Uses Cresol is used combined with soap to form a clear saponaceous ?uid known as lysol, which can be mixed with water in any proportions. For the disinfection of drains it is used at a dilution of one in 20; for heavily infected linen, one in 40; and for ?oors and walls, one in
100.
Habitat: Temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Uttar Pradesh at 1,200-2,400 m.
English: Chickweed, Water Starwort.Folk: Budeolaa.Action: Leaves—decoction used in galactorrhoea.
Fresh plant contains an essential oil having 3-hydroxymethylfuran, alpha- pinene, limonene, n-hexanol, geran- iol, camphor, benzyl alcohol, guaia- col, cresol, eugenol and carvacrol as the major constituents.... stellaria aquaticaFAMILY: Betulaceae
SYNONYMS: B. alba var. pubescens, B. odorata, B. pendula, European white birch, silver birch.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Decorative tree, up to 15–20 metres high, with slender branches, silvery-white bark broken into scales, and light green oval leaves. The male catkins are 2–5 cms long, the female up to 15 cms long.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to the northern hemisphere; found throughout Eastern Europe, Russia, Germany, Sweden, Finland, the Baltic coast, northern China and Japan.
OTHER SPECIES: Many cultivars exist of this species of birch. The paper birch (B. papyrifera) and B. verrucosa are also used for the production of birch bud oil and/or birch tar. NB Should not be confused with the oil from the sweet birch (B. lenta) which is potentially toxic.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: Birch buds were formerly used as a tonic in hair preparations. Birch tar is used in Europe for all types of chronic skin complaints: psoriasis, eczema, etc. In Scandinavia the young birch leaflets and twigs are bound into bundles and used in the sauna to tone the skin and promote the circulation. The sap is also tapped in the spring and drunk as a tonic. Buds, leaves and bark are used for ‘rheumatic and arthritic conditions, especially where kidney functions appear to need support … oedematous states; urinary infections and calculi.’.
ACTIONS: Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, tonic.
EXTRACTION: 1. Essential oil by steam distillation from the leaf-buds. 2. Crude birch tar is extracted by slow destructive distillation from the bark; this is subsequently steam distilled to yield a rectified birch tar oil.
CHARACTERISTICS: 1. Pale yellow, viscous oil with a woody-green balsamic scent. It crystallizes at low temperatures. 2. The crude tar is an almost black, thick oily mass. The rectified oil is a brownish-yellow, clear oily liquid with a smoky, tar-like, ‘Russian leather’ odour. It blends well with other woody and balsamic oils.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: 1. Mainly betulenol and other sesquiterpenes. 2. In the tar oil: phenol, cresol, xylenol, guaiacol, creosol, pyrocatechol, pyrobetulin (which gives the ‘leather’ scent).
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin Care: Dermatitis, dull or congested skin, eczema, hair care, psoriasis etc.
Circulation Muscles And Joints: Accumulation of toxins, arthritis, cellulitis, muscular pain, obesity, oedema, poor circulation, rheumatism.
OTHER USES: Birch bud oil is used primarily in hair tonics and shampoos, and in some cosmetics for its potential skin-healing effects. The crude tar is used in pharmaceutical preparations, ointments, lotions, etc. for dermatological diseases. It is also used in soap and leather manufacture – rectified birch tar oil provides the heart for many ‘leather’ type perfumes and aftershaves.... birch, white
FAMILY: Cupressaceae
SYNONYMS: Juniper tar, prickly cedar, medlar tree, prickly juniper.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A large evergreen shrub up to 4 metres high, with long dark needles and brownish-black berries about the size of hazelnuts.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to southern France; now common throughout Europe and North Africa. The tar is produced mainly in Spain and Yugoslavia.
OTHER SPECIES: There are many varieties of juniper which are used commercially apart from the prickly juniper: J. communis produces juniper oil, J. virginiana produces Virginian cedarwood oil, and in Yugoslavia an oil is produced from the fruits and twigs of J. smreka.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: Used in the treatment of cutaneous diseases, such as chronic eczema, parasites, scalp disease, hair loss, etc. especially in France and other continental countries. It is also used as an antiseptic wound dressing and for toothache.
ACTIONS: Analgesic, antimicrobial, antipruritic, antiseptic, disinfectant, parasiticide, vermifuge.
EXTRACTION: The crude oil or tar is obtained by destructive distillation from the branches and heartwood (usually in the form of shavings or chips). A rectified oil is produced from the crude by steam or vacuum distillation. In addition, an oil is occasionally produced from the berries by steam distillation.
CHARACTERISTICS: The rectified oil is an orange-brown, oily liquid with a woody, smoky, leatherlike odour. It blends well with thyme, origanum, clove, cassia, tea tree, pine and medicinal-type bases.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Cadinene, cadinol, p-cresol, guaiacol, among others.
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant, possible sensitization problems. Use with care, especially when treating inflammatory or allergic skin conditions. Turpentine (terebinth) oil makes a useful alternative, with less possibility of an allergic reaction.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin Care: Cuts, dandruff, dermatitis, eczema, spots, etc.
OTHER USES: Extensively used in pharmaceutical work as a solvent for chemical drugs, in dermatological creams and ointments, as well as in veterinary medicine. Rectified cade is used in fragrance work, in soaps, lotions, creams and perfumes (especially leather and spice).... cade
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