried in modern medicine also but with many side effects. Use of crude form is advocated in unani medicine as in Ayurveda. The crude from may contain some “Synergists” or “Conective substances”. They may make the principle drug more potent and efficient. These synergists are missing in the “single pure chemical compound”. But modern medicine advocates only single pure drugs.
Micropulverised form of the Ammi majus fruits (0.75 gms of each tablet, 3-6 tablets per day depending age) was given to 46 males and 45 females at Aligarh Mulsim University Hospital, India. The drug powder paste was also applied on Vitilago (white) patches followed by exposure to sunlight for 5-15 mts.
But out of 91 patients the drug was affective in 76 patients (83.5%). Minor side effects like nausea, giddiness, pruritis and rashes in a few cases. On the whole the drug is successful to treat Vitilago.
Botanical
medicines can be given as teas, capsules, powder, tincture (alcohol
extracts)
or oils. They can be given internally or used externally as decoctions,
infusion and poultice. The vast majority of pharmaceutical drugs
developed
from botanicals and 30 to 40% of them are still
plant
derived.
AYURVEDA,
THE SCIENCE OF LIFE –SOURCE OF HERBALS
The history of medicine dates back to the origin of human race. In prehistoric times there was no mode of recording. In those days human suffering and its alleviation was intimately associated with religion, myth and superstition.
In India the earliest reference to curative properties of some plant medicines and herbs was mentioned in Rigveda. The identity of several plant referred in the Suktas of Rigveda can be fixed with reasonable accuracy. The period of Rigveda is estimated to be between 3500 and 1800 B.C.
According to ancient Indians, vedas are the treatises that encompass the whole knowledge of universe. They are four in number viz Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharveda. Among them Atharveda deals mainly with different aspects of health and it is considered to be predecessor of Ayurveda. The term Ayurveda means knowledge or science of life (Ayu) from birth to death.
According to Ayurveda this universe originated from the five elements viz Earth (Prithvi), water (Jala), Fire (Agni), Air (Vayu) and space (Akasha) and they also constitute our body.
The doshas are three, Vata, Pitta and Kapha.Vata is comprised of air and space. Pitta is of fire and Kapha is the product of water and earth.
The
dhatus are seven in number dietic juice (ras), blood (rakta), flush
(mas),
fat (meda), bones (asthi), bone narrow (majja), semen (sukra). There
are
three excetory components (malas). These are stool (mala), Urine
(mutra),
swear (sveda).
In Ayurveda diseases are divided as physical, psychological and
accidental
and epidemic.Any deficiency of excess of either doshas or dhatus or
excretory
Components(malas) may induce disease. Ayurveda also aims at keeping
equilibrium
in the level of these things.
Ayurveda have prescribed three ways of treating any disease. They are diet, deed and medicines. The medicines divided into herbal, mineral and animal origin.
Herbal
medicines are classified according to its survival, as annual (herbs
that
survive for a year) biannual (herbs that survive for two years),
perennial
(herbs which live for many years). Further the plants are also divided
as per location – trees which grows on land, water plant (plants
growing
near water and in water) and epiphytes (plants grow as parasites on
other
plants).
A
more detailed reference to medicinal plants is available subsequently
in
AtharvaVeda, the main source of Ayurveda. Ayurveda deals with
description
of various diseases. Tradition has it that Brahma, the creator,
imparted
the knowledge to Prajapati Daksha and from him it descended to Aswini
Kumaras
and from them to Lord Indra. Lord Indra sent Dhanwantari to impart
knowledge
to others. His student Sushruta wrote famous compendium on surgery
Sushruta
Samhita and in the first century of AD, Charak wrote the famous
treatise,
magnum opus on Ayurveda called Charak Samhita.
Subsequent to these treatises more and more number of medicinal plants,
mostly indigenous to India, were added and increased to about 1500.
Charak
Samhita deals not only on the use of indigenous plant medicines, but
also
on detailed instruction of personal hygiene, sleep, diet and everything
that impinges on healthy life. Ayurveda believes in holistic approach,
take an over all view of the morbidity that afflicts a patient rather
than
suppress the symptoms with medicines that trouble him. Ayurveda
literally
means science of life. Ayurveda is not only the knowledge of life but
also
essentially knowledge of healthy living. It is a science of healing and
it concentrates on techniques of healthy living. Apart from 1500 plant
drugs, Indian medicine consists of 200 drugs of animal origin and equal
number of mineral origin.
The perusal of literature of Ayurveda from the time of Charak and Sushruta showed a picture of systematic development. It made its way far beyond the shores of India, into Egypt, Greece and Rome. In the eighth or ninth century A.D., Charak’s work was translated and was well known in Arabia. Several well-known drugs of India, to mention few like pepper, lac, asafoetida, Ocimum sanctum (Holy Basil), cinnamon, myrrh, sandal, calamus (Acorus calmus) and Chebulic myrobalans were included in Arabic medicine. During Buddhistic period a large number of vegetable drugs were added to the already extensive Materia Medica.
Among
other things Ayurveda pays attention to the state of digestion, food
and
diet. Our food has the property of the taste, which is of six types,
sweet,
sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. Food that we take can be
divided
into four categories: cereals, vegetables, fruits and flesh. Ayurvedic
texts also give details about body care and personal hygiene. Chewing
of
various nuts and spices is recommended for the clarity, taste and good
smell of the mouth. Gargling with sesame oil is known to enhance the
strength
of the jaws, gives depth to voice and results. Regular oiling of the
hair
and occasional oil massages are part of normal body care. Massage is
supposed
to make the physique smooth, strong and charming and the person looks
young.
The use of scents and garlands of flowers produces good smell of the
body
and enhance the longevity and charm.
Ayurveda
emphasises correct diet and behaviour. A regimen of diet, called Pathya
is also emphasised along with the use of prescribed drugs. Indian diet
consists of a considerable proportion of spices or condiments like
turmeric,
pepper, garlic, ginger, Fenugreek etc. Their role in food is not merely
for flavour, colour and taste or to give a sense of appeal to the food.
They have distinct medicinal properties –prophylactic and as a
curative.
These spices are well known in Indian medicine, independently as
medicine
alone or in combination with other plant products. Modern medicine is
beset
with several side effects. There is revival of interest all over the
world
to use environmentally friendly green medicines –herbs and spices.
In
the Unani system of medicine drugs derived from natural sources,
especially
from plant sources, have been in use since its origin in Greece, about
2500 years ago. Subsequently numerous natural remedies from
contemporary
traditional systems practiced in Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq, India,
China,
Central India, Various parts of middle and Far East were added to
enrich
Unani system.
Over 1500 single drugs mentioned in classical literature of Unani Medicine, majority of them being of plant origin. At present 800 single plant are extensively used in this system. The efficacy of Unani, like any other traditional system, depends on the purity and potential of the drugs used.
Siddha
system of medicine is another traditional system found in India. It is
prelavent mostly in South India, where it is originated and flourished
since ancient times. This native system of medicine evolved by very
enlightened
souls called ‘Siddhars” and had reputation to treat several diseases.
The
system is almost identified with the Tamil literature and has its own
distinct
tradition and cultural heritage.
In
all systems of traditional medicine of India, Ayurveda, Unani or siddha
many plants, to treat a particular ailment, are common.
The
drugs and medicinal plants enumerated here in this book are readily
available
from raw drug shops, available as spices, vegetables or can be grown in
kitchen gardens. These remedies can be prepared easily as powders,
juices,
infusion, decoction, tea, poultice, and can be administered with water,
milk of honey.
A
typical method of preparing Arista in Ayurveda is given below, a method
and also preparing a juice from fresh spinach leaf. In this book,
however,
fresh juices, decoctions, infusions, powders of single plant are
advocated.
These compounds can be prepared readily.
Aswagandharista
is prepared as follows:
1.
Dry Aswagandha (Withania somnifera) root powder (10 kg) is boiled with
160 lit. (16 times) reduced to 40 lit. of water.
2.
Add jaggery (crude sugar) 24 kg i.e. 60% of decoction.
3.
Add fermenting agent (Madhuca indica, vippa flowers) 2 kgs.
4.
Allowed to ferment 30 days in a closed earthen pot.
5.
Filtered, heated and stored for dispensing.
6.
Final Aswagandha content per 40 ml of ready to use Arista (decotion) is
from
12 gms of root.
7.
Final alcohol content 15%.
8.
Dose 13 ml of arista ml /three times a day (i.e. 40 ml of decotion
equivalent
to 12 g of root powder per day).
Fresh Spinach Juice:
Using
a commercial juice extractor 420 gms of fresh spinach leaf produces
more
than 100 ml of spinach juice. The juice extractor (“juicer”, mixer used
in kitchen) operates by pulversing the fresh spinach, squeezing
virtually
the liquids and some small particles into a collecting trough while
retaining
the bulk of the spinach pulp in a separate compartment. No water or
organic
solvent is added during the process. The collected dark green aqueous
suspension
of plant fibre (small particles) and extracts are called spinach juice,
is best used immediately. If mixer is not available, the leaf is crushed
in
mortar and fistle, the juice is squcezed by taking the crushed leaf in
a fine cloth.
ALTERNATIVE
MEDICINES- HERBALS
Long
before the introduction of modern allopathic medicine, people all over
the world were taking herbal remedies. Large-scale introduction of
allopathic
medicine started only around 1940’s. Today millions of people all over
the world, including developed Europe, USA seeking solutions for their
health problems from herbals.
A
recent issue of Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA, Nov
1998)
carried several articles on “Alternative medicines”. Several Books were
also published in alternative medicine. Notable among them published in
1998 is “The Alternative Medicine Hand Book-” The complete reference
guide
to alternative and complementory Therapies by Banie R.Cassileth, W.W.
Norton,
New York 1998 and Alternative Medicine and Ethics, Ed. By James M.
Humber
and Robert F. Almder, Totowa, N.J. Human Press 1998.
American
Medical Association listed several types of practices under alternative
medicines. Chief methods are relaxation techniques, massage, yoga,
acupuncture,
acupressive, homeopathy, hypnosis, reike, naturopathy (diet therapy),
faith
healing, the last but the important alternative medicine is Ayurveda,
Unani,
Siddha, Oriental medicines, flok remedies, herbal remedies, which may
be
called “Herbal alternative medicine”. Of course these herbal remedies
include
in certain cases mixture of herbal with mineral, metal, salts and
animal
products but chiefly herbals are the main ingredients.
Some
of the facts given below show the gaining popularity of alternative
medicines
in general and herbal alternatives in particular. The term herbal
alternatives
include “Natural remedies”, dietary supplements. More than one third of
the American population-in a population of 260 million Americans, 83
million
people-use some form of alternative medicines. In fact one third of
“American
adults” now use herbs and spend more than US $ 3.6 billion a year on
herbal
remedies. The total amount spent by Americans on alternative medicines
estimated to US $ 27 Billions. The study further revealed that
Americans
are spending as much on alternative medicine as on modern medicine. The
popularity of allopathy is not reduced but there is increase in
popularity
of alternative medicine.
However,
the important thing to be understood is that the Americans are not
turned
off from established modern medicine, but they view alternative
medicine
as additional source of treatment to alleviate the suffering
Alternative
medicine is not really “alternative” to allopathy. In fact the number
of
visits to allopathic centers are more or less static but number of
visits
to alternative medicine practitioners increased by 50% in America.
Most
of Americans use alternatives and allopathic medicines concurrently. It
is estimated that 15 millions do it so, that is one in five. Most of
these
users of these two types of medicines hide this fact to allopathic
physicians.
They are perhaps afraid or shy of revealing their faith in alternative
therapies. There is always risk of complications arising out of using
two
systems of medicines simultaneously. These are may be interactions of
these
two types medications.
National
survey conducted in Europe, U.K. and Australia showed that alternative
medicines are also gaining popularity there also. During last year
2000,
use of alternative therapies raise to 10% in Denmark, 15% in Canada,
33%
in Finland and 49% in Australia.
In
developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America which have high
tradition of “Alternative Medicine” the figures are always high. In
India
where 80% of the population lives in village, the use of alternative
medicine
is always high but no statistics are available to know, if there is
positive
shift to alternative medicine.
One
reason why “alternatives” gaining popularity is, they offer
cost-effective
approaches, to manage and prevent chronic illness such as diabetes and
importantly to treat minor ailments like cough, fever, cold etc. People
are realising the side effects of allopathic systems –nausea, effect on
vital organs like liver, kidney, intestines.
In
India often people resort to Ayurveda for minor ailments, as health
supplements,
for long drawn diseases like rheumatism or for major ailments like
cancer,
AIDS where there is no satisfactory allopathic medicine, Toxcity with
allopathic
drug or cost consideration or easy availability of herbals are the
other
factors for choosing Ayurveda.
Just
because allopathy is a modern medicine established on more scientific
basis,
we need not dismiss other form of medicine –“Alternative medicine” as
quackery
or just a traditional belief. A dispastionate analysis of all forms of
alternatives is necessary to see if it stands scrutiny of modern
methods
of analysis.
The
trouble with some alternative medicines is some of these therapies are
patient – specific and some of them are practitioner-specific.
Some
of the advocates of alternative therapies argue that many alternative
therapies
cannot be subjected to standard scientific methods and instead one must
rely on “ancedotes, belief, theories, testimonials and opinions to
support
effectiveness and necessary to justify continued use” according to JAMA.
Question
arises now how to put alternatives therapies and importantly herbal
alternatives
in sound scientific lines. Randomised clinical trials need to be done.
Before that, pharmacological studies, enzyme inhibition studies,
receptor-binding
studies need to be done. The active principle that exerts physiological
activity need to be understood and its optimum concentration present in
the herbs should be established.
Ayurveda
or the Indian system of medicine believes in holistic approach and most
plants as medicines were described during the period of 3500 and 1800
B.C.
and they are popular even to day.
During
the last fifty years chemical examination of all most all ayurvedic
plants
was carried out. In some cases the structure of the active principle is
known with certainty but not in all cases. Pharmacological studies and
clinical studies on most ayurvedic plants were published. In most cases
therapeutic activity described in early monographs by pharmacological
and
or clinical studies is not directed to correlate with the active
principle
or its content.
The
reason for such lacunae is, the most Ayuredic practitioners believe in
holistic approach and administering plant material as such.
The
modes of administration of herbals in Ayurveda are many ways:
*
Juice or paste of fresh plant material (flowers, leaves, bark, root or
seeds).
*
Aqueous extract (decoction or infusion) of the plant material, dried or
fresh, with sugar or honey.
*
The above two methods will be adopted using a single plant material or
mixture of more than one plant material.
*
The above methods adopted using mixture of herbals with minerals,
salts,
metals (sulphur, silver, copper, manganese etc.) or products of animal
origin.
*
Single plant material or more than one plant is extracted as arista an
aqueous extract of the plant material is fermented using a fermenting
agent
and the self generating alcohol extracts alcohol soluble principles.
This
preparation is arista. The concentrated aqueous decoction is also
called
asava.
*
Yet another method is concentrated aqueous extract or plant powders are
mixed and then heated with jaggery, sugar syrup or clarified butter
(ghee).
This preparation is called ghritas.
*
In some cases the above preparations are mixed with minerals, salts or
metals before heating.
*
Some ayurvedic preparations contain gold, arsenic, iron, copper,
manganese,
calcium as essential ingredients.
*
It must be emphasized that ayurveda does not lay emphasis on the active
constituent or its presence in optimum percentage. The plant as a whole
is considered as a remedy.
*
Certain plants used through centuries emphasis tradition, practice and
belief of the patient rather than on the concept of active principle.
In
fact many ayurvedic preparations mentioned in old scriptures are very
popular
even today, many patients have been continued to satisfy and certify
their
efficacy.
*The
traditional commericial Ayurvedic preparations are available as powder
(single plant or mixture of different plants, with or without minerals)
Asavas, Ghritas, Aristas and Pastes etc. Now a days some ayurvedic
companies
are bringing the aqueous concentrated residues of plant material into
attractive
capsules or tablets but with no mention of the active principle.
*
Only one or two plant medicines as standardized extracts, with known
principles
quantified, reached the market in India. For example sennosides mixture
(active principles as mixture) as laxative from Cassia aungustifolia,
guggulipid
(active steroidal fractions characterised by HPLC) from Comiphera mukul
guggulresin as hypolipemidic agent are found in Indian market.
*
Recent researches show that in a herb the active principle is not one
compound,
but a number of related compounds, which also are active or they may
exert
synergistic action. For example although the resperine is the most
active
constituent of Rauwolfia serpentina, a number of related alkaloids
found
along with it. Although these are found in minor amounts, they also
exert
activity.
*
In India and abroad many potent medicines used in allopathy are the
contributions
of ancient herbal remedies. To mention few atropine, hyoscamine,
strychnine,
curare, morphine, codeine, reserpine, vincrinstine, taxol, quinine,
pilocarpine
are too well known.
?
For many allopathic drugs the herbal drug constituents served as lead
compounds.
For example chloroquine derived its structure from quinine. The
quinolone
bacterials like ciproflaxacin, norflaxacin had lead from quinine.
Khellin,
a natural furocoumarin served as lead compound to an anti-allergic
agent
called to disodium chromoglycate (DSCG). The examples are for too many
to catalogue.
Standardized Principle Enriched Herbal Medicines- A new Emerging Area
In
standardized extract often the active principle or group of active
principles
is known. In standardized extracts, the active ingredients in plant are
extracted by organic solvents, partially purified to enrich the active
principle to reduce the size and weight of the dosage form. In a
non-standardized
herbal extract the amount of active ingredient may vary depending on
the
location and season of the collection of the plant material. Further
the
amount of active principle may vary from preparation to preparation in
non-standardized extracts.
In
standardized herbal preparation the specific levels of active
ingredient
single or mixture is assured, therefore the beneficial activity
guaranteed.
Unnecessary cellulose material that acts as a barrier to the drug is
removed.
Therefore the amount of drug is also reduced correspondingly. The
standardized
herbal extracts are more easily assimilated into blood stream and
critical
potency levels can be obtained.
The
standardization of the active constituents will be done by conventional
methods (volumetric, gravimetric methods) or very often by modern
methods
of analysis (HPLC, GLC, HPTLC, IR, polarimetry etc.).
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