Calumba Root Characteristics

Calumba Root

• Origin: Dried, transverse or oblique slices of Jateorhiza palmata root.
• Family: Menispermaceae
• Geographic Distribution: Indigenous to the forests of Mozambique and East African countries.
• Collection/Preparation: Rhizomes and roots are dug up in dry weather. Swollen fleshy roots are cut into transverse or oblique slices and dried in the shade.
• Macroscopic Characteristics:
  • Shape: Irregular, elliptical, or nearly circular, depressed in the center on both sides.
  • Size: 3-8 cm in diameter, 6-12 mm in thickness.
  • Color: Greyish-brown.
  • Odor: Distinct.
  • Taste: Bitter.

Microscopical Characteristics of Calumba Root Powder

• Cork: Several layers of tabular, polygonal, thin-walled brown cells.
• Phelloderm: Parenchymatous, containing starch granules with eccentric radiate or cleft hilum. Isolated stone cells are present in the outer region. Walls are unevenly thickened, pitted, and lignified, containing 1-6 calcium oxalate prisms.
• Phloem: Parenchyma and radial bands of collapsed sieve tissue, separated by wide medullary rays.
• Xylem: Primarily parenchyma; containing starch grains; yellowish vessels-reticulate or pitted, thickened walls; few fibrous tracheids, often irregularly curved with pitted walls.
• Powder:
  • Color: Yellowish-brown.
  • Odor: Slight.
  • Taste: Bitter.
  • Starch granules: Mostly simple, some compound; hilum is eccentric cleft or stellate.
  • Sclereids: Large, unevenly thickened, yellow, pitted, lignified, containing 1-6 prisms of calcium oxalate.
  • Cork fragments: Thin-walled, polygonal, giving a characteristic camera-shaped appearance.
  • Fragments of large vessels: Reticulately thickened or pitted, with yellow lignified walls.
• Chemical Test: With sulphuric acid (66% V/V), the walls of the vessels and sclereids change color from yellow to green.

Active Constituents of Calumba Root

• Alkaloids (2-3%): Palmatine, calumbamine, jateorhizine (yellow crystalline alkaloids).
• Colourless crystalline non-alkaloidal furano-diterpenes: calumbin, palmarin, isocalumbin, jateorin.
• Mucilage, starch, no tannin.

Uses of Calumba Root

• Bitter tonic without astringency.
• Prescribed with iron salts.
• Used for anorexia and flatulence dyspepsia.

Senega Root

• Origin: Dried root and root-stock of Polygala senega.
• Family: Polygalaceae.
• Geographic Distribution: Canada, USA, and Japan (cultivated).
• Macroscopical Characteristics:
  • Shape: Slender, greyish or brownish-yellow in color.
  • Crown: Bears stem bases and scaly leaves at the apex.
  • Pieces: Tapering and curved, dividing into two or more branches just below the crown.
  • Odor: Methyl salicylate.
  • Taste: Initially sweet, then somewhat acrid.

Active Constituents of Senega Root

• Crude triterpenoidal saponins (senegin) (6-16%).
• Methyl salicylate (volatile oil) (5%).
• Sucrose and sterols.

Tests for Identification of Senega Root

• General Test Powder boiled with water; straining and shaking produces a voluminous persistent froth.
• Confirmatory Test Powder extracted with ether, acidified with dilute hydrochloric acid, then ferric chloride solution added produces a reddish-violet color (salicylic acid).

Krameria Root (Peruvian Rhatany)

• Origin: Dried roots of Krameria triandra.
• Family: Leguminosae.
• Geographic Distribution: Peru and Bolivia.

Active Constituents of Krameria Root

• Tannins (7-9%) as Phlobatannin or Krameria tannic acid.
• Coloring matter (Krameria-red): produced by oxidation of tannin.
• Starch and Calcium Oxalate.
• Benzofuran derivatives.

Uses of Krameria Root

• Astringent (tincture used as a mouthwash).
• Antimicrobial effect for mouth and throat infections (gargles).
• Benzofuran compounds as UV filters and in sun protection preparations.

Althaea (Marshmallow) Root

• Origin: Dried root of Althaea officinalis.
• Family: Malvaceae.
• Geographic Distribution: Grows wild in England, Europe and cultivated in France and Germany.

Active Constituents of Althaea Root

• Mucilage (25-35%)
• Starch, pectin, sugars (sucrose)
• Asparagine (2%)

Uses of Althaea Root

• Emollient and demulcent (used as a soothing agent for irritations).
• Urinary tract infections and respiratory problems (e.g., bronchitis, dry cough).
• Poultices.
• Pill excipients.

Sarsaparilla Root

• Origin: Dried roots, sometimes rhizomes of Smilax ornata.
• Family: Liliaceae.
• Geographic Distribution: Central America (Costa Rica and Jamaica).
• Macroscopic Characteristics:
  • Imported in bundles.
  • Numerous, long, slender roots (3 meters long, 3 mm thick).
  • Dark reddish-brown, shrunken with longitudinally furrowed surface.
  • Nearly odorless, somewhat sweetish-acrid taste.

Active Constituents of Sarsaparilla Root

• Steroidal saponins
• Ginsenosides (related to cortisone and sex hormones).
• Rhamnose, glucose, sarsapogenin
• Fatty acids, vitamin A, D, sarsapic acid
• Starch, sulfur, iron, calcium, potassium, copper, and magnesium.

Uses of Sarsaparilla Root

• Treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., gonorrhea, syphilis).
• Anti-inflammatory in rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Certain skin diseases (psoriasis, eczema).
• Partial synthesis of cortisone and other steroids.

Dandelion Root

• Origin: Vertical rhizome and tap root of Taraxacum officinale.
• Family: Compositae.
• Geographic Distribution: Native to Europe and North America.
• Active Constituents:
  • Inulin (25-30%): Poly-saccharide
  • Sesquiterpene lactones: taraxacoside, taraxerol, and a-amyrin.
  • Various acids: caffeic, and p-hydroxyphenylacetic.
  • Carotenoids
  • Volatile oil, tannins, and potassium salts
• Uses:
  • Hepatic stimulant and tonic: stimulates bile secretion, reduces stone chances.
  • Helps restore liver function.
  • Increases digestive fluid and enzyme production.
  • Treats atonic dyspepsia/appetite loss

Ginseng Root

• Origin: Dried roots of Panax ginseng (Asian ginseng) and Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng)
• Family: Araliaceae
• Geographic Distribution: Eastern north America, China, Korea, and Japan.
• Active Constituents:
  • Ginsenosides: triterpenoid saponins.
  • Panaxans and ginsenan: high molecular weight polysaccharides.
  • Polyacetylenic alcohols: panaxynol, panaxydol
  • Sesquiterpenes: γ-elemene.
  • Vitamins, minerals, free sugars.

Uses of Ginseng Root

• General tonic and anabolic (promotes protein accumulation).
• Increase body weight, protein and RNA in muscles and liver.
• Adaptogenic: improving stamina and resistance to stress; alleviating fatigue and enhancing work capacity.
• Hypoglycemic activity
• Immunological boosting.
• Treatment of adrenal/thyroid dysfunctions.

Echinacea

• Origin: Dried roots and rhizomes of Echinacea angustifolia.

• Family: Asteraceae

• Geographic Distribution: Native to America and Europe.

• Active Constituents:

  • Caffeic acid glycosides: echinacoside (bacteriostatic)
  • Volatile oils: Containing hydrocarbons (1,8-pentadecadiene)
  • Polyacetylenes
  • Polysaccharides: echinacin B (immuno-stimulant).

• Uses:

  • Activates the body's infection-fighting capacity.
  • Supports the immune system in AIDS, upper respiratory infections.
  • Topically as a bacteriostatic, fungistatic and antiviral agent for herpes, wounds, burns, eczemas, and psoriasis.
  • Anticancer and antiseptic for urinary infections.