Bitter root

EMETICS Bring about the evacuation of stomach contents by vomiting.—Bitter Root, Lobelia, Vervain... 

PURGATIVES Powerful bowel evacuatives.—Bitter Root, Bryony, Mandrake (American). 

Apocynum androsaemifolium. Dogbane spreading dogbane bitter root milk ipecac wild ipecac rheumatism weed. Root of Apocynum androsaemifoiium L, Apocyrto ... 

It is found in Japan, the Korean peninsula, and China. Another name for this plant is kujin, which literally means the bitter root. The Chinese characters for this plant also point to the fact that althongh this root may taste bitter, it has snperior medicinal qualities. The roots of this species are commercially available as the generic Kosam in Korea, and it has been apphed freqnently in folk medicine as an antipyretic, analgesic, anthelmintic, and a stomachic drag. Externally the root has been applied to treat rashes and a variety of other ailments. Although hitherto it has not found widespread application in cosmetic prodncts, it is used to a certain extent for its moisture-retention and disinfectant properties. ... 

Synonyms Bitter root Gentian Gentiana Gentiana lutea Gentiana lutea rhizome and roots... 

Common/vernacular names Yellow gentian, bitter root (G. lutea). 

Parts Balm 10 Parts Peppermint leaves 60 Parts Valerian root 10 Parts Orange flowers 10 Parts Bitter-orange peel... 

The Aristolochias are used in medicine as tonics due to the presence of bitter principles, though Hesse suggested that A. reticulata Nutt, then the serpentary root of commerce, might contain aristolochine, and the view that the bitter constituents are of alkaloidal character has been confirmed by Krishnaswamy, Manjunath and Rao, for A. indica L. 

Bitter sUss, n. bittersweet, -silssigkelt, /. bit-teraweetness. -tropfen, m.pt. bitters, -was-ser, n. bitter water (containing Epsom salt) (Pharm.) bitter-almond water, -wurzel, /. gentian root. 

Lflwenzahn, m. dandelion, -bitter, n. taraxacin. -wurzel, /. dandelion root. 

Alkaloids are compounds that contain nitrogen in a heterocyclic ring and are commonly found in about 15-20% of all vascular plants. Alkaloids are subclassified on the basis of the chemical type of their nitrogen-containing ring. They are formed as secondary metabolites from amino acids and usually present a bitter taste accompanied by toxicity that should help to repel insects and herbivores. Alkaloids are found in seeds, leaves, and roots of plants such as coffee beans, guarana seeds, cocoa beans, mate tea leaves, peppermint leaves, coca leaves, and many other plant sources. The most common alkaloids are caffeine, theophylline, nicotine, codeine, and indole... 

Bitter almonds contain amygdalin, which is the P-D-glucoside of prunasin, so it hydrolyses sequentially to the same products. Cassava, which is used in many parts of the world as a food plant, contains linamarin, which is the P-D-glucoside of acetone cyanohydrin. Preparation of the starchy tuberous roots of cassava for food involves prolonged hydrolysis and boiling to release and drive off the HCN before they are suitable for consumption. 

The root of carrot Daucus carota) is eaten raw or cooked. The characteristic aroma and flavour of carrots are mainly due to volatile compounds, although non-volatile polyacetylenes and isocoumarins contribute significantly to the bitterness of carrots [1,2]. More than 90 volatile compounds have been identified from carrots (Table 7.9) [207-215]. The carrot volatiles consist mainly of terpenoids in terms of numbers and amounts and include monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and irregular terpenes. Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes account... 

Acorns calamus L. var. angustatus Besser A. gramineus Ait. A. tatarinowii L. Chang Pu (Sweet flag) (leaf, root) Acoric acid, beta-asarone, yellow bitter aromatic volatile oil, alpha-pinene, d-camphene, calamene, calamenol, calamenone.50,357-450 Anticonvulsant, analgesic, aphrodisiac, carminative, contraceptive, dessicant, diaphoretic. 

---