therapeutic potential of eschscholtziae californicae herba
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THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF ESCHSCHOLTZIAE CALIFORNICAE HERBA
by Rulph Holt Cheizey Sc.D. Professor of Biology, Brooklyiz College rrtzd Brooklyn College of Pbarnzucy
Hovzorury Associnte, Brookljvz Botntzic Gurden, Bfaooklyrz, N e w York .
The therapeutic significance (3,9) of the California Poppy, Eschscholtzilz culiforrzicu Chamisse deserves more attention by physicians for treating insomnia and neuralgia especially in patients when the use of a strong narcotic is inadvisable. A statement is made herein regarding the plant, its chemical constituents of possible pharmacologic value, and its utilization. The plmzt. This annual to perennial herbaceous genus ( 2 ) of the Papaveraceae was named for J. Fr. Eschscholz, 1793-1831. It is sometimes written Eschscholzia (without t) . He was a botanist member of the Russian expeditions, 1815-1818 and 1523-1826, around the world under the command of Von Kotzebue. The plant was found in California during the first expedition and given the species nomenclature Esch rcholtziu calif orvzicu by Chamisse. It was introduced into Europe in the early nineteenth century as a garden, decorative plant although the odour of the flowers is considered unpleasant by some people. I t has been cultivated also bv horticulturists who provided homoepathic preparations of medicinal plants. The plant thrives best on dry and sandy soils. Common names are California Poppy (English) ; Knipmutsje, Slaapmutsje, and Goud-Papaver (Dutch) ; Kalifornischer Mohn (German) ; Globe du Soleil (French) ; Papavero di California (Italian) ; Anapola de California (Spanish) ; and Kaliforniya hashasi (Turkish). This genus Eschscholtzid has been cited synonymously as the genus Chiy.ceis Lindl. (2) , the term being derived from the Greek chruseos or chrusos (meaning gold) for the cream-coloured to orange to golden yellow flowers, the beauty of which has resuited in its being often cultivated in the prairie areas of the Willametta Valley (9) Oregon and southward into California. The flame- coloured floral display, when grown in profusion, was referred to as the "land of fire". Chryskis refers also to the celebrated Homeric beauty, the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo, described in the Ilias as captured by the Greeks and given to Agamemnon. In the scientific monograph (3) by Chopra, Badhwar, and Glosh on the "Poisonous Plants of India", Eschscholtzia is stated as a species grown fre- quently as a cold weather annual in the plains. The herbaceous, ascending stem is 30 to 60 cm. long, much branched, completely glabrous and flaccid. The leaves are bluish-green, pinnate or pinnatipartite with linear divisions. The large (3 to 4 cm.) perigynous flowers with a concave
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receptacle have long pedicels. The stigma is 4-partite; corollas are a lively shining yellow colour; and the calyx is acuminate and conical. In dull weather each petal rolls up on itself, enclosing some of the stamens. Each valve of the fruit (10) as it dries has the tendency to roll up spirally and setting up tension so when the ripe fruit explodes it scatters the seed widely. Unlike most papaveraceous plants, its juice is transparent and not milky. Medicinal A ppiicutiom, PharnzucoloRy and Chenzicd Comtitueuts, The Indians and early settlers of California ate the leaves as greens, boiled or roasted on hot stones. Medicinally it was employed by the rural population to relieve colic and toothache, to reduce milk flow, and applied as a poultice to sxes and ulcers. Eschscholtzirr califoixica Cham. and E. Douglasii Gray (syn. E. Douglrrsii Benth.) gained a reputation (1) in local areas of the northwestern seacoast of the U.S. and to a lesser extent in homoeopathic practice in Europe, of being an excellent soporific, particularly for children suffering from whooping cough. In addition, for adults it was prescribed as an antineuralgicum possessing hypnotic, anodyne and analgesic properties. It served well in the alleviation of severe headaches. Significant advantages, in contrast with strong narcotics employed for similar symptoms, are due to the fact that the effects last many hours without depression or any subsequent physiologic subnormalcy . The dosages recorded have been 1 to 5 grams, depending upon the age of the patient, of an infusion, decoction, or alcoholic extract. This preparation is palatable and does not result in the oral dryness and vomiting which often accompany the administration of morphine. Regular and prolonged use is reported to be not habit-forming nor to impair the mental faculties in any way yet its effectiveness and detergent properties need to be clinicallv re-investigated. Chemically, a yellow-coloured’substance, eschscholtzione, is obtained by steam distillation. It has a warm taste and an aromatic odour but its chemical composition is not known. Escbscholtzia californicu Cham. is reported to contain several opium-related alkaloids such as protopine, C2 (,HI !,05N ( 4 , 6 , 7, 8 ) ; chelerythrine, Cz1H1 ,O,N; sanguinarine, C2, ,HI ,O,N.1 H,O; alpha homochelidonine, C2 1H2 0,N; beta-homochelidonine, C2 H:: :;O,N; and one or more glucosides. The one of principal interest, protopine (mol.wt. 353, 16) was isolated first by Hesse in 1871 from opium (6, 7, 11) and sub- sequently identified in numerous genera ( 5 ) of Funinriuceue and Pupuzjeraceae such as Corydali.) CLZZ~U Schweigger, and Sntipinuriu camdensis L. Protopine is synonymous with macleayine and fumarine (6) from Mudeayu cordutu (Willd.) R. Brown and Fzmuriu officinalis L. respectively. This alkaloid is insoluble in water, slightly soluble in alcohol and acetone, and readily soluble in chloroform. Chelerythrine and homochelidonine are obtained primarily
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from Chelidoniunz majus L., SanRuinaria canadensis L., and a number of other species including Eschsrholtxia califomic'i Cham. The alkaloid sangui- narine belongs to the opium group and its solubility and pharmacologic actions are similar to protopine. Physiologic effects are midway between codeine and thebaine ( 5 ) . Sanguinarine resembles protopine in its action on muscle. Applied locally, it stimulates at first and then paralyses sensory nerve endings of the skin. Galenical preparations of S. canademis L. root, which like Eschscholtzin californica Chamisse, contain protopine, have been listed in the U.S. National Formulary (12) and in the U.S. Dispensatory (13) but not official in the US. Pharmacopoeia. In Amphibia (frogs), protopine produces narcosis ( 5 ) similar to morphine. Striated muscle poisoned by protopine cannot be tetanized but a series of rapid contractions and relaxations is produced by repetitive electric shocks exceeding 20 shocks per second. In Mammals, no depression occurs with protopine administration but paralysis of sensory nerve terminations resemble cocaine; and, increased reflex excitability occurs rather than sleep; and, respiration is reduced less than by morphine. Such a combination of intermediate pharma- cological effects of protopine, the principal alkaIoid (4 , s ) in Eschscholtzia californica Cham., challenges interest in the determination of its justifiable utilization in medical research. The foregoing summary of published information regarding Eschscholtzin califovzica Cham. is presented with the hope that research biochemists, pharma- cologists, and practicing physicians will re-investigate and extend its study under hospital conditions. The reported effective uses and the partially known chemistry and pharmacology deserve further testing by modern methods to determine proper dosages for general prescription purposes in the interest of human welfare. The obvious potential value of this source of an advantageous soporific and analgesic therapeutic agent is worthy of re-evaluation.
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S P E C I F I C R E F E R E N C E S :
Bailey, L. H. - Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 2:1145 (1914). Bentham, George - Botanical Register (Edwards') XXIII: Table 1948 (1837). Chopra, Sir Ram Nath , Badhwar, Lall, and Glosh, Sudhamoy - Poisonous Plants of India (Sci.
Danckwortt, P. W. - Zur Kenntnis des Protopins und Kryptopins. Arch. Pharmazie und Berichte
Henry, T. H . - The Plant Alkaloids ed. 1913, pp. 256-257, 378-383 (1913). Editor. - Merck Index of Chemicals and Drugs ed. 7: 866-867 (1960). Osol, Arthur and Farrar , George E. et al. - The Dispensatory of the U.S.A., Ed. 25:928 (1955). Schmidt, Ernst - Dbcr Papaveraceen-Alkaloide. Arch. Pharm. 231: 136-183 (1893). Stuhr, E. T. - Manual of Pacific Coast Drug Plants, p. 101 (1933). Willis, J. C . - Flowering Plants and Ferns, ed. 4, p. 253 (1919). Winterstein, Ernst and Trier, George - Die Alkaloide, p. 243 (1910). U.S. National Formulary XI : 319 (1960). U.S. Dispensatory XXV: 928 (1955).
Monograph No. 17), Vol. 1:162 (1940). Published 1949.
der Deutschen Pharmazeutischen Gesellschaft 250: 590-646 (1912).
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SUPPLEMENTARY GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Allport, N. L. - Chemistry and Pharmacy of vegetable drugs, London, 1943. Backer, C. A. - Verklarend Woordenboek van wetenschappelijke plantennamen. Groningen, 1936. Fournier, P. - Lc livrc des plantes mCdicinales ct vCnCneuses de France, tome 11, Paris, 1948. Heukels, H. - D e Flora van Ncderland, vol. 11. Leiden, 1909. Hocking, G. M. - A Dictionary of terms in pharmacognosy. Springfield (Illinois), U.S.A., 1955. Hunnius, C. - Pharmazeutischcs Worterbuch. Berlin, 1955. Leycl, C . F. - Compassionate Herbs, London, 1946. Sipkes, C. - Flora van onze gekwcekte vollegrondsgewassen. Zutphen, 1922. Steinmetz, E. F. - Codes Vegetabilis, Amsterdam, 1957. Uphof, J. C. Th . - Dictionary of Economic Plants, Weinhcim, 1959.
Ubersetzung
DER THERAPEUTISCHE WERT V O N ESCHSCHOLTZIAE CALIFORNICAE HERBA
Die therapeutische Bedeutung des kalifornischen Mohns, E.irh.rcholtxici cnli- fortziclz Chamisse, verdient eine grossere Beachtung durch die Arzte bei der Behandlung von Schlaflosigkeit und Neuralgie, besonders fur Patienten bei denen die Verwendung eines stark wirksamen Narkotikums vermieden werden soll. In dieser Abhandlung werden die Pflanze, ihre chemischen Bestandteile (die einen therapeutischen Wert haben konnen) und ihre Verwendung besprochen. D i e P f l m x e . Diese ein- bis mehrjahrige krautartige Spezies der Familie der Schmetterlingblutler wurde nach J. Fr. Eschscholz, 1 7 9 3 4 5 3 1 , benannt. Der Name wird manchmal Eschscholzia (also ohne t) geschrieben. Eschscholz war ein Botaniker, der an den russischen Forschungsreisen um die Welt, 1815-1818 und 1823-1526, unter der Leitung von v. Kotzebue teilgenommen hat. Die Pflanze wurde wahrend der ersten Reise in Kalifornien gefunden und Chamisse gab ihr den Namen Eschschaltxia californicd. Sie wurde Anfang des 19. Jahr- hunderts in Europa als Garten- und Zierpflanze eingefuhrt, doch wird der Geruch der Bluten von vielen Menschen als unangenehm empfunden. Die Pflanze wird auch angebaut urn als Droge fur die homoopathische Jndustrie Verwendung zu finden. Sie gedeiht am besten auf trockenem und sandigem Boden. Volkstumliche Namen sind: California Poppy (Englisch) ; Knip- mutsje, Slaapmutsje, Goud-Papaver (Hollandisch); Kalifornischer Mohn (Deutsch) ; Globe du Soleil (Franzosisch) ; Papavero di California (Italie- nisch) ; Anapola de California (Spanisch) ; Kaliforniya hashasi (Turkisch) . Diese Art Eschscholtziri hat das Synonym Chryseis Lindl. bekommen, abgeleitet vom griechischen chruseos oder chrusos (was Gold bedeutet), weil die Bluten
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