Smilax regelii

Family: Smilacaceae

Names: Black Creeper, Jamaican Sarsaparilla, Sariva, Kalisar, Dudhilata, Sugandhi, Honduras sarsaparilla, red sarsaparilla, Spanish sarsaparilla, Tu fu ling, Dwipautra, Salsepareille (French); Sarsaparille (German); Salsapariglia (Italian); Zarzaparilla (Spanish); Salsaparrilha, Khao Yen, Saparna, Smilace, Smilax

Description: It is a large perennial climber, rhizome underground, large, short, knotted, with thickened nodes and roots spreading up to 15 feet long. Stems erect, semiwoody, with very sharp prickles ½ inch long. Leaves large, alternate stalked, almost evergreen with prominent veins, seven nerved mid-rib very strongly marked. Flowers and fruit not known. Cortex thick and brownish, with an orange red tint; when chewed it tinges the saliva, and gives a slightly bitter and mucilaginous taste, followed by a very acrid one.  It is native to South America, Jamaica, the Caribbean, Mexico, Honduras and the West Indies. The root, used for medicinal purposes, is long and tuberous and supports a ground-trailing vine with paired tendrils for climbing. The fragrance of the root is considered pleasant with a spicy sweet taste. Has broadly ovate leaves, tendrils, and small greenish flowers. Roots and rhizomes can be unearthed all year There are many species of Smilax around the world that are very similar in appearance, uses and even chemical structure, including S. officinalis, S. regeli, S. aristolochiaefolia, S. febrifuga, S. sarsaparilla, and S. ornata.

Cultivation: Prefers well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. Needs minimum 54F.  Propagate by seed, suckers, or division in spring, or by semiripe cuttings in summer.  Harvest roots and rhizomes are lifted by severing larger roots near the crown, leaving smaller roots to increase.  They are dried for use in decoctions, elixirs, liquid extracts, and powders.

Energetics: sweet, mildly spicy, neutral

Meridians/Organs affected: liver, colon

Constituents: Aluminum, Ash, Beta-sitosterol, Calcium, Cetyl-alcohol , Chromium, Cobalt, Epsilon-sitosterol, Glucose, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Parigenin, Parillin, Phosphorus, Pollinastanol, Potassium, Resin, Saponin, Sarasaponin, Sarsaparilloside, Sarsaponin, Sarsasapogenin, Selenium, Silicon, Sitosterol-d-glucoside, Smilagenin, Smilasaponin, Stigmasterol, Tin, Zinc, traces of essential oil, resin, sugar and fat

History: The word Sarsaparilla comes from the Spanish Sarza, meaning a bramble, and parilla, a vine, in allusion to the thorny stems of the plant. The ancient Greeks and Romans considered European sarsaparilla an antidote to poisons.  But the herb was not popular in herbal healing until the 16th century, when Spanish explorers discovered the Caribbean species, a prickly vine that was small.  Caribbean and North American Indians used the herb to treat skin conditions, urinary complaints and as a tonic to keep one young and vigorous, both physically and sexually. In 1494 with an epidemic of unusually virulent syphilis sweeping Europe it gained a meteoric rise in popularity.  In the American West, cowboys often ordered it after visiting the local brothel.  By 1800, many physicians denounced sarsaparilla as completely ineffective against syphilis, but trade still continued.

Medicinal Uses: Used to treat skin disorders, liver problems, rheumatism and hormone excesses.  Generally the best quality sarsaparilla is the Jamaican.  Honduran and Mexican are also very good.  The roots with the deeper orange-red color are considered to be of superior quality.  Sarsaparilla is excellent for chronic hepatic disorders, for venereal diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis, and for female leuchorrea, and herpes.  It combines well with other alteratives and especially with yellow dock, sassafras, burdock, dandelion and red clover.  It also is of some help for epilepsy and other nervous system disorders.  It is anti-inflammatory and cleansing and can bring relief to skin problems caused by blood impurities such as eczema, psoriasis and itchiness. Chinese tests indicate that sarsaparilla root, in combination with five other herbs, was tested as a treatment for syphilis.  Reportedly, 90% of the acute cases subsequently cleared. In Mexico, the root is still frequently consumed for its reputed tonic and aphrodisiac properties.  Native Amazonian peoples take sarsaparilla to improve virility and to treat menopausal problems.  It has a progesterogenic action, making it beneficial in premenstrual problems and debility and depression associated with menopause.  It has a tonic and specifically testosterogenic action on the body (stimulates the production of testosterone) and stimulates natural cortisone, leading to increased muscle bulk, and it has a potential use for impotence.

The majority of Sarsaparilla’s pharmacological properties and actions have been attributed to a pharmacologically active group of phytochemicals called steroids and saponins. The saponins have been reported to facilitate the absorption by the body of other drugs and phytochemicals which accounts for its history of use in herbal formulas as a bioavailability and herbal enhancement agent.

Saponins and plant steroids found in many species of plants, including Sarsaparilla, can be chemically synthesized into human steroids like estrogen and testosterone. This chemical synthesization has never been documented to occur in the human body – only in the laboratory. Plant steroids and their actions in the human body are still a subject of much interest, too little research, and unfortunately, misinformation mainly for marketing purposes. Sarsaparilla has been erroneously touted to contain testosterone and/or other anabolic steroids. While it is a rich source of steroids and saponins, it has never been proven to have any anabolic effects, nor is testosterone found in sarsaparilla or any other plant source thus far. There is no known toxicity or side effects documented for sarsaparilla, however ingestion of large dosages of saponins may cause gastro-intestinal irritation. For psoriasis it will combine well with Burdock, Yellow Dock and Cleavers.

APPLICATIONS: Decoction: pour l-2 teaspoonfuls of the root in a cup of water, bring to the boil and simmer l0-l5 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day. Tincture: take l-2 ml of the tincture three times a day.

Ayurvedic Applications:

Indications: venereal diseases, herpes, skin diseases, arthritis, rheumatism, gout, epilepsy, insanity, chronic nervous diseases, abdominal distention, intestinal gas, debility, impotence, turbid urine. Sarsaparilla purifies the urino-genital tract, dispelling all infection and inflammation. While purifying the blood, it also improves Agni and helps dispel accumulated Vata from the intestines. Its purifying action wends to the nervous system and it helps cleanse the mind of negative emotions; therefore it is useful in many nervous disorders. Sarsaparilla’s diaphoretic and blood-cleansing action is useful for rheumatic inflammation. For herpes and venereal complaints, it can be combined with gentian. It stimulates the production of reproductive hormones and has tonic action on the sexual organs.  As a blood-purifier it works well with burdock root. Externally, it can be used as a wash for genital sores or herpes, or as a hot fomentation for painful, arthritic joints.  Stalks and leaves-decoction for skin eruptions, hearing disorders, fevers. Root decoction-skin diseases, syphilis, elephantiasis, loss of sensation, hemiplegia, loss of appetite, blood purifier, kidney and urinary disorders. It is best taken with other herbs.

Toxicity: Avoid in cases of pregnancy, steroid therapy or gastric ulcer.

Culinary Uses: Because of its saponin content and pleasant flavor, it is used alone or with sassafras to make beer. A simple recipe is to brew a combination of sarsaparilla and sassafras in boiling water for 20 minutes, about four ounces to a gallon.  Strain and add a pound of honey or sugar to sweeten, and live baking or brewing yeast.  Keep covered in a warm place for an hour or two until small bubbles start to rise, showing that fermentation has begun. Decant into bottles and tightly cap.  Wait 24 hours before drinking.

Recipes:

Sarsaparilla Wine

1½ ozs ground sarsaparilla root
¾ oz caramel
2½ lbs granulated sugar
7½ pts water
1½ oz tartaric acid
1 crushed Campden tablet
1 tsp yeast nutrient
wine yeast

Bring 1½ pints water to boil and stir in sarsaparilla, caramel and sugar. Stir until sugar and caramel are completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add remaining water. Stir in tartaric acid and yeast nutrient, cover and set aside to cool. When at room temperature, stir in crushed Campden tablet, recover and set aside for 12 hours. Add activated yeast and ferment 4 days, stirring 2-3 time per day. Pour liquid through nylon straining bag into secondary and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 30 days until wine clears and no new sediments form over 30-day period. Stabilize, sweeten if desired, wait 10 days, and rack into bottles. May drink immediately, but improves with 6 months aging.

Sarsaparilla Wine

3 lbs ripe bananas
2 oz ground dried sarsaparilla root
2½ lbs granulated sugar
7½ pts water
½ oz citric acid
½ tsp tannin
1 crushed Campden tablet
1 tsp yeast nutrient
wine yeast

Bring water to boil and stir in sugar until dissolved. Meanwhile, thinly slice bananas with skins intact and put in primary with sarsaparilla, citric acid, tannin, and yeast nutrient. Pour boiling water over ingredients in primary, cover and set aside to cool. When room temperature, stir in crushed Campden, recover primary and set aside 12 hours. Add activated yeast, recover and stir daily for 10 days. Strain liquid into secondary, top up and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock every 30 days until wine clears and no new sediments form over 30-day period. Stabilize, sweeten to taste, wait 10 days, and rack into bottles. Age 6 months before drinking, although 12 months is better.

Usually wine recipes use the ground dried roots many varieties of the genus Smilax, but especially Smilax aristolochiaefolia or Smilax zarzaparrilla of Mexico. However, it can also be made with the leaves of those plants, or the leaves of Aralia hispida or Aralia nudicaulis. These latter two plants produce clusters of small white flowers which can also be used to make wine, although its flavor will be quite different than wine made from the roots or leaves described above.

References:

The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, Andrew Chevallier, Dorling Kindersley, 1997; ISBN: 0-7894-1067-2

Planetary Herbology, Michael Tierra, Lotus Press, 1988; ISBN: 0-941-524272

HERBALPEDIA™ is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245; 717-393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261; email: herbworld@aol.com    URL: http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers.  Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.   Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented.

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Aspalathus linearis

Family: Leguminosae

Names: bushman tea, red bush tea

Description: Variable upright to weeping shrub with red-tinged branches and linear bright green leaves that turn red-brown when fallen. Tiny yellow pea flowers are borne in clusters during the summer.  Height and spread to 6 feet.  Zones 9-10  It is in flower from July to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite. It can fix Nitrogen.

Cultivation: Requires a very well-drained acid sandy soil and a warm sunny position. When grown in pots it needs to be kept dry but not arid in the winter.  This species tolerates several degrees of frost in its native habitat.  Plants are said to be frost-tolerant in one report, but in general plants are usually pot-grown in greenhouses in this country and can be brought into the garden for the summer.  Rooibos is one of the few wild species to have been developed as a commercial crop in the last 100 years. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Sow seed late spring in a greenhouse. It will probably be beneficial to pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water prior to sowing. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots of well-drained sandy soil as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. It will probably be wise to give the plants protection from the cold and from excessive rain for at least their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood in a closed frame in early summer.

Pinch out to encourage bushy growth. Cut back plants hard to control growths from old wood.  Plants are cut 14 inches above ground, fermented and sun dried for use in infusions, liquid extracts, and lotions.

History: A large genus of 255 luguminous, mostly spiny shrubs found only in southern Africa.  In the 19^th century they were cultivated as greenhouse shrubs for their attractive flowers.  Rooibos tea, made from the dried, fermented leaves tastes similar to oriental tea but is les astringent due to the lower tannin content.  It is caffeine-free but has a higher fluoride content than oriental tea, which may help protect against tooth decay.

Constituents: Rooibos is completely caffeine-free and, unlike black tea, does not reduce iron absorption. Additionally, Rooibos possesses many nutrients including iron, potassium, copper, calcium, manganese, fluoride, zinc, magnesium and sodium.  many flavonoids and polyphenols with powerful antioxidant activity including a new diastereomeric pair of the flavanones, (S)- and (R)-eriodictyol-6-C-beta-D-glucopyranoside, which is also formed via the oxidative cyclization of the dihydrochalcone, aspalathin, under conditions which mimic the fermentation process. The tea also contains many polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. The ascorbic acid content of rooibos tea varies between 121,8 and 154,9 micromoles/l, depending on the method of preparation. Rooibos tea also contains small amounts of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride and potassium.

Properties: An aromatic, pleasant-tasting, mildly astringent herb that benefits the digestion and relaxes spasms.  It relieves some allergic symptoms and skin conditions.

Medicinal Uses: A tea made from the dried fermented leaves tastes similar to oriental tea made from Camellia sinensis. It is less astringent, however, due to the lower tannin content. It is caffeine-free, but has a higher content of fluoride which might help to protect against tooth decay. Internally used for allergies, especially eczema, hay fever, and asthma in infants.  Externally used for skin infections and irritations.  Japanese research in the 1980s showed that rooibos contains a substance similar to the enzyme superoxide dismutase, an antioxidant compound thought to retard aging. Recent studies have reported rooibos tea as having antimutagenic and anti-HIV activity. The antimutagenic and antioxidant properties of Rooibos are far greater for unfermented shoot and leaf teas.

Culinary Uses: Mainly infused as a refreshing drink and as a base for soups, sauces, fruit drinks and in baking.  Extract is used locally in liqueur (buchenbosch) and schnapps.  The Japanese use Rooibos as an ingredient in bread, cosmetics, and sweets, as well as a favorite beverage.

References:
Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses
Plants for a Future Database

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Queen’s Delight is not one of the usual medicinal herbs. But it is one that has good uses.  Stillingia sylvatica of the family Euphorbiaceae is a native plant with a history of medicinal applications.

It goes by names such as queen’s root, silverleaf, yawroot, Albero Del Sego, Queen’s Root, Sevo Vegetal, Stillingia, Queen’s Root Stillingia, Stillingie

Description: A perennial herb growing to 4 feet tall. Leathery, elliptical alternative leaves, about 1-3 inches long, are finely toothed and nearly stalkless. The yellow flowers (March-August or all year in warm climates) are petalless and occur in dense terminal spikes, with the male blossoms along the upper part of the spike and the female blossoms along the flower part. The flowers are hermaphrodite.

Cultivation: Native to the southeastern US. Prefers dry, sandy, acid or alkaline soil in sun or partial shade. Propagate by seed sown in autumn or spring or by division in spring or by semiripe cuttings in spring at 59-64F. Cuttings may be dipped in powdered charcoal to control the flow of latex. The root is unearthed in autumn after flowering has finished. They should be dried/processed as soon as possible after harvesting because their properties deteriorate rapidly. Dried roots should be discarded after 2 years.

History: Queen’s delight was used by Native Americans as a purgative, a treatment for skin eruptions, and a remedy for venereal disease. Greek women who had just given birth took a decoction of the root or were bathed with an infusion. The boiled mashed roots were eaten by native North American women after childbirth and used by settlers as an external treatment for menstrual irregularity. Queen’s delight was included in the Pharmacopoeia of the United States from 1831 to 1926.

Constituents: alkaloids, diterpene esters, fixed oil, volatile oil, resin and tannins. Fresh root is considered most active

Properties: alterative, expectorant, diaphoretic, sialagogue, astringent, anti-spasmodic

Energetics: acrid, bitter, cool

Meridians/Organs affected: lungs, kidney, liver

Medicinal Uses: Queen’s delight appears to promote general detoxification. It is taken internally to help clear constipation, boils, weeping eczema, and scrofula. The fresh root is also taken for the treatment of bronchitis, laryngitis, and throat infection especially where it is accompanied by loss of voice. Externally, it is applied in the form of a lotion to hemorrhoids and to itchy skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Queen’s delight is most useful where there is lymphatic involvement. This herb must be used fresh and can be extracted in alcohol to make a tincture, using two ounces of the bruised root to a pint of diluted alcohol.

Dosage: Put ½-1 tsp of the dried root in a cup of water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. This should be drunk 3 times a day. Or take 1-2ml of the tincture 3 times a day.

Combinations: For treatment of skin problems combine with burdock, yellow dock, cleavers or blue flag.

Toxicity: Use only under professional supervision. It is emetic and purgative in large doses. It should not be used during pregnancy.

References:
The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal, David Hoffmann, Element Books, 1996; ISBN: 1-85230-758-7
The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses, Deni Bown, Dorling Kindersley, 1996; ISBN: 0-7894-0184-3
The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, Andrew Chevallier, Dorling Kindersley, 1997;  ISBN: 0-7894-1067-2
Magic and Medicine of Plants, Readers’ Digest, 1986; ISBN: 0-89577-221-3

HERBALPEDIA™ is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245; 717-393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261; email: herbworld@aol.com URL: http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented.

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Eat the garnish!!  Parsley (Petroselinum crispum and Petroselinum crispum var neapolitanum (flat leaf))  of the Umbelliferae family is hardly just a garnish.

Description: Soft, rounded, leafy mound. Height 2-3 feet; width 10 inches. Flowers are green-yellow in umbels. Leaves are divided, feathery with strong aroma. Fruit is oval and compressed. The long taproot is spindly, thick and resembles small parsnips. Blooms in the second summer.

Cultivation: Two types: curly and Italian (flat leaf) A biennial hardy to Zone 3. Germination is from 2-3 weeks but can sometimes take 2 months. Presoak to hasten. Space 6-10 inches. Soil should be fairly rich, moist, and well drained especially in winter with a pH of 6-8 and soil temperature of 70o. Full sun or partial shade. Parsley is a slow germinator. It’s been said that it goes to the devil nine times and back before it sprouts and that a pregnant woman planting it speeds germination. Propagate by seed which can be planted 2 weeks before the last frost. Fertilize the seed row where you intend to raise the parsley. Mark the row to a depth of 1/2 inch and sow the seed (without presoaking) at 1/2 inch intervals. Cover the furrow with sand, then moisten thoroughly. Now cut a 1-inch x 6-inch wood plank to the length of the row and thoroughly soak the board. Cover the row with the wet board, which will keep the seed moist and in place, at the same time preventing weeds from taking hold and keeping the ground from cooling too much at night. After the first two weeks, lift up the board every day to water, if necessary. As soon as seedlings appear, remove the board. Difficult to transplant unless small. Seedlings can tolerate a light frost. In the second year, parsley produces broad flower clusters. Cut these as soon as they begin to form to get more leaf production. “Parsleyworm” may be treated with bacillus thuringiensis; spider mites and aphids may be treated with insecticidal soap. Good companion to tomatoes and roses. Occasional light feedings of fish emulsion or manure; compost mulch especially during the winter and summer.

Dry quickly in order to prevent leaves from yellowing. Take leaves off the stems and spread on a cookie sheet and place in a 400F oven. Do not close the door completely and turn them every 5 minutes. In about 15 minutes the majority will be crisp. When cooled thoroughly pack into jars. Do not just hang dry as it simply yellows. Parsley ice cubes are made by packing a 2 cup container with destemmed leaves. Fill the cup with water, about 1½ cups, and place in the blender. Whirl it till you have a green puree. Pour into an empty ice cube tray, replace the divider and freeze in refrigerator or freezer. When hard remove and put cubes in a plastic bag or freezer container. Label them before storing.

The root was dug up, washed, split lengthwise and dried at temperatures up to 72F. It has a distinctive aromatic smell and initially sweet, but later bitter taste. To extract the fruits the umbels are cut off shortly before they ripen, bundled, and hung up to ripen. They smell spicy and have an aromatic burning taste.

History: Held in high esteem by the Greeks, parsley was used to crown victors at the Isthmian Games and to decorate tombs, being linked with Archemorus, the herald of death. The Greeks also planted parsley and rue along the edges of herb beds, thereby instigating the expression “being at the parsley and rue,” meaning to be at the start of an enterprise. Although the Greeks used parsley medicinally, and Homer recorded that warriors fed parsley to their horses, it appears that the Romans were the first to use it as a food. They consumed parsley in quantity and made garlands for banquet guests to discourage intoxication and to counter strong odors. Petros selinon (rock celery) which could refer to parsley’s ability to relieve kidney and bladder stones.

Parsley is one of the first herbs to appear in spring and has been used for centuries in the Seder, the ritual Jewish Passover meal, as a symbol of new beginnings.

In European folklore, parsley’s notoriously slow germination period gave rise to the superstition that its roots went down to the devil seven times before the plant would grow.

Constituents: Parsley oil comprises about 0.1% of the root, about 0.3% of the leaf and 2%-7% of the fruit. Essential oil includes apiol, apiolin, myristicin, pinene; flavonoids (apigenin); glycoside; vitamins A,C; minerals (iron, manganese, calcium, phosphorus); protein. Parsley contains psoralen and related compounds that can induce photosensitivity; these include ficusin, bergapten, majudin and heraclin.

Properties: diuretic, carminative, anthelmintic, stimulant, emmenagogue (especially the seeds), expectorant

Energetics: sweet, bland, neutral

Meridians/Organs affected: lung, stomach, bladder, liver

Medicinal Use: Chew the leaf raw to freshen the breath and promote healthy skin. Infuse for a digestive tonic. Bruised leaves have been used to treat tumors, insect bites, lice and skin parasites and contusions. Parsley tea at one time was used to treat dysentery and gallstones. Other traditional uses reported include the treatment of diseases of the prostate, liver and spleen, in the treatment of anemia, arthritis and cancers, and as an expectorant, antimicrobial, aphrodisiac, hypotensive, laxative and as a scalp lotion to stimulate hair growth. Use in a poultice as an antiseptic dressing for sprains, wounds and insect bites. Decoct the root for kidney troubles and as a mild laxative. Apply juice to reduce swellings. It also stimulates appetite and increases blood flow to digestive organs, as well as reducing fever. Another constituent, the flavonoid apigenin, reduces inflammation by inhibiting histamine and is also a free-radical scavenger. The seed, when decocted, has been used for intermittent fevers. It has also traditionally used as a carminative to decrease flatulence and colic pain. The seeds have a much stronger diuretic action than the leaves and may be substituted for celery seeds in the treatment of gout, rheumatism and arthritis. It is often included in “slimming” teas because of its diuretic action. Oil of the seed (5-15 drops) has been used to bring on menstruation. Avoid if weak kidneys.

Dosage:
Infusion: Pour a cup of boiling water on 1-2 tsp of the dried herb and leave to infuse for 5-10 minutes in a closed container. Drink 3 times a day
Tincture: Take 2-4ml 3 times a day

HOMEOPATHIC USES: Used for very itchy hemorrhoids, as well as for urinary complaints such as a deep itch in the urinary tract, and gonorrhea with a sudden urge to urinate and a milky discharge.

Toxicity: Do not use during pregnancy in medicinal dosage

Aromatherapy Uses:
EXTRACTION: essential oil by steam distillation from the seed and the herb. An essential oil is occasionally extracted from the roots; an oleoresin is also produced by solvent extraction from the seeds.
CHARACTERISTICS: A yellow, amber or brownish liquid with a warm woody-spicy herbaceous odor. A pale yellow or greenish liquid with a heavy, warm, spicy-sweet odor, reminiscent of the herb.
BLENDS WELL WITH: rose, orange blossom, cananga, tea tree, oakmoss, clary sage and spice oils
ACTIONS: antimicrobial, antirheumatic, antiseptic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, drpurative, emmenagogoue, febrifuge, hypotensive, laxative, stimulant (mild), stomachic, tonic (uterine)
CONSTITUENTS: Seed: mainly apiol, with myristicin, tetramethoxyally-benzene, pinene and volatile fatty acids. Herb: Mainly myristicin with phellandrene, myrcene, apiol, terpenolene, menthatriene, pinene and carotel, among others.
USES:
Circulation, Muscles and Joints: accumulation of toxins, arthritis, broken blood vess4els, cellulites, rheumatism, sciatica
Digestive System: colic, flatulence, indigestion, hemorrhoids
Genito-urinary system: amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, to aid labor, cystitis, urinary infections.
Other uses: used in some carminative and digestive remedies, such as ‘gripe waters’. The seed oil is used in soaps, detergents, colognes, cosmetics and perfumes, especially men’s fragrances. The herb and seed oil as well as the oleoresin are used extensively in many types of food flavorings, especially meats, pickles and sauces, as well as alcoholic and soft drinks.

Ritual Uses: Used in funeral rites and celebrations of victory by the Greeks; held sacred to Persephone. Used in baby blessing rites. It was once believed that the mere tossing of fresh parsley into a pond would heal fish. Sacred to Venus and to Aphrodite, parsley used for success and romance should be gathered on a Friday beneath a waxing Moon. For magickal purposes the dried, powdered greens may be used and the root may also be harvested. When used as a bathing herbe, Parsley brings communion with the second aspect of the Goddess, that of the loving mother of the universe. This procedure is highly recommended for a woman who is with child and desires a healthy pregnancy. The Greeks and Romans believed that parsley would improve the agility and speed of their horses. Parsley may be fed to one’s horses today to bring them good fortune and success.

Language of Flowers: feast; banquet; festivity; joy; victory; “The woman of the house is boss.”

Cosmetic Use: Infuse the leaf as a hair tonic and conditioner. Add to facial steam and lotion for dry skin and to minimize freckles. Use infusion as a soothing eyebath. The essence from the seeds is used in the manufacture of certain strong, masculine scents.

Elderflower and Parsley Lotion:
Handful of elderflower blossoms
3-4 sprigs of parsley
½ pint soft water
Wash the elderflower blooms and parsley and place in a clean bowl. Cover with half a pint of boiling water and allow to infuse for three to four hours. Strain, bottle, label and refrigerate. Apply to freckles with cotton ball.

Other Uses:
Dye: 4 bunches parsley
¼ lb alum mordanted wool
1 ½ gal water
Cover the parsley with water and boil for ¾ hour. Strain out the plant material and add enough water to make about 1 ½ gallons. Enter the wet premordanted wool and raise the temperature to simmer. Simmer for 1 hour Cool and rinse till the water runs clear. Color: soft yellow

Culinary Use: It has a faint peppery tang with a green apple aftertaste. A prime ingredient in French fines herbes along with chervil, tarragon and chives. Add raw to salads. Finely chop and sprinkle over sandwiches, egg dishes, vegetable soups, fish and boiled potatoes. Add to mayonnaise and many sauces. When cooked, parsley enhances other flavors, but add towards end of cooking time. Use in bouquet garni. Use the root of Hamburg parsley in soups and stews. Boil as a root vegetable. Grate raw into salads. Add it to baby carrots that have been candied in unsalted butter, brown sugar and fresh ginger. Add it to pasta dough, biscuit dough, crepe batter, dumpling batter or bread dough. Add parsley and chopped scallions to mashed potatoes or rice or orzo. Mix it with soft cheeses, such as ricotta or cottage cheese. If adding parsley to long cooking soups and stews, add the stems first and the chopped leaves at the end. If left in a sauce too long, the sauce will turn green.
Be sure to wash parsley thoroughly because grit and soil hide easily.

Recipes:

Fresh Mushroom, Parsley, and Radish Salad
1 garlic clove, pressed
8 large white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch of chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and fresh ground pepper
6 cups mixed salad greens: arugula, chicory, oak leaf lettuce, Bibb lettuce
1/3 cup finely chopped radishes
Place the garlic, mushrooms, parsley, lemon juice, and oil in a glass bowl and toss with the basil. Salt and pepper to taste. Marinate at least 30 minutes. Add the greens and toss. Sprinkle with the radishes and serve. (Herbal Salads)

Ella’s Parsley Soup
2 medium potatoes, cubed
3 cups stock
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp butter
¼ cup minced parsley
In a medium saucepan cook the potatoes in stock until tender, about 20 minutes. In a frying pan over low heat, cook the onions in butter until they are tender. Add onions and parsley to potatoes. If desired, pureé part or all of the soup. (Cooking with the Healthful Herbs)

Sweet Potato and Parsley Salad
6 cooked sweet potatoes, about 2 1/2 lbs
1 small onion, diced fine
1 medium celery rib, diced fine
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lemon
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup coarse-chopped parsley
leaves from 4 or 5 marjoram sprigs, chopped or 1 tsp crumbled dried marjoram
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly toasted cashew nuts, optional
Peel the sweet potatoes, then cut them into 1/2 inch dice. Place them in a large bowl with the onion and celery. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Stir in the parsley and marjoram. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. Toss it with the sweet potatoes and adjust the seasoning. Just before serving, sprinkle the salad with the toasted cashew nuts. The salad may be served warm or at room temperature. (Herbs in the Kitchen)

References:
Blended Beauty, Philip B., Ten Speed Press; 1995; ISBN: 0-89815-742-0
The Complete Book of Herbs, Lesley Bremness; Viking; 1988; ISBN: 0-670-81894-1
The Complete Book of Herbs, Andi Clevely & Katherine Richmond, Amness Publishing 1995; ISBN: 0-8317-1164-7
Cooking with the Healthful Herbs, Jean Rogers, Rodale, 1983; ISBN: 0-87857-486-7
A Druid’s Herbal, Ellen Evert Hopman; Destiny Books; 1995; ISBN: 0-89281-501-9
Dyeing the Natural Way, Frances E. Mustard, 1977; ISBN: 0-915498-68-5
Growing 101 Herbs That Heal, Tammi Hartung, Storey Books, 2000; ISBN: 1-58017-215-6
The Herb Garden Cookbook, Lucinda Hutson, Texas Monthly Press; 0987
Herbs in the Kitchen, Carolyn Dille & Susan Belsinger, Interweave Press, 1992; ISBN: 0-934026-73-4
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils; Julia Lawless, Element Books, 1995; ISBN: 1-56619-990-5
Illustrated Herb Encyclopedia, Kathi Keville, Mallard Press, 1991; ISBN: 0-7924-5307-7
Kitchen Herbs, Sal Gilbertie; Bantam; 1988; ISBN: 0-553-05265-9
The Natural Beauty Book, Anita Guyton, Thorsons; 1991; ISBN: 0-7225-2498-6
Park’s Success with Herbs, Gertrude B. Foster and Rosemary F. Louden; Geo W. Park Seed Co., 1980
Simon & Schuster’s Guide to Herbs and Spices, Stanley Schuler editor; Fireside Books; 1990; ISBN: 0-671-73489-X

HERBALPEDIA™ is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245; 717-393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261; email: herbworld@aol.com URL: http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers. Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented

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Not just your little round addition to a drink. Olea europaea is of the family Oleaceae.

Description: It’s a slow-growing evergreen tree with gnarled trunk and slender gray, fissured branches, to 30 feet. The leaves are dark green, scaly and gray beneath, narrow oblong or pointed. White, fragrant flowers in panicles in summer are followed by hard ovoid fruits, green at first but later purple-black, with a single hard stone. Thorny wild form grows on stony hillsides in Mediterranean regions, cultivated forms widely grown in groves. It is hardy to zone 8. It is in leaf all year, in flower from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by the wind. The plant is self-fertile.

Cultivation: Trees only grow well away from frost and tropical heat. Easily grown in a loamy soil and tolerating infertile soils, it prefers a well-drained deep fertile soil. A drought resistant plant once established, it succeeds in dry soils and requires a sunny position. Tolerate of salty air, the plants are slow-growing and very long-lived. The olive is very commonly cultivated in Mediterranean climates for its edible seed. Trees can produce a crop when they are 6 years old and continue producing a commercial yield for the next 50 years – many trees continue to give good yields for hundreds of years, even when their trunk is hollow. Generally, older trees are hardy to about 22°F. At least some cultivars are self-fertile. Flower production depends on a 12 – 15 week period of diurnally fluctuating temperatures with at least 2 months averaging below 22°F. Pruning can encourage non-fruiting water-shoots. Weighing down or arching the branches can encourage fruiting. The plants fruit best on wood that is one year old so any pruning should take this into account. Plants have male flowers and bisexual flowers. Seed – sow late winter in a shady position in a greenhouse. Home produced seed should be given a period of cold stratification first. Where possible, it is best to sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse in the autumn. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, perhaps for their first 2 – 3 winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer and give them some protection from winter cold for at least their first winter outdoors. The leaves are picked any time. The fruits picked when green, pink or red, or fully ripe, sometimes cracked, fermented and soaked in brine, or pressed for oil.

History: Since ancient times the principal source of edible oil in the eastern Mediterranean area. The olive has been cultivated for over 3000 years and its Latin name Olea, is the origin of the word oil. The tree was sacred to Athena, and sprang out of the ground when the city of Athens was founded. The olive is a symbol of plenty and its branch a Biblical symbol of peace. According to the Old Testament, Moses decreed that those who tended the olive groves were excused from military service. An olive wreath was given to victors in the Olympic Games. The leaves have been employed since at least that time as a means to clean wounds. The oil has been used for ritual anointing in some religions.

Properties: antiseptic, astringent, lowers fever and blood pressure, laxative and emollient

Medicinal Uses: Olive oil has a laxative action and is reputed to lower blood cholesterol levels. The leaves lower blood pressure and help to improve the function of the circulatory system. They are also mildly diuretic and may be used to treat conditions such as cystitis. Possessing some ability to lower blood sugar levels, the leaves have been taken for diabetes. Externally, warm olive oil dropped in the ear helps to relive earache, and makes a soothing massage for aching muscles. The oil is nourishing and improves the balance of fats within the blood. It is traditionally taken with lemon juice in teaspoonful doses to treat gallstones. The oil has a generally protective action on the digestive tract and is useful for dry skin. It reduces gastric secretions, which is of benefit to patients suffering from hyperacidity. In folk medicine, a strong infusion of the astringent leaves served as an antiseptic for wounds, and was also taken for fevers. The oil from the pericarp is cholagogue, a nourishing demulcent, emollient and laxative. Eating the oil reduces gastric secretions and is therefore of benefit to patients suffering from hyperacidity. The oil is also used internally as a laxative and to treat peptic ulcers. It is used externally to treat pruritis, the effects of stings or burns and as a vehicle for liniments. Used with alcohol it is a good hair tonic and used with oil of rosemary it is a good treatment for dandruff. The oil is also commonly used as a base for liniments and ointments. The leaves are antiseptic, astringent, febrifuge and sedative. A decoction is used in treating obstinate fevers, they also have a tranquilizing effect on nervous tension and hypertension. Experimentally, they have been shown to decrease blood sugar levels by 17 – 23%. Externally, they are applied to abrasions. The bark is astringent, bitter and febrifuge. It is said to be a substitute for quinine in the treatment of malaria. In warm countries the bark exudes a gum-like substance that has been used as a vulnerary.

Flower Essences: For those with complete exhaustion after a long struggle. Olive is helpful for many related, but lesser states of transformation—any time the physical body experiences utter fatigue and breakdown and the individual needs to reach to a higher place for its revitalization. Olive helps bring the awareness that the physical self is profoundly connected with higher states of soul-spiritual consciousness.

Cosmetic Uses: Massage olive oil into the skin to maintain the body in top condition. It guards against dry skin. The oil mixed with alcohol is a valuable tonic for the hair when massaged into the scalp and it is included in many facial creams. For dry, damaged hair, try rubbing in olive oil and leave it on overnight.

Lip Salve: To 2 tsp of olive oil, add enough beeswax to fill a eggcup, place into a small saucepan. Add a handful of tips of young rosemary shoots and simmer for 30 minutes. Then add a cupful of rose water for fragrance and while still warm, strain into screw-top face cream jars and allow to set. Apply to the lips when sore or as a base before using a lipstick.

Culinary Uses: Not only the fruits but also the leaves are edible. Olive fruits are widely used, especially in the Mediterranean, as a relish and flavoring for foods. The fruit is usually pickled or cured with water, brine, oil, salt or lye. They can also be dried in the sun and eaten without curing when they are called ‘fachouilles’. The cured fruits are eaten as a relish, stuffed with pimentos or almonds, or used in breads, soups, salads etc. ‘Olives schiacciate’ are olives picked green, crushed, cured in oil and used as a salad. The fruit contains 20 – 50µ vitamin D per 100g. The seed is rich in an edible non-drying oil, this is used in salads and cooking and, because of its distinct flavor, is considered a condiment. There are various grades of the oil, the finest (known as ‘Extra Virgin’) is produced by cold pressing the seeds without using heat or chemical solvents. The seed of unpalatable varieties is normally used and this oil has the lowest percentage of acidity and therefore the best flavor. Other grades of the oil come from seeds that are heated (which enables more oil to be expressed but has a deleterious effect on the quality) or from using chemical solvents on seed that has already been pressed for higher grades of oil. Olive oil is mono-unsaturated and regular consumption is thought to reduce the risk of circulatory diseases. The seed contains albumen, it is the only seed known to do this. An edible manna is obtained from the tree.

Other Uses: The non-drying oil obtained from the seed is also used for soap making, lighting and as a lubricant. The oil is a good hair tonic and dandruff treatment. Maroon and purple dyes are obtained from the whole fresh ripe fruits. Blue and black dyes are obtained from the skins of fresh ripe fruits.

A yellow/green dye is obtained from the leaves. Plants are used to stabilize dry dusty hillsides. Wood – very hard, heavy, beautifully grained, takes a fine polish and is slightly fragrant. It is used in turnery and cabinet making, being much valued by woodworkers. Oil is added to liniments, ointments, skin and hair preparations and soap.

Recipes:
Black Olive Soup
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup pitted black olives
1 green onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2 eggs
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 cup half and half
Combine first 7 ingredients in blender container. Process for 1 minute. Pour into saucepan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Stir in half and half. Serve hot or chilled. (Hilton Head Entertains)

Turkish Kebabs with Tomato and Olive Salsa
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 dried red chili, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 ¼ lb lean lamb, cut into 1 ½ in cubes
8 bay leaves
salt and ground black pepper

Tomato and Olive Salsa

1 ½ cups mixed pitted green and black olives, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
4 plum tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
Mix the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, chili, cumin and coriander in a large shallow dish. Add the lamb cubes, with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Cover and marinate in a cool place for 2 hours. Make the salsa. Put the olives, onion, tomatoes, chili and olive oil in a bowl. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover and set aside. Remove the lamb from the marinade and divide the cubes among four skewers, adding the bay leaves at intervals. Broil over a barbecue, on a ridged iron broiling pan or under a hot broiler, turning occasionally for 10 minutes, until the lamb is browned and crisp on the outside and pink and juice inside. Serve with the salsa. (Encyclopedia of Herbs and Spices)

References:
Cosmetics from the Earth, Roy Genders, Alfred van der Marck Editions, 1985; ISBN: 0-912383-20-8
Encyclopedia of Herbs and Spices, Linda Fraser (editor); Anness Publishing, 1997; ISBN: 1-901289-06-0
Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses, Deni Bown

Flower Essence Repertory, Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz, The Flower Essence Society, 1994; ISBN: 0-9631306-1-7
The Herbal Grove, Mary Forsell and Tony Cenicola, 1995; Villard Books; ISBN: 0-679-40841-X
The Herbal Palate Cookbook, Maggie Oster & Sal Gilbertie, Storey Publishing, 1996; ISBN: 0-88266-915-C
Hilton Head Entertains, Nancy Pruitt, Editor, Hilton Head Preparatory School; 1991; ISBN: 0-87197-320-0
Plants for a Future Database

HERBALPEDIA™ is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245; 717-393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261; email: herbworld@aol.com URL: http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers. Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented.

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Nigella is more than a garden flower.  Nigella sativa is from the family Ranunculaceae.  Named black cumin, black seed, black caraway, devil-in-the-bush, fitch,  fennel flower, gith, melanthion, nutmeg flower and more.   There are other plants with the same name so using the Latin is the best.

Description: Nigella is an annual herbaceous plant, up to 20 inches high, with a delicate erect stem with pinnatisect leaves and laciniate leaflets.  The solitary flowers, with five black-spotted blue petals, are unmistakable because they are surrounded by an involucre with deeply laciniate, lacy bracts. The fruit is formed of five swollen follicles that contain four tetrahedral black seeds that constitute the spice.  The seeds of nigella are 1/8 inch long and jet black with a matte finish.  They closely resemble tiny chips of coal and have five distinct points.  Nigella has a faint nutty, but bitter taste due to the presence of nigellin and gives out a faint scent of strawberries.  This results in it being used for flavoring confectionery and liquors.  Nigella damascena should not be substituted for black cumin seeds.

Cultivation: Plants prefer rich, well-drained, medium-textured soil. The pH range tolerated is 5.0-8.2.  Prefers warm conditions.  It should be given full sun, but will tolerate slight shade and is ready to harvest about 4 months after planting.  Sow seeds in the open in the late spring in drills 18 inches apart.  Thin out the young plants to 12 inches.  Can also be started indoors and as they don’t transplant well, it is advisable to use fiber pots that can be planted directly into the round.  The plants flower from summer to spring and the seed capsules are collected as they ripen.  They are then dried, crushed whole and sieved to separate the seeds. It adapts well to poor soils and can be sown in open ground, merely requiring some weed control.

History: The seeds account for the generic name, from Latin, niger, black, and the specific name alludes to Damascus, the region where the plant originated.  The Sanskrit names indicate that black cumin was used in India at a very early date.  It was also known to the ancient Hebrews, Greeks and Romans.  The seeds preceded black pepper as a major spice of the Near East.  The seeds of black cumin are thought to be the “fitches” mentioned by Isaiah XXVIII: 25-27 in the King James Bible.  The Roman surgeon and herbalist Dioscorides thought that black cumin mixed with vinegar cured dog and crocodile bites. He also recorded that they were taken to treat headaches, nasal congestion, toothache and intestinal worms and, in large quantities, as a diuretic, a promoter of menstruation and to increase breast-milk production.  Black cumin was popular in Arabic and Turkish cultures as an ingredient of foods designed to fatten women. The Prophet Muhammad encouraged the use of nigella as a cure for all diseases.

Constituents: The whole seeds contain 30-35% oil of which over 60% is linoleic acid, with oleic acid next in predominance.

Medicinal Uses: Nigella is considered carminative, a stimulant, and diuretic.  A paste of the seeds is applied for skin eruptions and is sure to relieve scorpion stings.  The seeds are antiseptic and used to treat intestinal worms, especially in children.  The seeds are much used in India to increase breast milk. The seeds are often scattered between folds of clothes  as an effective insect repellent.  Alcoholic extracts of the seeds are used as stabilizing agents for some edible fats.  In India, the seeds are also considered as stimulant, diaphoretic and emmenagogue. Some of the conditions nigella has been used for include: eruption fever, puerperium (Iraq); liver disease (Lebanon); cancer (Malaya); joints, bronchial asthma, eczema, rheumatis (Middle East); with butter for cough and colic (North Africa); excitant (Spain); boosing immune system, colds (U.S.)

A recent study in South Carolina at the International Immuno-Biology Research Laboratory showed that there was some action against cancer cells using nigella plant extract.

Cosmetic Uses: A decoction of the seeds rubbed on the breasts will bring about firmness and the finely ground seeds rubbed into the hair will rid it of ticks and lice.

Breast Lotion: An infusion of the seeds of nigella (1 oz to 4 pints boiling water) and straining will provide a lotion which since the earliest times, Egyptian women have used to firm the breasts.  While still warm, wring out cloths and place over the breasts, leaving on for 10 minutes. Repeat until the liquid is used up or rub the breasts with the lotion at bedtime and let dry.

Culinary Uses: The seeds of black cumin are used for seasoning and are employed in spice mixes.  The odor of crushed seeds has been described as like lemons with a faint suggestion of carrots while the taste is strong, pungent, peppery, rather oddly aromatic and nutty like a cross between poppy seeds and pepper.  The name nutmeg flower reflects similarity with the odor of nutmeg.  The seeds are added to curries, pickles, cheeses, eggs, poultry, meats, game, pickles, conserves, fruit pies and confections, particularly cookies, rolls and bread.  Nigella is delightful with fish, in naan bread and in salads.  In west Bengal the most prolific spice blend is panch phoron, a mixture of five spices including nigella and this gives vegetables, legumes and lentils a distinctive Bengali taste.  In the Middle East it is used to flavor bread.  The seeds may be used whole or ground, often after a preliminary frying or roasting.  They are easily crushed with a rolling pin or pestle and mortar.

Other Uses: Nigella seeds were once an ingredient in snuff tobacco and are sometimes employed in perfume.

Recipes:

Spicy Fried Shrimp
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
salt
4 Tbsp distilled vinegar
1 ¼ lbs large raw shrimp, shelled and cleaned
5 Tbsp corn oil
2 tsp nigella seeds
2 tsp garlic, sliced
4 small dried red chilies, deseeded
10 curry leaves

Mix the powder spices and salt with the vinegar.  Marinate the shrimp in this mixture for 10 minutes.  Heat the oil in a wok. Add the nigella, garlic, red chilies and curry leaves.  Reduce the heat and stir-fry for a minute. Add the shrimp, stirring continuously until they are completely cooked.  Remove the chilies and curry leaves.  Serve hot with a blend accompaniment, such as rice or rotis, to balance the spicy heat of the shrimp.  (The Indian Spice Kitchen)

French Beans with Coconut
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp nigella seeds
2 dried red chilies
1 lb French beans, cut into 1 in lengths
1 Tbsp desiccated coconut
2 Tbsp coconut milk
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan or wok until almost smoking.  Add the nigella seeds and chilies and fry for a minute until sizzling.  Add the beans and stir-fry for about 7 minutes.  Add the coconut, coconut milk and salt and cook, stirring, for a further 7-10 minutes or until the coconut milk has evaporated and the beans are tender.  (The Macmillan Treasury of Spices and Natural Flavorings)

References:
Adriana’s Spice Caravan. Adriana and Rochelle Zabarkes, Storey, 1997; ISBN: 0-88266-987-7
The Complete Book of Spices, Jill Norman, Dorling Kindersley, 1990, ISBN: 0-670-83437-8
Cooking With Spices, Carolyn Heal & Michael Allsop, David & Charles, 1983; ISBN: 0-7153-8369-8
Cosmetics from the Earth, Roy Genders, Alfred van der Marck Editions, 1985; ISBN: 0-912383-20-8
Culinary Herbs, Ernest Small, 1997, NRC Research Press; ISBN: 0-660-16668-2
The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spice & Flavorings, Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz, Dorling Kindersley, 1992; IBSN: 1-56458-065-2
The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, Andrew Chevallier, Dorling Kindersley, 1997; ISBN: 0-7894-1067-2
The Indian Spice Kitchen, Monisha Bharadwaj, Dutton, 1997; ISBN: 0-525-94343-9
The Macmillan Treasury of Spices & Natural Flavorings, Jennifer Mulherin, 1988, Macmillan Publishing; ISBN: 0-02-587850-6

HERBALPEDIA™ is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245; 717-393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261; email: herbworld@aol.com    URL: http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers.  Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.   Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented.

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Marshmallow is one of the most useful herbs, though not as most non-herbal people think. Get that idea of a sugary confection out of your mind.    If you like this profile, the complete one, with many more medicinal and cosmetic recipes, is part of the Herbalpedia CD.

Althaea officinalis, of the Malvaceae family, is a tall perennial (3-4 ft.), covered with large pink flowers in late summer. The leaves have the texture of velvet, with the lower leaves being circular, 3-5 lobed, toothed and 1¼ to 3¼ inches wide. The upper leaves are ovate to lanceolate, pointed, lobed and toothed. It has woolly stems and several spreading, leafy branches. The flowers are generally solitary, 1-2 inches across, borne from the upper leaf axils, five pink or white, obovate, notched petals. It flowers July through September.

Cultivation: Perennial. Zone 4. Marsh mallow grows in marshes, bogs, damp meadows and along stream banks. The plant is a downy, erect, 5-foot perennial with a long taproot. The stems, which die back each autumn, are hairy and branching. The roundish, gray-green leaves, 1 to 3 inches long, are lobed, toothed, and covered with velvety hairs. The flowers, pink or white, bloom in summer. They are up to 2 inches across and give rise to round fruits called “cheeses,” one of the herb’s names.
In moist soil under full sun, marsh mallow is a hardy plant that grows easily from seeds, cuttings, or root divisions. Seeds should be planted in spring (germination in 2-3 weeks), root divisions in autumn. Thin them to 1-2 foot spacing. A well manured field followed by a good cover crop the year before planting should provide all the nutrients needed. Needs to be irrigated deeply at least once a week in the west. Young plants should be intensely weeded the first year. Do not harvest roots from plants less than two years old. In autumn, when the top growth has died back, dig out mature roots and remove the lateral rootlets. Wash, peel, and dry them whole or in slices. Roots harvested in the fall seem to have a higher mucilage content than those harvested in winter or spring. They can be dug with a root digger or by hand. The expected yield is 1,000-1,500 pounds of dry root per acre. The root is mainly used, being split and dried as quickly as possible a 92F to avoid a mildew attack. The leaves have to be watched while being dried for any developing rust fungus. The marsh mallow root has a weak but distinctive smell but the leaves are odorless.

History: The botanical name comes from a Greek word, altho, meaning “to heal”. The modern name comes from the Anglo-Saxon merscmealwe (merse means “marsh,” and mealwe is “mallow”) Marsh mallow was a food before it was a medicine. The Book of Job mentions a plant that was eaten during famines. And during the Middle Ages when crops failed, people boiled marsh mallow roots, then fried them with onions in butter. A dish of mallow was considered a delicacy by the ancient Romans and the Chinese also used a species of mallow for food. Backpacking guides suggest the plant for wilderness foragers today. Fresh young tops are still eaten in France as a spring tonic. The French first candied marsh mallow roots centuries ago (pate de guimauve). They peeled the root bark, exposing the white pulp, and boiled it to soften it and release its sweetness. Then they added sugar. The result eventually evolved into the confection marshmallows.

The plant’s history as a medicinal goes back to Theophrastus (372-286BC) who reported that marsh mallow root was taken in sweet wine for coughs. Hippocrates prescribed a decoction of marsh mallow roots to treat bruises and blood loss from wounds. The Greek physician Dioscorides recommended marsh mallow root poultices for insect bites and stings and prescribed the decoction for toothache and vomiting and as an antidote to poisons. 10th century Arab physicians used mallow leaf poultices to treat inflammations and early European folk healers used marsh mallow root both internally and externally for its soothing action in treating toothache, sore throat, digestive upsets, and urinary irritation. Culpeper recommended it and by the mid-19th century, it was included in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia. In the 9th century, Emperor Charlemagne ordered marshmallow cultivated in his monasteries.
Those about to undergo torture by hot irons during the Inquisition would paint their skin with an ointment of mallow sap, white of egg and plantain seeds. A coating of this ointment would lessen the effects of the burns and so hopefully prove their innocence.

Properties: Root: demulcent, diuretic, vulnerary, emollient,
Leaves: demulcent, expectorant, emollient, anti-catarrhal, pectoral, alterative, diuretic, lithotriptic; yin tonic

Nutritional Profile: Very high in aluminum, iron, magnesium, selenium, tin. Also has substantial quantities of calcium and magnesium.

Energetics: cool, moist, sweet, bitter

Meridians/organs affected: lungs, stomach, kidneys

Constituents: Root: Mucilage, 18-35%: consisting of a number of polysaccharides: one is composed of L-rhamnose, D-galactose, D-galacturonic acid and D-glucuronic acid; another a highly branched L-arabifuranan, another a trisaccharide structural unit and one with a high proportion of uronic acid units; about 35% pectin, 1-2% asparagines, tannins; In the leaves: mucilage including a low molecular weight D-glucan; Flavanoids such as kaempferol, quercitin and diosmetin glucosides; Scopoletin, a coumarin; polyphenolic acids, including syringic, caffeic, salicyclic, vanillic, p-courmaric, etc.

Language of Flowers: humanity and benevolence

Medicinal Uses: Used whenever a soothing effect is needed, marsh mallow protects and soothes the mucous membranes. The root counters excess stomach acid, peptic ulceration, and gastritis. It reduces the inflammation of gall stones. Marsh mallow is also mildly laxative and beneficial for many intestinal problems, including regional ileitis, colitis, diverticulitis, and irritable bowel syndrome Marshmallow’s ability to bind and eliminate toxins allows the body to cleanse itself. For this reason, it is added to arthritis, laxative, infection, female tonic, vermifuge and other cleansing formulas. Taken as a warm infusion, the leaves treat cystitis and frequent urination. Marsh mallow’s demulcent qualities bring relief to dry coughs, bronchial asthma, bronchial congestion, and pleurisy. The flowers, crushed fresh or in a warm infusion, are applied to help soothe inflamed skin. The root is used in an ointment for boils and abscesses, and in a mouthwash for inflammation. The peeled root may be given as a chewstick to teething babies. The dried root contains up to 35% of mucilage, 38% of starch and 10% of pectin and sugar. Extracts have to be made with cold water if they are to contain the mucilage and not the starch, the latter dissolving only in hot water. If marsh mallow is to be used for gargling rather than taken internally as a tea, the starch will be of additional benefit. Marsh mallow root is very high in pectin. Taking pectin is an effective way to keep blood sugar levels down.

APPLICATIONS:
Flowers—Use a syrup made from the infusion as a cough expectorant;
Leaves—use for bronchial and urinary disorders;
Roots—decoction: for inflammations such as esophagitis and cystitis, use 25 g root to 1 liter water, and boil down to about 750 ml. ; tincture: use for inflammations of the mucous membranes of the digestive and urinary systems; poultice—Use the root or a paste of the powdered root mixed with water or honey for skin inflammations and ulcers; ointment—for wounds, skin ulceration, or to help draw splinters, melt 50 g lanolin, 50 g beeswax, and 300 g soft paraffin together, then heat 100 g powdered marshmallow root in these liquid fats for an hour over a waterbath. When cool, stir in 100 g powdered slippery elm bark.
The root boiled in milk, will prove beneficial in treating diarrhea and dysentery. It will also enrich the milk of nursing mothers, and at the same time increase milk flow. Combining both Blessed Thistle and Marshmallow for enriched milk is especially effective. Marshmallow’s ability to bind and eliminate toxins allows the body to cleanse itself. For this reason, it is added to arthritis, laxative, infection, female tonic, vermifuge and other cleansing formulas.

Tincture—20-40 drops 3 times per day. High in minerals, especially calcium, nutritive. High in oxygen. Feeds cells and stops putrefaction. Rejuvenative to lungs, cleanses and rebuilds. Good for weak digestion, chronic constipation, irritations associated with diarrhea and dysentery, enteritis, gastritis, peptic ulcer. Two to 4 heaping tablespoons of powder a day, mixed with water (or yogurt, oatmeal, applesauce or maple syrup) to make a paste will increase stool motility.

Combinations:
Ulcerative conditions, internal or external: comfrey
Bronchitis: licorice and white horehound
Often mixed with slippery elm to make ointments

Marshmallow Root Cough Syrup
1½ -2½ tsp chopped dried marsh mallow root
2 cups water
2 cups refined sugar
¼ cup orange juice
Stir the marsh mallow root into the water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the decoction into another saucepan; you should have about a cup. Over low heat, gradually stir in the sugar, so that a thick syrup forms. Simmer the mixture for another 5 minutes. Make sure the grains are fully dissolved. Stir in a small amount of water if the mixture gets too thick. Let the mixture cool slightly; then gradually mix in the orange juice. Pour the syrup into a sealable container and cover it when it is cool.

Allergy Tea
2 cups water
½ tsp each echinacea root and marshmallow root
1 tsp chamomile flowers
½ tsp peppermint leaf
¼ tsp ginger rhizome
Combine water and echinacea and marshmallow roots in a saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add remaining ingredients. Steep for 15 minutes, then strain out herbs. For a 50-lb child give 1-2 cups daily.

Cosmetic Uses: Use in facial steam for dry, sensitive skin; boil leaves or use the liquid from steeped root, warmed or cold as a healing softener for dry skins, chapped hands and sunburn; make into an eye compress to soften skin around eyes. The pulverized roots make a soothing and drawing poultice and are occasionally blended in ointments and creams to soothe chapped hands. Marshmallow stimulates skin-cell growth and soothes skin that is irritated from being dry and flaky.

Marsh Mallow face mask
4 tsp untreated acacia honey
2 tsp almond oil
2/3 oz fresh marsh mallow leaves
1/3 oz wheat starch
20 drops blackcurrant macerated in glycerin
5 drops peppermint essential oil
4 ½ oz still mineral water
Simmer the marsh mallow leaves gently in a covered pan for 10 minutes until nearly all the water has gone. If using dried leaves, use 1/3 oz with 5 oz water. Blend all the ingredients in a blender for one minute. Smooth over the face and neck or any area which has been irritated by the sun, wind or other factors. Leave for at least half an hour, then rinse with tepid water and dry. It makes the skin beautifully soft and relieves inflammation in young and old alike. It keeps for a day or two in the refrigerator.

Toxicity: Medical literature contains no reports of any harm from marsh mallow. If it causes minor discomforts such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. The absorption of other drugs taken simultaneously may be delayed.

Ritual Uses: Sometimes used to cure impotency, and is sometimes used as an Aphrodisiac. The seed of the herb may be gathered beneath a full moon, and this made into an oil which is used upon the genitals. An amulet may be made of either leaf or root, and its energy kept near the genitals to achieve the same purpose. As a Funereal Herbe, it may be used in rituals for the dead, or may be grown upon the grave.

Culinary Uses: Eat fresh seeds alone or sprinkled like nuts on salads; toss flowers on salads; mix young leaves into salads and add to oil and vinegar; steam leaves and serve as a vegetable. Some Middle Eastern peoples boil marshmallow and then fry it with onions and butter. A confection made from the herb was the inspiration for the candy called marshmallow.

Recipes:
Marshmallows
Make sure the mallow roots aren’t moldy or too woody. Marshmallow gives off almost twice its own weight of mucilaginous gel when placed in water.
4 tablespoons marshmallow roots
28 tablespoons refined sugar
20 tablespoons gum tragacanth (or gum arabic)
Water of orange flowers (for aroma or instead of plain water)
2 cups water
1-2 egg whites, well beaten
Make a tea of marshmallow roots by simmering in a pint of water for twenty to thirty minutes. Add additional water if it simmers down. Strain out the roots. Heat the gum and marshmallow decoction (water) in a double boiler until they are dissolved together. Strain with pressure. Stir in the sugar as quickly as possible. When dissolved, add the well beaten egg whites, stirring constantly, but take off the fire and continue to stir. Lay out on a flat surface. Let cool, and cut into smaller pieces.

Gingered Pumpkin Soup
1 Tbsp butter
3-4 whole marsh mallow plants, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped gingerroot
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
4-6 cups baked pumpkin
½ cup cow or soy milk
Melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the marsh mallow and ginger until tender. Transfer to a large cooking pot, add the vegetable broth, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the marsh mallow and ginger are softened. In a blender, combine approximately 1 cup pumpkin, 1 cup broth mixture, and 1/8 cup milk. Puree until smooth. Pour pureed soup into another large cooking pot; repeat the blending step until all the pumpkin has been pureed. Heat soup until just warmed thorugh; do not boil. (Growing 101 Herbs that Heal)

Roast Beef
1 large roast
2 onions, peeled and chopped
8 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
6-8 dandelion roots, chopped or sliced
1-3 burdock roots, chopped or sliced
2-4 hollyhock or marsh mallow roots, sliced
3-4 potatoes, chopped
4-6 carrots, sliced
Preheat the oven to 400F. Place all ingredients in a large baking pan or roasting pan, with 1-2 inches of water in the bottom. Bake for 1 hour. Lower temperature to 325F; continue to cook 1 ½ to 2 hours longer, or until roast is tender, juicy and done as desired. (Growing 101 Herbs That Heal)

References:
The Healing Herbs, Michael Castleman, Rodale Press, 1991
The Complete Medicinal Herbal, Penelope Ody, Dorling Kindersley, 1993
The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, Andrew Chevallier, Dorling Kindersley, 1997; ISBN: 0-7894-1067-2
Growing 101 Herbs That Heal, Tammi Hartung, Storey Books, 2000; ISBN: 1-58017-215-6
Herbal Medicine, Rudolf Fritz Weiss, distributor: Medicina Biologica, 1988
Herbs for Health and Healing, Kathi Keville, Rodale, 1997; ISBN: 0-87596-2939-
Magic and Medicine of Plants, Reader’s Digest, 1986
The Complete Book of Herbs, Lesley Bremness, Viking, 1988
The Illustrated Herb Encyclopedia, Kathi Keville, Mallard Press, 1991
Master Book of Herbalism, Paul Beyerl, Phoenix Publishing, 1984
Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field & Marketplace, Lee Sturdivant and Tim Blakley, San Juan Naturals; 1998; ISBN: 0-9621635-7-0
Jude’s Herbal Home Remedies, Jude C. Williams, Llewellyn Publications, 1992
Textbook of Modern Herbology, Dr. Terry Willard, C.W. Progressive Publishing, 1988
The Herb Book, John Lust, Bantam Books, 1974
Nutritional Herbology, Mark Pedersen, Pedersen Publishing, 1987
Flora’s Dictionary, Kathleen Gips, TM Publications, 1990
Thorne’s Guide to Herbal Extracts, Terry Thorne, Wisteria Press, 1992
Natural Beauty, Aldo Facetti, Fireside Books, 1990

Resources:
Crimson Sage, http://www.crimson-sage.com Plants

HERBALPEDIA™ is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245; 717-393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261; email:  URL: http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information o

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Lemongrass is so much more than just something used to flavor tea. Cymbopogon citrates is of the Poaceae family. It is tall grass growing in dense clumps with a height of 4 feet and a width up to 2 feet. There are seldom flowers. It is strongly lemon-scented when broken with a hint of rose fragrance.

Cultivation: A tender perennial, to Zone 10. When growing space 1 foot apart. Soil temperature is best at 70F to 75F. The soil should be well drained, dry, even poor. Excessive watering lowers the oil content. The pH is best at 4.3 to 8.4. Full sun is preferred.. Propagate from root divisions of clumps. Often the fresh lemon grass sold in some produce markets for Indonesian cooking has roots attached and can be grown. In cold climates, the roots can be dug up and brought in to overwinter.

Constituents: essential oil includes citral (65-85%), dipentene, methylheptenone, linalol, geraniol, geraniol, linalool, geranyl acetate, farnesol, nerol, citronellol, myrcene (12-25%)

History: Reports that lemon grass was being distilled for export as early as the 17th century in the Philippines. The first samples of the closely related citronella oil were displayed at the World’s Fair at London’s Crystal Palace in 1951. It is a favorite oil in India for hundreds of years and known locally as ‘choomana poolu’ which refers to the plant’s red grass stems.

Medicinal Uses: In East India and Sri Lanka, where it is called “fever tea,” lemon grass leaves are combined with other herbs to treat fevers, irregular menstruation, diarrhea, and stomachaches. Lemon grass is one of the most popular herbs in Brazil and the Caribbean for nervous and digestive problems.

The Chinese use lemon grass in a similar fashion, to treat headaches, stomachaches, colds, and rheumatic pains. The essential oil is used straight in India to treat ringworm or in a paste with buttermilk to rub on ringworm and bruises. Studies show it does destroy many types of bacteria and fungi and is a deodorant. It may reduce blood pressure – a traditional Cuban use of the herb – and it contains five different constituents that inhibit blood coagulation.

Traditional Uses: Take as a tea for fevers, coughs, colds, and as a pleasant tonic or beverage. Promotes perspiration and excretion of phlegm, and eases stomach cramps. Especially useful for children and infants. For adult fevers, boil 1 mashed root and 10 leaves in 3e cups of water for 10 minutes; drink very hot; go to bed and wrap up warmly. For childhood fevers, boil 10 leaves in 3 cups of water for 10 minutes; give child ½ cup 6 times daily and keep child warm. Soak mashed root in oil and rub on backache, muscle spasms and over forehead to relieve headaches.

Recipes:
Headache Pillow
1 cup dried lemongrass; 1/2 cup dried lavender; 1/4 cup dried marjoram; 1 tsp crushed cloves. Combine all the ingredients, put into a small muslin bag, and slip between the pillow and the pillowcase.

Safe Delivery Tonic
2 Tbsp lotus seeds; 2 Tbsp skullcap leaves and flowers; 1 Tbsp rose petals; 1 Tbsp lemongrass
Simmer lotus seeds in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add skullcap leaves and flowers, rose petals, and lemon grass. Steep for 10 minutes, covered. Strain and drink half a cup daily or as needed.

Nausea and Morning Sickness Tonic
1 Tbsp lemongrass
1/4 inch fresh or 1/8 tsp powdered ginger root
1 tsp chamomile flowers
Steep the above herbs for 15 minutes in 2 cups of boiled water. Strain and sip half a cup daily.

Aromatherapy:
EXTRACTION: essential oil by steam distillation from the fresh and partially dried leaves, finely chopped
CHARACTERISTICS: A yellow, amber or reddish-brown liquid with a fresh, grassy-citrus scent and an earthy undertone. A yellow or amber liquid with a fresh, grassy-lemony scent, generally lighter than the West Indian type. Taste: pungent, bitter; Energy: cooling/moisturizing; Dosha effect: P K-, Vo; Note: top
ACTIONS: analgesic, antidepressant, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, antipyretic, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, deodorant, febrifuge, fungicidal, galactagogue, insecticidal, nervine, sedative (nervous), tonic
MIXES WELL WITH: bergamot, rosemary, lavender, juniper, hyssop, pine, rosewood, basil, cedarwood, coriander, geranium, jasmine, neroli, niaouli, palmarosa, rosemary, tea tree, yarrow
USES:
Skin: acne, athlete’s foot, excessive perspiration, insect repellent, open pores, pediculosis, scabies, tissue toner
Circulation, Muscles and Joints: muscular pain, poor circulation and muscle tone, slack tissue
Digestive System: colitis, indigestion, gastro-enteritis
Immune System: fevers, infectious disease
Nervous System: headaches, nervous exhaustion and stress-related conditions
BLENDS:
Respiratory: 5 drops lemongrass; 4 drops eucalyptus, 3 drops sandalwood
Muscular: 5 drops lemongrass, 4 drops rosemary, 3 drops coriander
Emotion: 4 drops lemongrass, 4 drops orange, 2 drops basil
Lemon Grass, Coriander and Clove Bath:
2 Tbsp almond oil, 2 drops lemon grass oil, 2 drops coriander oil, 2 drops clove oil. Carefully measure the almond oil into a small dish. Slowly drop in all the essential oils. Mix all the ingredients and pour into the bath while the water is running. Rinse the dish under the running tap to make sure all the oils have gone into the bath water. For stiff limbs after excessive exercise.

Lemongrass is an aid for people who have trouble getting started in the morning. It is not only psychologically refreshing, but it also serves as a tonic for tightening weak connective tissue. The essential oil strengthens blood vessels and helps prevent varicose veins. It is beneficial for the treatment of sports injuries, like bruises and pulled ligaments. It may be used in an arnica tissue, diluted with water and applied as a cold compress or bandage.

Lemon grass produces one of the 10 – largest – selling essential oils in the world, with over 1500 tons produced annually. It is used as the natural starting point to produce the fragrance component citral. In East India, the oil is mixed with coconut oil to rub on lumbago, rheumatism, and painful nerve conditions. In the Caribbean, lemon grass baths ease soreness.

Other uses: Lemon grass is a fly, flea and mosquito repellent. It is used as the starting point in the manufacture of vitamin A. Lemon grass adds a citrus fragrance to potpourri.

Toxicity: Prolonged handling of lemongrass may cause contact dermatitis (itching, burning, stinging, reddened or blistered skin) People who handle the plant and then expose their skin to sunlight may end up with a severe sunburn on the exposed surfaces.

Ritual Uses: Lemongrass is bound to Mercury and air. It is said to repel dragons and serpents, and is burned, bathed in, or carried on the person for lust, fidelity, honesty, growth, strength, psychic powers, and purification. Plant Lemongrass around the home to repel serpent energy. Drink a tea to aid in psychic abilities and divination. Carry it in a sachet or charm to attract the object of your desire and to bring honesty to your relationships. Burn as an incense for strength and purification. Put a handful of leaves in a mesh bag and place under the tap water for a purification bath, and to attract and keep a lover.

Culinary Uses: An integral flavor in Sri Lanka and Thai cooking, lemon grass is also found in East Indian dishes and makes a very popular beverage in tropical countries. The unique refreshing tartness of lemongrass adds a peppery lemon flavor to soups, and outer long-simmered dishes. It adds mystery to stuffings and rubs. It commercially flavors dairy, desserts, candy, and baked goods. Tastes good with and in curries, soups, stews, and casseroles, particularly those made with chicken and seafood. Tips in cooking, use fresh stalk – whole or chopped. Bruise stem to release flavor. Soak the stalks in oil or milk for 2-3 hours to soften them. Use only lower 4-6 in (10-15 cm), discarding upper fibrous part. Soak dried stalks in hot water before use. When substituting, 1 teaspoon ground is roughly equivalent to one stalk. Stalks will keep for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Fresh lemongrass can also be frozen, tightly wrapped, for several months. It works well with garlic, fresh coriander, coconut milk, and hot flavors.

Recipes:
Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup:
5 cups (1.2 liters) chicken stock
4 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 small fresh hot green chili, seeded and chopped
3 lemongrass stalks, cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces
1 tbsp nam pla (Asian fish sauce)
salt
1 in piece lime or lemon peel
2 Tbsp lime or lemon juice
1 pound (500 g) shrimp
Chopped scallions and cilantro or garnish
In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients, except the shrimp. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes to blend the flavors. Strain and discard the solids return the liquid to the saucepan, add the shrimp, and cook until the shrimp are just heated through, 1-2 minutes. Pour into a soup tureen, garnish with the chopped scallions and cilantro, and serve.

Lemongrass Curry
Makes 4 cups
1/3 cup sliced lemongrass, include the bulbs
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp dried ground galangal (or ginger)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 jalapeno, seeds and stem removed
3 shallots, peeled
3½ cups Coconut Milk
3 fresh lime or lemon leaves
Pinch salt or shrimp paste (available in Asian markets)
In a food processor or blender, puree together the lemongrass, garlic, galangal, turmeric, jalapeno and shallots. Bring the Coconut Milk to a boil and add the pureed ingredients, lime or lemon leaves, and salt or shrimp paste, and boil gently, stirring constantly for approximately 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for an additional 30 minutes or until the lime or lemon leaves are tender and the sauce is creamy. Remove the leaves before serving. (A World of Curries, Dave Dewitt & Arthur Pais)

Lemon Grass Ice Milk
2 cups milk
2 8-oz cans lowfat evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
6 8-inch pieces lemon grass stems
2 eggs
Wash lemon grass stems and slice into thin pieces. Combine with milk and sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until it just barely boils, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes. Whisk together eggs and lowfat evaporated milk. Combine with other ingredients in saucepan. Cook over low heat until slightly thickened, 6-8 minutes. Strain into a bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Prepare in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions (An Herbal Collection)

References:
Aromatherapy Blends & Remedies, Franzesca Watson, Harper Collins, 1995
Complete Aromatherapy Handbook, Susanne Fischer-Rizzi, Sterling, 1990
The Illustrated Encylopedia of Essential Oils, Julia Lawless, Element, 1995
The Illustrated Herb Encyclopedia, Kathi Keville, Mallard Press, 1991
Mother Nature’s Herbal, Judy Griffin, Llewellyn, 1997
Rainforest Remedies, Rosita Arvigo and Michael Balick, Lotus Press, 1993; ISBN: 0-914955-13-6

HERBALPEDIA™ is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245; 717-393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261; email: herbworld@aol.com URL: http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers. Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented.

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I was always told that when plants are weedy in an area, it’s because there is a need for them. Maybe we don’t see it, it’s hard to appreciate kudzu in the South, but there’s a need. Japanese knotweed is one such plant.

Otherwise known as Polygonum cuspidatum this plant in the Polygonaceae family has been called Mexican bamboo, Japanese fleeceflower, giant knotweed, and Huzhang

Description: Japanese knotweed is a large, robust perennial that spreads by long creeping rhizomes to form dense thickets. The stems are stout, cane-like, reddish-brown, 4 to 9 feet tall. The plants die back at the end of the growing season. The stem nodes are swollen and surrounded by thin papery sheaths. The leaves are short-petioled, 2 to 6 inches long and about two-thirds as wide, egg-shaped and narrowed to a point at the tip. The flowers are small, creamy white to greenish white, and grow in showy plume-like, branched clusters from leaf axils near the ends of the stems. The fruit is 3-sided, black and shiny.

Cultivation: Japanese knotweed grows quickly and aggressively. Large dense thickets form rapidly and shade out other plants. It can tolerate partial shade and is most competitive in moist, rich soil. Japanese knotweed is commonly found along roadsides and on stream banks. The thickets can completely clog small waterways and displace all other streamside vegetation. Knotweed can increase bank erosion and lower the quality of riparian habitat for fish and wildlife.

Properties: antiarthritic, antirheumatic, analgesic, detoxicant, antitussive, expectorant, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant

Medicinal Uses: In China, the root was used medicinally to treat menstrual and postpartum difficulties. In recent years, the Chinese have been using huzhang in the treatment of burns and acute viral hepatitis with considerable success. Researchers have found that some of its chemical components have antibacterial, antiviral, liver protectant and antioxidant effects. The unique broad, traditional and modern properties which include detoxicant, antiburn, wound healing, astringent, antimicrobial and antioxidant, have been utilized in skin care cosmetics and environmental products. Its extracts are used in skin lotions, antifatigue, massage and cleansing creams as well as in an herbal disinfectant approved by the US EPA.

TCM:
Indications: painful joints, jaundice, menstrual difficulties, cough with excessive phlegm, skin sores and boils, traumatic injuries

Culinary Uses: It is an extremely valuable and versatile food resource. The young shoots (up to 1′) canbe served like asparagus but with a flavor all their own. Gather in the early spring, selecting shoots with the thickest stems. Wash well and remove any leaves on the stalks. Place in a pan with about 1 inch of water or cook in a vegetable steamer. The stems cook quickly; in about 5 minutes they will turn a creamy olive green. They will be soft when pricked with a fork when done. Do not overcook. Drain and serve hot with melted butter or hollandaise sauce. The tender shoots can also be pureed with milk, salt and pepper to make a soup. Slightly older stems can be peeled and the sour rind boiled with sugar and pectin to make a rhubarb-like jam, sauces and pies.

Recipes:
Japanese Knotweed Purée
Gather stalks, choosing those with thick stems. Wash well and remove all leaves and tips. Slice stems into 1-inch pieces, put into a pot and add ¾ cup sugar for every 5 cups of stems. Let stand 20 minutes to extract juices. Add only enough water to keep from scorching, about half a cup. Cook until pieces are soft, adding more water if necessary. They will cook quickly. When done, the Japanese Knotweed needs only to be mixed with a spoon. Add lemon juice to taste and more sugar if desired. Serve chilled for dessert just as it is, or pass a bowl of whipped cream. This purée is excellent spooned over vanilla ice cream or baked in a pie shell. Keeps well in the refrigerator and may be frozen for later use. (City Herbal)

Japanese Knotweed Bread
2 cups unbleached flour
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp salad oil
¾ cup orange juice
¾ cup chopped hazelnuts
1 cup sweetened Japanese Knotweed Purée
Preheat oven to 350F. Sift dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Beat the egg white with the oil and orange juice. Add along with hazelnuts and purée to dry ingredients. Do not mix until all ingredients are added, and blend only enough to moisten. Do not overmix. Spoon gently into buttered 91/2-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Bake about 1 hour or until a straw or cake tester inserted in the center comes out dry. Cool by removing from pan and placing it on a rack. For muffins, spoon into buttered muffin tins and bake about 25 minutes. (A City Herbal)

References:
A City Herbal, Maida Silverman, Alfred A Knopf, 1977; ISBN: 0-394-49852-6
Better Health with (Mostly) Chinese Herbs and Foods, Albert Y Leung, AYSL Corp, 1995; ISBN: 0-9634979-1-X
Exploring Nature’s Uncultivated Garden, Deborah Lee, Havelin Communications, 1988; ISBN: 0-925909-00-9
Wild Food, Roger Philips, Little Brown, 1986; ISNB: 0-316-70611-6

HERBALPEDIA™ is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245; 717-393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261; email: herbworld@aol.com URL: http://www.herbalpedia.com Editor: Maureen Rogers. Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented

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It was only a few years ago that I realized Job’s Tears was more than an interesting ornamental. So much more.

Job’s Tears or Coix lacryma-jobi is known as several names. Its pharmaceutical name is Semen Coicis Lachrymajobi of the family Gramineae. It’s also called Coix, yi yi ren, Chi Shih, Chieh Li, Djali Batoe and that’s just a start.

Description: This annual grass is native to south-east Asia and grows to a height of around 3 feet, with knobbly, bamboo-like stems from the bases of which new ‘tillers’ arise, these sometimes self- layering. The glossy deep green leaves are up to 2 inches wide with slightly wavy edges. The flowering and fruiting spikelets are insignificant, but the shiny, pea-sized receptacles that enclose their bases harden in autumn to a pale bluish gray and have often been used for beads and other decorative purposes. Some selected strains are cultivated for their edible grains. Perennial growing to 1m by 0.15m . It is hardy to zone 9. It is in leaf from May to October, in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from September to November. The flowers are monoecious and are pollinated by the wind.

Cultivation: Job’s Tears succeeds in ordinary garden soil and is best grown in an open sunny border. It prefers a little shelter from the wind. Job’s Tears is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 61 to 429cm, an average annual temperature of 41 to 50°F and a pH in the range of 4.5 to 8.4. While usually grown as an annual, the plant is perennial in essentially frost-free areas. Plants have often overwintered when growing in a polyhouse, they have then gone on to produce another crop of seed in their second year. Propagate by seed pre-soaked for 2 hours in warm water and sown February/March in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 3 – 4 weeks at 57°F. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. Grow them on in cool conditions and plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Seed can also be sown in situ in May. In a suitable climate, it takes about 4 – 5 months from seed to produce new seed. Crop harvested in 4-5 months after sowing. Plants are cut off at base and grain separated by threshing. Seeds are dried in sun prior to milling and the husks are removed. It is extensively cultivated in Philippine Islands, Indochina, Thailand, Burma, and Sri Lanka, and is used as an auxiliary food crop, especially as a substitute for rice.

History: In southern India, Job’s tears have been cultivated for at least 4000 years. The seeds are commonly found in archaeological sites. The grass is often growing in rice fields nearby. Archaeologists call the seeds, rice beads. Although extensively used by Asians, the grass is considered a weed in commercial rice fields. The teardrop shaped seeds have a hard shiny coat with a hole at the tip where the flower emerges. When the seed drops from the plant, another hole opens at the base which makes them perfect for stringing. In archaeological sites dating to approximately 2000 years ago, large numbers of the seeds have been found arranged in a manner that suggests they were strung as necklaces. In Japan, the seeds are called juzu dama which means prayer beads referring to the use by Buddhists for their meditations. By the 1400s, this grass was cultivated in southern European monasteries. One hundred-fifty seeds were strung to keep track of daily recitations of the Psalms. This use of beads later evolved into the rosary. It is in the monasteries that the seeds were first called Lachrima Iob (Job’s tears).) Their natural color is white, but they can be dyed shades of red, blue, green and yellow. Depending on where you are in the world, this plant goes by various names including ~David’s tears, Saint Mary’s tears, Christ’s tears and just plain tear drops. The leaves are used as fodder in parts of India, and are especially relished by elephants. Job’s tears were introduced into China in the first century A.D. by a Chinese general who conquered Tongking, where the grains were widely used as a cereal. The general became so fond of Job’s tears that he carried back several cartloads of the seeds to his own country. In Central America, strings of Job’s tears are used for the arms and legs of little seed dolls. Strings of Job’s tears were reportedly given to teething babies. Job’s tears is also used for musical instruments. Shaker gourds are probably one of the earliest musical instruments. In Africa, hollow gourds are covered with a loose net strung with hundreds of Job’s tears. The generic name of Job’s tears, coix, comes from the Greek koix, meaning “palm”, a name given by Linnaeus, The specific name lacryma-jobi, means tears of Job, an allusion to the large tear-like sheaths enclosing the flowers.

Properties: Diuretic, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal, Anodyne; Anthelmintic; Antipyretic; Antispasmodic; Diuretic; Hypoglycemic; Pectoral; Refrigerant; Sedative; Tonic

Energetics: Kernels and roots: Sweet, bland, cool to cold. Leaves are neutral.

Meridians/Organs affected: Kidney, Lung, Spleen, stomach

Medicinal Uses: In Chinese medicine, the seeds strengthen the spleen and counteract “damp heat”, and are used for edema, diarrhea, rheumatoid arthritis and difficult urination. Drains dampness, clears heat, eliminates pus, tonifies the spleen. This herb is added to medicinal formulas to regulate fluid retention and counteract inflammation. It is very good for all conditions and diseases associated with edema and inflammation, including pus, diarrhea, phlegm, edema or abscesses of either the lungs or the intestines, and rheumatic and arthritic conditions. A tea from the boiled seeds is drunk as part of a treatment to cure warts. It is also used in the treatment of lung abscess, lobar pneumonia, appendicitis, rheumatoid arthritis, beriberi, diarrhea, edema and difficult urination. The roots have been used in the treatment of menstrual disorders. The FDA has approved testing for cancer therapy. Currently going through testing, the Kanglaite Injection is a new effective diphasic anti-cancer medicine prepared by extracting with modern technology the active anti-cancer component from the Coix Seed, to form an advanced dosage form for intravenous and intra- arterial perfusion. It had been proved experimentally and clinically that the Kanglaite Injection had a broad spectrum of anti-tumor and anti-metastasis action, such as hepatic cancer and pulmonary cancer, along with the action of enhancing host immunity. When used in combined treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, the Kanglaite Injection can increase the sensitivity of tumor cells, reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, relieve cancerous pain, improve cachexia, and raise the quality of life in advanced cancer victims. As a fat emulsion, the Kanglaite Injection can provide patients with high-energy nutrients with little toxicity. It inhibits formation of new blood vessels that promote tumor growth, counteracts weight loss due to cancer.

Some of the latest research also shows that Job’s tears is Immunostimulating, induces interferon, Bronchodialates; Lowers blood sugar; Reduces muscle spasms and is anti-convulsant; Stimulates respiration in small doses and inhibits it in higher doses; reduces arterial plaque; Anti-inflammatory, possibly through the suppression of macrophage activity
In order to gain optimum therapeutic benefits from this herb, it must become part of your daily diet for a period of at least 2-3 months.

Dosage: 9-30 grams

Combinations: For edema, blood in the urine, diarrhea, or dysentery, combine 20 grams of coix, 9 grams of alisma, 9 grams of poria, and 9 grams of atractylodes.
For rheumatic and arthritic conditions, combine 30 grams of coix and cinnamon-twig tea cooked with rice to make a porridge.

TCM:
Indications: dark and scanty urine; swelling; painful joints, sinews and bones due to damp excess; ulcers in the stomach or lungs; diarrhea and dyspepsia due to damp injury to spleen
Kernel: promotes urination and drains dampness, tonifies the Spleen and stops diarrhea, tonifies the Lungs, clears Damp Heat, clears Heat and expels pus, expels Wind Dampness, benefits the skin
Leaves: Warms the Stomach, tonifies Blood, tonifies Qi
Roots: Clears internal heat, drains damp, benefits the Spleen

Contraindications: Not in pregnancy

Dosage: 5 – 30 grams.
Powder: roast the seeds until golden brown, then grind to powder and store in an airtight container; plain, capsules, or water-paste; 6-12 grams, in two or three doses, on an empty stomach; for paste, use warmwater
Porridge: ½ cup of seeds, soaked in pure water for 1 hour, drained, then boiled in 1 liter pure water until cooked, adding more water as needed; eat in one or two portions, either on an empty stomach, or as part of a nonmeat, nondairy meal; to increase nutrient properties; add 3-5 Chinese jujubes

Combinations: For diarrhea, dysentery, edema, or blood in the urine with Phragmitis communis (Lu Gen), Poria cocos (Fu Ling), and Atractylodes macrocephala (Bai Zhu)
For intestinal abscess with Trichosanthis kirilowii (Gua Lou Ren) and Prunus persica (Tao Ren) Patrinia spp. (Bai Jiang Cao) and Paeonia suffruticosa (Mu Dan Pi)
For lung abcess Phragmitis communis (Lu Gen), Prunus persica (Tao Ren) and Benincasa hispida (Dong Gua Ren)
For bladder infections with Akebia trifoliata (Mu Tong)
For diarrhea with Atractylodes macrocephala (Bai Zhu) and Poria cocos (Fu Ling) [China]
For jaundice with Artemesia capillaris (Yin Chen Hao). For infantile jaundice with Coptis chinense (Huang Lian) As tea prepared with peanuts and brown sugar for edema and to benefit digestion
For joint pain as a food (congee) with Cinnamomum cassia (Gui Zhi) as a base.

Remedies:
For gout: Great Orange Peel Decoction (da ju pi tang)
6 g Citrus reticulata, 3 g costus, 3 g cinnamon, 15 g Morus alba seeds, 6 g Clematis minor, 9 g Cocculus diversifolius, 4.5 g Atractylodes macrocephala, 9 g Tuckahoe, 6 g Alisma plantago, 9 g Magnesium silicate (talc), 6 g Achryanthes bidentata, 12 g Job’s tears, 3 g licorice
Of a decoction of the above ingredients take two doses on an empty stomach.

Culinary Uses: Before corn (Zea mays) became popular in Southern Asia, Job’s tears was rather widely cultivated as a cereal in India. It is a potentially very useful grain having a higher protein to carbohydrate ratio than any other cereal. The seed has a very tough shell however making it rather difficult to extract the grain. The ssp. ma-yuen. Stapf. is grown for its edible seed and medicinal virtues in China, the seedcoat is said to be soft and easily removed. The ssp. stenocarpa is used for beads. A staple cereal crop in Japan and China, and in important medicinal herb. Nutritious soft-shelled seeds are widely consumed in macrobiotic cuisine. The seed is cooked. A pleasant mild flavor, it can be used in soups and broths.. It can be ground into a flour and used to make bread or used in any of the ways that rice is used. The pounded flour is sometimes mixed with water like barley for barley water. The pounded kernel is also made into a sweet dish by frying and coating with sugar. It is also husked and eaten out of hand like a peanut. The seed contains about 52% starch, 18% protein, 7% fat. It is higher in protein and fat than rice but low in minerals. This is a potentially very useful grain, it has a higher protein to carbohydrate ratio than any other cereal, though the hard seedcoat makes extraction of the flour rather difficult. A tea can be made from the parched seeds, while beers and wines are made from the fermented grain. A coffee is made from the roasted seed. In India, the Nagas use the grain for brewing a beer called zhu or dzu. Japanese brew a tea and an alcoholic beverage, and roasted seeds are made into a coffee-like drink.

Other Uses: Stems are used to make matting and the seeds are used in lei making in Hawai’i

Recipes:
Job’s Tears and Brown Rice Porridge
Yi yi ren dzao-mi jou
1 cup Job’s tears
1 cup brown rice
8 cups pure water
Wash and rinse the rice and Job’s tears well, then soak them in 8 cups of pure water for about 2 hours or overnight. Pour the grain, herb and water into a large nonaluminum pot, bring to a boil, cover, then lower heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the grain is thoroughly cooked and the fluid begins to thicken. (A Handbook of Chinese Healing Herbs)

References:
Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, Dan Bensky & Andrew Gamble, Eastland Press, 1993; ISBN: 0-939616-15-7
A Handbook of Chinese Healing Herbs, Daniel Reid, Barnes & Noble, 1995; ISBN: 0-7607-1907-1

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