Apple Tree
Botanical Description & Habitat
Malus sylvestris
Pyrus malus
Family
Roseaceae
Common Names
Apple
Wild apple
Habitat
Native of Europe and Asia; it is abundant in North Carolina and cultivated in almost all parts of the temperate regions.
Description
The apple tree has oval leaves and white-to-deep pink flowers appearing at the same time as the leaves. Its flowers grow in clusters on short peduncles, varying in size and petal shape. The seeds are poisonous due to their hydrocyanic content; they develop in groups of 5 within the flowers. The edible fruit is usually spheroidal in form, with depressed ends, and red or yellow in color.
Medicinal Parts
Fruit and expressed juice
Historical Properties & Uses
Apples have distinct medicinal value; "an apple a day" may indeed "keep the doctor away." To relieve diarrhea, grated apple is used, and the greener the apple, the better. To ease constipation, the whole apple is used. Dried apple peels help soothe rheumatism, and aged apple wine is recommended for whatever ails you. Apple is sometimes administered as a powder to relieve gastroenteritis in children.
Despite the apple's rich folk history, no scientific studies have been done to document any of its traditional applications.
Method of Action
Freshly prepared apple juice from freshly picked apples has been shown to have some antiviral activity. The polio virus is one such virus fresh apple juice has antiviral activity against. Activity was reduced or eliminated with storage time and exposure to air and heat.
Apple has also been shown to have some antitubercular activity.
Apple contains pectin (up to 17%). Pectin absorbs water in the GI tract and swells to a gummy mass. This can moisten hardened stools, or add bulk in the presence of diarrhea.
Reference:
The Lawrence Review of Natural Products. Jan, 1995.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Comments
There is evidence to show combining bactericidal and bacteriostatic agents will lower the effectiveness of the bacteriostatic agent. However, how this finding applies to herbal anti-infectives such as apple tree is still unknown.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
No known toxicity.
Preparation & Administration
Fresh juice of fruit
4 ounces three times a day
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
Am Hospital Formulary Service. Am Society of Hospital Pharmacists. Washington, D.C.
Bressler, R., M.D. Bogdonoff & G.J. Subak-Sharpe. 1981. The Physicians Drug Manual. Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York. 1213 pp.
Committee on Pharmocopaeia of the Am Institute of Homeopathy, The Homeopathic Pharmacopaeia of the United States. 8th ed., Vol 1. Otis Clapp and Son, Agents, Boston, l981.
Fitzpatrick, F.K. Plant substances active against mycobacterium tuberculosis. Antibiotics And Chemotherapy, 4(5), 528-536, 1954.
Goodman & Gilman. 1975. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. Macmillan, New York.
Hansten 1979. Drug Interactions, 4th ed. Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia. Kastrup, E.K., ed. 1981. Drug Facts and Comparisons, 1982 edition. Facts and Comparisions Division, J.P. Lippincott Company, Phila. St. Louis.
Konowalchuk, J. & Speirs, J.I. Antiviral effect of apple beverages. Applied And Environmental Microbiology, 36(12), 798-801, 1978.
The Lawrence Review of Natural Products. Jan, 1995.
List, P.H. & L. Hoerhammer. 1969-1976. Hagers Hanbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, vols. 2-5. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Martin. 1978. Drug Interactions Index, 1978/79. Lippincott Co. Phila.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Scientific Committee, British Herbal Pharmocopaeia, British Herbal Med Assoc, Lane House, Cowling, Na Keighley, West Yorks, Bd Bd220lx, l983
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