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Herb & Supplement Encyclopedia: |
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Greek Mountain Shepherd's Tea
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 Scientific Names |
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 Forms |
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 Traditional Usage |
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 Overview |
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 Active Ingredients |
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 Suggested Amount |
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 Drug Interactions |
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 Contraindications |
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 Side Effects |
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 References |
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Scientific Names: |
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Sideritis syriaca L. and related Sideritis species [Fam. Lamiaceae]
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Forms: |
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Tea made from the leaves and flowering tops of Sideritis syriaca and related Sideritis species.
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Traditional Usage: |
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- Analgesic (topical essential oil)
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Anti-inflammatory (internal and topical)
- Antimicrobial
- Antioxidant
- Colds
- Edema (inflammation-related)
- Immune System
- Inflammation (internal and topical)
- Respiratory Health Maintenance
- Tonic |
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Overview: |
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Greek mountain shepherd's tea, Sideritis syriaca L. and related Sideritis species [Fam. Lamiaceae], also known as Mountain tea, is a perennial that thrives in the mountainous regions between southern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. Greek mountain shepherd's tea is pleasantly aromatic and the essential oils and extracts of this aromatic herb have been shown to have potent antioxidant activity in lipid substrates. The freeze-dried extract of Sideritis, before and after hydrolysis, was found to be rich in bound forms of phenolic compounds such as hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids. The saponin content of related Sideritis scardia Griseb, also widely distributed in Greece, favorably effects the upper respiratory tract and this partially explains the popularity that the drug (tea) enjoys among Greeks, as it is used as a drink especially during cold weather. S. foetens Clem. has a sterol fraction with noted anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties. Oral administration of 30 and 60 mg/kg of sterols decreased carrageenan paw edema in mice and inhibited mouse ear edema after topical application. Several active ingredients of Sideritis have also been synthesized for their antimicrobial properties. The chemical compositions of the essential oils obtained from the aerial parts of five taxa of Sideritis were analyzed using various techniques and a total of 99 different compounds were identified, and significant differences (qualitative and quantitative) were observed between the samples. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the essential oils against six bacteria and three fungi has also been reported. Sideritis medicinal decoctions have been shown to exert their anti-inflammatory effects through two different mechanisms. The genus Sideritis contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant polyphenolics such as flavonoids. Sideritis also contains diterpenoids that interact with the eicosanoid system but do not interfere with tested leukocyte functions or with reactive oxygen species; these compounds are essentially non-toxic even above recommended therapeutic doses. |
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Active Ingredients: |
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Greek Mountain Shepherd's tea contains: approximately 0.1% essential oil including more than sixty constituents which have recently been isolated (volatile terpene derivatives were bound in forms of glycosides or dimeric quajazolide lactones); a new flavone glycoside was identified from the aerial parts of Sideritis syriaca, 5,8,3'-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone 7-(6"'-O-acetylsophoroside) together with apigenin 7-(6"-p-coumaroylglucoside) and apigenin 7-(4"-p-coumaroylglucoside) which are reported for the first time in the genus Sideritis. The freeze-dried extract of Sideritis, before and after hydrolysis, is rich in bound forms of phenolic compounds such as hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids. Palomino and others identified isoscutellarein 7-glucosyl(1-->2)xyloside from sixteen species of Sideritis. The Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain isolated a new flavone diglycoside from the aerial parts of the related plant, Sideritis lutoela, characterized as isoscutellarein 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2) beta-D-xylopyranoside. Sideritus scardia Griseb. is also widely distributed in Greece and it contains saponins, flavonoids and has a high iron content. Related S. foetens Clem. has a sterol fraction composed of campesterol (7.6%), stigmasterol (28.4%) and beta-sitosterol (61.1%); anti-inflammatory plant labdanes; andalusol, a diterpenoid with anti-inflammatory activity. [Information taken from: Palomino OM, Sollhuber M, Carretero E, Villar A. 1996. Isoscutellarein 7-glucosyl(1-->2)xyloside from sixteen species of Sideritis. Phytochemistry. 1996 May; 42(1): 101-2; Venturella P, Bellino A, Marino ML.1995. Three acylated flavone glycosides from Sideritis syriaca. Phytochemistry. 1995 Jan; 38(2): 527-30; Navarro A, De las Heras B, Villar A. 2001. Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties of a sterol fraction from Sideritis foetens Clem.Biol Pharm Bull. 2001 May; 24(5): 470-3; Navarro A, de las Heras B, Villar AM. Andalusol, a diterpenoid with anti-inflammatory activity from Siderits foetens Clemen. Z Naturforsch [C]. 1997 Nov-Dec; 52(11-12): 844-9; Lemberkovics E, Kery A, Marczal G, Simandi B, Szoke E. 1998. [Phytochemical evaluation of essential oils, medicinal plants and their preparations] Acta Pharm Hung. 1998 May; 68(3): 141-9; Pang L, de las Heras B, Hoult JR. 1996. A novel diterpenoid labdane from Sideritis javalambrensis inhibits eicosanoid generation from stimulated macrophages but enhances arachidonate release. Biochem Pharmacol. 1996 Mar 22; 51(6): 863-8]. |
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Suggested Amount: |
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Greek mountain shepherd's tea is traditionally used as a beverage and medicinal tea by Greek shepherds, particularly during cold weather, and is normally taken with the dosage of one teaspoon of leaves and flowering tops per cup of boiling water taken one to several times per day. The leaves and flowering tops are sold for tea in local markets of Greece and for export. |
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Drug Interactions: |
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None known. |
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Contraindications: |
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None known. |
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Side Effects: |
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None known. |
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References: |
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Aligiannis N, Kalpoutzakis E, Chinou IB, Mitakou S, Gikas E, Tsarbopoulos A. 2001. Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of five taxa of Sideritis from Greece. J Agric Food Chem. 2001 Feb; 49(2): 811-5.
Aydin, S., Özturk, Y., Beis, R., Baser, K.H.C., 1996. Investigation of Origanum onites,
Sideritis congesta and Satureja cuneifolia essential oils for analgesic activity. Phytotherapy Research 10 (4): 342 344.
de las Heras B, Villar A, Vivas JM, Hoult JR. 1994. Novel anti-inflammatory plant labdanes: comparison of in vitro properties with aspirin and indomethacin. Agents Actions. 1994 Mar; 41(1-2): 114-7.
Rodriguez-Linde ME, Diaz RM, Garcia-GranadosA, Quevedo-Sarmiento J, Moreno E, Onorato MR, Parra A, Ramos-Cormenzana A. 1994. Antimicrobial activity of natural and
semisynthetic diterpenoids from Sideritis spp. Microbios. 1994; 77(310): 7-13.
Triantaphyllou K, Blekas G, Boskou D. 2001. Antioxidative properties of water extracts
obtained from herbs of the species Lamiaceae. Int J Food Sci Nutr. Jul; 52(4): 313-7.
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