Sorbus aucuparia Health Dictionary

Linn.

Family: Rosaceae.

Habitat: Native to Europe and Asia; distributed in temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Kumaon.

English: European Mountain Ash, Rowan tree, Mountain Ash Berry.

Folk: Battal (Punjab), Syaar (Garhwal).

Action: Fruits—antiscorbutic, depurative, diuretic, astringent, aperient, emmenagogue. An infusion is given in haemorrhoids, strangury and irritation of bladder; for disorders of the uric acid metabolism, for dissolution of uric acid deposits; and for alkalization of the blood ("blood purification"). (Seeds contain cyanogenic acid; should be removed before the fruit is used.) Leaves—laxative; used as a pectoral in cough and bronchitis. Bark—astringent. Decoction is given in diarrhoea. (It is said to produce irritation of the alimentary mucous membrane.)

Included among unapproved herbs by German Commission E.

The fruit gave ursolic acid, parasor- boside, quercetin, iso-quercetin, rutin and anthocyanins.

Candied fruit may contain 3040 mg/100 g of vitamin C and concentrates up to 240 mg/100 g. Fresh fruit contains vitamin C 39-74 mg, carotene 6.2-9.8 mg/100 g.

Amygdalin (34.27-61.70 mg/100 g) and hydrocyanic acid (2.02-3.72 mg/ 100 g) are reported to be present in frozen fruit.

Leaves, buds, young twigs and bark contain amygdalin; tannin (4.47%); triterpenoids; sorbose, sorbitol and sorbic acid.