Herbs consist

NOTE Herbs consist of stems but limited in girth by official requirements and leaves often associated with flowers and young fimits... 

Plant parts identified as "herb" consist of the leaf and stem of the identified plant, and this term is generally used only for non-woody plants. A plant part identified as "above-ground parts" means all of the plant above the ground, so it generally includes not only leaf and stem, but also flowers, fruits, and seeds, depending on the state of maturity of the plant at the time of harvest. All other plant parts (e.g., bark, leaf, root) are each identified with the generally used botanical term. 

Crude and extracts (solid, fluid, tincture, etc.)-Crude and fluid extract were formerly official in N.F. Strengths (see glossMry) of extracts are expressed in weight-to-weight ratios or flavor intensities. In Europe the drug consists of the root, with herb, gathered while blooming. Dandelion herb consists of the... 

Lycorine (69) was recognized as a potent emetic and a moderately toxic base from the time of its initial isolation from Narcissus pseudonarcissus E. (in about 1877) (48). Since that time its isolation from many other AmaryUidaceae, for example, Lpcom radiate Herb., has served to estabUsh it as the most cosmopohtan alkaloid of the family. TypicaUy, as much as 1% of the dry weight of daffodil bulbs may consist of lycorine (69), which has been reported to... 

Basil (Sweet Basil). Basil consists of the brown, dried leaves and tender stems of Ocimum basilicum L. (Labiatae), an aimual native to India, Africa, and Asia, and cultivated in Egypt, southern Erance, Morocco, the Mediteranean countries, and the United States. Basil is one of the oldest known herbs, and it is reported that there are perhaps 50—60 poorly defined Ocimum species which can only be identified according to their chemical components. The flavor of the basihcum type is warm, sweet, somewhat pungent, and pecuhar, ie, methyl chavicol and linalool. It is used with meats, fish, certain cheeses, and tomato-based salads. The fresh leaves are ground and known as pesto with pastas. It is the main component of the Hqueur Chartreuse. 

Essential Oils. Volatile oils from plants are referred to as essential oils. The oils can be obtained through steam distillation, solvent extraction, or separation of the oils from pressed fmit. They consist of oxygenated compounds, terpenes, and sesquiterpenes. The primary flavor components of essential oils are oxygenated compounds. Terpenes contain some flavors but are often removed from the essential oil because they are easily oxidized (causiag off-flavors or odors) and are iasoluble. Essential oils are prepared from fmits, herbs, roots, and spices. 

API consisting of comminuted or powdered herbs Collection of plants and/or cultivation and harvesting Cutting/ comminuting Physical processing. and packaging... 

The family Myrsinaceae consists of 30 genera and about a 1000 species of tropical plants that have attracted a great deal of interest for their quinones and saponins, which have exhibited a large spectrum of pharmacological activities. About 40 species of plants classified within the family Myrsinaceae are medicinal in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly for the treatment of inflammatory conditions. One of these medicinal herbs is Ardisia villosa Roxb. 

The family Droseraceae consists of four genera and about 100 species of perennial herbs, of which Drosera burmannii Vahl, Drosera rotundifolia L, Drosera indica L., and Drosera peltata Sm. are used in Asia for the treatment of cough. Naphthoquinones and flavonoids, which occur in this family, have not been fully studied for pharmacology, and it appears that flavonoids inhibit human neutrophil elastase, hence the potential for the treatment of inflammation. 

Carpesium divaricatum Sieb. et Zucc., or gankubisou (Japanese), is an herb that grows to a height of 1 m in shady and damp waste places, roadsides, and hillsides in China, Japan, and Korea. The leaves are lanceolate, and the inflorescences consist of yellow, cylindrical capitula (Fig. 25). 

The family Lauraceae consists of 50 genera and 2000 — species of trees, shrubs, and herbs, of which 70 are of K medicinal value in the Asia-Pacific region. Lauraceae are... 

The family Solanaceae consists of about 85 genera and 2800 species of plants, of which, 80 are of medicinal value in the Asia-Pacific region. Solanaceaeare well known for their parasympatholytic tropane alkaloids, such as hyoscyamine. Classic examples are Atropa belladonna L. (belladona herb, British Pharmacopoeia 1963), Datura stramonium L. (stramonium, British Pharmacopoeia, 1963), and the dried leaves and flowering tops of Hyoscyamus... 

The family Rubiaceae consists of about 450 genera and 6500 species of tropical and subtropical trees, shrubs, climbers, and herbs that are known to abound with iri-doid glycosides (monoterpenoid alkaloids, tannins, and anthraquinones). When looking for Rubiaceae in field collection, one is advised to look for plants with opposite simple leaves with an interpetiolar stipule, tubular flowers, which are often white, and capsules, berries, or drupes. 

The drug consists of dried short pieces of roots, which are brick red-colored, with a sweet taste resembling to liquorice. This herb is regarded as one of the five astral remedies by Chinese practitioners who recommend it for the cardiovascular system and blood-related ailments, such as hemorrhages and menstruation, and to promote healing of wounds. 

Ground covers in banana plantations are favorable for retention of moisture. A desirable ground cover consists of broad-leafed plants, but grasses predominate in many areas. Chemical control of grasses is not favored because banana plants are sensitive to chemicals, so the areas are hand chopped at frequent intervals. The banana plant is a rapid growing, highly succulent, perennial herb that is easily damaged with as little as 7.5 pounds of CMU [3-(p-chlorophenyl)-l,l-dimethylurea] per acre applied in a semicircular strip within 2 feet of the plant. This plant is sensitive to 2,4-D and can be injured by low concentrations. 

Herbs from these traditions often are administered in a confusing array of preparations (Table 69.2). In the U. S. market, tablet and capsule formulations are the most popular, while overseas, teas or infusions of herbs are the most widely used. Tinctures consist of an herb steeped in a mix of alcohol and water, and extracts consist of one part herb to one part ethyl alcohol. The alcohol content can be a concern, particularly with children. Some of these products have been withdrawn by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this reason but may still be available outside the United States. 

This herb has been part of folk medicine since pre-Christian times (247). It has been primarily used as a sedative and for the treatment of epilepsy. Consistent with this use, this herb reportedly can increase synaptic concentrations of GABA (248). GABA has also been isolated from Valeria and extracts of Valeria have been reported to bind to GABA receptors in rat brain. Although Valeria has been reported to be active in rodent models of depression, there have been no efficacy trials in humans. The potential adverse effects of Valeria include the sensation of strangeness ( 247) and several cases of liver damage (e.g., central lobular necrosis) (249). Mutagenicity in bacteria has been reported and attributed to unstable, water-insoluble valepotriates ( 238). As a result of these reports, many, but not all, commercial preparations of Valeria use water-soluble extracts standardized for their content of valeric acid. 

Lobelia is a nicotine-like herb that acts as an agonist at the nicotinic ganglion. Consistent with this action, it can be dangerous in an overdose, causing respiratory distress, rapid heart rate, sweating, decreased blood pressure, convulsions, and coma. As a result, the FDA has declared it to be an unsafe herb ( 238). 

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