Steinmetz:Prunus

Prunus amygdalus amara

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus amygdalus amara Amygdalus communis amara Prunus communis var. amara Family Amygdalaceae English Names Bitter Almond tree Natural Habitat Western Asia Palestine North Africa; cultivated in the European Mediterranean countries (mainly Sicily) Part(s) Used Oleum Amygdalarum amararum Semen Amygdali amarum Placenta Amygdalarum amarum

Constituent(s) fixed fatty oil (Oleum Amygdalae) amygdalin proteids albumen mucilage sugar - When water is added hydrocyanic acid is formed Action emollient demulcent laxative sedative in coughs etc. diuretic attenuent

Prunus amygdalus dulcis

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus amygdalus dulcis Amygdalus communis dulcis Prunus communis var. dulcis Family Amygdalaceae English Names Sweet Almond tree Natural Habitat Western Asia Palestine North Africa; cultivated in the European Mediterranean countries (mainly Spain Southern France) Part(s) Used Oleum Amygdalarum dulce Semen Amygdali dulce Placenta Amygdalarum dulce

Constituent(s) fixed fatty oil (Oleum Amygdalae) proteids albuminous matter mucilage sugar enzymes Action emollient demulcent nutritive. - Sweet almonds can be used as a sedative in diseases of the respiratory organs

Prunus armeniaca

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus armeniaca Armeniaca vulgaris Family Amygdalaceae English Names Apricot Natural Habitat Northern China Armenia Turkestan Himalayas; cultivated in Southern Europe and Mediterranean countries India Part(s) Used Fructus Armeniaceae Folia Armeniaceae Semen Armeniaceae Oleum Armeniaceae

Constituent(s) fruit: copper vitamins A and C sugar acids mineral salts colouring matter; seed: amygdalin fatty oil invertin prussic acid Action leaf: astringent pectoral; fruit: nutritive; kernel: antispasmodic pectoral demulcent sedative anthelmintic used instead of almonds but considered toxic; flower: tonic aphrodisiac. The fruit is wholesome and very good for anaemic people; oil: used as a substitute for almond oil

Prunus avium

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus avium Cerasus avium Family Amygdalaceae English Names Sweet Cherry Gean Natural Habitat Europe Western Asia Part(s) Used Fructus Caulis

Constituent(s) fruit: sugar vitamine A Action fruit: nutritive; stalk: tonic slightly astringent

Links

• Information in Von Esenbeck's book

Prunus cerasus

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus cerasus Cerasus silvestris (acida Vulgaris) Family Rosaceae English Names Agriot Sour Cherry Natural Habitat Europe Balkan North America Canada Asia Minor Himalayas Part(s) Used Cortex Cerasi acidi Folia Cerasi acidi Fructus Cerasi acidi Semen Cerasi acidi Stipites Cerasi acidi = Stipites Cerasorum Gummi Cerasi

Constituent(s) leaf: citric acid tannin dextrose cumarin saccharose; bark: prussic acid amygdalin gum emulsin tannin gallic acid volatile oil starch resin: root-bark: phloridzin (glucoside); stalk: tannin; fruit: invert-sugar pectin inosit lignin fat essential oil minerals red colouring matter Action stalk: diuretic refreshing astringent pectoral; bark: pectoral astringent sedative tonic febrifuge antidiarrhoeal; gum: used as a substitute for Gummi arabicum

Links

• Information in Von Esenbeck's book

Prunus domestica

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus domestica Family Amygdalaceae English Names Prune Plum Natural Habitat Europe Greece Syria Persia Afghanistan California (U. S. A. ) Part(s) Used Fructus Pruni

Constituent(s) saccharine matter malic acid albuminoid pectic substances Action laxative nutritive refrigerant demulcent cholagogue

Links

• Information in Von Esenbeck's book

Prunus laurocerasus

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus laurocerasus Family Rosaceae English Names Cherry-Laurel Natural Habitat Balkan Persia Asia Minor; cultivated in Europe Part(s) Used Folia Laurocerasi (the fresh leaves): Oleum Laurocerasi

Constituent(s) laurocerasin phyllin-acid bitter principle sugar tannin prussic acid prulaurasin prunase (enzyme) emulsin Action sedative anodyne antispasmodic tonic narcotic toxic

Links

• Information in Von Esenbeck's book

Prunus insititia

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus insititia Family Amygdalaceae English Names Dawson plum Natural Habitat South-Eastern Europe Asia Minor

Action astringent digestive aperient used as food. P. S. To this species also belong: Prunus syriaca ("Mirabel") Prunus italica ("Reine Claude") and Prunus fruticans (a bastard between Prunus spinosa and Prunus insititia)

Prunus mahaleb

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus mahaleb Family Amygdalaceae English Names Mahaleb Cherry Saint Lucie Cherry Natural Habitat Europe (mainly Germany) eastern Mediterranean countries Part(s) Used Semen Pruni Mahaleb

Constituent(s) coumarin prussic acid (amygdalin) salicylic acid Action diuretic stomachic tonic; used in the liqueur industry (Cherry-Brandy) and in perfumery

Prunus padus

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus padus Prunus racemosa Cerasus padus Family Amygdalaceae English Names Bird Cherry Natural Habitat Central- and Southern Europe temperate Asia Atlantic North America Part(s) Used Cortex Pruni padi

Constituent(s) amygdalin (laurocerasin) gum green colouring matter emulsin gum tannic acid resin. - The seeds yield a poisonous oil like oil of almonds which is employed in medicinal preparations and is remarkable for its siccative properties Action bark: tonic sedative in coughs etc. antispasmodic febrifuge astringent diuretic sudorific stomachic

Links

• Information in Von Esenbeck's book

Prunus persica

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus persica Persica vulgaris Amygdalus persica Family Rosaceae English Names Peach Natural Habitat Southern Europe California China Persia South Africa Part(s) Used Flores Persicarum Cortex Persicarum Folia Persicarum Semen Persicarurn Oleum nucum Persicarum

Constituent(s) leaf kernel: volatile oil amygdalin; flower: amygdalin; fruit: sugar laevulose Action flower leaf: diuretic laxative vermifuge soothing sedative febrifuge aromatic; bark: febrifuge vermifuge; fruit: nutritive refreshing demulcent antiscorbutic aperient; oil: demulcent used as a substitute for almond oil; gum: sedative alterative demulcent astringent; kernel: used in confectionery

Prunus serotina

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus serotina Prunus virginiana Cerasus virginiana Cerasus serotina Natural Habitat Eastern and Central U. S. A. Europe Part(s) Used Cortex Pruni serotinae (virginianae) the inner part of the root and branches is the most suitable for medicinal purposes

Constituent(s) prunasin (mandelo-nitrile) prunase (containing hydrocyanic acid) scopoletin resin phlobatannin free benzoic acid Action astringent tonic pectoral sedative; used for preparing Syrupus Pruni serotinae (virginianae) and for the same purposes as the bark of Prunus padus; oil (obtained from the bark): toxic

Prunus spinosa

Also known as (or relevant to) Prunus spinosa Family Rosaceae English Names Blackthorn Sloe Natural Habitat Europe Asia Minor North Africa Part(s) Used Flores Pruni spinosae = Flores "Acaciae germanicae" Folia Pruni spinosae = Folia "Acaciae" Fructus Pruni spinosae = Fructus "Acaciae"

Constituent(s) leaf: tannin; berry: sugar organic acids vitamin C prunicyanin (colouring matter) resin gum tannin Action leaf: depurative astringent febrifuge; flower: laxative depurative diuretic emmenagogue astringent vermifuge anti-nephritic: berry: purgative styptic astringent used in making liqueurs

Links

• Information in Von Esenbeck's book