Skip Navigation



eCAM Advance Access published online on February 9, 2005
eCAM, doi:10.1093/ecam/neh065
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrowOA All Versions of this Article:
2/1/69    most recent
neh065v1
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Naser, B.
Right arrow Articles by Lindequist, U.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Naser, B.
Right arrow Articles by Lindequist, U.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author (2005). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
Received September 10, 2004
Revised December 10, 2004
Accepted January 11, 2005

Review

Thuja occidentalis (Arbor vitae): A Review of its Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Clinical Properties

Belal Naser 1*, Cornelia Bodinet 1, Martin Tegtmeier 1, and Ulrike Lindequist 2

1 Schaper & Brümmer GmbH & Co. KG, Salzgitter, Germany
2 Institute for Pharmacy, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Belal Naser, E-mail: belal.naser{at}schaper-bruemmer.de


  Abstract

Arbor vitae (Thuja occidentalis L.) is a native European tree widely used in homeopathy and evidence-based phytotherapy. Many reviews and monographs have been published on the herbal substance's description, mode of action and clinical use. However, no comprehensive evidence-based review is available. Therefore, our aim was to search MEDLINE databases and survey manufacturers for further details or unpublished data. This review presents the botany, ethnobotany and phytochemistry, especially the different contents of essential oil (Thujone) in relation to different extraction procedures of this medicinal plant. Thuja's antiviral action and immunopharmacological potential, such as stimulatory and co-stimulatory effects on cytokine and antibody production and activation of macrophages and other immunocompetent cells, have been evaluated in numerous in vitro and in vivo investigations. Although no controlled trials have been conducted on Thuja occ alone, many clinical studies have been performed with a herbal medicinal product containing a special extract of Thuja occ and other immunostimulants, demonstrating its therapeutic efficacy and safety in respiratory tract infections.

Keywords: Thuja occidentalis; common cold; Thujone; Esberitox.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Evid Based Complement Alternat MedHome page
A. Vojdani and J. Erde
Regulatory T Cells, a Potent Immunoregulatory Target for CAM Researchers: Modulating Tumor Immunity, Autoimmunity and Alloreactive Immunity (III)
Evid. Based Complement. Altern. Med., September 1, 2006; 3(3): 309 - 316.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Evid Based Complement Alternat MedHome page
P. Bellavite, A. Conforti, F. Pontarollo, and R. Ortolani
Immunology and homeopathy. 2. Cells of the immune system and inflammation.
Evid. Based Complement. Altern. Med., March 1, 2006; 3(1): 13 - 24.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Evid Based Complement Alternat MedHome page
A. Vojdani and J. Erde
Regulatory T Cells, a Potent Immunoregulatory Target for CAM Researchers: The Ultimate Antagonist (I).
Evid. Based Complement. Altern. Med., March 1, 2006; 3(1): 25 - 30.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.