Report on Herbal Medicine-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Question: Write a Report on Herbal Medicine. Answer: Introduction The action category that has been selected for the present report is Laxatives. The three herbs that would be considered for the assignment are Senna Alexandrina, Frangula Purshiana and Rheum Palmatum, a comparison and contrast between whom would be the subject of the report. Senna Alexandrina Medicinally active plant part- The dried leaflets and dried fruits of the plant are used for medicinal purpose. Active constituents- The active ingredients are the numerous Senna glycosides, steroisomers of Sennoside A and B. They are glycosides of arhein anthronemolecule, binding to each other in pairs. Other than this the other bioactive molecules are Emodin, Aloe-emodin, Flavonoids and Napthalene (Ajayi et al., 2014). Secondary herbal actions and mechanisms of action- The drug acts by acting with the immune cells in the colon. There are two mechanisms by which the Senna products exerts pro-motility effects. Stool softening effects are undertaken by modifying the intestinal contractions for favouring peristalsis and by inducing the excess secretion of electrolytes into the colon which increases the water content of the colon. Therapeutic indications- It is used as a laxative. The drug is effective in clearing the bowels and also possess action capability due to which it is used at times before a colonoscopy. In addition, it acts as a fungicide. Potential safety issues ie: cautions, contra-indications and interactions- If this herb is accidently consumed by infants, it leads to serious side effects such as severe diaper rash. Gastrointestinal cramps are rare. Prolonged ingestion can lead to electrolyte balance and presence of protein and blood in the urine. Preparation- The herb is used in the form of chopped leaves or powdered leaves. In addition, it can also be used as herbal tea (Tomlinson Akerele, 2015). Dosage recommendations- For proper clinical usage, the accurate dose required for producing the desired effect is the lowest dose. This is indicated by comfortable and sost-fromed stool. This refers to 1-2 gm of the powdered extract standardised to 10-30 mg active Sennosides. Frangula Purshiana Medicinally active plant part- The bark of the plant is used as a very effective laxative. Active constituents- The constituens that are chiefly responsible for the medicinal action are the Emodin and hydroxyanthracene glycosides. Secondary herbal actions and mechanisms of action- A number of quinoid substances are found in the bark of the plant. The hydroxyanthracene glycosideshave the herbal ation by working as a stimulant laxative. The peristalsis in the colon is excited by these stimulant effects. This thereby triggers peristalsis through inhibiton of the absorption of electrolytes and water in the large intestine. As a result of this action, the volume of the bowels content increases, giving rise to increased pressure. Therapeutic indications- The main use of the herb is as a laxative. Some studies have shown the anti-cancer effects of the drug (Cirillo Capasso, 2015). Potential safety issues ie: cautions, contra-indications and interactions- The herb is to be used for a short duration and not longer than a week. Pregnant women and lactating women must not be consuming this drug since the infant might suffer adverse impacts. In addition, people with irritable bowel syndrome,Crohn's disease, appendicitis, colitis,hemorrhoids,orkidneyproblems must not use this drug. Preparation- Once the bark is taken out from the tree, it is to eb aged for over one year before it is fit for use. The reason is that bark that is freshly cut leads to violent dirrhea and vomiting. The drying is to be done at low temperatures for a number of hours if the process is to be carried out fast. Dosage recommendations- An effective dose of the plant is 1 to 3 grams dried bark, or 12.5 grams powdered bark (Van Wyk Wink, 2017). Rheum Palmatum Medicinally active plant part- The root of the plant is used for medicinal purposes. Active constituents- The roots of the plant have anthraquinone glycosides and dianthrone glycosides,that act as laxative. Further, they aso have fatty acids, fructose, glucose and starch. Secondary herbal actions and mechanisms of action- The herb works by increasing peristalsis and inhibiting water absorption. This promotes defecation (Meier et al., 2017). Therapeutic indications- The root of the plant is used for curing stomach ailements ssuch as dysentery and diarrhea, and relieving severe constipation. In addition, it is also used as a poultice for edema and fevers. The herb is widely used due to its astringent capabilities and as a laxative. Further, the antibacterial properties make it a medicine for shringles, hypertention, burn, appendicitis, conjunctivitis, swelling of gum and mouth sores. Potential safety issues ie: cautions, contra-indications and interactions- If consumed in high dose, the drug leads to poisonous effect. This is due to the fact that the oxalic acid crystals lead to health risks. Patients suffering from kidney problems, arthritis, intestinal obstruction, inflammatory bowel disease must not take this drug. Further, pregnant women are to avoid the drug. Adverse impacts might include abdominal pain, griping, nausea, vomittng and hypertrophy of the liver. Preparation- The rhizomes of the plant are removed when the plant is about ten years old. The crown and the lateral roots are to be removed and the debris are to be cleaned. After the exterior bark is removed the root is to be cut into pieces and the dried. Dosage recommendations- The proper dose is 1-6g/day dried root/rhizome or 2-12mL/day of 1:2 fluid extract (Chevallier, 2016). References Ajayi, C. O., Funso-Babarimisa, F., Elujoba, A. A. (2014). Laxative activities of Cassia sieberiana and Senna obtusifolia.African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines,11(4), 44-47. Chevallier, A. (2016).Encyclopedia of herbal medicine. Penguin. Cirillo, C., Capasso, R. (2015). Constipation and botanical medicines: an overview.Phytotherapy Research,29(10), 1488-1493. Meier, N., Meier, B., Peter, S., Wolfram, E. (2017). In-Silico UHPLC Method Optimization for Aglycones in the Herbal Laxatives Aloe barbadensis Mill., Cassia angustifolia Vahl Pods, Rhamnus frangula L. Bark, Rhamnus purshianus DC. Bark, and Rheum palmatum L. Roots.Molecules,22(11), 1838. Tomlinson, T. R., Akerele, O. (Eds.). (2015).Medicinal plants: their role in health and biodiversity. University of Pennsylvania press. Van Wyk, B. E., Wink, M. (2017). Medicinal plants of the world., (Ed. 2). CABI.