Boraginaceae: Mucilages

HERB 531

Comfrey

Some Boraginaceae also produce mucilages Mucilages are a subtype of carbohydrates called heteropolysaccharides.

Hetero = different; poly = many; saccharides = sugar units: they are made of many different simple sugars bonded together in complex patterns

Borage

Boraginaceae: Allantoin

Allantoin is a ‘nitrogenous’ compound: contains nitrogen
Cell proliferant: encourages growth of healthy cells
Discourages the formation of scar tissue
Emollient, vulnerary (speeds wound healing)
Found in Comfrey, Hound’s Tongue, Lungwort

Lungwort

The Mustard Family: Brassicaceae

This family was formerly known as the Cruciferae, because of the cross-shaped petal arrangement in the flowers
Characteristics: 4-petaled flowers with 6 stamens: 2 short and 4 long; seed pods are siliques or silicles
Examples: Mustards, Watercress, Wasabi, Horseradish, Radish, Shepherd’s Purse, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage
Contain varying amounts of glucosinolates

Brassicaceae: Glucosinolates

Derived from various amino acids
Pungent, volatile sulfur compounds
High concentrations in Mustards
Lesser amounts in Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage
Sulforaphane helps prevent cancer

Glucosinolates

Glucobrassicin (richest known source: Brussels Sprouts)
The human body changes it into I3C
Two units of I3C combine in the stomach acid to form DIM
Many studies indicate that DIM is strongly antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic

The Mint Family: Lamiaceae

Characteristics: square stems; opposite, simple leaves; flowers are irregular & perfect, with four stamens (one pair longer than the others); have five fused petals forming a tube with lobes
Examples: Peppermint, Spearmint, Basil, Horehound, Catnip, Thyme, Rosemary, Lavender, Pennyroyal, Marjoram
Distribution: mainly temperate, arid, montaine, & Mediterranean climates worldwide

Lamiaceae: Essential Oils

Essential oils (volatile oils) are mixtures of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes* with other constituents dissolved therein
Found in all kinds of plant parts: flowers, leaves, fruits, seeds, barks, woods, roots, rhizomes
The Lamiaceae family yields many familiar oils: Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Peppermint …

Essential Oils: Antiseptics

Plants produce essential oils to protect themselves from bacterial, fungal, or viral infection, and as communications molecules
Essential oil constituents which are synthesized as a response to infection are called phytoalexins
Notable antiseptic constituents are found in members of the Mint family, such as Thyme, Lavender, Rosemary, and the Sages (Garden Sage & White Sage)

Antiseptic Monoterpenes

Thymol is a powerful antiseptic (20 x stronger than phenol)
Antifungal
Antibacterial
Relatively non-toxic
Can irritate mucosa, skin
Thyme, up to 40% of the oil
Bee Balm (up to 80%)

Medicinal Monocots (Class Liliopsida)

The Lily Family: Liliaceae

Phylum Magnoliophyta
Class Liliopsida (the monocots)
Subclass Liliidae
Order Liliales
Family Liliaceae

Characteristics: leaves with parallel venation; flowers regular; flower parts in multiples of three; often form bulbs

Liliaceae: The Allium Genus

Family Liliaceae; some newer systems recognize a separate Onion family, the Alliaceae
Unique aroma from volatile sulfur compounds released when tissues are bruised
Have bulbs or corms
Numerous small flowers arranged in umbels, emerge from a ‘wrapper’ which is a modified bract

Sulfur Compounds in Garlic

An amino acid, cysteine, is the parent of the sulfur compounds known as ‘cysteine sulfoxides’
One cysteine sulfoxide, alliin, is the stabile, storage form of Garlic’s potent antimicrobial compound, allicin
In oil or water, allicin is transformed into compounds that benefit the cardiovascular system and blood lipids: sulfides, ajoenes, & dithiins
Alliin (major cysteine sulfoxide in Garlic) +
Alliinase (an enzyme in fresh, whole Garlic or correctly dried Garlic powders)
Allicin- the active antibiotic compound Allicin- sulfides, ajoene, dithiins, etc.

Hellebore

Death Camas Bulbs

Inulin in Liliaceae Bulbs

Many Liliaceae & Alliaceae bulbs contain inulin
After cooking, they lose their pungency but retain the sweet, mucilaginous character of the inulin (the same oligosaccharide which is found in some Asteraceae roots)

(Potentially) Toxic Liliaceae

Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria) contains cardiac glycosides which stimulate the heart, milder than those in Foxglove (Digitalis), but still potentially fatal in large quantities
Veratrum (Hellebore) contains toxic steroidal alkaloids that depress the central nervous system & cardiac function; used in homeopathy, it is generally too strong for herbal medicine
Death Camas (Zigadenus) contains steroidal alkaloids; the bulbs, closely resembling Wild Onions, are fatal if ingested

Cardiac Glycosides in Lily of the Valley

Contains ~ 40 different glycosides based on several different aglycones; variable
Convallatoxin is highly active, but generally, no more than 10% of the amount ingested can be absorbed
Positive inotropic effect; used for mild cardiac insufficiency

Ginger: A Pungent Monocot

Subclass Zingiberidae; Order Zingiberales; Family
Zingiberaceae; Genus Zingiber
Distribution: subtropical & tropical, cultivated worldwide
Ginger plants are sterile; have been propagated vegetatively since antiquity

(Potentially) Toxic Liliaceae

Gingerols make up the resinous fraction – the main pungent constituents of Ginger
Complex essential oil also present
Ginger is an anti-inflammatory COX-2 modulator
Antiemetic
Antioxidant

[6]-Gingerol, one of several gingerols in the rhizome. Gingerols belong to a class of polyphenolic compounds known as ‘phenylpropanoid derivatives.’

Another Zingiberaceae: Turmeric

Genus Curcuma
An ancient cultigen, currently planted throughout the tropics
Usually does not fruit; cultivated vegetatively
Antioxidant, Antimutagenic, Antimicrobial, Hepatoprotective, Anti-inflammatory, COX-2 modulator Choleretic*

Turmeric: Curcuminoids

Curcumin (one of the curcuminoids) is the major orange pigment from Turmeric. Classified as a phenylpropanoid derivative, it is rather similar to the gingerols from Zingiber.

Gingerol

The Grass Family: Poaceae

Few grasses are used medicinally
One popular exception is Wild Oats, Genus Avena (A. sativa, A. fatua)
Seeds are harvested in the ‘milky’ stage
A gentle nervine tonic, Avena helps to calm and rebuild a stressed nervous system
Also rich in silica and other minerals; used in formulas to nourish the musculoskeletal system Contains a sedative indole alkaloid, gramine; triterpene saponins; phytosterols; B vitamins; & heteropolysaccharides (soluble fiber)