FBVBRFBW IJ'anacetum partMnium Summary of Back Issues Ongoing Market Repon, Research Reviews (glimpses of studies published in over a dozen scientific and technical journals), Access, Book Reviews, Calendar, Legal and Regulatory, Herb Blurbs and Potpourri columns.

#1 -Summer 83 (4 pp.) Eucalyptus Repels Fleas, Stones Koalas; FDA #14- Fall 87 (Number 14). (16 pp.) Celestial Seasonings Sold to Lipton, OTC Panel Reviews Menstrual & Aphrodisiac Herbs; Tabasco Toxicity?; Inc.; Anti-diabetic Effect of Ginseng; NOV A Airs "The Hidden Power of Garlic Odor Repels Deer; and more. Plants"; Botanist Duke Profiled in Washington Post; Chaparral and Mosquito #2 -Fall/Winter 83-84 (8 pp.) Appeals Court Overrules FDA on Food Longevity; Mood-elevating Bananas; Special Report on Herbal Data Bases; Safety; FDA Magazine Pans Herbs; Beware of Bay Leaves; Tiny Tree: Can­ Ethnobiology Update; An Emerging Science of Varying Specialities; and cer Cure?; Comfrey Tea Recall; plus. more. #3 - Spring 84 (8 pp.) Celestial Sells to Kraft; Flowers and Dinosaurs #IS- Winter 88 (Number 15). (24 pp.) Major Herb Conference in Thai­ Demise?; Citrus Peels for Kitty Liner; Saffron; Antibacterial Sassafras; land; Export control of Ladyslipper; Canada Bans Comfrey Leaf; Tea Tannins WHO Studies Anti-fertility Plants; Chinese Herbal Drugs; Feverfew Reduce Cholesterol; Feverfew for Physicians; Gingko Makes Big News; Migraines; Ginseng as Cash Crop; and more. Licorice Retards Tooth Decay; Lomatium - Herbal Viricide?; Neern Extract - #4 -November 84 (Vol. 1, #4). (12 pp.) Rebuttal to FDA Article; Me­ Natural Pesticide; Search for Anti-Cancer Plants Funded by NCI; Digitalis dicinal Effects of Eggplant Leaves; Ayurvedic Medicine for Sciatica & Ar­ Depressing?; EPA Permits Use of Herbicide Alachlor; APHA Establishes thritis; Coffee and Iron Absorption; Synthetic Garlic; Lethal Chocolate OTC Committee; and more. Chips; Alternative Approaches to Gout; plus. #16- Spring 88 (Number 16). (24 pp.) Farnsworth Joins HRF Advisory #S- Spring 85 (Vol. 2, #1). (12 pp.) FDA Sues GNC; Herbalife vs. FDA; Board; AHPA Standards Committee Making Progress; FDA Rules on GRAS Herb Traders Beware; Onions & Hypoglycemic Compound; Fenugreek Re­ Substances; Fresh Ginger Juice in Treatment of Kitchen Burns; King Tut and duces Insulin Need?; Black Walnut Repels Fleas; Psyllium Allergy; Willow the Spice of Afterlife; "CocoDent"; Ginseng/Ethnobiology Conference Tree Rooting Compound; Yohimbine for Sexual Therapy; Parsley Reviewed; Reports; Interview - Dr. I. I. Brekhrnan ; Rain Forest Update; New Tool in The Sciences of Herbs; Soothing Chamomile; Eleuthero & the Liver; and Antibiotic Arsenal; Valerian Effectiveness; Fungal Studies; More Polysaccha­ more. rides; Recent Research on Ginseng; Heart Peppers; Yew Continues to Amaze; #6- Summer 85 (Vol. 2, #2). (12 pp.) Desert Plants for Future Foods?; Licorice O.D. Prevention; Ginseng in Perspective; Poisonous Plants Update; Hispanic Folk Medicines; Ginger for Motion Sickness; Ipecac Abuse; Toxic Medicinal Plant Conservation Project; 1989 Oberly Award Nominations; Oove Cigarettes; New Herbal Sweetener; Chilies & Ulcers; Milk Thistle Trends in Self-Care Conference; License Plates to Fund Native Plant Manual; Extracts; Ginseng for Liver Damage; plus. and more. #7- Fall 85 (Vol. 2, #3). (12 pp.) Fund for Herb Safety Review; Scull­ #17- Fall 88 (Number 17). (24 pp.) Sarsaparilla, A Literature Review cap Substitution; Therapeutic Gingko Trees; Ginseng & Potency; Dahlia as by Christopher Hobbs; Hops May Help Metabolize Toxins; Herbal Roach New Sweetener; Herbal Cures for Heroin & Opium; American Ginseng Killer; Epazote Getting More Popular; Aloe Market Levels Off; Herbal TiGk Harvest; Jojoba vs. IRS; Aromatherapy for Stress; Bloodroot in Oral Hy­ Repellent?; Chinese Herb Products Regulated; Celestial Seasonings Independ­ giene; and more. ent Again; Texas Botanical Garden; Plant Invaders; Interview with Professor #8- Winter 86 (Vol. 2, #4). (12 pp.) Call for Government-sponsored H. Wagner; Research on Herbal Cancer Remedies; New Tool in Antibiotic Natural Drug Research, by Dr. Jim Duke; Ginseng & Ageing; Chinese Arsenal; Antiviral Alkaloids Inhibit AIDS Virus; Neurological Disease from Herbs Treat Altitude Sickness; Sweet Wormwood for Malaria; Feverfew for Plant Seeds; All About Indoles; Huh? Lizard's Tale?; Sedative Peanut Leaves; Arthritis?; Coca Leaf Tea; and more. Cardiac Benefits of Tienchi Ginseng; Antitumor Effects of Sophora; Anti-ag­ #9- Spring 86 (Vol. 3, #1). (12 pp.) Canadian Expert Panel Makes Herb ing Formula; Chinese Arthritis Treatment; Kava Covered in Two Newspapers; Use Recommendations; Herbal Bibliographic Service; Methods in Phyto­ Gin Ads Reveal Herbal Ingredients; High Flying Wild Flowers; Traditional chemistry; Valerian's Value; Feverfew Fever; Faulty Herbal "Scare" Articles; Medicine of China, Vietnam Covered; Forest Watch; Herb Industry Adopts Juicy Jaborandi; and more. Recommended Reading Reprints: "Medicinal Lady's Slipper Resolution; and more. Plants in Therapy": by Professor Norman R. Farnsworth; "Herbal Water #18/19 Double issue- Fall 1988/Winter 1989. (Numbers 18/19) (48 pp.) Purification?" by Dr. Jim Duke. American Botanical Council Formed; How Did Van Gogh?; Can Wintergreen #10- Summer/Fall 86 (Vol. 3, #2). (16 pp.) Major FDA Policy Shift on light Up Your Smile?; What's In A Name? -Flax Facts; Tobacco Headed Herbs; Chemobyl Limits Supplies, Raises Prices; Garlic Studied for Obesity Down Primrose Path in Canada; Chaparral: One of Oldest Plants on Earth; & Meningitis; Guar Gum for Diabetes; Tumor Inhibitor in Licorice; Anti­ Did You Read Your Morning Kenaf?; Epazote: An Herbal Cure for the cancer Effect of Mistletoe and Turmeric; and more. Special Report: Over­ Greenhouse Effect?; Pepped-Up Potency in Herbs; Nobel Laureate Supports view of Spice Marketing. Natural Products Research; Mate Production Rises in Argentina; Northwest #11- Winter 87 (Number 11). (16 pp.) Plant Drugs in the 21st Century; Herbalists of Note; Japanese Herbalists on Northwest Walk; "Marijuana, Biologists Race to Save Tropical Rain Forests; Natural Blood Thinners; Chi­ Cranberries: Gaining Respect"; African Herbal Medicine; Herbs Becoming nese Antitumor Plants; Herbal Gout Remedy for Severe Cirrhosis; Banana "Big Business" in China; The Hoxsey Film: Can Healing Become a Crime?; Peel for Plantar's Warts; $2.68 Million for Plant Cancer Cures; and more. The Synthetic Silver Bullet vs. The Herbal Shotgun Shell; Benefits of Garlic; #12 -Spring 87 (Number 12). (16 pp.) Ayurveda, the Traditional Herbal New Clinical Test of Garlic; AIDS News: St John's Wort Inhibits Retrovirus; Medicine of India; Thai Medicinal Plants; Herbal Dream Inducer; Mexican New Feverfew Headache Research; Souped-up Polysaccharide Against HIV; Vanilla Revisited; Eleuthero and Soviet Athletes; Ginseng Growing Grows; Spirulina Returns to the News; Guar Gum for the Heart; Cranberry Juice for and more. Urinary Infections; Huperzi.a: Hype or Hope?; Huperzia: The China/Pittsburgh #13- Summer 87 (Number 13). (16 pp.) The Economic Significance of Connection; St. John's Wort: A Review by Christopher Hobbs; Native Herbs; Swedish Court Ruling in Evening Primrose Oil; Court Nixes FDA American Medicinal Plant Stamps; Flora of China Translation Becomes Inter­ DALS; Society for Economic Botany Symposium on the Investigation of national Effort; Crop Diversification Essential; Herbal Seeker to Merge with Folk Medicine; Ginseng Anti-aging Effect; Immune-enhancing Effects of Digest; and more. Ginseng; Anti-ulcer Activity of Germander; Saikosaponin For Kidney Dis­ ease; Native Plant Survey Being Conducted; Mesquite Pods: Future Food?; and more.

Page 2 - HerbaiGram No. 20 - Spring 1989 AMERICAN HERBAIGRAM CONTENTS BoT.ANICAL .COUNCIL No. 20 - Spring 1989 From the Editor ...... 4 Board of Trustees Mark Blumenthal, Executive Director Letters ...... 5 James A. Duke, Ph.D. Norman R. Farnsworth, Ph.D. Access ....•...... s The Herb Research Foundation In Memoriam ...... •..•••••••.•••.•.•...... 6 President - Rob McCaleb * Timothy Charles Plowman Aromatherapy in Vogue. p. 13 Each issue of HerbalGram is reviewed Herb Blurbs ...... 8 by the Herb Research Foundation * Scientists Develop Anti-cancer Tobacco * Cactus Lowers Professional Advisory Board prior to Blood Glucose Levels * Spicy Food and Stomach Distress * Sex publication. Change in Dwarf Ginseng 'lil and more

HRF Professional Advisory Board Media Watch ...... 10 * Medical Students Introduced to Native Cures 'i> "Secrets of Glenn Appelt, Ph.D. the Rain Forest" * Foster Studies Herbals in China * Plant Medi­ Professor of Pharmacology cine Importance Stressed by CSU Professor * Producer of Ginseng John A. Beutler, Ph.D. Extract Profiled * Garlic May Reduce Bad Cholesterol * and more Natural Products Chemist Robert A. Bye, Jr., Ph.D. Legal and Regulatory ...... 14 Professor of Ethnobotany Update on regulations for herbal formulas sold in Canada. Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D. Endangered Species Act Director, Institute for Endangered Species ...... 16 Revised . p. 16 Traditional Medicine * Revision of Endangered Species Act Increases Protection James A. Duke, Ph.D. Plant Taxonomist Market Report ...... 19 Norman R. Farnsworth, Ph.D. Spices Botanicals Potpourri Ingredients Research Professor of Pharmacognosy * * * I. Richard Ford, Ph.D. Special Report: Compound Q ....•....••••••••.....•••••••••••••...... ••• 20 Professor of Ethnobotany 'i>Tricosanthes kirilowii: A new hope in the AIDS-relief search? Harriet Kuhnlein, Ph.D. by James A. Duke, Ph.D., and Steven Foster Professor of Nutrition Walter Lewis, Ph.D. Research Reviews ...... 22 Professor of Biology New Strategy Against AIDS: Castor Bean Compound Albert Leung, Ph.D. * * NCI Upgrades Natural Products Research * Holy Basil! More Tricosanthes and AIDs Pharmacognosist lmmunostimulants! * Antitumor Properties of Chlorella * Garlic Research. p. 20 Ara Der Marderosian, Ph.D. Fights Candida and Cancer * and more Professor of Pharmacognosy C. Dwayne Ogzewalla, Ph.D. Cover Feature ....•...... 26 Professor of Pharmacognosy * Feverfew ( Tanacetum parthenium) - A Review by Christo­ James Ruth, Ph.D. pher Hobbs * The Modern Rediscovery of Feverfew Professor of Medical Chemistry E. John Staba, Ph.D. Potpourri ...... 37 Professor of Pharmacognosy V arro E. Tyler, Ph.D. Book Revlews ...... 40 Professor of Pharmacognosy Herbal Medicine * The New Age Herbalist * Planetary Phil Weber, M.D. Herbology * The Paleolithic Prescription * leones of Medicinal Physician Fungi From China * Colour Atlas of Chinese Traditional Drugs. Andrew Weil, M.D. Physician Calendar ...... 48 p. 26

The Education Publication of the American Botanical Council and the Herb Research Foundation No. 20 - Spring 1989 Editor - Mark Blumenthal HerbalGram is published quarterly by the American Botanical Coun­ Technical Editor - Rob McCaleb cil as an educational project of the ABC and the Herb Research Contributing Editors - James A. Duke, Ph.D., Norman R. Farnsworth, Foundation. Editorial and business offices at the American Botanical Ph.D., Steven Foster, Christopher Hobbs Council, P.O. Box 201660, Austin, Texas 78720. 512/331-8868. Managing Editor - Barbara Johnston FAX 512/331-1924. Subscriptions: $25/yr; $45/2 yrs; $60/3 yrs. Art Director - Ira Kennedy Foreign subscriptions, please add $10 per year. Circulation/Classified• Advertising Manager - Margaret Wright © 1989 American Botanical Council. ISSN # 0899-5648.

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 3 FROM THE EDITOR

Looking Forward

he feedback we received from present. In addition, we have main­ our readers after we published tained our editorial policy of accepting T our last issue was overwhelm­ only classified advertising for educa- ingly positive. Designed as a "double tion-related groups, publications, and issue," HerbalGram #18/19 had 48 seminars advertising in HerbalGram. pages, and included a new format and What this all means is that we find color. it necessary to raise our subscription With this issue we continue our ex­ fees. Many of our long-time readers pansion of the graphic direction created will remember that we initially pub­ by our artist Ira Kennedy. And, we lished an 8-page newsletter, then we have now grown in size where 48 grew to 12 pages and then to 16. At pages no longer constitutes a double is­ that time our subscriptions cost $15.00, sue, but one edition. Future editions then later were raised to $18.00, where may be even larger. We are not lack­ they have stayed for several years. ing for editorial copy; the only thing Mark Blumenthal Obviously, we cannot continue to holding us back is the fmancial re­ charge that amount and at the same sources to afford the production, print­ of HerbalGram. ABC receives some fi­ time produce a publication that is three ing, and mailing of a larger version. nancial support from the Herb Research times larger, with added colors! Speaking of finances, we have re­ Foundation for the publication of Her­ Consequently, starting with this is­ cently had to review our subscription balGram. Additionally, numerous herb sue, our new subscription rates will be rates to determine whether they ade­ industry members and organizations as follows: $25 for 4 issues; $45 for 8 quately cover our costs. We have al­ have made donations to ABC to support issues; and $60 for 12 issues. Herb Re­ ways known that subscriptions alone do its work. search Foundation members, please not provide us with sufficient capital to However, ABC's mission involves note that the membership fee for HRF meet our needs. The formation of the much more than producing Herbal­ has also risen accordingly: HRF mem­ American Botanical Council was stimu­ Gram. There are various educational berships will now cost $35 per year. 0 lated partly by the need to address the projects (like article reprints, radio pro­ financial costs of paying for the growth grams, etc.) that ABC is working on at About This Issue ------We continue to publish a major lit­ to as "Chinese Cucumber Root" in re­ the recent Canadian government's rul­ erature review on a single herb. Once cent press accounts which report on its ings on herb safety into a historical and again, botanist Christopher Hobbs has anti-HIV activity. The isolated drug cultural context. combed the available literature, this extracted from this Chinese herb is time to produce a review of Feverfew. making headlines, but there is little We received universally positive com­ written about its potential toxicity. NEW ADDRESS ments on his previous reviews of Sarsa­ Duke and Foster outline the various We ask our readers to note that ABC parilla and St. John's Wort. We were risks and benefits of this potential new and Herbal Gram now share a new pleased to note a brief review of plant drug. address and phone number: P.O. Hobb's Sarsaparilla review (Herbal­ Foster further writes about the need Box 201660, Austin, Texas, USA 78720. Phone 512(331-8868. FAX Gram 17) in the journal Pharmacy in forpreservation of botanical species that 512/331-1924. History, published by the American In­ are becoming increasingly threatened or stitute of the History of Pharmacy at endangered. ADDRESS CHANGES the University of Wisconsin. Finally, in addition to our usual de­ Our mail permit does not allow Jim Duke and Steven Foster write partments and book reviews, Rob Mc­ Herbal Gram to be forwarded. If you about Trichosanthes kirilowii, referred Caleb and Terry Willard attempt to put move or change your mailing ad­ dress, please notify ps immediately On the Cover------­ so you will not miss any copies. Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), for HerbalGram by Ira Kennedy, 1989

Page 4 - HerbaiGram No. 20 - Spring 1989 LETIERS

hank you for the copy of HerbalGram. Did I miss something? "New Feverfew Many thanks for sending me the Fall/Winter I have examined it and am pleased and Headache Research." ... excellent study of issue of HerbalGram. It is a splendid publi­ Tsurprised with its contents. For the last 20 Feverfew ... Feverfew what? Feverfew root: cation, full of interest for me. You should be years, I have purposely avoided contact with Feverfew leaf: Feverfew herb? Feverfew very proud of it. herbalist magazines, as they were always flower: If this is a scientific article, then it The only room for criticism which I've top-heavy with unsubstantiated claims, few should be mentioned what part of the plant is spotted so far occurs on page 18, in Rob reference sources, and woven in with an used and how much. If this is an herbal ar­ McCaleb's "Garlic Review." His second amalgam of mumbo-jurnbo essays on crystal ticle, the same criteria applies! Is Lancet at paragraph opens with a somewhat mislead­ power, astrology, etc. As well, my blood fault or was there a lapse on the part of the ing sentence: "Anti-microbial effects of gar­ would boil when I read some herbalist ar­ reporter? If the herb world is going double­ lic protected French priests from the bubonic ticles urging readers to dig indigenous rhi­ blind then act the part. plague; and British, German, and Russian zomes, bulbs, roots, and other parts of spe­ Jeanne Rose soldiers from battlefield infections." Of cies that were publically known to be on en­ Herbal Studies Course course the careful reader will know that dangered species lists. Until now I had San Francisco, CA "R.M." is merely paraphrasing the anecdotal thought the entire herbalist movement was claims which were included in Abdullah's living in a time warp; totally unconnected (The research is about Feverfew leaf. See review article. Nonetheless, as it stands, this with ecological principles or the scientific review on page 24 of this issue.) sentence appears to make claims that are his­ method. H erbalGram is a beacon of light torically unproven and unproveable. I would and is doing immense credit to the herbalist/ have opened it with "It was believed that. .. " environmental/botanical movement in North Congratulations on the HerbalGram double or some such qualifying phrase, to be sure America with your well-researched and ex­ issue! I know only too well how much you that readers could distinguish between cellently illustrated articles and news on must have put into it. It is looking fantastic. proven claims an anecdotal "evidence." herbal medicine and food. By the way, pinene is a terpene, but thujone When I've met my horrendous dead­ James L. Hodgins and camphor are ketones. Pinene, like most lines, I'll treat myself to a thorough reading Editor, Wildflower terpenes, is not regarded as toxic, while of the entire issue. I consider it so valuable Toronto, CaTUJ.da many ketones are toxic, especially thujone. that I will keep it with my little collection of Robert Tisserand books and articles about medicinal plants. Aromatherapy Publications Patricia Spain Ward London, England Campus Historian The University of Illinois at Chicago Errata from HerbaiGram #18/19: I was very interested in the HerbalGram and Re: Chris Hobbs's Literature Review on St John's Wort - page 29: Table 2. Clinical Indica­ I am going to send for early editions. I found tions for St. John's Wort. Dosage schedule reads, "Average daily dose recommended is 24 it not only interesting, but useful in terms of grams of the powdered herb as a powdered extract, equivalent to .02 - 1.0 g hypericin." This both practical information as well as the is correct, but to be more appropriate, the table should have read, "20 to 100 mg. of hyper­ more scientific material. I will also be join­ icin." However, on page 30, column two, paragraph three, we erred in our dosage: line five ing the Herb Research Foundation. should read, "240 milligrams of the 1:5 powdered extract per day (standardized to 1.25% hy­ pericin) .. . " The original text reads 240 grams which is obviously incorrect! HerbalGram re­ Norman B. Hirt, M.D. grets the error. Thanks to Ed Smith and Paul Bergner for bringing this error to our attention. Vancouver, B.C., CaTUJ.da

ACCESS Fantastic! Eye-catching! Colorful! Artistic! Informative! You did the impossible-the In this department of HerbaiGram we list resources such as publications, organizations, best periodical of herbal information has seminars, and networking for our readers. A listing in this section does not constitute been made better. Easier to read. More fun any endorsement or approval by HerbaiGram, ABC, HRF, or the HRF Professional Advi­ to delve into. sory Board. Kudos to you, your staff, and Ira Ken­ nedy for producing an interesting, exciting Common Scents- Newsletter of the Summary of Federally listed endangered format change that succeeds on every level. American Aromatherapy Association. Ar­ and threatened species in Texas and I am already looking forward to my next is­ ticles on quality of essential oils, differences Oklahoma- For Texas species, contact: sue! between essential oils and synthetics, calen­ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 David P. Mastroianni, Director of dar, etc. Regular membership $50. P.O. Box Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744. Technical Services 1222, Fair Oaks, CA 95628. 512/3894800. For Oklahoma species, con­ Solgar Company, Inc. tact: Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Lynnhrook, NY Chakpori Institute of Medicine - For the Conservation, 1801 N. Lincoln, P.O. Box practice and study of Tibetan Medicine. 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152. 405/ Membership $25 or more. P.O. Box 956, 521-3851. Boulder, CO 80306. Congratulations on the wonderful double is­ Wild Cards - A deck of 52 standard play­ sue of HerbalGram! As always, the infor­ Mushroom Intoxication Wall Chart­ ing cards showing 4-color photos of wild mation was terrific, but the redesign is a ma­ This 8" x 10" laminated wall chart lists dif­ edible plants. $10 plus $2.50 postage & jor step forward, especially the use of color ferential evaluation of mushroom intoxica­ handling from Wild Foods Co., P.O. Box and all the illustrations. I tip my hat. tions by symptoms. Lawrence Review of 450, Warrensburg, NY 12885. 518/251- Michael Castleman Natural Products, 922 Woodbourne Rd., # 3267. Editor, Medical Self Care 324, Levittown, PA 19056. San Francisco, Cal. See page 48

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 5 Timothy Charles Plowman November 17, 1944- January 7, 1989 "Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Timothy Plowman with his dog, Pogo, in the Peruvian Highlands, 1975. Photo courtesy of Wade Davis.

Ethnobotany has lost one of its most devoted disciples and beloved practitioners with the tragic passing of Timothy Plowman. A man of generosity and kindness, modesty and honour, his untimely death has cut short a remarkable career of immense promise. Already far on the way as one of the most discerning, original and effective naturalists of our century, Tim was a gentleman, a friend of everyo-ne, an understanding and devoted teacher, a scholar of extraordinary depth, a tireless and demanding researcher happy to share his experience and counsel with whoever sought his advice. im Plowman's interest in and love of plants developed as his professional life. In the fall of 1966 Tim returned from Bra­ a child growing up in the temperate woodlands surround­ zil flushed with excitement and fully committed to spending the T ing Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. An avid collector even as rest of his life in pursuit of the mysteries of the tropical rain­ a boy, his passion for plants grew into the central metaphor of forest. Having received his Master's Degree in 1970, he under­ his life. Mter attending college at Cornell University he went took for his doctoral dissertation a revision of the genus Brun­ as a graduate student to the Botanical Museum of Harvard Uni­ felsia (Solanaceae). His thesis, which included a comprehen­ versity where he worked under the direction of Richard Evans sive chapter on the ethnobotany of the genus, was based on over Schultes. Such was his promise that even before enrolling in 15 months of continuous fieldwork in Central and South Amer­ the graduate school, Tim was dispatched by Professor Schultes ica and the Caribbean. to the Amazon on an expedition that would define the course of

Page 6 - HerbaiGram No. 20 - Spring 1989 by Wade Davis, Ph.D. IN MEMORIAM

By the time his Ph.D. was officially conferred in 1974, Tim privilege, and he never failed to remember his fellow botanists was already deeply involved in the project for which he will al­ toiling away in the less romantic confines of the herbaria. Tim ways be remembered-a 15-year effort to decipher the complex seemed to have a rolodex in his head that recorded the name of taxonomy of Erythroxylum and to study the ethnobotany of every specialist in every group of plants, and he constantly was coca, the sacred leaf of the Andes and the notorious source of on the lookout for specimens that might prove useful to a distant cocaine. Of Tim's 80 published scientific papers, 46 are related colleague. He collected everything. His voucher specimens to his work on Erythroxylum and his position as the world's au­ were not only complete, but aesthetically beautiful and when­ thority on the genus enabled him to speak eloquently and pow­ ever possible he augmented them with invaluable collections of erfully in defense of the traditional use of coca by beleaguered live material. Living plants, many new to science and collected indigenous peoples of the Andes and Northwest Amazon. first by Tim, may be found in botanical gardens throughout the Tim left Harvard for the Field Museum of Natural History world. in 1978 where he became tenured in 1983 and was appointed In the rainforests of the Amazon Tim felt the fullness of curator in 1988. If Tim grew up at the Botanical Museum at life. He marvelled at the thousand themes, the infinitude of Harvard, he came into his own at the Field Museum and his form, shape and texture that so clearly mocked the terminology years there were both the happiest and most productive of his of temperate botany. He always travelled in the forest as a stu­ remarkable career. His interdisciplinary interests in sys­ dent and his commitment to ethnobotany grew in part from his tematics, ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology led him to inter­ direct experience with the indigenous peoples who understood act with an increasingly diverse group of scholars which in­ the plants in ways that he believed he could only hope to emu­ cluded not only fellow botanists but also archaeologists, phyto­ late. To be in the forest, he said, was to be in Eden, and to say chemists, ethnographers and pharmacologists. In addition to the names of the plants was to recite the names of the Gods. He carrying out an active scientific research program as co-princi­ believed that all forms of life were manifestations of the sacred. pal investigator of the National Science Foundation Projeto Flora Amazonica, he served on the editorial boards of numerous To be in the forest ... was to be in Eden, and journals, including Flora Neotropical Monographs, Advances in Economic Botany, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs and Journal to say the names of the plants was to recite of Ethnopharmacology. Between 1984-1988 he was Co-Editor­ the names of the Gods in-Chief of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology and the Scien­ tific Editor of Fie/diana. He was vice president of the Benefi­ cial Plant Research Association, a Fellow of the Linnean Soci­ Hence, for Tim, biological and cultural diversity represented far ety, and a member of many professional societies, including the more than the foundation of stability, they were articles of faith, American Society of Plant Taxonomists, Society of Economic fundamental truths that indicated the way things were supposed Botany, Council of Biology Editors, Society of Ethnobiology to be. and the New England Botanical Club. As chairman of the Bot­ Tim had a special affmity for Indians, and his uncanny abil­ any Department of the Field Museum of Natural History (1986- ity to gain their trust and confidence was one measure of the 1988) Tim secured a substantial increase in National Science deep respect he had for their way of life. He empathized with Foundation funding for the herbarium and developed a new fa­ their worldview, which defined man as but one element inextri­ cility for the curation of economic collections. His enthusiasm, cably linked to the whole of creation. It was this unique cosmo­ spirit of cooperation, professional rigor and passionate commit­ logical perspective, he believed, that enabled the Indians to ment to botany proved infectious and under his leadership, mo­ comprehend implicitly the intricate ecological balance of the rale at the Botany Department soared. forest he loved so dearly. Tim viewed with pain, dismay and Credentials alone, however, present but a shadow of the increasing anger this other worldview, one in which man stands man who affected so many lives in such profound ways. For apart, that now threatens the forest with devastation. It was one Tim, life was but a vehicle for seeking understanding and for of his fondest hopes that the lessons of ethnobotany might ulti­ ' expressing freedom. If there is a word to describe Timothy mately facilitate a dialogue between these two world views such Plowman it would be freedom, and he lived with the conviction that folk wisdom might temper and guide the inevitable devel­ that every person had the right to pursue his or her own path un­ opment processes that today ride roughshod over much of the shackled of the burdens of social convention. Equally at ease in earth. The many of us who loved him as a brother and re­ the tranquil world of plants or amidst the society of people, Tim spected him as a colleague can do no better service to his had a charisma hot to the touch, and those privileged to have memory than to continue our own struggles to make this dream spent time with him often developed a respect that bordered on of his a reality. 0 reverence. For he was a true Renaissance scholar, a man out of time, whose breadth of interests and passions went far beyond Thanks to Wade Davis, Ph.D., who holds a doctorate in ethno­ the boundaries of his beloved field of botany. botany from Harvard University. He is the author of The Serpent and the Rainbow, and Passage of Darkness. His new book, But it is as a botanist and intrepid plant explorer that Tim now in progress, recounts his year with Dr. Plowman in the will be best remembered. He spent over five years of his life in South American rain forests. Dr. Davis is a research associate the most remote and inhospitable regions of the Andes and at the New York Botanical Garden. Amazon, making over 15,000 collections of unsurpassed qual­ ity. Typically he always considered his time in the field as a

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 7 HERB BLURBS

Scientists Develop Anti-cancer Tobacco

group of California scientists include interleukin-2, tumor-killing make paper and reduce cholesterol lev­ have developed a way to subvert agents such as tumor necrosis factor, els in foods, and other cancer drugs A the genetic machinery of to­ and sunblocking agents such as mela­ such as interferon and vincristine. Re­ bacco plants so that the plants produce nin. The plants would then be har­ searchers combined genes from several anti-cancer agents and other biological vested and the products purified from viruses that normally infect plants to drugs. Researchers from Biosource their leaves. According to geneticist form a "super virus." Even when the Genetics Corp. of Vacaville, CA say Robert Irwin, president of the company, cost of extraction from the plant and that they have developed an artificial field tests will begin within 12 months. purification of the product are added, virus that can be sprayed on fully He also said that other potential uses of Erwin said, the technique would be grown tobacco plants to convert them the genetically altered tobacco include cost-competitive with conventional into "minifactories" producing immune an insecticide, a substance that allows techniques, in which the drugs are pro­ system stimulants, also called im­ time-release of flavors in foods and fra­ duced in engineered bacteria. The virus munostimulants. Such agents would grances in perfumes, enzymes to help would be sprayed in combination with an abrasive that would scratch the Cactus Lowers Blood Glucose Levels leaves' surface, allowing the viruses to enter the host plant. Weeds and other A study by Alberto C. Frati-Munari and colleagues plants accidentally infected would die at the Hospital De Especialidades in Col. La from the effects of the high protein pro­ Raza published in the January issue of Dia­ duction caused by the virus. And, be- betes Care found that a cactus species used cause the virus does not attack the as a food and herbal remedy in Mexico plant's genetic information, it would (Opuntia steptacantha ), commonly not be passed along in seeds and known as "Nopal," actually helped would produce no long-term threat. lower blood glucose levels in dia- Cancer specialist Vincent DeVita betes patients. The broiled stems of the Sloan-Kettering Cancer of the cactus were used in the Center noted that one of the fail study, decreasing blood glucose ings of congressmen from to­ and insulin levels. The mechan­ bacco states is that they have ism of action was not understood, failed to give farmers an alterna­ but the researcher hypothesized tive to growing tobacco. He that the cactus treatment may improve also added that the irony of using to- the ability of insulin to stimulate the bacco to combat cancer was "kind of movement of glucose from the blood into cute" and that Biosource's success was body cells where it is used as energy or be­ "real enough to pursue." (Los Angeles comes fat. (Science News, Vol. 133 No. 4, Times Service, Austin-American States­ 23 1988 man, April 4, 89) Jan • ) Porcupine Prickly Pear,Opuntia erinacea for Herba/Gram, Ira Kennedy, 1989 Put a Cassava in Your Tank What's In a Name? Fuchsia, that strong, vivid, reddish­ Cars in Brazil, 90% of them at least, tuber cultivated throughout much of purple color, is named after Leonhard have been running on a mixture of South America, and familiar to North Fuchs, a doctor and botanist who was gasoline and ethanol since the 1930s. Americans as the source of tapioca, is known in the 1500s for medicines he Up until now, all that ethanol (the same in progress. "Growing cassava requires concocted from plants and herbs (vale­ kind of alcohol used in beverages) has much less fertilizer and mechanization rian, thyme, St. John's Wort, chamo­ been made from sugarcane. This crop than sugarcane," says economist Milton mile, among others). In the early requires extensive use of fertilizers, Campanario of the University of Sao 1700s, French botanist Charles Plumier pesticides, expensive mechanization Paulo, "and it's grown in all types of named a genus of shrubs after Fuchs. and produces stillage, a serious pollut­ climates and soils." Substituting cas­ The shrubs lent their name to the color. ant of waterways, as a by-product from sava could help the economy and the (From Michael Gartner's "About the fermentation process. environment at the same time. (Dis­ Words," Austin-American Statesman, A serious shift to the use of cas­ cover, Feb. 89) Jan. 25, 1989) sava (Manihot esculenta), a versatile

Page 8 - HerbaiGram No. 20 - Spring 1989 HERB BLURBS

Spicy Food and Stomach Distress

oes spicy food upset your stom­ (positive control); the third was a spicy other experiment with "Tabasco Sauce" ach? Is it damaging to the walls Mexican meal (with 30 mg. of jalapeno sprayed directly onto the stomach lining D of the stomach? According to a peppers) and the fourth was a pepper­ showed a large mucosal hemorrhage 24 recent article in the Journal of the oni pizza. hours later, not due to the presence of American Medical Association (Dec. The study was a randomized cross­ the capsaicin from the peppers, but due 16, 88), the answer is "no." A team of over trial. The stomach wall was moni­ to the concentration of vinegar (acetic researchers led by David Y. Graham at tored for gastric disturbance by using a acid) in the preparation. the Digestive Disease Section of the videoendoscope, a fiber optic tube. The bottom line of the entire study: Veterans Administration Medical Cen­ Each subject ate two of the test meals "The ingestion of highly spiced meals ter at the Baylor College of Medicine, each day, at noon and in the evening. by normal individuals is not associated in Houston, Texas tested 12 subjects The only meal producing multiple gas­ with endoscopically demonstrable gas­ with four different meals. The first tric erosions was the meal with the as­ troduodenal mucosal damage." (Graham meal was a bland meal of unpeppered pirin. In an additional experiment, et al., JAMA 1988: 260:3473-3475) steak and french fries (the negative fresh jalapeno peppers were ground up To the contrary, traditional medi­ control); the second was the bland meal and placed directly into the stomach cine in China indicates that spices can, with 1950 mg. of aspirin (six tablets) with no visible mucosal damage. An- in fact, be used to treat gastric ulcer. HRF Advisory Board member Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., sent us the fol­ lowing information: ''The Chinese Sex Change in Dwarf Ginseng have been using spicy herbs for a long Who would have ever guessed that the time in the treatment of gastric ulcer. "sexist's aphrodisiac" could change For example, the traditional formula sex? In a fascinating paper, M. A. Sch­ Clove and Hoelen Combination (Chi­ lessman (Gender Modification in North nese: Dingxiang Puling Tang), contains American Ginsengs, BioScience clove, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, 37(7):460-475, 1987) showed that the and citrus peel and is used today in Ja­ dwarf ginseng plant (Panax trifolius), pan by medical doctors for treatment of which can live 30 years or more, may gastric ulcer. Another formula, first re­ change its gender several times, from Dwarf ginseng corded around 1100 A.D., is Cardamom male to female hermaphrodite. Panax trifolius and Fennel Formula (Chinese: An The dwarf ginseng has globose ed­ by Peggy Duke Zhong San), with cardamom, fennel, ible pea-like roots, hence one of the for Ginseng: A cinnamon, and galanga (a very spicy common names, groundnuts. An Concise Hand­ herb related to ginger). It is also used ephemeral perennial, in Maryland at book, James A. for gastric ulcer even today." (See Gin­ least, it usually flowers in April, fruits Duke, 1989 ger in Research Reviews, page 23.) 0 in May, then quickly retreats to its sub­ terranean hideaway for 9-10 months. Only 2-10 inches tall, the dwarf Industry Loses Two Pioneer Herbal Marketers ginseng has 3-5 leaflets, with no or very short petiolules. By contrast, the Willard Magee Nathan Podhurst more familiar American ginseng Willard Magee, 69, died in December, Also, as we neared press time, we , (Panax quinquefolius), is 4-20 inches 1988. Mr. Magee (or just "Willard" were saddened by the news of the tall, usually with five stalked toothed as he preferred to be called) was one passing of Nathan Podhurst, 96, one leaflets, and an elongate, sometimes of the last of the old timers who made of the pioneers of the herb business forked root. Panax quinquefolius has the domestic botanical industry what it in America. Mr. Podhurst had owned all hermaphrodite (bisexual) flowers. is today. Starting out in the 1950s in and operated Nature's Herb Company Rare triovulate flowers could be ac­ Missouri, Magee started the Magee on Ellis Street in San Francisco since cordingly classed more "femalish" if Root Company, which became the 1922. He was a teacher and inspira­ not "superfemales." largest dealer of domestically har­ tion to many people in the herb in­ For further observations, Jim Duke vested wild botanicals. Many of dustry. Herbalist/author Jeanne Rose has transplanted several males and fe­ Magee's herbs were initially exported; is writing a tribute to Mr. Podhurst, males from the 1989 flush of dwarf later, as interest grew in the domestic which will appear in our next issue. ginseng. He has volunteered to cooper­ market for American medicinal plants, ate with chemists or pharmacologists Magee became one of the primary wishing to compare the levels of gin­ bulk suppliers to herb and tea compa­ senosides in the males and females. nies in the U.S.

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 9 MEDIA WATCH Medical Students Introduced to Native Cures

ane Johnson, M.D., director of Arizona's United Communities L Health Center, recently took fourth-year medical students on a guided tour through Arizona's plentiful herbs, the traditional medicine chest of local Indian tribes. While Dr. Johnson doesn't advocate the use of herbs, the physician-plant lover wants to give stu­ dents an idea of what they would find in the Third World. The students, en­ rolled in a three-week summer course-­ International Health for the Third World-next traveled to India, Kenya, Peru and other countries where patients are more likely to ask for a plant than a pill. "Modern medicine makes light of herbal stuff; it says it doesn't work," says Johnson. "It says if it does work it just has a placebo effect. Then why are so many medicines-digitalis, mor-

"Herbal medicine re­ stores you to a sense of place and roots-if that helps you to get better, then that is important."

phine, quinine--based on plants? ... Plants are synthesized [by pharmaceuti­ cal companies] because they work very well. A plant is no more poisonous than the drugs you learn about in Common mullein school. On the other hand, there's the Verbascum thapsus L. myth that if it comes from nature it's from Common Weeds always safe. The fact is you can die of the United States, just as easily from nature as synthetics." U. S. Department of The tour, which began at the U. of Agriculture, 1970 Ariz. University Medical Clinic, pro­ ceeded through the Sonoran desert into the foothills of the Catalina Mountains to the ski lodge at the crest of 9, I 00- fonwood and willow (aspirin), black­ pino-American who will soon be work­ foot Mount Lemmon, the highest in eyed susan (cardiac stimulant and diu­ ing in the Philippines, agreed. "You've Southern Arizona. At stops along the retic), purple vervain (anti-viral agent), got to respect the traditions of other way, Dr. Johnson gathered and de­ mullein (anti-asthmatic), and sage (de­ people. Sometimes doctors tend to scribed traditional native Papago Indian creases sweating, salivation, and breast think there is only one right way of uses for wormwood (tonic to stimulate milk). doing things, and that's not always true. sweating), jimson weed (Indian ritual Dr. Johnson feels that herbal medi­ Herbal medicine is just a different way narcotic use), creosote bush (pulmonary cine is a tool to help people assist their of looking at how medicines are used problems and arthritis), manzanita (uri­ own natural healing process. He told and how we can use natural things to nary tract infections), penstemon (exter­ the students, "Herbal medicine restores help the body." (American Medical nal salve), cleavers (problems of the you to a sense of place and roots-if News, Oct. 7, 1988) urinary tract and skin), pine (expecto­ that helps you to get better, then that is rant for upper respiratory infections), important." rosehips (mild astringent/eyewash), cot- Student Portia Tatlonhari, a Fili-

Page 10- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 MEDIA WATCH ''Secrets of the Rain Forest''

xtracting secrets from the jungle is no easy task. Ethnobotanist E Dr. Walter Lewis and his wife/ co-researcher, Dr. Elvin-Memory Lewis, find this out firsthand when they ven­ ture deep into the Peruvian Amazon in search of the ancient botanical wisdom of the Jivaro people. Legendarily fierce, the Jivaro use plants to control fertility, heal skin infections, parasites, and fever, and even mend broken bones. National Geographic's "Explorer" series (TBS on April 9) featured a segment titled "Secrets of the Rain Forest" about this area of the Amazon and its poten­ tial for medicinal plant research. The segment focused on the work of this husband and wife team of Washington University in St. Louis. Walter Lewis is a biologist and member of the HRF Professional Advi­ sory Board. Memory Elvin-Lewis is a microbiologist with particular expertise in botanically derived products for oral hygiene, a field in which she is consid­ ered an international authority. They are co-authors of Medical Botany: Plants Affecting Man's Health (Wiley, 1977), the best college-level introduc­ tion to this field. The film is about the Lewis's stud­ ies of the ethnobotany of the Jivaro, a tribe of natives living in the Amazon rain forest in Peru. This is the seventh time the Lewises have visited this area to study medicinal plants. The produc­ ers have helped to capture some of the essential areas of the human aspects of Drs. Walter and Memory-Elvin Lewis ethnobotany: the trust that is estab­ Photo courtesy of National Geographic Television. © J. Stephen Fairchild lished between the researchers and the tribes people before ancient secrets can be revealed. In this film, natives dis­ Memory Elvin-Lewis is particularly been used as a muscle relaxant in sur­ cuss through an interpreter some of their interested in the Jivaro practice of teeth gery since the 1930s) as a poison for the rationale for using various barks, leaves blackening, and its possible anti-plaque tips of their arrows. and roots as medicines. properties. It is this practice that first The film notes that women are cu­ The Lewises have taken numerous brought the Lewises to Peru six years rators of the herb gardens and usually samples from the jungle to their green­ earlier. The Jivaro use an immature archive most of the knowledge about houses and research laboratories in St. fruit from Ginepa to blacken their hair, medicinal plants in the Jivaro culture. Louis. Here the herbs are being ana­ presumably to make a man more attrac­ The only problems with this film are lyzed to reveal their chemical compo­ tive, but the practice also has the added that the names of the plants and closeup nents. For example, there is the root of benefit of repelling head lice. photos were not shown. Also, since so a palm tree that may contain compounds The film also discusses the use of many hours of footage were taken, it is useful in the treatment of hepatitis-B. Clibadium leaves to stun fish, due to the a shame that the entire segment was The Jivaro are still developing their presence of a strong neurotoxin which condensed to less than thirty minutes. herbal knowledge, researching an herbal may have medical potential. After all, it Surely, there was enough material and cure for hepatitis-B-delta, recently dis­ was the fierce Jivaro Indians who were general viewer interest to make a full covered in their territory. first observed to use curare (which has hour show! 0

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 11 MEDIA WATCH Foster Studies Herbals in China

teven Foster, contributing editor In a recent telephone interview, and book reviewer for Herbal­ Foster was asked, considering recent S Gram, spent two weeks in Beijing events in China, whether or not he last fall where his primary interest was would make a similar visit in the near in looking at Chinese medicinal plants. future. Foster, who speaks no Chinese, was a "I'd go to China tomorrow," Foster guest of the Academy of Traditional said. " Medical plant research is beyond Chinese Medicine in Beijing. The politics. In terms of people-to-people Academy, he says, is the major research cultural exchange, nothing is different, institute for herbal medicine with 3,300 yet everything has changed." workers in 16 departments. While on this trip, Foster visited Dr. Yue, a Chi­ nese scientist who spent eight months in Medical plant research is the Foster home in Arkansas studying beyond politics. In terms of American plants and herbs. The Yue family, prior to the communist takeover people-to-people cultural in 1949, had owned the oldest drug store exchange, nothing is differ­ in China and had served as pharmacists ent, y~t everything has to the royal families in the Ming and Steven Foster Ching dynasties. (The Joplin Globe, changed. March 5, 1989)

Plant Medicine's Importance Stressed Garlic May Reduce by CSU Professor Bad Cholesterol rank Stermitz, professor at Colo­ bark is chewed alone or with coca leaves Until a few years ago, garlic was rec­ rado State University, believes to fight fatigue. (Rocky Mountain News ognized only as a "folklore prescrip­ F that plant medicine has become Sunday Magazine, Nov. 6, 1988) tion." During the last years more important again, and, although some 15 plant study is a random process, many than a thousand scientific papers have been published on the nutritional and leads to potentially useful plants come from folklore. Stermitz says,"A number medicinal aspects of garlic. Producer of Ginseng Benjamin Lau, M.D., Ph.D., a of pharmaceutical companies now have groups of researchers looking at the me­ Extract Profiled professor at Lorna Linda University School of Medicine, builds on this dicinal potential of various plants in en­ Long Island Monthly recently ran a previous worldwide research in his dangered areas of the tropical rain for­ profile of the Long Island-based Insti­ own studies to demonstrate that garlic est." He concentrates on folklore plants tute for Self Development/Wholistic is effective against viruses, bacteria, found in Costa Rica and Peru. Health Center, which distributes Gin­ spirochetes, molds, yeasts, and para­ "The Incas have described thou­ sana, capsules of ginseng (Panax gin­ sites. sands of plants," he says. "One book I seng) processed in Switzerland. He now has clinical evidence read claims 30% of the plants are still Ginsana plans to expand their prod­ that garlic may reduce the levels of actively in use in Peru. It's a poor coun­ uct line with ginseng soft drinks, candy, "bad" cholesterol (LDLs) while in­ try, there are few doctors there and sports beverages, and multivitamins. creasing the levels of "good" choles­ people use plants for human medicine." There is talk of a tonic for thorough­ terol (HDLs); may be useful in con­ Among the plants Stermitz and his breds, because Ginsana has been shown trolling blood pressure; increases colleagues recently identified which to improve the recovery time of injured blood coagulation time, reduces showed promise as medicinal tools are horses. triglyceride levels, platelet aggrega­ Lepidium meyenii, a tuber from the high Mark Blumenthal, editor of Her­ tion and plaque on the arterial Peruvian Andes that the Indians recom­ balGram, was quoted in the article as walls-for overall benefits to cardio­ mended as a fertility aid for humans and saying, "The claims Ginsana makes for vascular health. animals; Tecoma arequipensis, the bark energy and mental performance are (Paul Harvey, Los Angeles of which is used in Inca medicine, probably valid. There's proof that it Times Syndicate, Feb. 1 1989, quot­ mainly for hypoglycemia and diabetes; builds up the body against non-specific ing from Dr. Lau's Garlic for Health, and Mussatia hyacinthina, a tree of the stress, builds up resistance." (Long Is­ published by Lotus Light Publica­ high upper Amazon and Bolivia, whose land Monthly, Oct. 1988) tions, Wilmot, WI)

Page 12 - Herbal Gram No. 20 - Spring 1989 MEDIA WATCH Aromatherapy in Vogue

he practice of aromatherapy, the Kurt Schnaubelt, Ph.D., of the Pa­ treatment of skin problems cific Institute of Aromatherapy, sees Tthrough the application-and at aromatherapy as a grassroots movement times inhalation-of natural plant oils that has become increasingly popular on the face and body, has been going here during the last five years. Many strong in Europe and particularly the essential oil suppliers who distill the Far East for two thousand years. In therapeutic oils note that their aromath­ France, prescribed by doctors, aromath­ erapy business has increased one erapy is even covered by health insur­ hundred percent in the last year. ance. America may not be ready to em­ In the United States, aromatherapy brace aromatherapy as a medicine or is becoming accepted-and sought af­ even as an adjunct to it, but its growing ter-as a viable, more soothing alterna­ use as a beauty treatment reflects a tive to mainstream skin care. Extracts trend toward natural products. (Vogue, of wild pansies, marigolds, white March 1989) nettles, sage, horse chestnut, juniper, (Ed Note: Although the term "aro­ mint, and ivy are being reevaluated for matherapy" is usually used in U.S. me­ their soothing, healing, or stimulating dia as pertaining to skin treatments properties, and are finding their way with essential oils, the term has a into sophisticated skin-care formulas. broader meaning in Europe. There it Chamomile and rosemary are every­ means employment of essential oils as where. remedies in a clinical setting for a vari­ The art of the aromatherapist is to ety of conditions or diseases. Thus, in Marigold know which oil is best for the skin. Europe, "aromatherapy" can refer to Calendula officina/is, The natural oils used for massage are the judicious internal as well as exter­ from Handbook of Plant chosen to act either as sedatives or nal use of small quantities of essential and Floral Ornament, stimulants-and are often personalized oils. ) Richard G. Hatton, 1960 for individual clients. Organic Herbs Grow. in Scenic Setting Many people have jumped on the or­ strict organic agricultural standards. peppermint and spearmint, catnip, echi­ ganic food and herb bandwagon re­ Additionally, Trout Lake subcontracts nacea, comfrey, lemon thyme, sage, cently, especially since the Chilean to other farmers who grow according to chervil, yellow dock, raspberry leaf, an­ grape scare and the Alar apple revela­ standards set up by an organic growers' ise hyssop, oats, and alfalfa among tions. It is nice to know, however, that organization. other herbs. there are some conscientious farmers Trout Lake is currently growing who have been growing foods without pesticides and other chemical supports Herbalist Keville Featured, but. .. for many years. One such farmer is Lon Johnson, the owner of Trout Lake California Life magazine, a supplement that she has tended to most of her own Farms in Washington, who started to the Sacramento Bee, featured herbalist medical needs over the past 20 years, the growing herbs in 1973 at the foot of Kathi Keville in a three-page spread on article quotes her as saying, "I appreci­ snow-peaked Mount Adams. By 1979, herbs and herbalism in its January 21, ate what medical science has done, but according to an article in the Orego­ 1989 issue. The article made little men­ I'm also a great advocate for herbology. nian (April 3, 89), Johnson was ship­ tion of her extensive writing talents My dream is the two disciplines can ping large quantities of herbs to herb (she's been writing articles for Vegetar­ meet someday and people can tum to tea manufacturers. ian Times and the predecessor Well­ whichever is more appropriate." Trout Lake is one of the largest, if Being for over 13 years and is editor of An herbal historical footnote from not the largest, suppliers of organically the American Herb Association's News­ Kathi: "The Pilgrims had dill seeds in grown herbs in the U.S. Johnson and letter, a 16-page publication that con­ the seams of their Bibles," she says, his foreman, David Roche, who holds tains a cornucopia of information that "and would roll them into their hand a masters degree in horticulture and HerbalGram readers would surely ap­ during long, long church services, then formerly managed a plantation for Lip­ preciate), but focused instead on her pretend to cough so they could pop them ton Tea in Mexico, now manage over abilities as a formulator of Aromather­ into their mouths. That kept their stom­ 250 acres, all of it farmed according to apy products. Citing Keville's statement achs from growling." 0

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 13

• LEGAL AND REGULATORY

Recent Canadian he Canadians were off to a great the opposite direction as common sense start. The Canadian equivalent of and HPB's own experts advise. The HPB Actions T our FDA, the Health Protection newly proposed regulations do not an­ by Rob McCaleb Branch (HPB), set up an expert panel to swer the initial question-how to regu­ evaluate the regulation of botanicals and late botanicals which are used as folk make recommendations. Their report, medicines, but sold as foods without in­ released over two years ago, was her­ formation about their responsible use. alded as a most promising approach (see HPB is taking the untenable position of Canadian Herba/Gram #9, Spring 1986). trying to outlaw folk medicines. The A major industrialized nation was statements made by HPB to justify their "FDA" actually considering rational regulation position raise more questions than they of folk medicines. Realizing that folk answer, Ignores medicines will always be used, Canada "Certain plants are poisonous if in­ actually seemed prepared to admit that gested: others are poisonous unless the there is a legimate class of products that quantity ingested is carefully con­ Advisory lie somewhere between foods and drugs. trolled." This statement applies equally Yes, many herbs could fall into this well to many food plants as well. In­ Panel; Bans category, but so do some other common gestion of horseradish, red pepper, salt substances currently regulated as foods. and coffee should also be "carefully Many Folk Coffee, tea and prune juice are obvious examples of "foods" that are actually Coffee, tea, and prune juice used as "drugs," at least within the func­ are obvious examples of Medicines tional definition of a drug, which cen­ ters on a substance's intended use. "foods" that are actually The advisory panel suggested that used as drugs. a new category be established for folk drugs, which could be labeled with controlled," for exactly the same reason known physiological effects, along with -acute and/or chronic toxicity. a disclaimer that the claims are based on "Additionally," says HPB, "the cultural, historical and folk information, Branch is concerned with the marketing not necessarily proven by modem labo­ of many herbs and botanical prepara­ ratory experimentation. This would al­ tions as foods, when in actual fact they low manufacturers of herbal products to are intended to be used and generally label their products with information are used for medicinal purposes." The about known folk uses and physiologi­ same is true of coffee and tea; sold as ;al effects, without submitting them to foods, promoted and consumed as the drug approval process. Because bo­ stimulant drugs. Prune juice is gener­ tanical folk medicines are low profit and ally used as a laxative. not patentable, they are not serious can­ The inclusion of plants with small didates for formal drug approval. amounts of carcinogens are particularly HPB has decided to play FDA in­ problematic, since neither Canada nor stead. On March 11, 1989, the HPB the United States have reached a ra­ published two lists of botanicals: one tional regulatory stance on natural car­ listing botanicals which cannot be sold cinogens in food. The ban on comfrey as food (or food supplements) and one leaf is a good example. Comfrey leaf which can be sold only with cautionary does indeed contain mutagenic alkaloids labeling. Those on the first list are thus (so does coffee). According to the clas­ removed from the food category, with sic risk assessment article by Dr. Bruce no category established to provide any Ames, a cup of comfrey leaf tea is about more rational regulatory status-they as dangerous as a peanut butter sand­ are essentially banned. Plants on the wich, a third as dangerous as a raw other list could still be sold as food, but mushroom and a tenth as risky as a only with this warning: "Caution: Do beer. Dr. Ames believes that around not consume (common name of plant)­ 99% of known carcinogens are of natu­ (Latin name) during pregnancy". ral origin. Surveys by Dr. Farnsworth Tussilago farfara The publication of these lists show and others have shown that nearly every from, The Herbal that botanicals have indeed been singled plant studied contains carcinogens. John Gerard 1633 out for special regulation, but in exactly None of these plants, with the exception

Page 14- HerbaJGram No. 20- Spring 1989 LEGAL AND REGULATORY

s a member of the Canadian Ex­ cause of "conflicting scientific claims." A Word from a pert Advisory Committee on This, in effect, wipes out many of the Committee Member A Herbs and Botanical Prepara­ formulas that are now sold in Canada. tions (H.P.B.), I find the course that the Another very significant problem by Terry Willard, Ph.D. H.P.B. has taken discouraging. Of the is the sheer number of D.I.N. applica­ four major points we recommended, tions that are presently clogging the only one has been acted on. Rather system. Some distributors have as than addressing the reality of a parallel many as 1,000 D.I.N. applications health-care system in Canada, the pending. This is due to both recently "Conflicting H.P.B. has simply decided to expand proposed price increases of D.I.N. ap­ the list of herbs which are considered plications and the classification of Chi­ food adulterants. nese Traditional Medicines as scientific In our two-tiered system, we have "D.I.N. 'able" products. drugs and foods only. The reason for · Dong Quai is currently on a list of adding many of these herbs to the food herbs requiring "pregnancy warning" claims" adulterant list is cited as "conflicting as a food. But, in reality, the govern­ scientific claims." The key words here ment has stopped its sale as a food, Wipes Out are these herbs "are not to be sold as while not accepting D.I.N. application foods." They have assured us that where it is an ingredient. I'm afraid, these substances can still be classified, unfortunately, with the new Minister of Many of the at a later time, as "drugs." This over­ H.P.B., what we see with this legisla­ looks the nature of the drug-evaluation tion is just the tip of the iceberg. Herbal process which is geared to pharmaceu­ With a typical head-in-the-sand atti­ ticals. They have already made the tude, the bureaucrats have not addressed judgement that there are "conflicting the underlying social problems which Formulas scientific claims," so we can't expect form the basis of the herb/drug contro­ them to be classified as drugs either. versy. This will only send the herbs into Now Sold in Presently the H.P.B. is not accept­ the black market, out of the hands of the ing applications for D.I.N. (drug identi­ bigger and more reputable companies fication numbers) for products with the and into the hands of less stable groups. Canada. above botanicals as ingredients, be-

of sassafras, has been "banned." Many cautionary labeling are Angelica poly­ where, and ended their project with no plants already analyzed, such as coffee, morpha, parsley oil, rue and uva ursi. change in the regulation of foods or basil, parsnips, corn, and peanuts, Uva ursi is considered a feeble diuretic, drugs, except the attempted outlawing of have been found to contain carcinogens. while coffee and tea are potently active some botanical folk medicines which are Now it appears that in Canada, in this regard. Yet HPB does not re­ apparently responsibly used. herbs are to be held to a different stan­ quire warnings on caffeinated products. Here are some highlights of the list of dard of safety-a higher standard-than Dong Quai has menstruation- regulating botanicals banned from food use: other foods. They are to be held to a properties according to folklore, but so much tougher standard than drugs, in do many common food plants like pa­ Barberry root Berberis vulgaris which some risk is accepted if substan­ paya fruits, mints, oregano, onions and Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis Tussilago farfara tial benefit is present Make no mistake garlic, asparagus, carrots and grapes. Coltsfoot Common comfrey Symphytum offkinale about it, this is not a consistent move by Should these foods too be labeled with Common worm- Artemisia absinJhium HPB. There will be no attempt to pregnancy warnings? "ban" mustard powder, which is more wood In defense of the HPB, many plants European mistletoe acutely toxic than golden seal (Hydras­ on their toxic list are quite toxic, but tis canadensis), mushrooms or coffee. berries Viscum album most of these are not used in food any­ MenJha pulegium Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report European penny- way: for example deadly nightshade royal oil (published by the Center for Disease (Atropa belladonna) and Rauwolfia, the Goldenseal root Hydrastis canadensis Control) rarely reports toxic reactions to source of the hypotensive drug reser­ Horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastinum herbal products despite increasingly pine. But others are and have been Lobelia Lobelia inflata widespread usage, while toxic reactions freely sold for years without incident, Mountain grape Mahonia lU{Uifolium are common with OTC and prescription like goldenseal and barberry root. HPB root drugs. You may still buy and use drugs began this project over five years ago Mug wort Artemisia vulgaris which regularly produce fatalities, but with the recognition that botanicals Prickly comfrey Symphytum asperum not golden seal which conceivably needed to be regulated differently than Yohimbe Pausinystalia yohimhe could but never has. Plants requiring foods. They lost sight of this some-

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 15 ENDANGERED SPECIES

n 1973, the issue of endangered species was officially rec­ ognized as public policy by the passage of the Endangered Revision of I Species Act, which stated, " ... various species of fish, wildlife, and plants in the United States have been rendered extinct as a consequence of economic growth and development Endangered untempered by adequate concern and conservation ... " It further noted that other species " ... have been so de­ pleted in numbers that they are in danger of, or threatened Species Act with extinction." Under the provisions of the Act, endangered species were Increases given only limited protection, prohibiting spending of Federal funds on any project that would do harm to an endangered species, and providing very little, or virtually no protection on Protection private lands. In late 1988, the 100th Congress passed new amendments to the Endangered Species Act, increasing protection in several by Steven Foster ways. Amendments were hotly debated. One addition which would have made it illegal for anyone to harvest an endan­ gered species in any fashion was watered down to protect the innocent wild flower lover who stopped by the side of the road to pick an endangered wild flower, protecting this person from the mean Fish and Wildlife Agent lurking in the bushes, rather than the endangered species. The concern here was that unknowing persons might pick a flower and then be attacked with heavy fines, so language was worked in the bill which re­ quired proof that the endangered species was knowingly extir­ pated by an offending party. Now protections are extended to private lands, if ambigu­ ously. Section 9A 2 B is amended to read, " ... to remove or reduce to possession any such species from areas under Fed­ eral jurisdiction or maliciously damage or destroy any such species on any such area, or remove, cut, dig up, damage or destroy any such species on any other area in knowing viola­ tion of any law of any state or regulation, or in the course of any violation of a state criminal trespass law." Basically, violation of the endangered species law as it ___ ..,...... applies to private land is tied to state laws on endangered spe­ cies or criminal trespass. Unfortunately, many states have no laws protecting endangered species. The burden of proof fur­ ther lies in developing evidence that the violator knowingly broke the law. In practical terms, it affords little protection to endangered species, but rather protects the innocence of the naive flower lover who happens by accident to pick an endan­ gered flower at a roadside rest stop. The definition of "person" in reference to offending per­ sons, has been expanded to include municipalities and other political entities. This grew out of a case in which a Califor­ Tennesse Coneflower nia municipality planned to build a baseball park in an area Echinacea tennesseensis, where an endangered butterfly occurred. The municipality ar­ from Echniacea Exalted (3rd ed.), gued that it was not included under the definition of "person'" Steven Foster, 1989 (in edit). under provisions of previous versions of the act, thus exempt Illustration © 1989 Judith Ann Griffith from its provisions. Civil penalties for violating certain parts of the act were raised from $10,000 to $25,000. Fines for criminal violations, including illegal trade of endangered species, were raised in

Page 16- HerbaJGram No . 20- Spring 1989 ENDANGERED SPECIES one category from $20,000 to $50,000 and in another from In earlier versions "Secretary" was defined as Secretary of $10,000 to $25,000. the Interior under whose jurisdiction the Fish and Wildlife At the last minute an amendment was added that required Service falls. In the amended Act the defmition of "Secre­ the Fish and Wildlife Service to submit an annual report on a tary" is broadened to include all Federal departments which species-by-species basis for any program that receives federal have any jurisdiction over any part of the Act. This would in­ funding for recovery of an endangered species. This would clude the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Agri­ include state agencies receiving Federal funding for endan­ culture whose agency regulates exports and imports of endan­ gered species recovery. gered plants and wildlife under the provision of the CITES The 3,000 plants and animals that are endangered or under treaty (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Spe­ review for such status, must be monitored and reviewed on a cies). The U.S. is one of more than sixty signatory nations to regular basis and a finding made as to the status of the species the treaty. Ginseng exports are regulated under the provisions by the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service on an annual of that treaty. basis. One frustrated Fish and Wildlife official with whom I These are just a few of the major changes in the updated spoke thought this would create great problems for the agency, Endangered Species Act finally passed by the lOOth Congress since they didn't even know where many of the species oc­ after four years of debate. In essence it gives increased pro­ curred. While the Congress had good intentions here, they tection to rare plants and hastens the evaluation and restoration added a heavy burden onto the agency without providing the process for endangered animals. The Act will likely result in necessary funding and workforce to accomplish the task ade­ more state laws regulating endangered species. 0 (Ed note: quately. We will have another article on this topic in a future issue of HerbalGram listing the numerous plant species affected.)

Native Plants/Ecosystem·s in Peril

undreds of native American Endangered Ecosystems Act old growth forests. The act was reau-· plant species could vanish in the Proposed to Congress thorized last fall but more opposition is H next five years, according to a Each month the U.S. Fish and expected from oil, timber, and gas com­ survey completed in 1988 by the Center Wildlife Service adds about four plants panies who were trying to block the for Plant Conservation, a Boston-based and animals to their Endangered Spe­ Endangered Species Act in an effort to private foundation. The survey of bo­ cies List, with thousands more as po­ open more land for development (Or­ tanical experts around the country found tential candidates. The Biological Di­ ganic Gardening, March 1989) that 253 species of trees, shrubs, versity, Conservation and Environ­ grasses, and other plants face a real risk mental Research Act was approved last of extinction within five years. If noth­ Rare Plant Conservation ing is done to control present develop- ' Plants, often perceived Subject of Conference ment patterns, 427 other species could by the public as Conservation biology, strategies for disappear by the end of the century. conserving rare plant species, is an area Plants, often perceived by the public as second-class citizens of science that is rapidly evolving. Sci­ second-class citizens of endangered spe­ of endangered species, entists from the U.S., Canada, and Aus­ cies, -generally receive less attention generally receive Jess tralia attended a conference on the con­ than animals in conservation programs. servation and management of endan­ Experts are increasingly concerned be­ attention than animals gered plants held at the Missouri Bo­ cause of the vital new role that genes in conservation tanical Gardens in March. The partici­ from wild plant species are playing in programs. pants ultimately hope to develop a ge­ genetic experiments to improve crops netic definition of biological diversity, and horticultural plants. Says Dr. Bruce year in subcommittee but Congress re­ seeking to preserve as completely as McBryde, a botanist for the Interior cessed before a vote in the House of possible the variation of plant life found Department's Fish and Wildlife Service, Representatives. The act would make in nature. That preservation is expected "Plants are important for economic, me­ the preservation of biological diversity to include a combination of techniques, dicinal, and economic reasons but the a federal policy and establish a re­ among which are management of natu­ public generally doesn't even know search/information/support center. The ral habitats or on-site conservation, and they exist much less- their value." (The bill would recognize the value of undis­ off-site techniques such as cultivation at New York Times, Dec. 6, 1988) turbed ecosystems such as wetlands and botanical gardens or seW banking. 0

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 17 ENDANGERED SPECIES Saving The Plants

SECTION I The International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) and In­ • that native peoples have been stewards of 99% of the ternational Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) have es­ world's genetic resources; and tablished a working group to concentrate on preservation and • that there is an inextricable link between cultural and bio­ exploitation of medicinal and aromatic plants. The group met logical diversity; in March 1988 in Berlin. The meeting culminated in the pas­ sage of a resolution concerning conservation activities calling We, members of the International Society of Ethnobiology, for international cooperation and a three-stage program with strongly urge action as follows: the following goals: Short-term action (5-6 months) to select 20-25 endangered 1) henceforth, a substantial proportion of development aid be model species from different ecological regions. The devoted to efforts aimed at ethnobiological inventory, con­ regions are Africa, Asia, Australia, North, Central and servation, and management programs; South America, Europe, and Madagascar. 2) mechanisms be established by which indigenous specialists Medium-term action (1 year) to complete a working plan are recognized as proper authorities and are consulted in establishing a provisional model for preservation, to all programs affecting them, their resources, and their en­ select plants and the methods for preservation. vironments; Long-term action (3 years) to widen international efforts 3) all other inalienable human rights be recognized and guar­ and determine directions and opportunities for medici­ anteed, including linguistic identity; nal and arQmatic plant preservation between now and 4) procedures be developed to compensate native peoples for the year 2000. the utilization of their knowledge and their biological re­ (Newsletter of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (No. 1, 1988) ) sources; 5) educational programs be implemented to alert the global community to the value of ethnobiological knowledge for human well-being; SECTION II. 6) all medical programs include the recognition of and respect At the First International Ethnobiology Conference held in for traditional healers and the incorporation of traditional Belem, Brazil, in July 1988, this same discussion resulted in health practices that enhance the health status of these the following resolution: populations; DECLARATION OF BELEM 7) ethnobiologists make available the results of their research to the native peoples with whom they have worked, espe­ Leading anthropologists, biologists, chemists, sociologists, and cially including dissemination in the native language; representatives of several indigenous populations met in 8) exchange of information be promoted among indigenous Belem, Brazil to discuss common concerns at the First Interna­ and peasant peoples regarding conservation, management, tional Congress of Ethnobiology and to found the International and sustained utilization of resources. Society of Ethnobiology. Major concerns outlined by confer­ ence contributors were the study of the ways that indigenous and peasant populations uniquely perceive, utilize, and manage their natural resources and the development of programs that SECTION Ill. will guarantee the preservation of vital biological and cultural The Herb Research Foundation, the American Botanical diversity. This declaration was articulated: Council, the American Herbal Products Association and the International Herb Growers and Marketers Association offer As ethnobiologists, we are alarmed that: their full cooperation and support of activities to protect me­ dicinal, aromatic and other economic plants from depletion SINCE due to overcollection, the destruction of rain forests and other • tropical forests and other fragile ecosystems are disap­ habitats, or any other development pressures. These groups pearing; are in contact with international organizations and will assist • many species, both plant and animal, are threatened with in any way they can, including outright bans on collection of extinction; endangered species. As HerbalGram readers are aware, these • indigenous cultures around the world are being disrupted organizations have already moved to cease the collection of and destroyed; wild Lady's slipper roots (Cypripedium spp. ) from the Eastern U.S. forests. 0 and GIVEN • that economic, agricultural, and health conditions of people are dependent on these resources;

Page 18- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 MARKET REPORT Market Report on Herbs and Spices by Peter Landes and Mark Blumenthal

The late winter/early spring quarter, a traditionally slow and featureless one in these markets, proved true to tradition with a few exceptions.

Spices: The big news here is that the Indonesian Cassia Marketing Board is fully in control of this important commod­ ity, setting prices, allocating quantities and shippers, and wreaking general havoc in this market They hold an "auc­ tion" every 2-3 months, importers "bid" for certain quantities of whatever grades they feel they need and the marketing board then allocates them a percentage of that quantity and as­ signs a shipper (sometimes a very inferior one that the im­ porter has been avoiding for years) to the contract. Prices have spiralled upward 15-20 cents per pound at every auction and still bids received have been 3-4 times quantities allo­ cated. In the most recent auction 3,000 tons were slated for sale and bids totalled 14,000 tons. This system has sent im­ porters to alternate sources for Cassia, mainly China, which cannot supply enough quantity for the American market at the moment. But Cassia is a hardy tree, practically immune to disease, and needs only to be harvested. The market will ad­ just with blends of Indonesian/Chinese Cassias. Naturally, the Chinese varieties are not interchangeable with the Indone­ sian, but U.S. grinders have become skillful in blending to bend with market disruptions like this one. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on one's market position), higher prices Globe Amaranth are definitely in the offing. Cassia Bark is sold under the Gomphrena globosa, name Cinnamon in the U.S., although it is not really the same from The /1/ustrated Dictionary of Gardening, plant. Cassia is one of several species of Cinnamon. Black George Nicholson, Pepper has had a nice run-up and now remains fairly steady ca 1888. to lower, with a large Indonesian crop in July/August to be marketed before the Brazilian crop comes on in the fall. Potpourri Ingredients: Traditionally low demand in the Prices are attractive. White Pepper, historically $500-$1,000 late winter/early spring quarter has lulled many manufacturers a ton more expensive than Black, is now available at almost into ignoring their coming needs. With importers' warehouses the same price. Cloves remain available and cheap--<:overage well-stuffed with these items currently, there are many bar­ should be extended. Reports from the Mediterranean region gains available now. This situation certainly will not last as indicate a drought may affect the Oregano crop; current crop demand picks up in the later spring and summer. Price com­ is available now at very low levels, too low, in fact, to make it petition among suppliers is intense and many of these quality­ worthwhile to harvest. Prices should increase. Chillies are sensitive items are being traded like commodities (which they once again available, albeit at very high prices; the huge In­ certainly are not, with few exceptions like the almost-uni­ dian crop saved this market from extreme shortage. formly good Globe Amaranth from Thailand). We feel the market is going through a maturation period with attendant Botanicals: This market remains strange and disorganized quality problems soon to rear their ugly flower heads as deal­ with users struggling to cover requirements from an almost­ ers compete to bring in lower and lower priced goods. Some empty and fragmented market. This "hand-to-mouth" buying ingredients remain genuine bargains: the above-mentioned pattern makes for a very inefficient market mechanism and Globe Amaranth is a good example. Others include correspondingly inefficient high prices and low availabilities. Calendula, Kesu Flowers, and Hibiscus (though prices are Special attention should be paid to roots like Dandelion, higher now than the unsupportable lows of last summer and Althaea (Marshmallow), etc., which have featured poor crops fall). Orange Peel should be covered now since crops areal­ the last few years. This year's fall buying season will be criti­ most at an end. Reasonably good quality Indian Pink Rose­ cal since stocks and pipelines are empty. Pay attention now or buds/Petals are coming on strong and cheap; the Pakistani scramble for very limited supplies later. spring Red Rose crop is in full swing with bargains readily available. 0

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 19 SPECIAL REPORT: Compound Q

Tricosanthes kirilowii: A new hope in the AIDS-relief search?

by James A. Duke, Ph.D. and Steven Foster

Trlcosanthes klrllowll, by Ira Kennedy, for Herba/Gram, 1989

Summary: Tricosanthes kirilowii, a Chinese member of the gourd family (Curcubitaceae) has been of great interest recently since publication of a study by M. McGrath et al., in the April 13, 1989, issue of the Pro­ ceedings of the National Academy of Science. A highly purified protein from the root, trichosanthin, may be promising as a treatment in HIV-infected individuals. Phase I human studies have been approved by the FDA and are underway. A use method of inhibiting HIV in human immune cells, and a unique assay of HIV in human cells has been patented by McGrath et al. The root ofT. kirilowii, Tian-huajen, is a !radi­ tional Chinese drug with over 2,000 years of documented use. In recent years injectable forms of tricho­ santhin have been used clinically in China as an abortifacient and treatment in diabetes, but with undesir­ able side effects. We review the botany, history, uses, adulterants, toxicity, and current popular and scien­ tific interest in the plant.

Page 20- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 SPECIAL REPORT

In March of 1989, Duke got a call from macopeia of the People's Republic of clinical reports on usage include diabe­ a friend in New York, a guerilla war­ China (1985), as are the seeds (Gua­ tes and use as an abortifacient in crude rior against AIDS. He said th.at they lou-zi) and the fruit peel (Gua-lou-pi). form and in the form of an injectable had been using two Chinese species of In addition, the stems and leaves have drug. It is, of course, contraindicated the gourd family in underground AIDS been used in Chinese folk medicine. during pregnancy. (Lou, Z.C., P.G. treatments. Duke suggested to his Duke first heard about the use of the Xiao, and GJ. Xu (eds.) 1980). friend that both probably contained cu­ root as an abortifacient when he was in Among 52 Chinese prescriptions curbitacins, very active triterpenoid China in 1981. He heard that the root for curing "excessive thirst," 23 contain compounds in the Cucurbitaceae or of Trichosanthes kirilowii , like the Trichosanthes. The roots are considered gourd family. That might be why the fruit of Momordica charantia L. (k:u­ antibiotic, antipyretic, expectorant, laxa­ "mole" called the active compound gua), were used in prescriptions to treat tive, sialogogue, and suppurative, and "Q." diabetes, especially relieving thirst are also used in decoction for ab­ April 7, Duke was called by the which often accompanies the disease. scesses, boils, bronchitis, congestion, National Institute of Health (NIH), and constipation, diabetes, dysuria, fever, April 10, by Newsweek , all asking, One caller asked Duke how jaundice, laryngitis, mastitis, mumps, "What is compound Q?" Duke gave and piles. A starch extracted from the them roughly the same story he gave to corner the market on roots is used for abscesses, amenorrhea, his "mole" in New York. Chinese cucumber. jaundice and polyuria (Duke and Ay­ A few days later the media blitz ensu, 1985). began, all resulting from a research pa­ The toxic fresh root of T. kirilowii National Cancer Institute's Jon­ per by Dr. Michael McGrath and four­ has centuries of folk acclaim as an athan Hartwell, Plants Used Against teen co-authors, "GLQ223: An inhibitor abortifacient. Its juice was expressed Cancer (1982,) notes that qua-lau from of human immunodeficiency virus rep­ onto a sponge which was inserted into Vietnam (T. multiloba Miq.) is in the lication in acutely and chronically in­ the vagina during the second trimester Sino-Vietnamese pharmacopeia as a fected cells of lymphocyte and of pregnancy. The protein, trichosan­ powder for tumors, and that it is used mononuclear phagocyte lineage," pub­ thin, is responsible for the abortifacient for carcinomatous sores in China. lished in the April 13th issue of the activity, and has been used for killing Hartwell notes that the T. kirilowii Proceedings of the National Academy the fetus in ectopic pregnancy. That roots and seed, powdered, or perhaps of Science. Here the ubiquitous "Com­ protein inhibits choriocarcinomata and taken with wine, were used for breast pound Q" (GLQ223) was revealed to invasive moles. Though the roots are or mammary cancers, from the Ming be "a highly purified, formulated prepa­ one of the most frequent antidiabetic Dynasty (1368-1644) to populist main­ ration of trichosanthin," a protein de­ drugs in China, the decoction or extract land China in 1%7. So we have at rived from the root of Trichosanthes proved hyperglycemic in experimental least three centuries of Chinese usage kirilowii , a traditional Chinese drug. rabbits. for cancer (Hartwell, 1982). A flurry of national print and television Tian-hua-fen is first mentioned in Tian-hua-fen, the root ofT. kiril­ news reports followed. the 2,000 year old classic, Shen Nong owii, is a very commonly used tradi­ We were delighted when the news Ben Cao Jing. Shen-nong classifies tional drug in China. T. kirilowii is blitz of mid to late April suggested drugs in three groupings according to indigenous to the northern and east-cen­ "Chinese cucumber root" as the source priority of importance. Tian-hua-fen tral Chinese provinces of Hebei, of the activity, effectively throwing up was placed in the middle class. Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Jiangsu, An­ a smokescreen which might divert In Traditional Chinese Medicine hui, Zhejiang, Shaanxi, and Gansu. T. overeager beavers away from Tricho­ (TCM), Tian-hua-fen is considered japonica Regel and T. rosthornii santhes until USDA had obtained reli­ somewhat bitter, somewhat sweet, and Harms (T. uniflora Hao) are used in able germ plasm. One caller asked cool. Its "functions" include: promoting China as substitutes for T. kirilowii. T. Duke how to corner the market on Chi­ the production of body fluids, treating japonica is found in Anhui, Jiangxi, nese cucumber. "dryness syndrome by reducing fire­ Zhejiang, Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi, and Some books call Trichosanthes ki­ heat," allaying pus, and reducing swel­ Guangdong. T. rosthornii is distrib­ rilowii Maxim. the Chinese Snake­ ling. It is used in compound prescrip­ uted in Hubei, Hunan, Gansu, Guangxi, gourd; in Traditional Chinese Medicine tions for thirst due to fever diseases, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan (Lou, the fruit is the major drug from the dry cough due to lung heat, mastitis, Z.C., P.G. Xiao, and G.J. Xu (ed.) plant, called Gua-lou. Second in impor­ and sores with swelling. The usual dose 1980). The Pharmacopeia of the tance is the root, known in pinyin as is 9-12 g., when used in combination People's Republic of China (1985) Tian-hua-fen. Both are listed as "offi­ with other drugs that mitigate the toxic­ recognizes T. kirilowii and T. japonica cial" drugs in Volume 1 of the Phar- ity of Tian-hua-fen. Modern Chinese See Tricosanthes, page 25

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 21 RESEARCH REVIEWS

New Strategy Against AIDS: Castor Bean Compound

ear with me, as this is big news, inhibition is over 90%. In contrast, the but highly technical. Research­ toxicity of the rCD4-ricin conjugate is 8 ers Till eta/. from U. of Texas 1/1000 of this level for normal, unin­ and Genentech, Inc., have presented a fected cells. The understated conclu­ fascinating approach to AIDS therapy. sion of the authors: "Hence, the toxic­ The scientists report on an experimen­ ity of rCD4-dgA is specific ... If infected tal method using the toxic "A" chain of cells from IllY-positive individuals can the toxin ricin from the castor bean also be killed by rCD4-dgA, it might be (Ricinus communis). possible to prevent or delay the onset The ricin fragment-called dgA­ of clinical disease. is combined (conjugated) with an anti­ "The effective application of such body to a specific protein in infected T a therapeutic strategy, however, must cells (recombinant soluble CD4: rCD4). take into account the mode of latent This protein is found only in infected mv infection and the factors contribut­ cells, and the toxin is released only ing to viral activation." Needless to when the antibody portion of the conju­ say, this is preliminary and very high gate finds infected cells. In binding to tech. Castor beans are very toxic, and the rCD4 site, the toxin is freed, and in crude form are of no use in AIDS prevents the virus from reproducing by treatment (Science, 242, 25 Nov. 88, inhibiting DNA synthesis. The level of 1166-8.)

Castor bean NCI Upgrades Natural Products Research Ricinus communis, Washington Insight (2/13/89) re- all management of the Drug Discovery from Materia Medica ports major revisions to the National Program which permeates many and Pharmacology, Cancer Institute's Natural Products branches." NCI was authorized this Culbreth, 1927 Drug Discovery Program, which could year to fill 33 new positions, half for have important implications for natmal the AIDS program and half for the products research in the U.S. The new Natmal Products Drug Discovery Pro- program will feature two components: gram. 1) natural products cooperative drug NCI is seeking natural products Hypericin Update discovery groups and 2) the Frederick chemists to fill some of these positions. A brief report in AIDS Treatment Cancer Research Facility. Washington Insight summarizes, "Boyd News, 72, 1/13/89, p.4, provides a fol­ According to Associate Director envisions that FCRF with its intramural low-up on the report in our last issue Michael Boyd, "the functions of the researchers, enormous repository of ex- (Herba/Gram 18-19) about hypericin, natural products branch have changed. tracts and compounds, and contract the antiviral compound in St. John's It will now focus on the Contract Col- support program will become a center Wort, Hypericum perforatum. It is re­ laborator Program at FCRF and will of excellence in drug discovery." produced here in its entirety: participate more intimately in the over- "So far, we have received only one report of human use for AIDS/ mv. from a physician who has More Detail on Castanospermum five patients who are using 'Hyper­ The Moreton Bay chestnut (Cas­ ture of another alkaloid, australine, in forat' (a high-strength, standardized tanospermum australe) contains the al­ the same plant. This is a pyrrolizidine St. John's Wort extract available in kaloid castanospermine reported in alkaloid. (Toxic alkaloids found in Germany), with good to excellent Herba/Gram 17 to inhibit replication of comfrey, coltsfoot and borage are of results. It is generally believed the human immunodeficiency virus, this type.) that most of the St. John's Wort mv. Australine, like castanospermine, preparations available in the U.S . This alkaloid also is an intensely is a glucosidase inhibitor, the very ef­ are worthless, because they do not active feeding deterrent and toxin to fect which inhibits mv replication. contain enough hypericin, the ac­ some insects, inhibits root growth in This structure-elucidation article does tive ingredient Laboratory testing some plants, reduces tumor growth, and not discuss research on pharmacologi­ is now going on to see if any of alters carbohydrate metabolism in rats. cal effect. (J. Natural Products, 51(6}, the U.S. preparations appear likely A recent article by USDA's R. 11-12/88, 1198-1206.) to be useful." Molyneux provides details of the struc-

Page 22- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 RESEARCH REVIEWS Kyoto Pharmaceutical University: Antiulcer Effect of Ginger Studied

inger has become one of the fraction was as effective as the acetone most respected of "stomachic" extract. Although the authors suggest G medicines, in widespread use to that the terpenoids in ginger are likely prevent motion sickness and treat morn­ the most active components, zingiber­ ing sickness. Research at Kyoto Phar­ ene, the chief terpenoid in the acetone maceutical U. has already confliTiled extract, was only 54% effective against antiulcer effects of Panax japonica ulceration. What this all means, of (Japanese ginseng) and magnolia bark, course, is that we still don't know what against hydrochloric acid/alcohol in­ makes it work, but the effectiveness of duced ulcers. Using this same test, ginger in treating a variety of stomach acetone and 50% methanol extracts of complaints is being amply demon­ ginger (Zingiber officinale) were shown strated. (J. Ethnopharmacology, 23 to inhibit gastric ulceration by 97.5% (2,3) Jul./Aug. 1988, 299-304.) and 91.1% respectively. No single Passion Flower Sedativity Indicated Passion flower vine (Passif/ora in- nata showed anticonvulsant effect, in- carnata) has a long history of medicinal creased sleeping time and decreased lo- use as a sedative, both in folk medicine comotor activity, all indicators of "com- ~8~P~~~1E;t~~~~ and as a recognized pharmaceutical plex activity on the CNS." ':: - ~~~p..._ agent. Active principles in Passif/ora The most active sedative compo- incarnata have not been identified. nent is apparently a glycoside, but not a Speroni and Minghetti of the Universita flavonoid nor an alkaloid, as was previ- di Bologna, Italy, tested various frac- ously thought. (Planta Medica, 54 (6), tions chemically and pharmacologically 12/88, 488-91.) Ginger in search of active products. P. incar- Zingiberis officina/e, from The Herbal, John Gerard, 1633 Holy Basil! More lmmunostimulants! "Holy basil," Ocimum sanctum, has nal parasites), antiseptic, analgesic and Last year, researchers at Sardar been used medicinally by at least four as a tonic. Patel Medical College in Rajasthan, In­ cultures, and is revered in India as a Without scientific evidence to sup­ dia, examined immunoregulatory effects sacred plant. Over the ages, the leaves port its purported activities, Ocimum of this plant. The study showed that ex­ of the plant have been used as an ex­ sanctum has sometimes been regarded tracts of Ocimum sanctum increased the pectorant, diaphoretic, anti-emetic, anti­ as an adaptogen, operating by increas­ titre (concentration) of antibodies pro­ cancer, anthelmintic (dispelling intesti- ing non-specific resistance. duced by treated rats against sheep erythrocytes and typhoid H antigen. A methanol extract was more effective Antitumor Properties of Chlorella than aqueous suspension, with doses of A rivalry has raged within the natu­ timulant rather than cytotoxic (killing 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg doses produc­ ral foods industry between proponents tumor cells), since the algae were inac­ ing a 131, 168 and 20% increase in of the blue-green algae Spirulina and tive if given after tumor cells had been immune response. the green algae Chlorella. Our last is­ implanted. Even more interesting is the Note that the highest dose tested sue of HerbalGram (18/19) covered two finding that surviving animals could be was much less effective than the two recent studies on Spirulina. Recent re­ rechallenged with the same tumor cells lower doses. ''The observed immunos­ search on Chlorella has shown it to pos­ later and maintained their immunity timulation may account for the adapto­ sess powerful anti-tumor properties. without retreatment with Chlorella. genic action of Ocimum sanctum Oral administration of autoclaved Thus, it appears that Chlorella can be whereby its use increases the physical Chlorella cells protected 73-80% of an effective cancer-preventing agent, at endurance and body resistance of ex­ mice against two types of tumors. All least for mice against the two tumor perimental animals subjected to stress controls and those given protein-free systems tested. (Miyazawa et al. , J. and disease." (Godhwani et al., J. Chlorella extract died. The activity of Ethnopharmacology, 24, 1988, 135-46.) Ethnopharmacology, 24, 1988, 193-8.) Chlorella was shown to be immunos-

Herbal Gram No. 20 - Spring 1989 - Page 23 RESEARCH REVIEWS

Garlic Fights Horsetail Candida and Cancer Equisetum arvense, from Common Weeds of Garlic (Allium sativum) inhibits the United States, Candida by damaging the structure and U. S. Department of Agri­ integrity of the yeast cell wall, accord­ culture, 1970. ing to research presented in 1. Gen. Mi­ crobial. 134(11), 1988, 2917-24. An aged garlic extract was effective against 6 strains of yeast at concentrations of 0.8 - 1.6 mg/ml. In the cancer research article (Cancer Research, 48(23), 1988, 6872-5), Diallyl sulfide (DAS) was shown to totally inhibit the induction of esophageal cancer by nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are among the most po­ tent carcinogens, especially in esophag­ eal cancer. The DAS also reduced me­ tabolism of the nitrosamine by the liver; a unique anticarcinogenic activity. "It strongly suppresses the tumorigenic effects of potent, metabolically acti­ vated monoalkylating carcinogens in the gastrointestinal tract." Tropical Medicine from Guava Leaves Several times Herba/Gram has Natural Pest Control in China noted the medicinal effects of guava rganic farmers and gardeners aphids, grubs and Pieris; horsetail leaves. The leaves of the guava tree, should find this interesting. Dr. (Equisetum arvense) against Pieris; Psidium guajava, are used in over a 0 R. Z. Yang of the South China Agave against borers, leafhoppers, grubs dozen tropical cultures to treat gastroen­ Botany Institute and Dr. C. S. Tang from and mosquito larvae; senna (Cassia oc­ teritis, diarrhea and dysentery. Natives U. of Hawaii have published an article cidentalis) against insects in general; Ar­ of Ghana, Malaysia, Guatemala, Colom­ on plants used for pest control in China temisia annua against aphids, mites, rice bia, the Bahamas, Mexico, Costa Rica, listing 267 plants, the parts used, prepa­ borers, mosquitos, flies, fungal spores Fiji, Thailand, China and many other ration and target insects. This is a re­ and others. Plants are classified alpha­ countries independently discovered view article, and most of the original betically by family and three are re­ guava's powerful medicinal effect work was done in the 1950s. There are viewed in detail. (Economic Botany, 42, against some of the most common of some familiar plants on the list. Ginkgo 1988, 376-406.) tropical diseases. biloba leaf and shell are used against It has been speculated that the leaves may have both antibacterial ac­ tivity and a tranquilizing effect on intes­ tinal smooth muscle. Lutterodt and Hypoglycemic Iraqi Folk Medicine Maleque of the Malaysian School of The validity of another folk medicine (alloxan-induced) rabbits, significantly Medical Sciences determined that oral was demonstrated by Twaij and Ammar reducing blood sugar in both groups. or injected guava leaf extract depressed (Baghdad) in a report in 1. Ethnophar­ The effect was stronger on normal rab­ locomotor activity. The activity is ap­ macology, 24, 1988, 123-6. A hot water bits (33.7% reduction) than diabetic parently due to a flavonoid glycoside decoction of leaves and branchlets of (22.7%). The dosage used in the test derived from quercetin. The pharma­ Artemisia herba-alba is a popular Iraqi was 0.39 grams of extract per kg of cological effects are described as "typi­ folk medicine for the treatment of diabe­ body weight, equivalent to 2.3 g of dried cal narcotic-like effects," the first time tes mellitus. A cold water extract of the plant per kg. The toxic dose was ten . such effects have been attributed to a plant was tested on normal and diabetic times higher. flavonoid. (1. Ethnopharmacology, 24, 1988, 219-31.) 0

Page 24- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 · SPECIAL REPORT

Tricosanthes. continued from page 21

as source plants of Tian-hua-fen. T. macroscopic and microscopic methods santhin in China must henceforth wear rosthornii was not recognized be­ for the identification of the crude drug a permanent bracelet warning doctors cause its effects are considered infe­ and its adulterants (C.H. Yueh, et al., of possible fatal allergy (anaphylactic rior to the former two species (C.H. 1974, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987). shock) to a second injection of tricho­ Yueh, personal communication, 1987). Trichosanthin, the protein extracted santhin. Sensitization of trichosanthin Several other members of the Cu­ from the root, appears to be a danger­ exposure is said to last from 10 to 14 curbitaceae are used locally as substi­ ous sensitizing agent According to years. tutes or adulterants in south China. T. Bingel and Fang (1988) there are two Chang and But (1986) report that damaioshanimsis C.Y. Cheng et C.H. trichosanthins, alpha-trichosanthin, a other severe reactions have included Yueh, is used in some areas of Guang­ polypeptide from T. kirilowii, and acute pulmonary edema, brain edema, dong and Guangxi, as is T. sinopunc­ beta-trichosanthin from T. cucum­ hemorrhage of brain tissue and myocar­ tata C.Y. Cheng etC. H. Yueh. eroides. Alpha-trichosanthin (presuma­ dial damage. They conclude that be­ Melothria heterophylla (Lour.) Cogn. bly the same as "compound Q") has cause of severe side effects and anti­ is used as a substitute for Tian-hua-fen been administered intramuscularly or genicity, there is a trend toward aban­ in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, extra-amniotically to induce first-tri­ doning or minimizing the use of tricho­ Guizhou and Yunnan. mester abortion but only in conjunction santhin in clinical situations except for Several species are considered trials in the treatment of trophoblas­ adulterants (rather than substitutes) The patent.. .includes a toma. and are known to cause side effects In January, McGrath et al ., re­ such as nausea and headaches. Per­ method of inhibiting HIV ceived U.S. patent #4,795,739 for the haps some of these are responsible for antigens in human blood use of trichosanthin and momorcharin disquieting side effects attributed to T. cells with the proteins in experimental HIV therapies. The pat­ kirilowii by some American AIDS trichosanthin or momor­ ent is assigned to the Regents of the patients who have gone to China seek­ University of California and Genelabs, charin ... ing the drug. These species include T. Inc. It includes a method of inhibiting hupehensis C.Y. Cheng etCH Yueh, HIV antigens in human blood cells with T. cavaleriei Levi., Momordica coch­ with other medications, e.g., testoster­ the proteins trichosanthin or inchinensis (Lour.) Spreng., and one, propionate, and reserpine. Alpha­ momorcharin, as well as a method of Cynanchum auriculatum Royle et momorcharin (from Momordica ) im­ screening drug agents in HI- infected Wight (Lou, Z.C., P.G. Xiao, and paired implantation and further devel­ humans. Dr. MichaelS. McGrath, GJ. Xu (ed.), 1980). In addition, T. opment of embryos when given i.p. M.D., Ph.D., the chief researcher, is an cucumeroides (Ser.) Maxim., which Any of these proteins might be danger­ associate professor of medicine at the produces a separate drug, has a Chi­ ous when administered by injection. University of California, San Francisco

nese pronunciation very similar to that Subacute LD50 toxicity studies in mice (UCSF), and director of the AlDS/Im­ for T. kirilowii and is distinguished produced deaths in 10 days. Intrave­ munobiology Research Laboratory at by China's pharmacists based on the nous injection of the freeze-dried root San Francisco General Hospital

written Chinese character (C.H. Yueh extract had an LD50 of 2.26 mg./animal, (SFGH), a UCSF affiliate. The re­ personal communication, 1987). and crystalline trichosanthin proved search was jointly conducted by USCF/

A pharmacognosist with the Insti­ highly lethal at an LD50 of 0.236 mg./ SFGH scientists; Divisions of Cellular tute of Chinese Materia Medica, animal (Chang & But, 1986). The most Immunology and Medicinal Biochemis­ Academy of Traditional Medicine, complete review of the pharmacology try of Genelabs, Inc. (a Redwood City, C.H. Yueh has specialized in the bot­ of Tian-hua-fen in English is that of California-based, biotechnology firm any, histology, and morphology of Chang and But (1986). It reports on the focusing on the development of novel Chinese Trichosanthes species since chemistry, plus abortifacient, anti-early antiviral agents and immune modula­ 1956. When he began his studies, five pregnancy, antineoplastic, antibacterial, tors), and the Department of Biochem­ species were recognized by Chinese anti-diabetic, and antibacterial activity. istry and Chinese Medicinal Materials botanists. Through extensive field col­ The review also includes pharmacoki­ Research Center, Chinese University of lections in 28 provinces of China, re­ netics, toxicity, clinical studies, and an Hong Kong. The new drug was called view of herbarium collections in extensive list of references. "GLQ223," which apparently contains China, the U.S. and England, C.H. Granted that trichosanthin can be a highly purified form of the protein, Yueh and C.Y. Cheng now recognize an effective abortifacient in humans the trichosanthin, as the primary active over 40 species of Chinese Trichosan­ first time around, Norman Farnsworth component thes. Extensive laboratory work has (personal communication, 1989) warns also resulted in the development of that those who are aborted with tricho- See Tricosanthes, page 47

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 25 A legend from ancient Greece tells of a plant which saved the life of a person who fell off the Parthenon, the famous temple in Athens. The plant, feverfew, or Tanacetum parthenium, still retains the name. Since ancient times, it has been recommended by herbalists for headaches and men­ strual difficulties. Especially well­ known in England, it is currently a fa­ vorite folk-remedy for migraine head­ ache and arthritis. Reported suc­ cesses for these conditions led to many laboratory tests and two double-blind clinical trials, which have demon­ strated feverfew's anti-inflammatory effects. The following article reviews the botany, history of use, chemistry, phar­ macology, cultivation, and clinical ap­ plication of feverfew.

INTRODUCTION ------

It is said that there is nothing new under the sun, that eve­ rything we discover is, in one sense, a rediscovery. And so it is with herbal medicine-it is certainly nothing new, though perhaps our recent appreciation and nascent scientific under­ standing of it is new, at least for us. Herbs are slowly coming Matricaria back into popularity, for a number of reasons, but above all parthenium because they do in fact work. The medical establishment still by Ira Kennedy balks at the idea of herbal medicine, but even there the accu­ after mulating stock of scientific research validating the efficacy of F. Edward Hulme, various traditional herbal medicines is beginning to change from Familiar some minds. And yet, should the idea of herbal medicine re­ Wildflowers, 1902 ally seem that extraordinary? Plants are our primary source of

Page 26- HerbaiGram No . 20- Spring 1989 FEVERFEW food and oxygen-both essential ingredients of life and good health-thus it is only fitting that plants should also provide us with medicine that is both effective and safe. One especially promising new chapter in the story of the modem herbal medicine renaissance concerns feverfew, a long-forgotten herb that has, in the last decade, been dramati­ cally catapulted into a sort of stardom. In a great number of preliminary trials, including one recent double-blind study (Murphy, 1988), feverfew has proven to be effective against migraine headache and rheumatoid arthritis. Though many drugs, notably ergot derivatives and aspirin, have been tried with these conditions, rarely do they provide a complete cure or even more than moderate success, not to mention the seri­ ous side-effects these drugs can induce. Since conservative estimates of the number of people who suffer from migraine in the United States put the figure at 10 million, and 30 million for arthritis (Groenewegen, W.A. & Heptinstall, S., 1986), it seems likely that feverfew may become very popular in the fu­ ture.

BOTANY

Taxonomy Feverfew is Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schultz-Rip., a member of the daisy family, Asteraceae (formerly Composi­ Matricaria parthenium tae), the second largest family among the flowering plants. from Handbook of Plant Family relatives of feverfew include the common garden and Floral Ornament, plants black-eyed susan, cosmos, and marigold; the medicinal Richard G. Hatton, 1960. plants echinacea, burdock, and calendula; and the edible sun­ flower, artichoke, and jerusalem artichoke. The Asteraceae insecticide pyrethrum (Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium derives its name from the flowering heads, known as the inflo­ Vis.) (Bailey, 1976). rescence, which actually consists of several to hundreds of Feverfew is currently recognized as Tanacetum parthe­ smaller, individual flowers-such as in the well-known sun­ nium. Another member of the genus Tanacetum is flower head. Within these heads, there are two distinct types Tanacetum vulgare, or common tansy, which has been used of flowers: the large, yellow, petal-like ray flowers that for centuries for its insecticidal, anthelmintic, and emmena­ circumscribe the head; and the tubular, yellow disk flowers gogic properties (note, however, that Tanacetum vulgare L. that fill the center. can be toxic). There has been some controversy during the last 200 years about what genus of the Asteraceae feverfew should oc­ In one recent double-blind study feverfew cupy. One of the earliest scientific names for feverfew was has proven to be effective against migraine Matricaria parthenoides L.-that is, it was placed in the genus headache and rheumatoid arthritis. Matricaria, of which chamomile is a member. Feverfew has not been considered to be a Matricaria There are three or four horticultural varieties (cultivars) of since the early 1800s. A more recent placement is within the feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) itself: crispum, where the genus Chrysanthemum, and one still sees this name commonly leaf edges are curled; and aureum, where the leaves are no­ in all but the most recent literature. Currently, there are only ticeably yellow (Hylands, 1984). Besides these, there are sev­ 5 species of Chrysanthemum recognized sensu stricto. Most eral forms of the so-called common "wild" feverfew: one with of the over 100 former members of the genus are now referred two or more rows of ray flowers (the white, petaloid parts), to the genus Dendranthema. Other members of this genus­ which is called "silver ball"; one with no white ray flowers all closely related to feverfew-include the common chrysan­ which has flowering heads with only one row of white ray themum or "mums" of florists' shops, which are important in flowers (Bailey, 1930). This last is the variety has been rec­ Chinese herbal medicine (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.), ommended by several authors as the one that should be col­ the common weed, oxe-eye daisy, also an important Chinese lected and used for medicinal purposes (Hancock, 1985; Hy­ herb (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum L.), and the source of the lands, 1984).

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 27 FEVERFEW

Etymology of Nomenclature The ancient Greeks called feverfew "Parthenium" because, according to legend, it was used to save the life of someone who had fallen from the Parthenon, the Doric temple of Athena on the Acropolis in Athens. It is the Parthenion of Galen (Dodoens, 1586), known by the name parthenium through the middle ages. Linneaus described feverfew as Matricaria parthenium, and in modem times, feverfew has been Chrysanthemum parthenium, described in the 18th century by Persoon, a Ger­ man botanist (Bailey, 1949). Feverfew was recently placed in the genus Tanacetum. Chrysanthemum derives from the Greek chrusos (gold) and anthemon (flower) and Tanacetum is thought to derive from the name Anathasie, which the Greeks knew as a kind of Artemisia. Matthiolus thought Tanacetum was a kind of milfoil, or yarrow to the ancients (Dodoens, 1586). The two plants have a similar look and smell. Feverfew has had numerous different English names over the centuries, which is an indication that it was familiar and widely used in traditional folk medicine. These names include featherfew (because of the feathery outline of the leaves, which some say is the source of feverfew), flirtwort, vetter­ voo, feather-fully, and, in German, mutterkraut.

HISTORY OF USE ------

As already mentioned above, feverfew is not a modem discov­ ery; rather, it has been rediscovered. No one knows who frrst noticed the beneficial effects of feverfew, nor who first used the herb for headaches and arthritis, but there are many an­ cient sources that speak of the herb and recommend it for vari­ Feverfew Tanacetum parthenium ous complaints. Paul Wilson, 1987 Dioscorides (1st century A.D.), the most important Greek herbalist and naturalist, recommended feverfew for many com­ plaints, including "all hot inflammations and hot swellings," Botanical Description which may be a reference to arthritis (Gunther, 1933). The following is a description of the "wild variety" of fe­ John Gerard, in his early, authoritative history of herbs, verfew, which is a common garden plant and has not been attests that feverfew is "very good for them that are giddie in specifically developed as an ornamental subject: the head"-headaches, that is, perhaps migraine?-and "for Bushy perennial, 1-3 feet tall and greatly branched, espe­ such as be melancholike, sad, pensive and without speech" cially above. Very leafy, with short (not usually over 3 (Gerard, 1633). Gerard claims that feverfew is effective, too, inches long), nearly hairless leaves cut variably into for the ague, a fever of malarial origin. John Hill, in an oft­ sharp-pointed lobes (not linear segments, such as in Ma­ cited quote from his Family Herbal (1772), wrote of feverfew tricaria). The flowers are many, in open terminal clus­ that "in the worst headache this herb exceeds whatever else is ters, and are about 3/4" across. They have a single row of known"-possibly a reference to migraine. white rays (10-20), and a yellow center consisting of Nicolas Culpeper, author of one of the most practical and many disk flowers. The seeds are 6 to 10 nerved, and the popular early English herbals (1649), recommends feverfew to pappus is reduced to a very short, irregular crown, some­ women as "a general strengthener of their wombs," and also times absent. (Description by the author). notes that it is "very effectual for all pains in the head" It would be easy to confuse the medicinal variety of fever­ (Culpepper, 1649). Significantly, many other sources recom­ few with chrysanthemum, or even other varieties of fever­ mend feverfew for female complaints, especially for hysteria few-though none of these others are toxic, so a mistake and as an emmenagogue, i.e., to promote menstruation (Lewis, would not be injurious. (The other varieties of feverfew may 1791; Redwood, 1857; Brown, 1902; Grieve, 1935). It is even be effective, though this is unclear in the literature.) known that feverfew contains camphor, which can actually be

Page 28- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 FEVERFEW smelled in the fresh or freeze-dried plant Camphor was tradi­ ropean patent for a non-polar extract of feverfew, especially tionally given as a remedy for hysteria (Grieve, 1935). concerning bio-active sesquiterpene lactones. In this patent, it Other traditional uses for feverfew include using fresh, is stated that certain extracts of feverfew, especially when flowering heads as an insect repellent (Redwood, 1857), and made with a non-polar solvent (such as commercially available as a tincture for relieving the pain and swelling of insect bites vegetable oil, hexane, or chloroform), are more likely to be ef­ (Grieve, 1935). fective against migraine, asthma, and/or arthritis. Effective ex­ Although never as popular in the United States as in Eu­ tracts contain either parthenolide, chrysanthemonin, or chrysar­ rope, the plant was brought over early, with the colonists. Jos­ temin A (from the germacranolide class of sesquiterpenes). selyn, the well-known plant collector and botanist from New Two novel compounds extracted for the patent were partholide England, said of it "fetherfew prospereth exceedingly." (Pick­ and chrysanthemolide (also germacranolides). It was deter­ ering, 1879.) mined that germacranolid~s containing more than one germac­ In Traditional Chinese Medicine, which has enjoyed a rane nucleus were likely to be more effective than ones con­ continuous development for over three thousand years, fever­ taining only one, and could be administered at a lower dosage few, Tanacentum parthenium, is not mentioned, but several level, while an oxygen functional group at position 10 ren­ chrysanthemums, closely related, are. The Chinese generally dered a higher bio-activity (Johnson, Hylands and Hylands, use chrysanthemums to clear heat (inflammations), and one 1983). The paper also reports on methods to change the mo­ species, Chrysanthemum morifolium, is used as a sedative, for lecular structure of the naturally-occurring compounds, which its cooling action on headaches and influenza. The Barefoot makes the preparations easier to protect by patent. Also re­ Doctor's Manual, a standard reference work (Institute of Tra­ ported is a list of synthetic analgesics, such as aspirin, that ditional Chinese Med., 1970), lists five species of Chrysanthe­ may be combined with feverfew compounds. The optimum mum, mainly used for heat conditions such as boils, as well as dosage of the active ingredient is given as 0.25 to 20 mg a for headaches. The Pen Ts' ao (Pin-yin: Ben Cao Gang Mu), a day, orally (Johnson, Hylands and Hylands, 1983). classic Chinese herbal work (Li Shih Zhen, 1578), says that Greger (1969) determined the main flavonoid glycosides Chrysanthemum sinense should be used to promote menstrua­ in feverfew to be luteolin and apigenin, while Stefanovic, et tion, and as a wine (made by steeping the flowers) for diges­ al. (1980) mention the sesquiterpene lactones reynosin, 1-b­ tive, circulatory and nervous difficulties. hydroxyarbusculin, and magnolialide. Obviously, feverfew exhibits a complex chemistry, but Groenewegen, eta/. (1986b) have identified five active sesquiterpene lactones, parthenolide (1), Canin (II), seco-Tana­ CHEMISTRY------partholide A (III), Artecanin (IV), and 3-beta-Hydroxyparthe­ nolide (V). All the active compounds contained an alpha­ methylene butyrolactone unit (the oxygen-containing ring). M. Soucek, eta/. (1960) first isolated and named a new sesquiterpene lactone from feverfew, parthenolide. Partheno­ lide is the major representative in European feverfew from this class of compounds which are only widespread in the family Asteraceae. There are 5 structural types of sesquiterpene lac­ tones, namely germacranolides, santanolides, eremophilano­ lides, guaianolides and ambrosanolides. They generally have a bitter taste and are lipophilic (non-water soluble). Each type is characteristically found in one or more tribes in the family (Vickery & Vickery 1981). Since its discovery, parthenolide (a germacranolide) has been well studied by several groups (Soucek, 1961; Johnson, 1984; Bloszyk, 1978b). One of the most thorough reviews of the chemistry of Tanacetum parthe­ nium is by Bohlmann and Zdero (1982), who reported that parthenium roots contain beta-famesene (an acyclic sesquiter­ pene), bicyclogermacrene (a sesquiterpene), and spiroketal enol ethers. The aerial parts of the plant are said to contain a complex mixture of sesquiterpene lactones, germacrene D, beta-famesene, camphor, several alpha-pinene derivatives, Feverfew bornyl acetate, angelate, costic acid methyl ester, spiroketal Matricaria parthenium enol ethers, and costunolide. Earlier work by Romo, et a/. Dioscorides Codex (1970) characterized the sesquiterpenes santamarine, chrysar­ Gunther 1962 temin A, and chrysartemin B. Drs. Johnson, Hylands and Hylands (1983) flied for a Eu-

HerbaiGram No. 20 -Spring 1989- Page 29 FEVERFEW

Other unknown active compounds were identified, and deter­ flarnmatory process, among other effects. mined to contain the same unit (see pharmacology section). 2. Inhibition of platelet aggregation and secretion. In ad­ Later work by Begley, et al., further elucidates the actual dition to prostaglandins, platelets secrete hista­ structural identities of these a-methylenebutyrolactones-con­ mines, serotonin, leukotrienes and other inflamma­ taining compounds. They establish by X-ray analysis that tion-inducing substances. canin is identical with chrysartemin A. Further, they establish 3. Inhibition of phagocytic potential and inhibition of re­ the structures of compounds in the two major groups of lease of Vitamin B-12 binding protein from poly­ guaianolides in feverfew, indicated in the chart on page 30. morphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL). These researchers mentioned that the levels of alpha­ 4. Inhibition of the deposition of platelets on human colla­ methylenebutyrolactones in feverfew may be much higher than gen substrates. previously thought "Besides parthenolide, Bohlmann and 5. A protective effect on the endothelial cell monolayer of Zdero found less than 5 mg/kg of all other lactones. Our plant perfused aorta tissue, suggesting an antithrombotic samples, by contrast, provided about 330 mg/kg of endoperox­ potential. ide and about 56 mg/kg of canin." They did add that variation 6. Inhibition of the phagocytic activity of human neutro­ in source material may have accounted for some of the differ­ philes, which may reduce the tissue-damaging po­ ence. tential of oxygen radicals. 7. Anti-microbial activity. 8. Cytotoxic activity against human tumor cells. (Mo Since 1980, several studies have been conducted concern­ 0• ing the effects of feverfew extracts on prostaglandin biosyn­ ~I I thesis (Makheja, 1981, 1982). Prostaglandins are common lip­ ~ ids, derived from arachidonic acid, that have a broad range of biological activity, including: regulation of body temperature, control of blood clotting, modulation of cellular immune reac­ tions, and maintenance of vascular smooth muscle tone ~0 o-~ : (uterus, etc.). ffl -~0 For instance, Collier, et al. (1980) demonstrated IV prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis inhibition in seminal vesicles Ill 0 0 Major group tanaparthin-alpha-peroxide (I) canin (II) seco-tanapartholide-A It is possible that feverfew extracts modulate levels of serotonin in the brain, Beta-series thus leading to the euphoria described. beta-peroxide (III) artecanin (IV) using feverfew extracts. They report that boiling for 10 min­ seco-tanapartholide B utes inactivates the inhibiting factor, and that the feverfew's PG inhibition differs from aspirin (another PG inhibitor) in PHARMACOLOGY that it does not inhibit cyclo-oxygenation by PG synthetase. Pugh & Sambo (1988) showed that 3 active sesquiterpenes Many recent reports indicate that feverfew extracts taken from feverfew, parthenolide, michefuscalide and chrysanthenyl on a continual basis may decrease the symptoms of asthma, acetate, inhibited prostaglandin synthetase in vitro using a bronchitis, arthritis, migraine headache, and most recently, seminal vesicle mitochondrial fraction test. may be useful as an antithrombotic agent (Voyno­ Makheja and Bailey (1981) report that feverfew extracts Yasenetskaya, 1988). also inhibit platelet aggregation, and that they do not block The biochemical changes that either specific compounds aggregation induced by arachidonic acid, suggesting, again, from feverfew or the whole plant extract induce to bring about that the active principle in feverfew interferes with the initial these beneficial results is still not fully known. However, step of thromboxane synthesis, i.e., the release of arachidonic there are some data available and researchers have put forth acid substrate from platelet phospholipids. Thus the anti-in­ some preliminary deductions. These can be summarised as flammatory and anti-aggregatory activities of feverfew extract follows: may be due to a phospholipase inhibitor which prevents the re­ 1. Prostaglandin inhibition. Prostaglandins can cause lease of arachidonic acid by normal stimuli (such as the in­ smooth muscle contraction and help mediate the in- flammatory process of arthritis, or some unknown factor in the

Page 30- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 FEVERFEW pathogenesis of migraine). Also, since arachidonic acid is the precursor of both PG and the recently discovered leukotrienes, including slow-reacting substances of anaphylaxis (immediate hypersensitivity reactions, such as in bee stings), the research­ ers conclude that "these observations may explain the diverse range of pharmacological activities which have been ascribed to feverfew." (Makheja, 1981). Referring to the feverfew patent of Johnson, Hylands and Hylands (1983), previously mentioned (see Chemistry section), the researchers tested 238 different fractions (separated by TLC and column chromatography) for activity against ace­ tylcholine, 5-HT, and histamine to determine which constitu­ ents were the most likely to produce anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic activity. They concluded that the sesquiterpene lactones, parthenolide and santamarine, are the important bio­ active constituents. [For an excellent review of the toxicity and pharmacological actions of the sesquiterpenes, which are very common in the Asteraceae, see Ivie and Witzel (d.m.).] On the basis of this research, Johnson, et al. predict that feverfew will be useful not only for classical and cluster mi­ graine, but for premenstrual, menstrual, and other headaches as well. They hypothesize that the activity of feverfew prepara­ tions may be due to "an altered reactivity of the cerebral blood vessels to biogenic amines and prostaglandins released locally Feverfew or into the systemic circulation"-which altered reactivity can Tanacetum parthenium, lead to the stabilization of the blood vessel smooth muscle cell from The Herbal, John Gerard, 1633. membranes, and consequently to the direct inhibition or reduc­ tion of their responsiveness to biogenic amines and prostaglandins. These researchers also fmd that feverfew preparations "block the actions of neurohumoral transmitters and autacoids such as acetylcholine, noradrenaline, bradykinin and lets from human blood, stimulated by adrenaline. They were prostaglandin E2 on smooth muscle." Also, apparently long­ able to identify 5 active compounds (see chemistry section), term administration of feverfew extracts "causes a progressive all sesquiterpenes containing an alpha-methylene butyrolactone decrease in the reactivity of... smooth muscle to 5-hydroxy­ unit. The researchers indicate that these alpha-methylene bu­ tryptamine and histamine" which are also allergy producers. tyrolactone units probably interact with "biological nucleo­ The conclusion that can be drawn here is that feverfew may be philes such as sulphydryl groups (SH)'' (perhaps as a Michael useful for a wide array of diseases characterized by chronic in­ acceptor), leading to the assumption that the anti-secretory ac­ flammation. tivity of feverfew is probably, at least in part, due to sulphy­ Regarding arthritis, the researchers Johnson, et al. note dryl group blockade during platelet secretion. The authors that substances such as prostaglandins, histamine, and bradyki­ support this contention with the fact that cysteine (a sulfur­ nin are released in and around joints, and that prostaglandins containing amino acid) can block the effects of feverfew ex­ potentiate the pain-inducing activities of the other substances, tracts on platelet secretion. such as leukotrienes. Therefore they hypothesize that the ef­ Heptinstall, et al. (1987) and LOsche, et al. (1988a), in an fectiveness of feverfew against arthritis may lie in its ability to international effort, have further reported on work concerning block the production of these substances. feverfew on the inhibition of the phagocytic activity of human Heptinstall, et al. (1985) reported that extracts of feverfew PMNL and the inhibition of platelet secretion and aggregation. have a more pronounced effect than that "obtained with very They used a variety of tests, including measurement of the high concentratons of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents." ability of PMNL to ingest radiolabelled liposomes and opson­ The team showed pronounced inhibition of serotonin release ized zymosan particles among others. Further, they showed from platelets, inhibition of platelet aggregation, and inhibition that feverfew extract does not cause cell damage, and again, of the release of vitamin B 12-binding protein from polymor­ that feverfew "reduces the number of acid-soluble sulphydryl phonuclear leukocytes (PMNL). groups in PMNL." They supported the latter mechanism by Groenewegen, et al. (1986b) tested the anti-secretory ac­ showing that "the inhibitory activity of [feverfew] extract on tivity of different fractions from feverfew with labeled plate- the phagocytic capacity of PMNL is neutralized by the suphy-

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 31 FEVERFEW

dryl-containing compound 2- MPG." Heptinstall, et al. (1988) CLINICAL TRIALS further supported this contention in several ways, among them One of the more suggestive studies is by Johnson, et al. that "both feverfew extract (FE) and parthenolide reduced the (1985), who conducted a double-blind study on twenty patients number of acid-soluble and acid-insoluble SH groups in plate­ who had eaten fresh leaves of feverfew daily as a protective lets." against migraine headache. All subjects had eaten the leaves Johnson, et al. (1987) studied 10 patients who had taken every day for at least three months prior to the study, and had feverfew extracts for 3.5 to 8 years. Analysis of blood a history of common or classical migraine for at least two samples showed that platelet aggregation was not inhibited by years' duration, with no more than eight attacks a month, at ADP and thrombin, but that it was greatly attenuated in re­ the time of the test. No subjects were allowed who had taken sponse to high doses of serotonin (though not to low doses). any tranquillizers, alpha-blockers, beta-blockers, anti-depres­ However, Johnson, et al. advise that whether or not the activ­ sants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, or clonidine and ity of feverfew is due to the inhibition of serotonin remains to pitzotifen within one month prior to the test. be established. The average dosage for the patients before the test was around 60 mg/day. The fixed dose during the test was 25 mg After the test, 59% of the patients reported per capsule of freeze-dried feverfew leaf. The freeze-dried that the feverfew treatment period was effe­ herb was chosen because it is the form most like fresh leaves citve in preventing migrine, as opposed to (the method of choice for most users); preparations like pow­ only 24% reporting that the placebo period dered extract, or air-dried herb that is old, improperly dried, or has been heated to 100 deg. C, may possibly be inactive. was effective. The result of this double blind test was that the patients who received placebo "had a significant increase in the fre­ Work by U>sche, et al. (1988) and Voyno-Yasenetskaya, quency and severity of headache, nausea, and vomiting with et al. (1988) has demonstrated the ability of feverfew extract the emergence of untoward effects during the early months of to inhibit the deposition of platelets on human collagen sub­ treatment," while the feverfew group "showed no change in strates. Work to show a protective effect from feverfew on the frequency or severity of symptoms of migraine." Johnson, the endothelial cell monolayer of perfused aorta tissue, due to et al. (1985) thus concluded that feverfew does in fact prevent an increase in cAMP was also reported. Based on their find­ migraine attacks. The researchers also reported other benefi­ ings, the authors propose that feverfew "may have an an­ cial effects, for instance, the average blood pressure of the fe­ tithrombotic potential." verfew group went down in 6 months of treatment from 134/ An additional way in which the anti-inflammatory poten­ 86 to 125/82, and some users described an increased sense of tial of feverfew is augmented was proposed by Williamson, et well-being after using feverfew for a period of time. al. (1988). They have shown that FE inhibits phagocytosis of International interest was stimulated by a random, double­ Candida guilliermondii in vitro by neutrophiles, which may blind, placebo-controlled crossover study on the efficacy of fe­ reduce the "generation of tissue-damaging oxygen radicals." verfew in migraine prevention. In the test by Murphy, Heptin­ Feverfew extracts have shown anti-microbial properties stall and Mitchell (1988), reported in the Lancet, 72 volunteers (Blakeman, 1979). The most active anti-microbial component randomly received either a capsule of dried feverfew leaves or is parthenolide, the highest concentrations of which are found a placebo each day for four months. The volunteers were then in glands on the seeds and leaves of feverfew. It is interesting switched to the other treatment category. Migraine attacks in that the highest concentration of parthenolide occurs in the both groups were assessed for severity and frequency with the younger leaves, for some sources indicate that the younger use of diary cards. After the test, 59% of the patients reported growth on the plant is more potent. In any case, the amount that the feverfew treatment period was effective in preventing of parthenolide present in feverfew is fixed from young migraine, as opposed to only 24% reporting that the placebo growth and does not increase as the leaf expands. Partheno­ period was effective. Considering 17 patients with classical lide may play a role in the defense of the plant against disease; migraine as a separate group, feverfew "reduced the number of staphylococcus aureus and some other gram-positive bacteria attacks by 32% (95% confidence interval 11-53%, p

Page 32- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 FEVERFEW

graine connection, Mrs. Jensen, take many months before fully realizing the beneficial effects. Also, the dose of one capsule per day can be considered a minimum amount. A low starting dose is indicated for most people, for the potential for side-effects is then reduced. In this test, the re­ searchers found very few adverse effects with feverfew. In fact, in nearly every case, including mouth ulceration, the pla­ cebo group experienced more side-effects than the feverfew group. The researchers caution that more work is needed be­ fore feverfew can be used on a regular clinical basis for mi­ graine.

TOXICITY ------

Approximately 18% of feverfew users questioned report some kind of adverse effect, the main one being irritation and possible inflammation of the oral mucosa and tongue (11.3%) (Johnson, 1984). In addition, the possible detrimental effects of long-term use are still uncertain, although many people have been self-medicating with fresh feverfew leaves for over 6 years and report no adverse effects (Hancock). In a study of 270 patients taking feverfew regularly, Johnson (1984) found a number of negative side-effects, though for the most part these were minor and infrequent (see Table 1). Mouth ulceration was the most common adverse side effect noted (6.4%), followed by abdominal pain and indiges­ tion (3.9%). Interestingly, mouth ulcers have been reported among users of common anti-inflammatory and anti-rheuma­ toid drugs, too, though such ulcers are only a minor side-effect of these drugs (Johnson, 1984). Unfortunately, mouth ulcers have occurred among users who took feverfew in capsules, in­ stead of in its fresh form, so these ulcers cannot be attributed only to the herb directly contacting the mucous membranes in the mouth. Experience shows, however, that the tablets may show a lower incidence than the fresh leaves. Also, a lower dose (SOmg/day-which still shows effectiveness) may limit these unwanted effects.

6Ml 3ft - 3.0'Jl -• 3:.&1 &-" .. O.K' • 0.911 Feverfew ... Tanacetum parthenium Seed and leaf. Seed greatly enlarged. Illustration by Paul Wilson, 1987

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 33 FEVERFEW

However, as previously mentioned, another controlled Sensory Inspection study found mouth ulcers more common in the placebo group. Sensory inspection is a preliminary test and, depending on One of the identified active ingredients in feverfew, partheno­ the skill and experience of the investigator (and range of qual­ lide, has been mentioned in the literature as being the com­ ity that is considered acceptable), can provide all the informa­ pound responsible for causing contact dermititis (Mitchell, tion that is necessary. It is desirable to have an authenticated 1971). These compounds are well-known contact allergens. sample of the herb in question on hand. This will provide a In one clinical study, 30 migraine patients who had taken standard against which to compare samples in question. The feverfew daily for over 11 consecutive months were compared best standard is fresh herb, as even the best dried sample can to 30 non-user migraine patients (Anderson, et al. 1988). The lose volatile constituents and thus the characteristic aroma of groups were individually age- and sex-matched. For several the particular herb. months, blood samples were taken, and the frequency of chro­ With feverfew, for instance, there is a very characteristic mosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges were de­ smell, rich and camphoraceous, that is unmistakable. A termined from lymphocyte cultures. Chromosomal aberrations closely related plant, such as tansy or chamomile, will have a were of a lower mean frequency in the feverfew group, but the similar but not identical odor. The difference should be noted. difference was tl>o small to be significant. The mutagenicity I have found that taste is also a good measure of an herb, of urine samples from the two groups were compared, using though for aromatic herbs taste is not as distinguishing a trait the Ames Salmonella mutagenicity test system, and again, as smell. For an excellent report on the use of sensory deter­ there was little difference between the two groups. Although mination in quality control, as well as a key to these charac­ some of the subjects were female, and no chromosomal aber­ ters, see Schneider (1921). rations were seen in the feverfew group, there is little reported experience with feverfew use in pregnancy. For this reason, Microscopic Analysis and because of feverfew's long-standing reputation as an When more exact determination is required, microscopic emmenagogue, its use should be discouraged during preg­ analysis can be used. A low power hand lens (10 or 20X) or nancy, until more is known. dissecting scope (35X) can provide information about morpho­ logical characteristics. For this, a good botanical description, (such as that in Bailey, 1949) is desirable, as it will give de­ PHARMACOGNOSY tailed information about flower, leaf, root, and stem structure. In commercial herb trade, even among small businesses, With feverfew, observe a detailed drawing of the plant, the standardization and analysis of an herb is crucial, both to and then compare with the sample. Flowers may be present in prevent adulteration of samples and to ensure high quality. In a given commercial herb sample; these are the first things to these regards, three questions must be answered: is the correct inspect under magnification. The seeds should have a low, ir­ plant being used, how old is it, and does the sample have an regular crown around the top, and be 6 to 10 nerved. The co­ acceptable amount of the major active compound(s)? Four rollas will probably be withered and dried, and thus offer little tests are generally used to ensure proper identification and information. However, the receptacle and phyllaries should be quality: sensory inspection, microscopic analysis, thin-layer observed and compared to the reference drawing (See page 33) chromatography (TLC) or high-pressure liquid chromatogra­ that in the drawing. Also, note the presence or absence of phy (HPLC). hairs. Feverfew leaves are finely puberulent beneath, and are Chemically, the activity of feverfew is most certainly covered with sesquiterpene lactone-bearing glandular dots, or due to sesquiterpene lactones. Thus, standardization of fever­ trichomes, found on both leaf surfaces, the flower calyxes, and few is best accomplished from the determination of the the seeds (Blakeman, et al. 1979). These glands are absent amount of these compounds in feverfew. Parthenolide is from German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and common known to be the most important constituent in feverfew from tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), both possible adulterants of fever­ European origin-however, at least two samples of feverfew few (Berry 1984 ). from Mexico did not show any parthenolide at all (Romo If even more detailed analysis is desired, the leaf struc­ 1970). Because of this, more work needs to be done on tures can be observed under a high-power microscope (250- American plants to determine the major active compounds, as lOOOX). For this, mount a thin section of leaf on a glass slide, an aid to standardization. and inspect for cellular structures and various crystals. A Parthenolide is also found in species of plants not from book on microscopic analysis is usually consulted for compari­ the Asteraceae (Blakeman, 1979). For this reason, commercial son; however, T. parthenium is not commonly found in these feverfew samples should first be identified botanically to de­ books. In this case, compare the leaf microscopically with a termine if they are in fact Tanacetum parthenium, before TLC known sample. This method was common in the early 1900's, work is performed. Information on the use of the first three when large quantities of herbs were used by the drug compa­ methods mentioned above in quality determination for fever­ nies. few samples follows. The author could not find a method for HPLC in the literature.

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Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) The best soil condition for feverfew is rich, well-drained Thin-layer chromatography (1LC) is a method for separat­ soil. An application of manure tea and compost stimulates ing the various constituents of an herb and identifying them greater growth (we have had phenomenal success using an ex­ (qualitative analysis). Semi-quantitative analysis can also be otic mix of quail manure tea and composted organic material). performed in some cases. TLC works from the principle that Mter a year-long trial with various degrees of fertilization and every compound has a different polarity and is more or less at­ watering, we discovered by TLC that the plants that were not tracted to the molecules in a coating on a glass (or plastic) overwatered and given ample manure tea had the highest con­ plate as the sample spot of compound is carried up with the centration of parthenolide (unpublished results). Feverfew solvent by capillary action. Since each compound's spots can seems to put on its best growth in the spring. Later growth be developed and will exhibit unique colors, TLC can thus aid periods and harvests are slower, and the plant has a tendency in the detection of active constituents. to produce flowers not leaves. Hence it is important to nip off The methods have been reported in the literature and can the buds before they open, to encourage fuller leaf be consulted for the determination of various sesquiterpene development 0 lactones in feverfew (Bloszyk, 1978b; Drozdz, 1978; I am grateful to Paul Wilson for providing the fine draw­ Blakeman, 1979). ings for this review. Thanks, too, to Peter Finkle who through his keen interest in feverfew gathered much useful information. CULTIVATION Many people may not realize that they already have fe­ References verfew growing in their gardens. Once the plant becomes es­ tablished, whether through intended cultivation or by chance, Anderson, D., d a/. 1988. "Ouomosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchang.,; in lymphocytes and urine mutagenicity of migraine patients: a comparison of chronic it may wander over a whole area. For small-scale, personal feverfew usen and matched non-users." Hum. Toxico/. 7:145-152. Angel, J.E. 1983. Physicimls Duk R•fer•""•· Oradell, NJ: Medical Economics Com- use, only several plants are required. One can sow seeds from pany. the flowering heads yearly, thus assuring a source of new Arthur, G.P. 1974. "Migraine." N.Z. med. J. 79: 951. A wang, D.V.C. 1989. "Feverfew." CaiiDditJil Pharm. J. May: 266-270. plants, though feverfew is perennial and will continue to flour­ Bailey, L.H. 1930. The SIO.IIdard Cyclopedia of Horticultur•. New York: Maanillan & ish from the same roots the following spring. In any case, the Co. Bailey, L.H. 1949. Manual ofCultivat•dPiallts. NY : Maanillan. guidelines for small-scale cultivation are the same as for larger Bailey, L.H. & E.Z. Bailey. 1976. Hortus Third. New York: Maanillan Publiohing Co. Begley, MJ., d al. 1989. ''Revised structures for quaianolide alpha-methylenebutyrolac- scale or commercial cultivation, explained below: tones from feverfew." Phytochemistry 28: 940. It is easiest to start the plants from root divisions or cut­ Berry, MJ. 1984. ''Feverfew faces the future." The Pharmac•ulicalJ., May 19: 611. Biggs, MJ., et al. 1982. "Platelet aggregation in patients using feverfew for migraine." tings. One well-developed plant can yield up to 10 or 15 The Lancet, October 2: TI6. starts. Alternatively, seeds can be started in a cold frame and Blakeman, J.P. & P. Atkinson. 1979. "Antimicrobial properties and possible role in host­ pathogen intenctions of parthenolide, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from glands set into the beds outside (space them 18" apart) when they are of ChrysanlJumum parU..IIium." Physiological Plant Pathology 15: 183. Bloszyk, E., et al. 1978a. ''Sesquiterpene lactones of the Composit

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 35 FEVERFEW The Modern Rediscovery of Feverfew by Christopher Hobbs

Feverfew, like all herbs, is not a modern discovery; it has had a long history of use in tradi­ tional and folk medicine, especially among Greek and early European herbalists. However, unlike more popular herbs, such as chamomile and dandelion, during the last few hundred years feverfew has fallen into general disuse, even among herbalists. Thus the first signifi­ cant, modern, public account of the use offeverfew as a preventative for migraine appeared only very recently, in 1978.

he story concerned a certain Mrs. Jenkins, reported on made a big media splash: a television interview, more maga­ by the British health magazine, Prevention (not to be zine articles, and hundreds of letters from people with mi­ T confused with the American publication) who had been graine and arthritis requesting more information. ,suffering from severe migraine since the age of 16. The head­ At this point, at the request of the Migraine Trust, a re­ aches had been getting progressively worse over the course of search institute in London, Dr. Stewart Johnson, a respected her life, until, at the age of 68, she was having them once ev­ physician, writer, and pharmacologist, then with King's Col­ ery ten days, each episode lasting two or three days. lege, was consulted concerning the alleged powers of fever­ In 1974, a friend of Mrs. Jenkins's sister mentioned the few. Dr. Johnson was skeptical at first, but discussed the pos­ headaches to her father, who had found a common garden sibility of analyzing the plant for active constituents. To begin weed, feverfew, to be of great with, he sent out a question­ help in his arthritis. Where he naire to the 700-plus people had heard of this application of on Mrs. Jenkin's list of fever­ feverfew is unknown, but it is More and more people are trying few users. The initial results likely that the feverfew tradition feverfew for alleviating migraine and were propitious, indicating that has been handed down orally, arthritis, and their attendant symptoms feverfew was generally safe perhaps for hundreds or even of pain, nausea, and stiffness. and efficacious. thousands of years. Dr. Johnson went on to Mrs. Jenkins received a plant become highly involved in fe- from the old man, with the advice that she should take a verfew research over the next eight years, and generally found "pinch" of fresh leaf every day. She began with one leaf, and that the plant demonstrated strong, positive effects on migraine when nothing happened, she increased the dose to three leaves and arthritis, with only a few negative side-effects (swollen daily-eaten in a bread and butter sandwich. For months lips and sores in the throat, in a few cases). In late 1983, Dr. nothing happened, but she persevered. After five months, al­ Johnson agreed to appear for an interview on a prominent though the headaches were not much better, the nausea and British television program, and since then interest in feverfew vomiting that usually came with them had stopped. She began has spread quickly and has been widely reported in the media. to notice that she used her ergotamine prescription (a vasa­ The feverfew story is still being written today. More and constricting drug) less and less, and then finally, after six more people are trying feverfew for alleviating migraine and months, her headaches disappeared for a period of four weeks. arthritis, and their attendant symptoms of pain, nausea, and After that, she occasionally had a headache, until the tenth stiffness. Judging from the thousands of letters that Dr. month, at which time they ceased altogether. Johnson, Mrs. Jenkins, and other experts have received, many Initially Mrs. Jenkins was afraid to tell anyone about her people are well satisfied with the results. experience with feverfew, lest there was some mistake; she In the United States, word is just getting out about the wanted to be sure it was really helping. Ironically, in this benefits of feverfew. Stories have been run on its virtues in modem age we must become desperate and completely disillu­ one of America's leading health magazines, Prevention, and sioned with "orthodox" drugs before we dare turn to the plants on national television. The herb industry, usually quick tore­ that grow all around us, plants that untold generations of our spond to interest in a marketable herb or nutrient, has done its ancestors have used medicinally. Eventually, however, Mrs. homework and come up with a variety of products, some of Jenkins became convinced of feverfew's curative properties, which are of excellent quality. 0 and began to give it to other migraine sufferers. By 1978, fif­ teen of her clients had found similar relief, and Mrs. Jenkins

Page 36- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 POTPOURRI Proposal For Funding AIDS-Monitoring Research Using Chinese Herbal Prescriptions by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D.

uring the past 20 years it has professionally administered or self-ad­ ing the research are in place. been fmnly established that me­ ministered Chinese herbal therapy. These research activities have been D dicinal herbs containing complex It can be estimated that in early limited for complete blood analysis by polysaccharides and other ingredients 1989 more than 4,000 HIV -infected in­ lack of funds, since the costs involved can restore immunity that is depressed dividuals, mostly homosexual males, in such measures as T -cell evaluation by cancer growth, cancer therapies, cor­ were using this method of therapy, of­ frequently exceed $150 per data point ticosteroid therapies, and unknown ten along with other therapies. Due to variability in blood parameters causes. The research has been con­ in HIV -infected individuals, this type ducted not only in China, Japan, Tai­ of data must be collected at approxi­ wan, and Hong Kong, but also in the mately monthly intervals to reveal a U.S. at the M.D. Anderson Hospital clear pattern of change. However, nei­ (Texas). Among the most interesting of ther HIV-infected individuals nor re­ the herbs studied are Ganoderma (and searchers have had adequate funds for related mushrooms), Astragalus, Ligus­ such monitoring on a regular basis. trum, and Rehmannia. Therefore, the results of Chinese Ganoderma Further, research during this period herbal therapies, though promising, are /ucldum has demonstrated the effectiveness of not well-established from a scientific Ira Kennedy medicinal herbs in treating acute and view. There is no doubt among re­ chronic viral infections (as well as other for searchers and participants that many in­ Herba/Gram, infections, including bacterial, malarial, dividuals feel much better while taking and fungal). Conditions such as hepati­ 1989 the herbs and experience a reduction of tis, epidemic encephalitis, and influenza symptoms associated with HIV infec­ are effectively controlled by herbal pre­ tion, including night sweating, diarrhea, scriptions. In vitro studies, including weight loss, thrush, lymphatic swelling, one conducted at UC Davis (California) and severe fatigue. Some individuals have shown that several of the herbs do not respond to the herbs, and others used for such purposes inhibit the infec­ The same or similar herb therapies are appear to experience slight adverse re­ tive potential of HIV. Herbs of particu­ being used by persons with viral hepati­ actions, such as gastro-intestinal distur­ lar interest are Isatis, Polygonum tis and chronic fatigue syndrome and bance, but on the average, at least 60% cuspidatum, Viola, and Lonicera. those undergoing treatment for cancer. and as high as 80% respond favorably. In light of these findings, it is rea­ Monitoring of patients consuming Individual reports of dramatic in­ sonable to enquire about the potential Chinese herbal therapies began at the crease ofT-cell total number, of im­ influence of Chinese herbs on the health proved T4{f8 ratios, of disappearance status of HIV -infected individuals. In As early as 1984 practitio­ of P24 antigen, and other improve­ order to obtain a reliable answer to ments in blood profile have been re­ questions that can be raised about the ners of Chinese herbal ceived. However, these reports lack effects of Chinese herbs, one must care­ medicine noted apparent statistical significance due to the small fully monitor health status over a period positive benefits from pro­ number of such instances that can be of time to learn about the natural vari­ documented. The combination of ability of the measme parameters as viding immune-enhancing clearly evident subjective and clinical well as the direction of change under herbs to their patients. improvements, and a small number of the influence of Chinese herbal treat­ reports of improved status of blood ments. Quan Yin Clinic in San Francisco dur­ parameters in an increasing population Initial explorations of this question ing late 1987. Since this time, the size of Chinese herb users provides a strong have already begun. As early as 1984 of the study group monitored has risen basis for developing further monitoring. practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine in the course of five evaluation periods It is proposed that funds be pro­ noted apparent positive benefits from from 16 to 30 to 80 to 105 to 180, vided to the Quan Yin Clinic (which providing immune-enhancing herbs to largely because of favorable responses has just moved into a larger facility for their patients. An initial investigation described to others by participants. At the purpose of handling the increased using easy-to-administer Chinese herb the same time, study groups using es­ load of HIV -infected patients). These tablets and powders revealed promising sentially the same herbal therapy have funds would be utilized for improved results. These results were taken by the started in Chicago and New Mexico, monitoring of progress made by these community of HIV -infected individuals adding another fifty individuals by early individuals over a period of time while as a signal to begin, where possible, 1989. Plans for continuing and expand- See AIDS research, page 39

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 37 POTPOURRI

American Herbalists Guild Formed

ore than 20 herbalists from Macross the U.S. met at the home of Christopher Hobbs, Santa Cruz, Cal., on Feb. 18th- 19th to dis­ cuss the organization of a professional herbalists' association which would ad­ dress the collective needs of the mem­ bers. Formation of the American Herb­ alists Guild was the result. Those in attendance developed a statement of purpose which includes the following goals: Herbman, from Friess' Spiegel der Artzney, Strasbourg, 1529 1. To form a professional body to develop, promote and maintain levels of excellence in herbal­ The group elected five interim offi­ field, submission and approval of a ism including individual and cers to move the organization forward written resume, and fulfillment of edu­ planetary health. until such time as a membership body cational requirements still to be deter­ 2. To strengthen and further the can be established and bylaws be devel­ mined. network of communication oped, then voted on by the general Formation of such an organization and support between herbal­ membership. Interim officers are had been discussed by herbalists for ists. David Hoffman, President; Christopher five years. The American Herbalists 3. To foster high levels of ethics Hobbs, Vice President; Michael Tierra, Guild will work toward establishing and integrity in all areas of Treasurer; Amanda McQuade and Cas­ definitions and standards for profes­ herbalism. cade Anderson, Secretaries. The sional herbalists in North America, 4. To integrate herbalism into organization's first annual meeting has along similar lines as, but not limited community health-care. been scheduled for the last weekend of to, other professional herbalists organi­ 5. To promote cooperation be­ May 1990, to be held in Cincinnati, zations such as the British Herbal tween herbalists and other Ohio, at the Lloyd Library and Mu­ Medical Association. The development health-care providers, encom­ seum. of the American Herbalists Guild is a passing traditional wisdom and Membership categories include positive step. know ledge as well as current professional, student, associate, active, For more information write: medical models. and benefactors. Professional member­ American Herbalists Guild 6. To establish and maintain crite­ ship will be by invitation and sponsor­ Box 1127 ria and standards of education ship, based on nomination for outstand­ Forestville, CA 95436 for the professional practice of ing achievement and recognition in the herbalism. 7. To promote an ecologically healthy environment and to in­ Ginseng Institute Finds New Home crease awareness concerning the interdependence of all life, Headquarters of the Ginseng Research industry, home of over 1,500 growers." especially the plant-human re­ Institute of America (GRIA) has moved Research proposals on the health bene­ lationship. from its previous location in Roxbury, fits of American ginseng are currently 8. To serve as a liaison that inter­ NY to Wausau, Wise. Robert Duwe, being solicited. For more information, faces with other professional president of the Institute, said the pur­ contact The Ginseng Research Institute associations and regulatory pose for the move was "to attract long­ of America, 500 Third St., #208-2, agencies. term funding by situating GRIA activi­ Wausau, WI 54401 715/845-7300. 9. To promote further research, ties in the heart of the North American education and study of herbal medicine.

Page 38- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 POTPOURRI

Liberty Hyde Bailey: Botanist/Horticulturist Honored n 1958, the Council of the American botanical science. Bailey coined the uniquely American institution. Since Horticultural Society voted to name word "hortorium" to refer to a herbar­ farmers often could not go to college, I its highest annual award in honor of ium that includes plants of garden as Bailey, in effect, brought college to Liberty Hyde Bailey, whose contribu­ well as of natural origin. His successors them through a multitude of public in­ tions to American gardening exemplify formation bulletins issued by his office. its aim of promoting excellence in hor­ Bailey combined the best His long, productive life spanned the ticulture, and who served as keynote qualities of botanist and last half of the nineteenth century and speaker at the first American Horticul­ the first half of the twentieth-he tural Congress in 1946. At its Annual horticulturist. .. worked another thirty-six years after his Meeting in July, the Society will again "retirement." In fact, his major com­ carry on his work at the Bailey Horto­ honor Bailey in a special observance. plaint while convalescing from a bro­ rium bearing his name at Cornell Uni­ Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858-1954) ken thighbone caused by being hustled versity. As professor of horticulture illuminated the American garden scene through a revolving door in 1950 was (1889) and later dean of the College of as have few men. Author of more than that his upcoming plant-hunting trip to Agriculture at Cornell 1903-1913, sixty-seven books, and editor-in-chief Africa had to be canceled. He was 91 Bailey was a pioneer and chief spokes­ of the massive and still useful Cyclope­ at the time. (Horticulturist, Feb. 1989) man in the extension service program, a dia of American Horticulture (four vol­ umes, 1900-1902, revised later in sepa­ rate six- and three-volume editions), $650,000 Grant for Study of Peruvian Plants Bailey combined the best qualities of The Andrew W. Mellon Founda­ selected TROPICOS as the centtal data botanist and horticulturist at a time tion has awarded a three-year grant of base about plants, and signiflC81lt prog­ when plant scholars often had deep $650,000 to the Missouri Botanical ress has been made in centralizing in­ contempt for the practical benefits of Gardens which, under the direction of fonnatioo on plants of the New World Dr. Peter H. Raven, operates the most TROPICOS will provide several advan­ AIDS Research, from page 37 - active tropical botany research program tages over traditionally published mate­ they are consuming Chinese herbal pre­ in the world. The grant is to support rials. Scientists can easily search and scriptions. The focus will be on clinical ongoing studies of the plants of Peru sort infonnation through coded materi­ observations and blood parameters. 0 and will fund a botanist/computer ex­ als in the data base. This infonnation pert to refine the TROPICOS system, a is always the most current available, The following literature contains numerous data base developed by Garden bota­ since it is constantly updated as new references to publications in the scientific literature regarding the improvement of im­ nists. The National Science Foundation materials are discovered. mune system functions and treatments of vi­ ral and other infections via the actions of Chinese herbs and prescriptions. These ref­ Botanist and Herb Firm Aid Samoan Rain Forest erences are too numerous to list here; it is recommended that the review literature be When the government of Western Dr. Paul Cox, world-renowned eth­ consulted both for articles and reference Samoa required the village of Falealupo nobotanist at Brigham Young Univer­ on the island of Savai' i to construct a sity, contacted Ken Murdock, president Review Literature new elementary school, a debt was cre­ of Nature's Way, about the problem. ated which was impossible for the vil­ (Twenty-five years ago, Murdock lived Chang, H. M., editor. Abstracts of Chinese in Samoa for two and a half years serv­ Medicine, Chinese University of Hong lagers to repay. As a result, the chiefs ing as a missionary.) Nature's Way re­ Kong, quarterly journal since 1987. and caretakers of the Falealupo rain for­ Chang, H.M, and But, P.P.H., editors, Phar­ est who had, until then, courageously cently helped rescue the largest remain­ fTUlcology and Applications of Chinese protected their rain forest from commer­ ing lowland rain forest in Western Sa­ Materia Medica, World Scientific, cial exploitation, reluctantly relented moa, comprising approximately 30,000 1987 (two volumes). and allowed logging to begin in July acres.The contribution was made under Dharmananda, S., Chinese Herbal Therapies 1988. This irreplaceable forest is con­ a special covenant with the village for Immune Disorders, Institute for sidered by all of Samoa to be the spiri­ chiefs whereby the village retains com­ Traditional Medicine, 1988. tual focal point of their traditions, and is plete ownership of the rain forest and Enger, B., and Longs, E., editors, AIDS, the source of much of their food, medi­ has pledged to keep the forest in its Immunity, and Chinese Medicine, Ori­ cines, ceremonial artifacts, and folklore. pristine state for the next 50 years. ental Healing Arts Institute, 1989.

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 39 BOOK REVIEWS German Herbal Manual Now in English

HERBAL MEDICINE. by Rudolf Fritz names, Cnicus marianus, Canduus Weiss, M.D. Translated by A. R. Meuss marianus, and more correctly, Silybum from the Sixth German Edition of marianus. Lehrbuch der Phytotherapie. Beacons­ Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens, field Publishers, Ltd., Beaconsfield, alias Saba/ serrulata), highly regarded England. 1988. Softcover. 363 pp. in Europe, is described as growing Distributed in the U.S. by: Medicina Bi­ "wild in Mediterranean countries, from ologica, 4830 N.E. 32nd Ave., Portland, southern Spain and Majorca down to OR 97211. $49 postpaid. North Africa, where it is most com­ (Ed. Note: We received two reviews of this mon." As best I can determine, the spe­ book; one from Steven Foster, the other from cies, widely respected for prostate ail­ Dr. Jim Duke. Each offers a different per­ ments, is native to Florida, from whence spective, though their conclusions are the it is exported to Europe. I'm surprised same: get this book!) to read (and doubt) that in Europe the ice to be snowed in with a crisp enemas. Cited as both antiphlogistic evening primrose flowers remain "wide new book to review. And this and spasmolytic are (-)-alpha-bisabolol, open throughout the following day" af­ N one, being a translation of a Ger­ bisabolol-oxide, bisabolol-oxide-A,B ,C, ter opening. Here in Maryland, the man "Lehrbuch," is full of interesting chrysosplenin, chrysosplenol, and ja­ flowers close early in the morning (ex­ items that do not appear among the ceidin, with apigenin and chamazulene cept late in Autumn or on very cloudy herbal echoes of our English-language cited merely as spasmolytic and an­ wet days). I know not of beta-linolenic herbals. tiphlogistic respectively. acid for the evening primrose; a slip of It differs from many American Lending an even greater air of Weiss's pen, I suppose. It should read herbals, also pleasantly, in being ar­ credibility, Weiss candidly states: "It "gamma linolenic." ranged by indication rather than herb. has been stated that azulene also has an­ Coverage is good, with nearly 500 First off is the digestive system (Chap­ tiallergic properties, but as yet there has species binomials indexed. In spite of a ter 4), led by Hungarian chamomile, been no experimental proof." few errors, I find this to be a well-illus­ well illustrated by Dinzinger, with dis­ trated, interesting, and useful reference book, fairly well indexed, and very wel­ courses on other chamomiles. Effective ... this book has evolved ingredients are summarized, azulene as come on my nearest bookshelf. - J AD anti-inflammatory and febrifugal, bisab­ from the German phytoth­ olol as anti-inflammatory, antiulcero­ erapy tradition, where his book, Herbal Medicine, is genic, and spasmolytic (three times herbal medicine is at unequivocally the most useful more active than papaverine). Sharing least an accepted medical T English-language text on the sub­ my belief in synergies, the author adds ject to come across my desk since the "chamomile flowers ... contain a whole modality... long-outdated, but still useful Felter and complex of active principles which only Lloyd's 18th edition of King's Ameri­ gives the full chamomile effect when Following the pharmacological can Dispensatory. From the outset it is used in its totality.... Where chamo­ paragraph, chamomile preparations are important to understand that this book mile is concerned, chamomile tea, or al­ discussed. The author then moves on to has evolved from the German phytoth­ ternatively, fluid extract of chamomile, peppermint, long famed as a carmina­ erapy tradition, where herbal medicine is greatly to be preferred to pure az­ tive, giving it a parallel treatment is at least an accepted medical modality, ulene." When my wife was suffering gall­ if not sanctioned. All important and American medicine, by contrast, stone attacks, I would have referred to controversial issues (such as "Native tends to isolate the azulene and throw this book had I had it. On page 29, Substance versus Pure Substance," "Ob­ out all its synergistic consorts. Weiss Weiss notes that patients with gallstones jections to Phytotherapy," "Phytother­ names the scientists responsible for ad­ (and nausea) "will benefit from pepper­ apy is not Homeopathy," "Side Ef­ vancing the knowledge about chamo­ mint tea" (although that reference to fects," "Phytotherapy in Modem Medi­ mile with brief references sporadically gallstones is not indexed). Certainly I cine," and "The Placebo Problem in included in the text Weiss enumerated would take a peppermint tea to counter Proof of Efficacy," just to scratch the several chamomile compounds that are the nausea of a bilious attack, were I to surface) dealing with herbs and their both anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic, suffer such. role in medicine are discussed in the without commenting on whether their A few errors slipped in here and first three chapters of the book. combined activities would be antagonis­ there. Milk thistle, also called Marian The fourteen chapters that follow tic, additive, or synergistic. I'll bet on thistle (not indexed, e.g., page 79), is deal with specific herbal therapies, ra­ the latter without endorsing chamomile carried under three different scientific tionale, preparation, dose, and refer-

Page 40- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 BOOK REVIEWS Color Photos Give New Age Herbal Extra Edge

THE NEW AGE HERBALIST. pallida" and Echinacea pallida labelled Richard Mabey (ed.), Photography by "Echinacea angustifolia." It's not the Philip Dowell. Macmillan (hardcover first time that there has been confusion $32.50), Collier Books (softcover about the identify of Echinacea species, $16.95): Macmillan or Collier Books, however. On the same page (p. 50) a 866 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022. goldenrod species is mislabeled Soli­ 1988. 288 pp. dago canadensis. Hopefully these un­ fortunate mistakes will be corrected in his is essentially a British produc­ future printings of the book. If for no tion offered to an American audi­ other reason, buy the book for the fabu­ T ence, attempting to cover all the lous photography. bases as "a complete guide for natural In Part Two of the book every as­ living, recommending healthy herbal al­ pect of herb use is covered in five chap­ ternatives to synthetic chemical prod­ ters. Chapter two covers herbs and the ucts." Part one of the book, "under­ user, and plants and human technology. standing herbs," is primarily an ency­ Chapter three includes preparations, clopedic treatment of 200 species of cellent photographs that set the book body'care, mind and relaxation, aro­ herbs for healthy living. Each listing apart from all other titles currently matherapy, home care, fragrance, dye­ included parts used, constituents, main available. Most impressive, except for ing with plants, and insect repellants. uses, cautions and restrictions, coupled the mis-identified plants such as Echi­ Chapter four covers herbs for nutrition with small pen and inks of each plant nacea purpurea labelled "Echinacea and health. This is the culinary section This is one of the best popular quick dealing with herb use and health from a references to medicinal uses of herbs preventative perspective. Here, one that I have seen. One of the most ap­ This Is one of the best finds teas, vinegars, herb salads, and pealing aspects of this section of the popular quick references to wild edibles. Chapter five deals with book is the fact that the medicinal infor­ medicinal uses of herbs green medicine aspects, covering differ­ mation is often but not always refer­ ent body systems and first aid. Chapter enced to scientific literature. that I have seen. One of six gives the basics of herb gardening. Color photographs of plants on a the most appealing aspects Looks like the editors were burned out seamless white background are scat­ of this section of the book by the time they got to compiling the tered throughout the book. These in­ Is the fact that the medici­ tiny resource section and the very basic, clude freshly harvested wild plants sup­ but useful chemical glossary. plied by Suffolk Herbs, Sawyers Farms, nal Information Is often but This is the best all-round "be eve­ Little Conrad, Sudbury, Suffolk, and not always referenced to rything" popular herbal I've seen in a dried plant material supplied by G. scientific literature. long time. A standard popular refer­ Baldwin & Co., London. It is these ex- ence. -SF

Herbal Medicine------­ ences, according to body system and most of the European commercial prod­ your library (unless you read Chinese or disease condition-the digestive system, ucts mentioned in the book are not German). Besides, as Alexander Pope the cardiovascular system, the respira­ available here, the sometimes conflict­ once wrote (as quoted in Botanico-Peri­ tory system, etc. You will fmd more ing information in which knowledge odicum-Huntianum): detail, more factual information backed­ from earlier editions was not replaced up with scientific literature, more clini­ by updates in later editions, and the "Whoever thinks a faultless piece cal experience, more explanation for the nightmarish manner in which the refer­ to see rationale of using a plant, preparation, ences are typeset at the end of each sec­ Thinks what ne'er was, nor is, or combination, and more benefit of ex­ tion (requiring glasses to make sense of nor ne'er will be." perience, than you will find in any other the citations or a change in prescription single source. if you already wear them). But, hey, Words for reviewers to live by. On the negative side, I could point why bother? The fact is this: Herbal Are you interested in medicinal plants? out the few misspellings, the sometimes Medicine is simply better than any book "Yes," means you've just been sold a out-dated Latin binomials, the fact that in print on the subject you now have in copy of this book. - SF

HerbaiGram No. 20 - Spring 1989 - Page 41 BOOK REVIEWS "Pianetierra" Herbology

PLANETARY HERBOLOGY. this volume, is not only a Sanskrit By Michael Tierra. Lotus Press, P.O. scholar and author, but also teaches both Box 6265, Santa Fe, NM 87502-6265. Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. This essay offers the reader a valuable in­ 1988. Softcover 485 pp. $18.95 sight into these two ancient systems. I (Ed Note: Like the reviews ofWeiss's am sure the publishers and author had to Herbal Medicine, we offer two reviews of labor long over the decision whether to this book. First, Mark Blumenthal's some­ position these Appendices at the end of what philosophical review, and then botani­ the book or as part of the initial intro­ cal book curmudgeon Steven Foster's char­ ductory material, as they add an impor­ acteristically more critical treatment.) tant dimension of understanding, espe­ cially for the novice. The "herbal" or "materia medica" e are living in a time when portion of the book is arranged by func­ synthesis seems to be the or­ tions. That is, herbs are grouped by W der of the day. East is meet­ their primary therapeutic functions, such ing West in many of our cultural as­ as "heat clearing," "surface relieving," pects: food, medicine, religion, art, busi­ with his own clinical practice of acu­ laxatives, stimulants, tonics, sedatives ness management, and more. Medicine puncture and food counseling. To Ti­ and nervines, diuretics, etc. Thus, we has experienced the emergence of a erra, herbs are not merely mixtures of find Elecampane root (lnula helenium, "holistic" movement in which practitio­ chemical soups to be reduced by the whose Latin name is misspelled in the ners visualize the whole body/mind as Western physicalist/reductionist/scien­ book) listed as a tonic for its "chi tonic" one phenomenon. There are many more tific mind to their lowest common de­ properties, instead of finding it listed in examples of how seemingly disparate nominator and "active ingredients." To the section with "Expectorants and forces, trends, customs, and ideas are Michael Tierra, the sum of the whole is Antitussives" where one would most blending into a global awareness. greater than the parts. likely expect to find Elecampane. But McLuhan's "global village" is upon us. because it acts to clear lungs and Enter into this arena the popular Although suitable for the thereby increase "prana" and "chi," it is herbalist, author, and teacher Michael beginner, it is more valu­ listed as a tonic. Such is the orientation Tierra. His first book, The Way of of herbology within the Chinese/Ayur­ Herbs, sold hundreds of thousands of able to those who have a vedic tradition. copies. In Planetary Herbology, Tierra basic degree of familiarity Another example might be the clas­ continues his progression into the uses with herbs, which these sification of Camphor (Cinnamonum of herbs from various cultures. To my camphora) in the "sedative and nervine" knowledge never before in the English days would mean thou­ category. Usually considered to be a language has one herbal attempted to sands of people. circulatory stimulant, it can also have treat the herbal lore of China, India, Eu­ sedative and anti-spasmodic properties, rope and America in such a comprehen­ One of the highlights of the text is depending on dosage and mode of ad­ sive manner. the Appendices. The "Chemistry of ministration. But in Tierra's world, this The first hundred pages or so deals Herb Energetics," by botanist/author herb is listed as a sedative. To journey with Tierra's own brand of eclectic Christopher Hobbs, in which an attempt into the world of herbs with Tierra, the global (I mean "Planetary") herbalism. is made to clarify the Oriental energetic reader must sometimes forego some He devotes a fair amount of space to an theories with respect to Western chemi­ previously acquired Western herbalism explanation of the "nature" of herbs cal pharmacology, is probably the first in order to be able to get the whole pic­ through the energetic system of herb treatment on this subject this reviewer ture. Such are the demands of a "Plane­ classification. This system of typifying has ever seen. Truly a synthesis here! tary" perspective. herbs according to thier energies (heat/ The second appendix, "Herbal Sup­ The short monograph on each herb cold, damp/dry, bitter/sweet, etc.) is plements for Vegetarians," by Tierra, is includes the energetics, the acupuncture how they are considered in the Chinese both practical and timely, given the in­ meridians and organs affected, which and Ayurvedic systems of traditional creased interest in non-meat diets these part of the herb is used, active chemical medicine. days. constituents, pharmacological proper­ Tierra treats his subject with the re­ Another accomplishment of this ties, usage (indications) and dosage. spect that one would come to expect of book at providing synthesis is David The information is gleaned from numer­ a man who is dedicated to teaching and Frawley's treatment of the comparison ous references (interesting bibliography) practicing the ancient arts of using herbs of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine in plus Tierra's own experience. by their energies, mixing herbology the third appendix. Frawley, who edited Although suitable for the beginner,

Page 42- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 BOOK REVIEWS

any consumers have been wait­ listings in this chapter carefully against heading, with no clearly defmed inten­ ing for another book to comple­ product labelling and make sure that the tion. Patchouli, we are told, is repre­ M ment the author's Way of Herbs. book is not displayed in the store in sented by Agastache rugosa (Anise Planetary Herbology is born of Michael such a way as to constitute labelling. Hyssop) and Pogostemon cab/in (Patch­ Tierra's concept of blending and inte­ The perception, real or false, that the ouli). While they may be used inter­ grating Western herbalism with the di­ book promotes a product line, is troub­ changably in Chinese medicine, they agnostic and therapeutic traditions of ling from a journalistic standpoint are two very different products from a Chinese and East Indian herbalism. That covers the first 142 pages. Western perspective. The reader has no The author builds on the theme of Part Two is an encyclopedic treatment clue. Under "birch" we fmd Betula "Planetary Herbalism" as a concept of of over 400 herbs and other medicinal alba and B. lenta treated as one-two harmonizing the best points of the substances, including information on very different products. While B. alba world's most developed traditional their "energetics," "meridians/organs af­ may produce only a "trace of essential herbal medicine systems (such as differ­ fected," "parts used," "active constitu­ oil," Betula lenta produces substantially ential classification of disease and ener­ ents," "properties," "uses," "dosage," more. Under Spikenard, we fmd Aralia getic classifications of herbs) with use­ and where appropriate, "precautions." racemosa properly listed, along with ful scientific knowledge. These are arranged in chapters accord­ three other species, "A. califorica" [sic], The first part of the book intro­ ing to their functions and uses from A. nudicaulis (the first time I have seen duces us to "Planetary Herbalism," its "heat-clearing herbs" to sedatives. In this species described as Spikenard), roots, and historical traditions, and dis­ these articles various herbal traditions and "A. quinquefolia," a synonym for cusses the nature of plant energetics as are blended, from Chinese and histori­ American ginseng (Panax quinquefo­ viewed in Chinese and Ayurvedic tradi­ cal American uses to scientific vindica­ lium) out of usage for more than 100 tions. We learn how herbal medicines tion. Those interested in quick refer­ years. That name has no place here or are viewed as foods. Next, the author ence information on the use of herbs anywhere else in the book. Names are explores Western traditions including will fmd this section handy and useful. reference points. Here, too often, the the European tradition, Native Ameri­ Information on dosage, lacking in many use of names is ambiguous. Their util­ can herbalism, and the Eclectics. books, is available here. ity as reference points is lost "Preparation and Processing of The major drawback in the book Planetary Herbology (and I am still Herbs" follows with clear guidelines for comes in credibility of presentation. It looking for an English language diction­ dosage and administration of herbs. is a sea of misspellings, errors in capi­ ary that lists the word "herbology") is Chapters on "principles of food ther­ talization, bad hyphenation, lack of an interesting book full of thought-pro­ apy," "eight methods of herbal ther­ footnoting for quoted references voking directions for herbalism, both apy," and a brief discussion of "diseases (coupled with their absence from the philosophical and practical. Many will and their treatment" follow. Then bibliography), and other problems that find it a useful, helpful reference. comes a chapter on "Planetary Formu­ could have been avoided with more 2There is a lot here. Lotus Press las" which has the appearance of an ad­ than cursory attention to editing. Many should be commended for bringing this vertising section for the product line of of the Latin plant names are misspelled, valuable text to the public, but not in the same name, endorsed by the author. intermixed with inconsistencies-too this condition. I hope before a second While actual product names are not many of each. Some of the "Latin printing reaches the presses, the book mentioned, recommended dosage for names" combine pharmaceutical Latin will benefit from the proper editing that many of the formulas is in tablet form, with botanical Latin. A number of the is commensurate with the respect due and I can't find instructions for tablet­ Latin names are long out-of-date. the author. - SF ing in the "preparations and processing" Sometimes more than one Latin name chapter. Store owners should check falls under the same common name it is more valuable to those who have a ics and applied it not only to the more systems. So be it. After all, where and basic degree of familiarity with herbs, popular major Ayurvedic herbs, but also when do we ever arrive at the limits of which these days would mean thousands to Western herbs as well. Thus, the knowledge on any subject? of people. Practitioners of acupuncture reader can fmd such staple Western Tierra may or may not be exploring and other "alternative" therapies will no herbs as Goldenseal, Echinacea, and the limits of current knowledge about doubt find this book useful. Oregon Grape Root with information herbs, but there is no doubt that he is Quite predictably, this book will be regarding their particular energies from providing herb students with valuable hailed as a welcome addition to the lit­ the Oriental perspective. To this, add information in areas that are becoming erature on Eastern herbal lore by enthu­ the Chinese perspective of how each more popular among an increasingly siasts of both Ayurveda and Traditional herb affects the acupuncture meridians larger segment of the population. One Chinese Medicine. Like Frawley and and you have "Planetary Herbology." can only wonder where he will go next Lad in The Yoga of Herbs (the most de­ However, some herbalists, bota­ for more interesting herbs to incorporate finitive American book to date on Ayur­ nists, pharmacists and others of a simi­ into the evolving body of Western vedic herbs, from the same publisher, lar conventional Western training might herbal lore. Should we expect "Galactic 1986), Tierra has taken the principles of find Tierra's approach a challenge to Herbology" in a few years? - MB the Ayurvedic system of herbal energet- their botanical/pharmacological belief

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 43 BOOK REVIEWS

Neanderthal Nibbling: The Missing Link Diet?

THE PALEOLITHIC PRESCRIP­ 7. Consume considerably more fiber TION. A PROGRAM OF DIET (50-100 mg/day), more from fruits AND EXERCISE AND A DESIGN and vegetables, and less from FOR LIVING. S. Boyd Eaton, Mar­ grains. jorie Shostak, and Melvin Konner. 8. Take calorie-sparse rather than Harper and Row, New York. 306 calorie-dense food. pp. $17.95. 9. Consume no alcohol (or considera­ bly less than the 7-10% of total Certainly this is more readable than calories that most Americans con­ most diet books, but then again, it's as sume each day.) much philosophy as prescription. The philosophy is that of paleolithic fora­ Herbalists (and readers of gers, as viewed from afar, with evi­ HerbalGram) will recognize that the dence justifying the interpretation. 3. Diabetes: More exercise, more non­ changes indicated above are natural if The main thesis of the book, at nutrient fiber and complex carbo­ you live off the land, grazing in the least in this reader's eye, is that the hydrates, fewer simple sugars forest instead of the supermarket. The genes of modem man equip him more 4. Chronic obstructive lung disease: authors frequently remind us that our to live in the paleolithic world, with pa­ · No smoking genes equip us better for the forager's leolithic family, foraging , and exercise 5. Cancer: Less fat; more calcium, than the supermarket diet Not giving patterns, than in an affluent "New more non-digestible fiber, no short shrift to heritage (handed down Age," "Rock and Roll" America. smoking, no alcohol mouth-to-mouth, generation to genera­ The main argument of the book, 6. Osteoporosis: More exercise, more tion), the authors credit our ancestors the discordance hypothesis, is advanced calcium for "Complex and beautifully crafted in Chapter 3. "Fully 99 percent of our 7. Hearing loss: A void noise weapons, potent poisons, increased un­ genetic heritage dates from the period 8. Dental caries: Less refmed sugar derstanding of edible and inedible before our ancestors became human 9. Alcohol diseases: No alcohol (or no plants, and of medicinal herbs ... " (and of the remainder, 99 percent dates more than 2-3 drinks a day) I stop that quote with medicinal from before the development of 10. Diverticular disease: More fiber herbs, to emphasize my major criticism agriculture) ... So here we are in the late 11. Obesity: More exercise, more fi­ of the book. That's about as far as the twentieth century, with a 40,000-year­ ber, less saturated fat authors, two of them medical doctors, old model body ... with genetic makeups go in mentioning medicinal plants. essentially out of synch with our life­ If you're the average American, But their logic re diet could, it styles, and inevitable here's what the authors say you need to seems to this biased review, as well be discordance ... This mismatch-referred do to "go paleolithic." extended to medicine. Ninety-nine to here as the discordance hypothesis­ percent of our genes have been with can account for many of our illnesses, 1. Eat half as much fat. humankind over 40,000 years, and especially the chronic diseases of civili­ 2. Reverse your polyunsaturated/satu­ have co-evolved with the plants and zation that cause 75 percent of the rated fat ration, favoring the for­ animals which we have learned to use deaths in industrial societies." mer. as food and medicines. Are we not as A modem forager's diet, like a pa­ 3. Consume more complex carbohy­ well equipped to deal with paleolithic leolithic forager's diet, can help avoid drates and crude fiber and less re­ medicines as we are to deal with paleo­ many of these "diseases of civiliza­ fmed sugar and finely ground flour. lithic diets? If so, I'm pretty well on tion." They are listed below with the 4. Consume only one-fourth as much the way to compiling the paleolithic paleolithic prescription. sodium, in the process consuming pharmacy, which should interest many more potassium than sodium. of our readers. The Paleolithic Pre­ 1. Atherosclerosis: Less fat, more ex­ 5. Double your calcium intake. scription, here reviewed, should appeal ercise, no tobacco 6. Get an abundance of micronutrients, to a wide spectrum of readers, from 2. Hypertension: Less sodium, more especially iron, folate, ascorbic foragers and herbalists to nutritionists. calcium and potassium; more exer­ acid, vitamin B 12, and essential I recommend it highly.- JAD cise fatty acids.

Page 44- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 BOOK REVIEWS

Masterpiece of Medicinal Mushrooms

ICONES OF MEDICINAL FUNGI charged to NICPBP, China's counter­ FROM CHINA. By Ying Jianzhe, ICIIIIIf part to the FDA. They develop stan­ Mao Xiaolan, Ma Qiming, Zhong Yi­ llllCIIll dards for identification and quality of chen, and Wen Huaan. Translated filii drugs used in China, both chemical and by Xu Yuehan. Science Press, Bei­ fill Cllll herbal. The NICPBP's specimen col­ jing. 1987. Hardcover. 575 pp. lection includes over 60,000 plant and $90.00 (shipping $4.00) Available animal drug samples from all over in U.S. from: American Botanist China, including substitutes and adul­ Books, 1103 West Truitt Ave., Chilli­ terants. They are neatly organized and cothe, IL 61523. displayed in specimen jars within seem­ ingly endless rows of glass cabinets. If I had a chance to visit the Medici­ ...... one wants to know the form of a tradi­ nal Fungus Department of the Institute tional Chinese plant drug, this is the of Medicinal Plant Development in Bei­ miliar to the Western mushroomer. collection to see. NICPBP also has an jing last year. Here scientists were Without seeing the title of the book, excellent herbarium with pressed working on bringing mushrooms used thumbing through it could make one specimens of all drug plants. The cur­ in Traditional Chinese Medicine under think they were looking at a beautiful rent 1985 edition of the Pharmacopeia cultivation for the first time. The Rei­ color guide to mushrooms of North shi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) America. Science Press has again With each entry, this book was growing in row upon row of jars in made a major contribution to the me­ gives a clear, detailed bo­ a cellar. In a laboratory above, poly­ dicinal plant literature that is not only saccharides were being extracted for useful, but beautiful and essential. tanical description (includ­ use in an injectable drug used as an ad­ -SF ing Latin name and author­ junct immunostimulant therapy for pa­ Note: When ordering this book and ity}, as well as habitat and tients undergoing chemotherapy cancer Colour Atlas of Chinese Traditional distribution. treatment Across the city, at the Insti­ Medicines, allow eight weeks for deliv­ tute of Chinese Materia Medica, Acad­ ery. of the People's Republic of China con­ emy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a tains over 500 plant drugs. Over 200 similar product was being produced obscure "nationality medicines," drugs from Polyporus umbellatus. COLOUR ATLAS OF CHINESE TRADITIONAL DRUGS. Vol. 1. used by ethnic groups in China were We often think of mushrooms in dropped from the revised Chinese terms of food or poison, rarely as medi­ Edited by The National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biologi­ Pharmacopeia due to lack of availabil­ cine, but the Chinese have been using cal Products. Science Press, Beijing. ity throughout all of China. mushrooms for medicinal uses for at 1987. Hardcover. 300 pp. $80.00 The Colour Atlas of Chinese Tradi­ least 2,000 years. This compendium, (shipping $6.00) Available in U.S. tional Drugs Vol. 1 is the first of three covering 272 species, enumerates Chi­ from: American Botanist Books, 1103 volumes serving as an English-language nese medicinal fungi. They are alpha­ West Truitt Ave., Chillicothe, IL 61523. interpretive text of the 500 official betically arranged by scientific name. plant drugs recognized by the Chinese Each write-up includes a description of n a trip to Beijing last Septem­ Pharmacopeia! Committee to be pro­ the mushroom and identifying features, ber, I had the pleasure of visit­ duced by NICPBP. Anyone interested followed by "habitat," "distribution," 0ing the National Institute for the Con­ in Chinese medicinal plants (or uses of plus notes on medicinal value, often in­ trol of Pharmaceutical and Biological horticulturals growing in the U.S.) will cluding traditional knowledge and al­ Products (NICPBP), with Prof. Yueh want to own this volume. One hundred ways including current referenced sci­ Chung-hsi. Prof. Yueh had been as­ ftfty drugs, mostly plants, but including entific citations. signed to this institution from 1972- some animal drugs, are included. The While providing a wealth of infor­ 1976 to work on the 1977 edition of the volume contains over 600 (that's not a mation, the chief feature of the book is Pharmacopeia of the People's Republic misprint) excellent, clear, detailed, the attractive, accurate, color art work of China, which included over 700 well-composed, beautifully reproduced opposite the text on each plant. Many plant drugs. Producing China's Phar­ color photographs. The photos not only of the fungi genera in this book are fa- macopeia is only one of the duties See Atlas, page 46

HertaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 45 BOOK REVIEWS SPECIAL REPORT

Tricosanthes, from page 25 -- Atlas, frompage46 ----­ tion trials in humans have now begun. depict each plant in its native habitat or According to a 13 April 1989 press These trials are designed to determine in a commercially cultivated situation, release from San Francisco General the safety and tolerance of GLQ223 in but details of the flowers and fruits, the HospitaV UCSF, which coincided with humans. Further information on the plant part used for medicine, and a the publication of the research paper, Phase I trials will not be released from photo of the finished form of the crude Sandoz, Ltd., the Swiss pharmaceutical the researchers or collaborating institu­ drug. Great pains were taken to fmd giant, helped fmance the research and tions until the study is completed. excellent specimens to photograph at will have exclusive rights to market the If trichosanthin cures AIDS, it may the proper stage of growth, then before product. The press release states that be equivalent to curing the plague. But photographs were taken, each plant and the drug seems to "block HIV replica­ will the Third World be able to afford crude drug material was scientifically tion in infected T -cells and kills HIV­ it? There is a tendency in the industry identified. infected macrophages-the body's to make semisynthetic derivatives, As a person with a botanical orien­ scavenger cells-in cell cultures." It which may be more proprietary, effica­ tation, I am frustrated by most English­ does so by selectively killing cells har­ cious, safe, and/or soluble. Trichosan­ language books on Chinese medicinal boring the AIDS virus, apparently with­ thin, applied parenterally, can cause plants which fail to describe the source out affecting uninfected cells. To this abortion. At this point, it is suspected plant of the drug. With each entry, this point the results have only come from that orally ingested trichosanthin will book gives a clear detailed botanical cell culture tests in the laboratory - not pass into the bloodstream, where, description (including Latin name and not studies in animals or humans. Ex­ presumably, it is needed for AIDS. authority), as well as habitat and distri­ tensive clinical trials will be necessary That seems an important question for bution. Next comes information on the before any definitive conclusions can Third-World scientists to tackle while part harvested, timing of harvest, be drawn from the cell culture studies. First World scientists wrestle with method of preparation, processing or Trichosanthin, deemed the active building a proprietary drug that can re­ cleaning, and a description of the drug ingredient of GLQ223, has been tested coup the $125 million it takes to prove part itself, along with notes on flavor in humans by Chinese researchers. a new drug safe and efficacious. and fragrance. Notes on the chemistry Chang & But (1986) reported on clini­ No one should, in desperation, be of the plant follow. Finally, there is a cal studies on more than 10,000 human injecting or ingesting unknown sub­ brief enumeration of medicinal charac­ subjects using trichosanthin (but not in stances from the Cucurbitaceae. Dr. teristics and applications. AIDS treatment). The New York Times McGrath notes the case of 6 AIDS pa­ While those who are not interested ran a feature article on GLQ223 on tients who went to China, bought some in Chinese medicinal plants may not April 18, 1989. Under the headline, white powder said to be cucumber root, think this book is for them, think twice. "Early Tests Promising For a New injected it, suffered seizures and fevers, Not only is the book a valuable re­ AIDS Drug," Gina Kalata acknowl­ and were hospitalized. He speculates search tool to any scientist working on edges that "the plant extract has been that they bought a crude extract of natural products, herbalists, and practi­ used in China since A.D. 300 to induce plant proteins, including lectins, which tioners of Chinese medicine, but for the abortion. It [GLQ223] is also the only cause blood cells to stick together and herb enthusiast simply interested in a drug that deals directly with macroph­ which can be lethal. The drug that Dr. beautiful, profusely illustrated herbal age cells, which serve as a reservoir for McGrath and his colleagues studied is for the coffee table, this book is among the virus in the body .... people with believed to be highly purified, consist­ the best "glossy herbals" I've seen in AIDS typically have tens of billions of ing of a single protein from the plant years. And many of the plants are fa­ infected macrophage cells." root miliar to Americans. Here we find peo­ "Other drugs, like AZT, the only Farnsworth is concerned that clini­ nies, Rose-of-Sharon, Flowering­ drug now licensed for the treatment of cal trials may experience some of the quince, Garden Balsam, Bletilla Or­ AIDS," the New York Times report same difficulties that the Chinese expe­ chid, Mimosa (Albizzia), Lilyturf, continues, "prevent the virus from rep­ rienced with respect to sensitization and Cockscomb, and Balloon Flower. Here licating in T -4 cells, which are immune anaphylaxis after the initial exposure. we also find common familiar "weeds" system cells that are destroyed by the He wonders whether researchers will be such as Purslane, Self-Heal (Prunella), virus. But they do not affect the able to knock out the HIV virus with Plantain, Burdock, and Japanese macrophages." (Kolata, 1989.) only one initial dose, without putting Honeysuckle. If you are a natural In a 27 April 1989 press release, the patient at further risk with subse­ products researcher, this book is a San Francisco General Hospital an­ quent treatments. must. If you are simply interested in nounced that FDA approval has been Adds Farnsworth, "What do you do appreciating plants for their beauty and granted for Genelab's Investigational if a drug like GLQ223 proves to beef­ use, you will want to own this volume. New Drug (IND) application for Phase fective for HIV? Once you kill off the Highly recommended.- SF I clinical trials. Initial GLQ223 injec- virus, what happens to a person with

Page 46- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 SPECIAL REPORT virtually no immune system left intact? Chang, H.M. and P.P.H. But. 1986. Phar­ Ti Bu). Part 1. Beijing: People's Health If Chinese herbs hold the answer to macology and Applications of Chinese Publishing House and Chemical Indus­ Materia Medica Vol. 1. Singapore: try Publishing House (in Chinese). killing the AIDS virus, then possibly World Scientific Publishing Co. Tian­ Yueh, C.H., and C.Y. Cheng. 1974. "A Pre­ Chinese herbs-i.e. the traditional ton­ huafen: pp. 168-180. liminary Study on the Chinese medici­ ics like ginseng and astragalus, etc.­ Duke, J. A. and E. A. Ayensu. 1985. Me­ nal species of the Genus Trichosanthes may also hold the key to restoring im­ dicinal Plants of China. 2 vols. Al­ L." Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica gonac, MI: Reference Publications. 12(4): 415-457, (in Chinese). mune functions!" 0 Farnsworth, N.R. 1989. Personal communi­ Yueh, C.H., and L.T. Ching. 1980. "Mor­ cation. phological and Histological Studies on (Editor's note: Unauthorized AIDs Hartwell, J. L. 1982. Plants Used Against the Chinese Drug Tian-hua-fen, its treatment has been underway in several Cancer. Lawrence, MA: Quarterman adulterants and substitutes." Acta Phar­ Publications (reprint of "Plants Used maceutica Sinica 17(10): 766-782 (in major American cities, under the direc­ Against Cancer: A Survey. Lloydia, Chinese). tion of several physicians and biochem­ 1967-71). Yueh, C.H., and C.Y. Cheng. 1980. 'The ists. One patient reportedly died in late Kolata, Gina. 1989. "Early Tests Promising Chinese Medicinal Species of the Ge­ For a New AIDS Drug," New York nus Trichosanthes L." Acta Phytotax­ June from complications possibly re­ Times. April18, 1989. onomica Sinica 18(3): 333-354 (in Chi­ sulting from Tricosanthin injections. Lou, Z.C., P.G. Xiao, and G.J. Xu (ed.). nese). The FDA is now investigating un­ 1980. Chinese Materia Medica (Zong Yueh, C.H., and C.Y. Cheng. 1982. "Sec­ authorized trichosanthin treatment pro­ Yao Zhi) Vol. 1. Beijing: People's ond Report of Tian-hua-fen." Acta Health Publishing House (in Chinese). Pharmaceutica Sinica 17(10): 766-782 grams. Stay tuned... ) McGrath, M.S., et. al. 1989. "GLQ223: An (in Chinese). inhibitor of human immunodeficiency Yueh, C.H. 1985. ''Trichosanthes: Identifi­ virus replication in acutely and chroni­ cation and Uses." Update on Herbs References: cally infected cells of lymphocyte and 2(4): 23-24. Bingel, A.S. and H. H. S. Fong. 1988. Po­ mononuclear phagocyte lineage." Proc. Yueh, C.H, and Y.L. Zhang. 1986. Studies tential Fertility-regulating Agents from Natl. Acad. Sci . 86: 2844-2848, April, on the Pollen Morphology of Chinese Plants. In H. Wagner, H. Hikino and 1989. Trichosanthes. Bulletin of Botanical N.R. Farnsworth (eds.) Economic and Pharmacopeia Committee of the Ministry of Research. 6(2): 21-35 (in Chinese). Medicinal Plant Research. Vol. 2. Health. 1985. Pharmacopeia of the Yueh, C.H. 1987. Personal communication Orlando, FL: Academic Press. People's Republic of China (Zhong with S. Foster during collaboration Hua Ren Min Gong He Guo Yao Dian, from May-Dec. 1987. 0

Feverfew, from page 35

Hepinstall, S., el a/. 1985. ''Extracts of feverfew inhibit granule secretion in blood platelets and polymor­ Kupchan, S. M., et aL 1970. ''Reactions of Alpha Meth­ Rorno, J., eta/. 1970. "Constituents of Artemisia and phonuclear leucocytes." The Lancet, May II : ylene Lactone Tumor Inhibitors with Model Bio­ Ouysanthemum Species - The Suuctures of 1071. logical Nucleophiles." Science 168: 37&.3TI. Ouysantemins AB." Phytochemistry 9: 1615. Hepinstall, S. 1988. ''Feverfew - an ancient remedy for KUitzke, J.F. 1982. 'The current neurologic burden of Schneider, A. 1921 . The Microanalysis of Powthred modern times?" J. Royal Soc . Med. 81 : 373-374. illness and injury in the U.S." Neurology (Ny) 32: Vegetable Drugs, 2nd ed. Philadelphia: P. Hepinstall, S., el a/. 1988. '1nhibition of Platelet Be­ 1207. Blalriston's Son & Co. haviour by Feverfew: a Mechanism of Action In· Lewis, Dr. 1790. The Edinburgh New DispMsatory. Soucek, M. 1960. "On tetpenes. CXVII. Constitution of volving Sulphydryl Groups." Folia Haematol., Edinburgh: William Creech. panhenolide." Phytochemistry 25: 788. Leipzig 115: 447449. Li, Shih-Chen . 1578. ChiiU!Se Medicinal Herbs. San Soucek. M. 1961 . "On tetpenes. CXVUI. Constitution of Hill, J. 1808. The Family Herbal. Bungay: C. Brightly Francisco: Georgetown Press, 1973. parthenolide." Phytochemistry 26: 803. & T. Kinnersley. l..Osche, W., el aL 1988. "Inhibition of the Behaviour of Stefanovic, M. 1980. [title missing]. Plallla Medica 39: Hylands, D.M. 1984. ''How to Identify the correct vari· Human Polynuclear Leukocytes by an Extract of 264. ety of feverfew." Migraine matters 2: 25. Chrysanthemum parthel'lium." Plallla Medica 54: Steiner, M.B. 1980. "Migraine in patients attending a Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Hunan Prov· 38!-384. migraine clinic: an analysis by computer of age, ince. 1970. A Barefoot Doctor's MtuWal. Seattle: l..Osche, W., eta/. 1988. ''Feverfew-An Antifhro. sex and family history." Headache, July: !90. Ooudburst Press. mobotic Drug?'' Folia Haematol., Leipzig 115: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1985. 'The statistical <1>­ !vie, G.W . and D.A. Witzel. [d.rn.] "Sesquitetpene lac­ 181·184. stract of the United States. Waahington: Superin· tones: structure, biological action and toxicological Makheja, A.N. and J.M. Bailey. 1981 . 'The active prin­ tendent of Documents, U.S. Gov. Printing Office. significance." U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, College ciple in feverl'ew." The lAncet, November?: Voyno-Yasenetskaya, T.A., eta/. 1988. ''Effects of an Station, Texas. 1054. extract of feverfew on endothelial cell integrity and Jain, M.K. and D.V. Jahagirdar. 1985. "Action of Makheja, A.N. and J.M. Bailey. 1982. "A platelet on cAMP in rabbit pezfused aorta." J. Pltarm. phospholipase inhibitor from the medicinal herb Pha17fiDCol. 40: 50!-502. phospholipase A1 on bilayers. Effect of inhibitors. Biochimica el Biophysica Acta 814: 319. feverfew (fanacelum parthel'lium). Prostaglan. Williamson, L. M , eta/. 1988. ''Effect offeverfew on Johnson, E.S. 1984. F eveifew, A traditional herbal rem· Leukotr. and Med. 8: 653. phagocytosis and killing of Candida guilliennondii edy for migraitu and arthritis. London: Sheldon Mitchell, J.C., eta/. 1971. "Allergic contact dcnnatitis by neutrophils." Inflammation 12: 11 -16. Press. caused by Artmrisia and Ouysanthemurn species. Johnson, E.S., el a/. 1985. "Efficacy of feverfew as pro­ Role of sesquiterpene lactones." J. Invest. Derma· phylactic treatment of migraine." British Med. J. to/. 56: 98 . 291 : 569. Mutphy, JJ., eta/. 1988. ''Randomised double-blind Johnson, E.S., et a/. 1984. "Pharmaceuticals containing placeiJo.controlled uial of feverfew in migraine sesquiterpene lactones in extracts from Tanacetum prevention." The Lancet, July 23: 189. parthel'lium." European patent Appl. EP 98041 Pickering, C. 1879. ChroMlogical History of Plallls. (CL C07D493/04), II Jan, 1983, 93 pp. Boston: Little, Brown & Co. Johnson, E.S., et a/. 1987. '1nvestigation of possible Pugh, W. J. & K. Samho. 1988. "Prostaglandin syn­ genotoxic effects of feverfew in migraine patients." thetase inhibitors in feverl'ew." J . Pltarm. Pharma· Hum. To>:icol. 6: 533. col. 40:743-745. Redwood, T. 1857. A Supplement to 1M Pltarmoco~ia . 3ni ed. London: Longman & Co., etc.

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 47 CALENDAR

June 23·25 -Fourth Annual Women's Herb· Program Chairman, School of Pharmacy, U. of November 8·12- International Conference alist Conference. Women from many different Puerto Rico, G.P.O. Box 5067, San Juan, P.R. on Holistic Health and Medicine. Bangalore, paths study how to use plants for healing. 00936. 809n58-02525 ext. 5316 or 5410. India. Cootact: Dr. Issac Mathai, International Classes for all skill levels. Rugged physical ac· Conference on Holistic Health & Medicine, c/o comodations at Trillium Farm inS. Oregon's August 18-20- Women's Herbal Conference. Travel Corporation India Pvt. Ltd., 9 Residency Applegate Valley. Cootact: Wren Davidson Rosemary Gladstar and seven leading women Rd., Bangalore-560 025, India.

5031342-6369 0 herbalists share skills in herbal medicine, cos­ metics, animal care, wise woman healing, and 1990 EVENTS July 7-August 15- Tibetan Herb Walk and more. $150 includes workshops, camping, Practical Seminar. Two-week seminar oo tradi­ meals. Register by July 7th and save $25. Send May 29·31, 1990 - Rhubarb '90, Flrst Inter­ tiooal Tibetan herbs, Ladakh, India, near the Ti­ 50% deposit to: Blazing Star Herbal School, P.O. national Symposium on Rhubarb, Chengde, betan border. $3,500 includes air fare from U.S. Box 6, Shelburne Falls, ME 01370. 413/625- China. Spoosored by the State Administration West Coast. Contact: Chakpori Institute of 6875. of Traditional Chinese Medicine, to promote all Medicine, P.O. Box 956, Boulder, CO 80306. aspects of rhubarb studies. Participatioo of tax­ August 24·27 - Mushroom Conference, Tellu­ onomists, pharmacists, physicians, manufacturers, July 22-25 - Herbs '89: Herb Growers and ride, Colorado. For those interested in mush­ allied experts, consultants, and administrators in Marketers Conference. Fourth annual spon­ rooms, both wild and cultivated; edible, poison­ various health fields to exchange views and ex­ sored by Intematiooal Herb Growers and Market­ ous and psychoactive species. Didactic courses periences on rhubarb. Papers invited. After­ ers Association, Purdue Univ. and Univ. of Cali­ led by Gary Lincoff, Paul Stamets, Andrew Weil, meeting tours available to participants. Cootact: fornia, Davis. Red Lion Inn, San Jose, CA. Con­ and Ethan Nodleman. Forays into forests and Dr. Hu Shilin or Ms. Huang Yiping, RHUBARB tact: Maureen Buehrle, lllGMA, P.O. Box 281, mountains in beautiful setting. Cootact: Fungo­ 90 Secretariat, Institute of Chinese Materia Silver Springs, PA 17575. phile, P.O. Box 5503, Denver, CO 80217. Medica, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beixineang No. 18, Doogzhime!l Nei July 23·29- Third International Symposium September 3.5 - Annual Conference of the St., Beijing, 100700, China. Tel: 4014411-2954, on Poisonous Plants. Sponsored by USDA Poi­ American Holistic Veterinary Medical Asso· 2964. Telex: 210340 CATCM CN. sonous Plants Res . Lab; Utah Ag. Exp. Station; elation. Seattle Hilton Hotel. Cootact Queensland Dept. of Primary Industries & Ani­ AMHVMA, 2214 Old Emmorton Road, Bel Air, October 15·17, 1990- International Congress mal Res. Inst. Cootact: Jillyn Smith, Utah State MD 21014. on "Traditional Medicine and Medicinal Univ., Logan, UT 84322..()500. 801n50-1359. Plants." Contact: Prof. Dr. SutaJjadi, Centre of September 5·9 - 37th Annual Congress of Research and Development for Traditiooal Medi­ July 26-29 -American Horticultural Society the Society for Medicinal Plant Research, Uni­ cine, Airlangaa University, Jalan Airlangaa 4-6, 44th Annual Meeting. Radisson Plaza Hotel, versity of Braunschweig, FRG. Cootact: Prof. Surabaya, Indonesia. Minneapolis, Minn. Program includes visits to Dr. T. Hartmann, Institut fiir Pharmazeutische Como Park Conservatory, Dodge Nature Center, Biologie der Technischen Universitiit, Men­ Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis Sculp­ delssohnstr. 1, D-3300 Braunschweig (FRG), ture Garden, Cowles Cooservatory, Minnesota Phone: (0531) 3-91 -56 80. TELEX: 9 52 526 Landscape Arboretum, Rose and Rock Gardens. TUBSW. FAX 3-91-45 77. Contact: American Horticultural Society, Box 0105, Mount Vernon, VA 22121. September 11 - American Chemical Society, Division of Agricultural and Food March 1989 • 1993 - Rainforest Exhibit Tours U.S. "Tropical Rainforests: A Disappear­ July 30·31 -Eastern Native Plant Alliance Chemistry, Miami Beach, FL. One day coofer­ (ENPA) Meeting. ENPA covers eastern U.S. ence: "Plant Chemical Useful to Humans." Con­ ing Treasure," an exhibit visiting 13 North and Canada, uniting organizations that promote tact Dr. Herbert Nigg, 813/956-1151. American cities on a five-year tour. The exhibit and demonstrate native plant conservation in or­ uses slides, videos, and dioramas showing the der to present a consistent conservatioo message. September 13-17- Eighth Annual Breiten· beauty, ecological complexity and dilemmas of rainforests; people and animals that live in them. For information, contact: Editor, Wildflower, 90 bush Professional Herbalists Retreat. Profes­ Lighted map tracks deforestation around the Wolfrey Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4K sionals, Sept 13-15; General student workshops, world. Interactive video game shows long- and 1K8. Sept 15-17; herb walks, classes, workshops, and short-term impact of rainforest management deci­ demonstrations. California School of Herbal July 30·August 7- Gardens of the Canadian Studies, P.O. Box 39, Forestville, CA 95436. sions. Circulated by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibitioo Service (SITES) in coop­ Rockies, horticultural adventure spoosored by 707/887-7457. American Horticultural Society. Tour gardens in eration with the World Wildlife Fund. Schedule: Calgary, Banff, Jasper, and Edmonton areas, September 22-24 - Green Nations Gathering, 1989 - July 9 - Oct. 1, Discovery Place, Char­ lotte NC; Nov. 11 - Jan. 28, 1990, Indiana State some never open to the public. Cootact: Carolyn Catskill Mountains. Gardene~. foragers, and Marsh Lindsay, American Horticultural Society, earth-centered folks learn from each other, net­ Museum, Indianapolis, IN. 1990 - Mar. 3 - May 27, Los Angeles City Museum of Natural His­ Box 0105, Mt. Vemoo, VA 22121 or call Le­ work for the planet, and play. Sweat lodges, onard Haertter Travel Co., 800/942-6666. (In herbal emporium, and workshops with Thunder­ tory, Los Angeles, CA; July I - Sept. 23, Mis­ souri Botanical Gardens, St. Louis, MO; Oct 28 - Missouri, 3I4n2I-6200). cloud, Field Chief of the Cherokee Natioo and 12 leading herbalists. $150 ($130 if received be­ Jan 20, 1991, Boston Museum of Science, Bos­ August 5·7- Oregon Herbal Workshop. fore July 28), plus room and board. Contact ton, MA. 1991 - American Museum of Natural Three days with Cascade Geller. Medicinal and Pam Montgomery, Box 41, Rt. 9W, Milton, NY History, NYC & Denver Museum of Natural edible uses. Contact: Sitka Center, P.O. Box 65, 12547 9t4n95-523s. History, Denver; 1992 -Houston Museum of Otis, OR 97368. 503/994-5485. Natural Science, Houston & Fembank Science October - Two-week guided herbal medicine Center, Atlanta; 1993 - Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL, Science Museum of Minnesota, St. August 6·10- 30th Annual Meeting of the expedition to the unexploited area of the Amazon American Society of Pharmacognosy. Includes in Venezuela. Live for 4 days in the jungle with Paul & Oeveland Museum of Natural History, Symposiums oo "Natural Products and the Dis­ the Anooami people. Hurry! Tour limited to 8 Oeveland. Cootact Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, Washingtoo, D.C. ease Condition" and "Biotechnology of Natural people. Contact Michael Tierra, East/West, P.O. Products." Contact Dr. Pedro Chavez., Scientific Box 712, Santa Cruz., CA 95061. 20560. 0

Page 48- HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

A listing in this classified section does not constitute any endorsement or approval by HerbaiGrarn, the American Botanical Council, the Herb Research Foundation, or the HRF Professional Advisory Board. HerbaiGram Classified ad rates $1.25 per word:$35 minimum. Contact Margaret Wright, P.O. Box 201660, Austin, TX 78720. 512/331-8868. FAX 5121331-1924.

PUBLICATIONS Herbal Studies Course - written by Jeanne Herbal Software for Sale - No more tedious Rose, premier herbalist, author of Herbs & book searches! Find the right herbs by con­ The Bu$/ness of Herbs - Comprehensive Things, etc. This 2800-page course is the dition, property, organ system, or constitu­ reporting, business news, marketing hints, most extensive available. Send SASE to ents. Easily find the dose and warnings. sources, and resources. Sample issue $3. Herbal Studies Course/Jeanne Rose, 219 Quick menus and listings make first use Brochure/SASE from Northwind Farm, Rt. 2, Carl St., San Francisco, CA 94117. easy. PROHERB displays the references Box 246(G), Shevlin, MN 56676. with the information on 99 common herbs The School of Herbal Medicine - (American and formulas. PLANETHERB covers 448 Herb Magazine - New! Its co!o(ful pages in­ branch, National Institute of Medical Herbal­ herbs from around the world. Yes, you can clude cultivating, propagating, harvesting, ists) offers one-year correspondence course. add to them. $60- $400. Steve Blake, SR1 , and decorating with herbs. Subscription $16/ For information, send business-size SASE to: Box 35, Haiku, Maui, HI 96708. We can 4 issues. The Joy of Herbs, P.O. Box 7617- P.O. Box 2446-G, San Rafael , CA 94912. make an information retrieval system for your HG, Birmingham, AL 35253. needs. Dominion Herbal College - Est. 1926. Herban Lifestyles - Bimonthly newsletter Chartered Herbalist Degree by correspon­ dence. Master Herbalist Degree and Practi­ with entertaining, eclectic, and sometimes ACCESS, from page 5 esoteric reports on how we live, work, and cal Summer Seminar offered. For informa­ play with herbs. Money-back guarantee. tion, 7527 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Colum­ Sample $3. $18/yr. Free brochure. bia, CANADA V3N 3C1 . 604/521-5822. Organic Food MaUen- Quarterly 40-page StoneAcre Press, 84 Carpenter Rd ., Apt. tabloid published by the Committee for Sustain­ 78711-1, New Hartford, CT 06057. Herbal medicine workshops and appren­ able Agriculture. $15/yr includes copy of Pesti­ ticeships- Wise Woman tradition. Free bro­ cide Alert by Lawrie MotL CSA, P. 0 . Box chure. Susun Weed, P.O. Box 64, Wood­ International Journal of Aromatherapy - 1300, Colfax, CA 95713. 916/346-r/77. Edited by aromatherapy author Robert Tis­ stock, NY 12498. serand. Articles and information on uses of Wildflower - The only magazine in North essential oils in well-being. Designed for BOOKS, TAPES, VIDEOS practitioners, teachers, suppliers, writers, etc. America devoted exclusively to wild flora. I yr/ $22/yr. Aromatherapy Publications, 3 Shirley Ginseng video - Learn how to locate and $20; 2 yrs/$35. (Payable in U.S. dollars from St. , Hove, E. Sussex, BN3 3WJ England. process wild ginseng. 70-minute VHS. Send U.S. subscribers.) The Canadian Wildflower $39.95 to WLM Enterprises, Dept 14, 546 W. Society, 75 Temhill Crescent, Don Mills, On­ Foster's Botanical and Herb Reviews - In­ Ethel St., Allentown, PA 18103. tario, Canada M3C 2E4. formation resources, book reviews, new peri­ odicals, etc. Quarterly. $8/yr from Steven Herb VIdeos - Wild edibles, ginseng, herbol­ ogy, gardening, health, alternative medicine, Companion PIIJnJs - This plant and herb cata­ Foster, P.O. Box 106, Eureka Springs, AR log gives infonnation on longevity, light condi­ 72632. 501/253-7309. FAX 501/253-7442. magic, and many related topics. For catalog write: The Seeker Press, P.O. Box 299, tions necessary for cultivation, and usages. American Herb Association Quarterly Battle Ground, IN 47920. 480+ plants/150+ seeds available. 18" x 23" Newsletter- $20/yr. AHA, P.O. Box 353, companion planting chart shows relationships Rescue, CA 95672. between 54 different herbs and vegetables - $213 OTHER yr catalog subscription. Companion Plants, Herbs/Gram - quarterly journal published by 7247 North Coolville Ridge Rd., Athens, OH Herbalviews 1988 slate of Interviews: Ma­ the American Botanical Council and the Herb 45701. 614/592-4643. Research Foundation. $25/yr, $45/2 yrs, dalena Hill, Cascade Anderson-Geller, $60/3 yrs. P.O. Box 201660, Austin, TX Nathan Podhurst, Carlo Calabrese (National What's On Tape- Catalog of video tapes on 78720. See inside back cover. College of Naturopathic Medicine), Steve Smith (Stash Tea) . $5.50 per interview. herbs, gardens, gardening, health, and related CORRESPONDENCE COURSES AND Send SASE for more information to Barbara topics geared specifically to businesses, institu­ SEMINARS K. Bobo, Editor, 1920 Apple Road, St. Paris, tions, and individuals interested in these topics. OH 43072. More than 30 on herbs, including tapes covering Sequoyah College of Herbology - wild edibles, herbology, herb gardening, and Botlca Analytlca Labs - Consultation and Arkansas State certified 9 months to 1 year cooking with herbs. The Seeker Press, P. 0 . laboratory services specializing in the quality correspondence Course I for Certification as Box 299, Battle Ground, IN 47920. 317/567- assurance of herbal products. TLC, GC, GC­ Herbalist. Course II , Masters in Herbology. MS, HPLC, and microscopic analysis of bulk 2884. For more information, write: P.O. Box 56057, herbs and product formulations . Herbal Little Rock, AR 72205. monographs and literature services also pro­ Tlte Herbalist, Quarterly Journal of the Botani­ vided. 1162 Ribier Ct., Sunnyvale, CA cal Medicine Society of Ontario, Canada. Origi­ Wild Rose College of Natural Healing - Es­ 94087. 408/736-7240. nal articles on herb history, usage and clinical tablished 1975, offering classroom and corre­ spondence courses in Herbology, Pharma­ anecdotes, more. $25 Associate Membership for cognosy, Nutrition, Wholistic Health, Biology, journal from Botanic Medicine Society, P.O. Herb Research Foundation - Membership Physiology, Homeopathy, lridology, Vitamin Box 82, S1n. A. Willowdale, Toronto, Ontario, includes subscription to HerbaiGram. lndivid­ Therapy, and many other fields. Programs Canada M2N 5S7. ual/$25; lnstitutional/$50; CommerciaV$200; for Master Herbalist (two years) and Wholistic Supporting/$1 ,000; Sponsor/$2,000. See Health Therapist (three years). Send $3 for page 50. Leaves of Grass. - International Newsletter on detailed calendar. #302, 1220 Kensington Marijuana Research. Research and data base on Rd. N.W., Calgary, Alberta, CANADA T2N legitimate research on this controversial planL 3P5. 403/270-0936. $5.00 per year. Contact: Dr. D.E. Moss, Editor, Leaves of Grass, DepL of Psychology, Univ. Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968-{)553.

HerbaiGram No. 20- Spring 1989- Page 49 SUPPORT HERBAL HRF ADVISORY BOARD

RESEARCH Glenn Appelt, Ph.D. Professor of Pharmacology WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE MEMBERSHIP John A. Beutler, Ph.D. IN THE Natural Products Chemist Robert A. Bye, Jr., Ph.D. HERB RESEARCH FOUNDATION Professor of Ethnobotany Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D. The Herb Research Foundation is a non-profit research and educa­ Director, Institute for tional organization dedicated to raising funds for research, and providing Traditional Medicine James A. Duke, Ph.D. reliable research data to members, the public, and the press. We believe Plant Taxonomist there is a great potential for encouraging and directing research on Norman R. Farnsworth, Ph.D. common botanicals, and increasing the quality of information available Research Professor of on herbs as medicines, foods, and cosmetics. Pharmacognosy Richard I. Ford, Ph.D. HERBALGRAM Professor of Ethnobotany Members receive Herbal Gram, the official publication of the Herb Research Harriet Kuhnlein, Ph.D. Foundation. HerbaJGram presents reviews of research from the world's technical Professor of Nutrition press, follows legal events involving herbal products, and reports on media coverage Walter Lewis, Ph.D. of herbs. Members can access in-depth information on herbs through low-cost HRF Professor of Biology literature searches. Albert Leung, Ph.D. Pharmacognosist STRUCTURE The Herb Research Foundation is an independent non-profit organization supported Ara Der Marderosian, Ph.D. by grants and memberships, governed by an independent Board of Directors, and Professor of Pharmacognosy guided by an advisory board that includes some of the world's leading plant re­ C. Dwayne Ogzewalla, Ph.D. searchers and educators. Professor of Pharmacognosy James Ruth, Ph.D. OBJECTIVES Professor of Medical Chemistry • To encourage and support research on herbal folk medicines, herbal teas, and other E. John Staba, Ph.D. herbal products. Professor of Pharmacognosy • To publish and disseminate accurate research information to other researchers and Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D. the public. Professor of Pharmacognosy • To provide a forum for discourse and cooperation between herbalists, physicians, Phil Weber, M.D. health food advocates, and scientists. • To serve as a reliable source of information on medicinal plants and herbal prod­ Physician ucts for the public and the press. Andrew Weil, M.D. • To form a liaison between the American herbal movement and the worldwide Physician scientific community. v YES, I want to support herbal research and get 4 quarterly Issues of HerbalGram. Nrune ______

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