Читать книгу Chinese Herbs - John D. Keys - Страница 16

GYMNOSPERMAE: Coniferales

THUJA ORIENTALIS L. (Pinaceae)

A shrub pyramidal in form, the branches compressed. Leaves opposite, small, scaly, imbricate, those of the extreme twigs obtuse, those of the larger branches acute or awl-shaped. Flowers monoecious, in catkins, April; male flowers globular, isolated, stamens 3-6; female flowers terminal. Cone ovoid, 1.5-2.5 cm. long, scales 6, spines oval-obtuse; two seeds per scale, ovoid, brownish; August-September. China, Japan, India. (Syn. Biota orientalis Endl.B. chinensis Hort., Thuja chinensis Hort.) Both the leaves and the seeds are employed medicinally. The plant contains a volatile oil comprising pinene and caryophyllene; the bitter principle pinipicrin C₂₂H₁₈O₁₁; thujin C₂₀H₂₂O₁₂, a yellow, astringent and crystallizable coloring principle; tannin; resin. The taste of the leaves is bittersweet and astringent; that of the seeds, sweetish. The leaves are employed as astringent, antipyretic, emmenagogue. Dose, 5-10 gm. The seeds are used as sedative in neurasthenia, palpitation, insomnia; as lenitive in enterostenosis. Dose, 5-15 gm.

TORREYA GRANDIS Fortune (Taxaceae)

An evergreen tree growing to 20 m., branches yellowish green at 2 years. Leaves stiff, 1.5-2.5 cm. long, nearly round at the base, acute, prickly at the tip, surface lightly convex, dark green, underside marked with 2 discolored streaks, median vein indistinct above. Flowers dioecious; the male in catkins formed of stiff imbricate scales; the female in pairs, axillary, globular, surrounded with 4 large scales, a single terminal ovule. Fruit oblong-elliptical; September. Central China. (Syn T. nucifera var. grandis Pilger.) The seeds are elongate, pointed at the tip, round at the base, 35 mm. in length, 15 mm. in diameter, of a light brown color. They contain a large amount of fatty oil, torreyol, which comprises linoleic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Injected into the lymphatic sac of frogs, the oil induces motor inhibition, paralysis, and death.⁷⁰ The oil acts as a nerve poison. An infusion of the seed is anthelmintic to Ascaris, Enterobius, Taenia, and Ancylostoma. The seeds are employed as vermifuge. Dose, 10-35 gm.

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