NIS - libdoc.who.int - World Health Organization

WHO monographs on medicinal plants commonly used in the Newly Independent States (NIS)
Radioactive residues
Where applicable, consult the WHO guidelines on quality control methods
for medicinal plant materials (34) for the analysis of radioactive isotopes.
Other purity tests
The content of mineral matter should be not more than 0.1% (1). Chemical
and alcohol-soluble extractive tests to be established in accordance
with national requirements.
Chemical assays
To be established in accordance with national requirements.
Major chemical constituents
The major constituents of the dried inflorescences are flavonoids (1–5%):
chiefly quercetin glycosides (rutin, hyperoside, quercitrin and 3-glucosyl-7-rhamnoside),
and kaempferol glucosides (astragalin (kaempferol-3-
glucoside), tiliroside (astragalin-6´´-p-coumaroylester), astragalin-3-
glucosyl-7-rhamnoside, astragalin-3,7-dirhamnoside). A complex of
mucilage (7–10%, particularly from the bracts, mainly arabino-galactans
with some uronic acid units) is present. The mucilage is composed of
5 fractions dominated by d-galactose, l-arabinose, l-rhamnose and uronic
acid, with smaller amounts of glucose, mannose and xylose. The essential
oil (0.02–0.1%) contains farnesol and its acetate, linalool, geraniol,
geranyl acetate, germacrene, 1,8-cineole, eugenol, camphor, carvone, citral,
citronellol, limonene, kaur-16-ene and some 70 other identified compounds;
which gives the drug its characteristic faint odour, more pronounced
in the fresh flowers. The presence of phenolic acids (caffeic,
p-coumaric and chlorogenic acids), scopoletin, tannins (approximately
2%, including the procyanidin dimers B-2 and B-4), leucoanthocyanidins,
among others, has also been reported (6, 18, 23, 30, 38–46). The
structures of the major constituents are presented below.
Medicinal uses
Uses supported by clinical data
No information was found.
Uses described in pharmacopoeias and well established documents
The Commission E approved the internal use of Flos Tiliae for colds and
cold-related coughs (45). The use of the flowers as an antispasmodic and
diaphoretic agent is indicated (47).
398