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| Latin Name |
English Name |
Sanskrit Name |
Hyssopus officinalis
Linn. (Lamiaceae/Labiatae)
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Hyssop |
Jufa |
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| History |
This
is an herb of great antiquity. It was frequently mentioned in the
Bible from Moses to John. It is also mentioned in Arab literature.
The Greeks used it as cough remedy. The herb was cultivated in Europe
mainly for its essential oil. It was also grown in gardens for ornament.
They were employed as flavouring for salads and soups and also in
the preparation of liqueurs and perfumes. Hyssop was at one time official
in some pharmacopoeias of Europe. Hyssop oil was used as a flavouring
agent in bitters and tonics, especially in French liqueurs of the
Chartreuse and Benedictine type. It was also used to some extent in
perfumes with a spicy odour.
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| Habitat |
It is found in the
Himalayas in Kashmir at altitudes of 8,000-11,000 ft.
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| Morphology
Description (Habit) |
It is an aromatic,
shrubby perennial plant. The branches are erect or diffuse. The leaves
are sessile, linear-oblong or lanceolate, obtuse and entire. The flowers
are bluish purple, in axillary tufts arranged unilaterally on terminal
branches. The nut-lets are dark brown, narrow, trigonous and smooth.
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| Principal
Constituents |
About 47 chemical
constituents forming 98.65 per cent of the total oil have been isolated
of which the major ones are as follows: isopinocamphone (38.1%), pinocarvone
(20.3%), 1,8-cineole (12.1%) and ß-pinene (10.2%)1. In the ehanolic
extract of the plant 2H-10, 4a - (epoxymethanol) - phenantren - 12
- one - 1, 3, 4, 9,1 0, 10a - hexahydro-5, 6 dihydroxy - 9a - ethoxy
- 1, 1 - dimethyl 1 - 7 - (1-methylethyl) (rosmanol-9- ethyl ether)
is identified.
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| Pharmacology |
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Antioxidant activity of the active
compound of the plant is 2H-10, 4a - (epoxymethanol) - phenantren
- 12 - one - 1, 3, 4, 9,1 0, 10a - hexahydro-5, 6 dihydroxy - 9a
- ethoxy - 1, 1 - dimethyl 1 - 7 - (1-methylethyl) (rosmanol-9-
ethyl ether), which is much greater than butylated hydroxytoluene
(BHT)2.
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| Toxicology |
No toxic
effects reported in usage of this plant.
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| Indications |
It is used as a remedy
for cough. The oil promotes expectoration in bronchial catarrh and
asthma.
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| Product
Range |
Diakof (CoughCare
Sfree), Koflet (CoughCare).
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| References |
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- Shah, Indian Perfume, 1991, Vol. 35, pp. 49.
- Djarmati et. al., J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc., 1991, Vol.
68, pp. 731; Chem. Abstr., 1991, Vol. 115, No. 254559; Chem. Abstr.,
1990, Vol. 113, No. 20410.
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