Plants and Medicine : phytotherapy and medicinal herbs, aromatherapy , Ribes nigrum, Simarouba amara,black currant, Sabal serrulata, Serenoa repens, saw palmetto, simarouba, bitterwood

PHYTOMANIA : MEDICINAL HERBS

Family: Grossulariaceae
Common name: black currant

Description: European shrub growing in temperate climate, now also cultivated in North America, New Zealand, Japan. Slightly Aromatic leaves, fruit : cluster of small round black berries containing a violet juice and seeds

Parts used: leaves and buds, fruits, seeds

Constituents: leaves (essential oil, flavonoids, prodelphinidols), buds(essential oil rich in hardwickiic acid=diterpenic acid, diterpenes, terpenol (linalol, citronnelol)), fruits(10 -15% sugars, organic acids, Vitamin C, flavoloids and anthocyanosides), seeds (oil rich in gamma linolenic acid = unsaturated(3) fatty acid)

Actions: vascular protection, anti-inflammatory, taste enhancer, antiviral

Main indications: vasculary insufficiency, rhumatoid pains (arthrosis), asthma and other allergic syndromes, herpes virus infection (kurokorin in Japan), food industry

Contra indications: none

Drug: leaves infusion, tincture, bud macerate(glycero-alcoholic), standardized extracts , anthocyanosides, seed's oil, fruit juice

SABAL SERRULATA =
SERENOA REPENS

Family: Arecaceae
Common name: saw palmetto

Description: short (dwarf) palm tree native and endemic to South East America (Florida and the Gulf Coast); palm's petioles are prickly , fruits are globulous drupes, dark blue when ripe

Parts used: fruit and lipidic extract

Constituents: lipidic extract : alcan, alcanol, phytosterol, anthranilic acid

Actions: antiandrogenic, anti-inflammatory

Main indications: benign prostatic irritation, urinary symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia( dull ache, urethritis, urgency, dribbling)

Contra indications: pregnant women

Drug: tincture, lipidic extract, hexanic or alcoholic extract

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SIMAROUBA AMARA

Family: Simaroubaceae
Common name: simarouba, bitterwood

Description: Medium sized tree (up to 20 meter high)indigenous to the Amazon rainforest , central America and the Caribbean Islands, the wood is very light, clear(almost white) and bitter

Parts used: wood, bark and small branches

Active Constituents: quassinoids : glaucarubine, glaucarubolone, glaucarubinone, simaroubidin, simarolide, simarubin, simarubolide, etc.. alkaloids and tanins

Actions: astringent, insecticide, insect repellent, bitter tonic, analgesic (toothache), may be anti-amebic, antimalarial, anticancer-antileukemic, antiviral, anti-parasitic

Main indications: dysenteric syndrome (Entamoeba histolytica, Salmonella and Shigella), dyspepsia, digestive stimulant, intestinal worms

Contra indications: possibly allergenic, at high dosages digestive symptoms of intoxication (nausea, vomiting, perspiration)

Drug: bark and wood decoction, extracts

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