Medicinal Plants: Central Nervous System Flashcards
What fast-growing European tree occurs in moist to periodically flooded habitats?
The white willow.
What species is the white willow classified as?
Salix.
Where have the salix species been used for medicinally?
Eurasia and North America.
What is the history of medical use of the white willow bark in Europe and North America?
Treating chronic pain, fevers, headache, gout, and related ailments.
Who was the German herbalist who provided a detailed account of the use of white willow bark for treating GI pain and chronic inflammation including gout?
Leonhard Fuchs (1501-1566)
What phenolics does willow bark contain?
Salicin and Salicylic acid.
What properties do salicin and salicylic acid possess?
They both have antipyretic (fever reducing) and analgesic (pain relieving) properties.
How does the antipyretic affect work?
The release of body heat following peripheral blood flow stimulation.
How does the analgesic affect work?
Central nervous system depression.
What is acid is an effective anti-inflammatory agents and reduces painful inflammation of the joints, muscles and tendons?
Salicylic acid.
What are the side effects of salicin and salicylic acid?
Gastric discomfort and nausea.
When did Bayer (19th century pharmaceutical company based in Germany) synthesize ASA, a close analogue of salicylic acid?
1899.
Who was ASA patented with?
Aspirin.
When was ASA original synthesized however not recognized?
1853.
What additional affects does ASA possess from the original antipyretic analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects?
Has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke and has been known to reduce the incidence of colorectal and other cancers.
What is angina, a condition that ASA treats?
Chest pains resulting from a shortage of oxygen to the heart muscle.
What is the most widely used pharmaceutical agent?
ASA. 50 million ASA tablets consumed daily.
What is the latest hypothesis regarding ether efficacy of willow bark extracts in treating chronic pain and inflammation?
Multiple compounds may be involved, lowering ability to heal when compared to ASA.
What is a small perennial herb belonging to the Solanaceae (Tomato) family?
The capsicum pepper.
Where is the capsicum pepper species native to?
South and Central America.
When was it first domesticated in South and Central America for its pungent hot flavour?
5000 years ago.
What does the capsicum pepper produce?
Small, erect, oblong orange-red fruits that are highly pungent.
What are the two main types of fruit produced from the capsicum pepper?
1) Oblong tobasco type.
2) Lantern shaped habanero type.
What is the name of the closely related pepper that includes bell or sweet peeps and the long slender pungent cayenne peppers?
The annual C.annuum (sweet pepper).
What is the pungency or hotness of the capsicum pepper fruit attributable to?
The proto-alkaloid capsaicin, which is concentrated in the placental tissues (tissues to which seeds are attached), with lesser amount in the fleshy portion.
Where is capsaicin entirely absent from?
The seeds, leaves, stems, and roots.
What does capsaicin act like in mammals, and mammals ALONE?
An irritant in which it produces a strong burning sensation (without damaging).
How does the burning sensation of capsaicin come to be?
Capsaicin binds to vanillin ion channel receptors that normally respond to excessive heat or physical abrasion. The binding results in false signal being sent to the brain mimicking the sensation of excessive heat.
What does this perception of pain also release?
Endorphins, resulting in a pleasurable sensation explaining the culinary popularity of the hot capsicum peppers.
What is a result of this capsaicin mimicking the sensation of excessive heat?
It will overwhelm neural transmission by mimicking this burning sensation resulting in neurotransmitter depletion, in turn reducing the sensation of pain over an extended period of time.
What are controlled does of capsaicin therefore used for?
Topical analgesics to relieve pain.
What is capsaicin incorporated into for this topical application?
Creamy ointments with compounds that increase peripheral blood flow for the relief of minor muscle aches and pains, arthritic pain, and muscle strains and sprains.
What does capsaicin also relieve pain from in regard to rashes and diseases like psoriasis?
Itching and inflammation.
What are higher doses of capsaicin recommended for?
The relief of pain associated with peripheral nervous system damage like shingles, viral infection of skin nerve cells that is a latent stage of chickenpox).
What are current clinical trials working on in regard to capsaicin?
Treating chronic post-surgical, arthritic, and joint muscle pain by injection of capsaicin and the site of pain.
Which additional properties of capsaicin allow for the killing of prostate cancer cells, and inhibiting the growth of leukaemia cells?
Its anti-cancer properties. Also possess anti-fungal and anti-microbial.
What is the active principle irritants of pepper sprays?
Capsaicin.
What is valerian classified as?
A hypnotic and sedative.
What is a weedy herbaceous perennial native to Europe and widely naturalized in North America?
Valerian.
What genus is Valerian from?
Valerina which has other spices occurring in Asia and NA.
Where were species of Valerina used medicinally?
Valerian: Europe
Valerina Species: Ayruvedic and Chinese
What did the ancient greeks use valerian for?
To treat digestive and urinary tract disorders.
What is the medieval name of the plant valerian?
Heal-all.
What does this “Heal-all” name allude to?
The use of valerian as a treatment for epilepsy and various other disorders.
When did the use of valerian begin for treating nervous afflictions (hysteric complaints ) as an effective sedative for reducing stress, anxiety and sleep disorders?
16th century.
When did it become the prime remedy for nervous tension, particularly in women?
18th and 19th century.
Which part of the valerian plant was used to reduce this nervous tension in women?
The fresh root which has a sweetish musky odor.
What happens when the roots are dried?
Takes on a decidedly unpleasant odor that is apparently attractive to cats and rats.
When were the clinical trials that confirmed that valerian root extracts promote sleep and have a mild sedative effect?
20th century.
Where is valerian used as a milder, natural alternative to synthetic sedatives and barbiturate?
Europe.
What is the sedative effect of valerian root attributed to?
A combination of secondary products.
What are the secondary products of valerian root?
The valepotriates (valerenic acid and validate) and a number of essential oils (terpenoids).
What are some other non-prescrptions herbal sedative preparations?
Hops, lemon balm, and Passion flower, all common in Europe.
What is classified as an anti-depressant?
St.John’s Wort.
What is a European perennial herb widely naturalized in NA, Asia, and Australia where it is considered weed?
St.John’s Wort.
Where does large scale cultivation of this important medicinal plants occur?
Europe, the Americas, Australia, and China.
What was St.John’s wort used for during the Middle Ages?
It was considered a herb of magic powers, and was said to have the ability to repel evil spirits.
What have European fold healers long used St.John’s Wort for and what else was it recommended for?
To treat depression, anxiety, and insomnia. It was also recommended for treating GI problems, bladder ailments, kidney and lung disorders, and cancerous tumours.
When did the internal use (oral ingestion) of St.John’s Wort end?
Mid 20th century.
What has recent research shown in regard to what St.Johns wort may be used as?
An antidepressant agent.
What have controlled studies shown in regard to extracts of St.John’s wort in acting as an anti-depressant?
It has been shown to be as effective as the synthetic depressants fluoxetine (Prozac), and paraoxetine (Paxil) in treating mild to moderate depression with FEWER side effects.
How does St.John’s worst as a prescription drug in Germany compare to fluoxetine?
St.John’s wort outsells fluoxetine 4:1.
What does St.John’s wort interact with?
Some prescription drugs: digoxin, HIV inhibitors, and anti-coagulant warfarin.
What is also recommended, along with a sedative and tranquilizer, as an expectorant in treating colds and chest congestion?
St.John’s Wort.
True or False:
St.John’s wort has antibiotic and antiviral properties, and so may prove effective against AIDS virus?
True.
What are the pharmacologically active secondary products of St.John’s wort?
Hypericin and hyperforin.
What is the broad spectrum affect go hypericin and hyperforin?
They inhibit the reuptake of five major neurotransmitters.
What are the 5 main neurotransmitters?
1) Serotonin
2) Norepinephrine
3) Dopamine
4) GABA
5) Glutamate
What other neat affect does hyperforin have specifically?
Has antibiotic and anti-viral properties, therefore will be incorporated in topical skin ointments used to treat acute injuries and burns.
What may result in users of hyperforin when exposed to the sun?
Photodermatitis.
What is the ancient species likely indigenous to China?
Ginkgo.
What tree has no while trees, only cultigen (cultivated species only)?
Ginkgo.
What is Ginkgo known as…“A living ____” and why?
A living fossil as it is the sole living member of a very ancient group of seed plants.
These fossils have been dated back to the Jurassic Period.
Which species has long been grown as an ornamental tree in Asia and more recently Europe and NA?
Ginkgo.
Where are ginkgo trees considered sacred, and are planted in temple gardens, with large old trees being particularly revered?
Japan.
What is unique about the ginkgo tree?
Can only be male or female, not both, only female produce fruit.
In which country does the Ginkgo have a long history of use in medicine?
China.
What was the ginkgo used for in Chinese medicine?
The seeds were used to treat asthma, coughs, and bladder problems-and also edible.
The leaves were used to improve blood circulation, to treat skin disorders and as a plaster to heal wounds.
What have ginkgo extracts been shown to do?
Promote vasodilation (the opening of blood vessels), which results in improved blood flow.
What has been ginkgo been known to treat?
Will treat symptoms of poor blood circulation, which include short term memory loss, arterial disease (including varicose veins), depression, cognitive problems, and inner ear problems such as tinnitus (ringing of ears) and vertigo.
Who have ginkgo extracts been particularly useful for?
Elderly patients-those with dementia have been shown to improve memory concentration and overall alertness.
Along with dementia help, what additional effects have ginkgo extracts been able to help in the elderly?
Reduced pain when walking and relief from vertigo.
What are the active principles of ginkgo?
A group of related diterpenoids known as the ginkgolides A-C.
What are the ginkgolides?
Free radical scavengers that promote nerve cell viability.
What do ginkgolides do along with promoting nerve cell viability and why may these effects be helpful in the prevention of dementia?
They also reduce the blood platelet aggregation factor, which increases blood flow. May prevent progression of dementia which is thought to be caused by insufficient O2 levels in the blood.
What is the perennial, bulb producing herbaceous plants belonging to the Daffodil family?
The caucasian snowdrop.
What genus is the daffodil family in?
Galanthus, including G. woronwii, and are native to Europe and Western Asia.
Where has the caucasian snowdrop been used medicinally?
Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union (Russia).
How has the caucasian snowdrop been used medicinally?
To treat muscle disease, abnormal muscle weakness, various CNS disorders, and polio-a viral disease of the CNS.
Which alkaloid was isolated from the snowdrop bulb in the early 1950s?
Galantamine.
What does the alkaloid galantamine do?
Inhibits acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that degrades the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Inhibition of this enzyme results in increased stores of acetylcholine at the nerve synapse.
In addition, galantamine stimulates the release of acetylcholine.
What is galantamine used to treat?
Moderate Alzheimer’s disease, the main symptom of which is progressive nerve cell degeneration.
What does the production of acetylcholine do and how does this relate to Alzheimer’s disease?
The production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that promotes learning and memory, is compromised in Alzheimer’s patients.
How does the mechanism of galantamine work in treating Alzheimer’s?
By inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, galantamine relieves the symptoms of Alzheimer’s by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain. (Does not alter course of disease and is not a cure however).
What has clinical use shown in using galantamine with Alzheimer’s patients?
A significant increase in cognition of Alzheimer’s patients within 6 months-effects last for a year if drug is taken regularly.
What ELSE is galantamine used for?
To enhance the memory of patients suffering from brain damage and is marketed as a “dietary supplement” to aid in memory recall and dream enhancement.
What other bulbs, other than caucasian snowbulb, may galantamine be found?
In other members of the genus Galanthus, and in related genera if the Amalyllidaceae (Daffodil) family including daffodils, snowflakes, and spider lilies.
