COMMON AND MOUNTAIN CLUB MOSS: HEALTH BENEFITS USES AND POSSIBLE FUTURE BENEFITS OF COMMON AND ALPINE CLUB MOSS

common club moss

COMMON CLUB MOSS, LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM, MOUNTAIN OR ALPINE CLUB MOSS, DIPHASIASTRUM ALPINUM  

Common club moss is native to the Arctic and Europe and along with mountain club moss can be found in the British Isles. Both mosses are actually ferns, with common club moss resembling asparagus spears. Both these ferns are in the Lycopodiaceae family of plants. Lycopodium means wolf’s foot in Latin and the common club moss is sometimes called wolf’s claw (clavatum means claw). The two mosses look similar, although Mountain club moss is used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory.

  The ancient Physicians of Myddfai employed mountain club moss in the following remedy for a woman who was unable to conceive:-

“A sterile woman may have a potion prepared for her by means of the following herbs, viz:—St. John's wort, yew, agrimony, amphibious persicaria, creeping cinque foil, mountain club moss, orpine and pimpernel, taking an emetic in addition.”

Alpine club moss

(The physicians wrote their remedies between the years 800 and 1800 in Wales; this is one of the earlier remedies.)                                                                                              

  Traditionally the common club moss was used for stomach problems and as a diuretic, to remove stones from the bodily organs and for other kidney problems. In the 17^th century the use of the whole plant stopped and only the spores were used.

  The spikes of the plant mature in the months of July and August and the spores have to be shaken out of the plant and this ‘dust’ is used for a number of ailments. For example it was used on the skin for eczema and other skin problems as well as to stop itchiness. It was given to people with rabies to stop their spasms, and also for gout and scurvy. It was also used for rheumatism and applied to wounds as a healing and cleansing agent.

Alpine club moss

  The powder has the ability to repel water and to stop things sticking together so it has been used for condoms to prevent the latex sticking together. The plant has also been used as a mordant in dying and the stems were used for matting. The spores have also been used in fireworks and to make artificial lightning. They also have uses in the food industry because of their water and liquid repellant properties. However they can be an allergen and workers in condom factories have developed asthma from using these spores.

Alpine club moss

  There has been some clinical research done on these plants but none that is conclusive. They have been touted as being good for Alzheimer’s patients in that they improve memory. 

They have also been tested as anticancer material but again there is no conclusive evidence to support their use as yet.                                        

They can be helpful in respiratory problems it seems and traditionally they have been used to control internal bleeding. They may dispel stones from the urinary tract, and seem to help with skin problems. They are also a diuretic.

  However more research need to be carried out on these plants, and this is unlikely to be done in the case of the mountain club moss as in some countries it is listed as a threatened species.

 

 

   

ROYAL FERN: SUPERSTITIONS, HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF ROYAL FERN

ROYAL FERN, OSMUNDA REGALIS

The royal fern is the tallest native fern in the British Isles, and can grow to heights of ten feet in moist, shady places. It is also called the flowering fern, as it has showy seeds in June through to August. It is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia and a subspecies flourishes in North America. 

It is one of my favourite ferns, as it grew profusely in Wales and I could easily hide from my long-suffering grandfather in those tall ferns.

  The name Osmunda probably comes from the Saxon os (meaning house) and mund, peace, so it was a symbol of domestic peace. Another etymological explanation is that is comes from the Latin with os meaning bone, and mundare meaning to cleanse. This would refer to its use for diseases of the bones caused primarily by malnutrition (e.g. rickets). Regalis means royal or regal in Latin. It is a member of the Osmundaceae family of plants.

Like bracken seeds which were supposed to make the holder of these invisible, there is also a legend regarding the sporangia (seeds or spores) of the Royal fern. It was supposed to have magical powers, and to uproot a fern, or at least to harvest its seeds, one had to draw a circle around oneself and the fern, and then withstand the onslaught of demons. However it was worth the fright, because a person who had the fern seeds could command demons and defeat them they also would have wishes granted and would also be able to understand the language of trees. Also secrets would be revealed to them. Clearly it was worth braving a few demons to obtain the fern, although this could only be done on the evening before Easter. The fronds are fertile in April so this makes some sense.

  The fronds were once combined with wild ginger and given to children who suffered from convulsions caused by parasitical worms.                                    

  Hairs of the Royal fern were formerly  mixed with wool to make cloth, while the roots were the source of Osmunda fibre, which was very popular for potting orchids.

  The root of the Royal fern is mucilaginous and soothes the mucous membranes, so was used in a decoction for jaundice, to remove stones from the internal organs, and a conserve made from the root was given in cases of rickets. It was also recommended for lumbago and the young fronds were made into an ointment which was used on bruises, dislocated bones and wounds. The fronds were used externally as a poultice for rheumatism.

   John Gerard, writing in the 16^th century had this to say about the royal fern:-

“The root and especially the heart or middle thereof, boiled or else stamped and taken with some kind of liquor, is thought to be good for those that are wounded, drybeaten and bruised, that have fallen from some high place.”

  He is a little vague as his wisdom came from older more ancient herbalists. Nicholas Culpeper, writing his Herball in the 17^th century had this to say about the medicinal properties of the Royal fern:-

“Government and virtues. Saturn owns the plant. This hath all the virtues mentioned in the former ferns, and is much more effectual than they, both for inward and outward griefs, and is accounted singular good in wounds, bruises, or the like. The decoction to be drank or boiled into an ointment of oil, as a balsam or balm, and so it is singular good against bruises, and bones broken, or out of joint, and giveth much ease to the cholic and splenetic diseases; as also for ruptures or burstings. 

The decoction of the root in white wine, provokes urine exceedingly, and cleanseth the bladder and passages of urine.”

  Modern day science recognizes that the Royal fern has antispasmodic, antioxidant, antibacterial and astringent properties. In the International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biological Archives, 2011, vol.2 (1) pp559-62, “Preliminary Antibacterial and Phytochemical Assessment of Osmunda regalis L.” Toji Thomas concludes:-

 “Leaves can be recommended as a source for isolating and characterizing new antibacterial drugs for modern medicine.”

  It seems that those ancient ferns will have a productive modern use.

THE MIRACLE BERRY FROM WEST AFRICA: POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS FOR DIABETICS

THE MIRACLE FRUIT OR BERRY, SYNSEPALUM DULCIFERUM

The miracle berry is so-called because it has the ability to change the sour taste of food (such as limes or lemons) to a sweet one. If you eat a berry before having a sour fruit or other food, your taste buds are fooled into thinking that you are eating something sweet. This phenomenon is caused by a glycoprotein, miraculin.

  There were attempts in the USA to have the berry classified as a sweetener, but these were unsuccessful. Stevia, another plant sweetener is classed as a dietary supplement. However it is used in the food industry as a sweetener.hhhhhhj

  The berries grow on a shrub that is indigenous to West Africa, and have been used to sweeten palm wine there traditionally. They don’t actually have a high sugar content, although they do taste slightly sweet, if bland. The bushes they grow on can reach heights of around twenty feet in West Africa, although in cultivation rarely grow above ten feet.

  The berries are popular among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy as they say it takes away the metallic taste in their mouths which is one of the side effects of chemotherapy. They are also being researched as they may help diabetics. “Improvement of insulin resistance by miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulciferum) in fructose-rich chow-fed rats” Chen C.C. et al. Journal of Phytotherapy Research 2006, November, Vol. 20 (11) pp. 987-992 which states: -

“the results suggest that miracle fruit may be used as an adjuvant for treating diabetic patients with insulin resistance because this fruit has the ability to improve insulin sensitivity.”

  The fruit cannot be easily transported however as it lasts only for two or three days. The pulp can be freeze-dried, which is good news for some. Heat destroys the miraculin so it cannot yet be preserved in any other way. In Japan it is popular among dieters.

  This miracle berry and its bush belong to the Sapotaceae family, which makes it a relative of sapodilla, butter nut trees with mahua flowers, and the African Shea tree from which we get shea butter.

 

MALABAR NUT SHRUB - POTENTIAL SOURCE OF NEW DRUGS: TRADITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF MALABAR NUT SHRUB

MALABAR NUT, JUSTICIA ADHATODA

The Malabar nut plant is an evergreen shrub, which is native to the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. As a member of the Acanthaceae family it is related to the marsh barbell and to bear’sbreeches or the oyster plant. All parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine systems in Asia and it has also been used in Europe for centuries.

  The flowers on this plant look like those of bear’s breeches, but are more reminiscent of foxglove flowers than those of the snapdragon. The flowers contain an impressive array of flavonoids (among them apigenin, kaempferol and quercetin), which give them antioxidant properties and these flowers are used for colds, asthma, bronchitis, coughs, as an antispasmodic, for fevers and gonorrhoea. They also have antiseptic properties and are used to improve blood circulation.                                       

  The root decoction of the plant is used to treat T.B., diphtheria, malaria, leucorrhoea, eye problems and gonorrhoea. An extract of the root is also used for liver problems, especially for jaundice, for diabetes, and coughs.

 Preparations include a paste, and powder as well as the root decoction.

  Chewing the leaf bud, either alone or with a little ginger root is said to clear the respiratory passages, and is used by yogis before a rigorous exercise programme is undertaken.

  The fruit or the ‘Malabar nut’ is used for colds, as an antispasmodic, for bronchitis, jaundice, diarrhoea and dysentery, fever and as a laxative.

  The leaves are a rich source of vitamin C, and also contain carotene and essential oil and are used in various ways. In parts of India they are used to induce an abortion and are given after childbirth to help staunch bleeding and to tone the uterus. They should not be used during pregnancy or by breast-feeding mothers. Powdered leaves are a counter-irritant for inflamed swellings and are also used on fresh wounds and for neuralgia.

  The dried leaves are sometimes smoked in the treatment of asthma. The fresh sap from the leaves is used for bleeding gums, diarrhoea and dysentery, glandular tumours, and T.B. When burnt, they have insect repellant or insecticidal properties.

  The leaves are also given to lower high blood pressure, and in Germany they are used for their expectorant and antispasmodic properties in coughs colds and so on. 

In Sweden they are categorized as a natural remedy and can be found with other natural ingredients in cough medicines.

  The leaf powder boiled in sesame oil, is used to staunch bleeding and is used as ear drops for ear aches. The warmed leaves are used as poultices for the pains of rheumatism and dislocated joints.

  The plant contains quinasoline alkaloids including vasicine and vasicone, and these are currently under investigation to discover their properties and potential for new drugs.

  In “A review of Justicia adhatoda: A potential source of natural medicine” Sandeep Dhankhar et al. African Journal of Plant Science, Vol. 5 (4) pp. 620-627, it is suggested that “extract of J. adhatoda could form one of the best options for developing novel natural medicines”.

(Adhatoda is said to mean “goats don’t touch” in Malayalam, as they avoid this plant allegedly.)

 

AMERICAN MOUNTAIN MINT, THREATENED SPECIES NOW: HISTORY OF USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS

AMERICAN MOUNTAIN MINT, PYCNANTHEMUM PILOSUM

American mountain mint was once used by Native Americans for fevers, indigestion and to regulate a woman’s menstrual flow. It is a native of eastern North America, but is threatened now in some states so is legally protected, and seems to be extinct in Michigan where it once flourished; it has not been formally documented there since 1952.

 It is a member of the mint of Lamiaceae or Labiatae family, although assigned to a separate genus than the mints such as peppermint and spearmint which are in the Mentha genus.                                                                                                

  It is therefore related to calamint, sage, Jupiter’s sage, horehound, self-heal, the chaste tree and the small-flowered Chaste tree, ground ivy, the teak tree, yellow, purple and white dead nettles, motherwort, fragrant premna, common germander, Cretan dittany, bugle, Scarlet Bee Balm, thyme, Mother of Thyme, and marsh woundwort, oregano and other culinary herbs, as well as to other plants.

  It can grow to heights of around five feet and is identified by its clumping together and the flower heads. It flowers in August and September, with seeds ripening in September and October. Another name for this plant is Hairy Mountain Mint.The genus name Pycnanthemum means dense (pyknos in Greek) flowers (anthemom) while pilosum means hairy; the hairs are on the leaves of the plant.

  The leaves may be eaten raw and added to salads, and generally used as you would use peppermint. The leaves may be used fresh or dried to make a tisane, which has a delicious menthol taste, and is good with a splash of fresh lemon juice. The flower buds are also edible and it is said that the Native Americans used them to tenderize buffalo meat.

  The leaves can be dried and used in a pot pourri and have been used as incense; burning them helps to repel unwelcome insects. They are also used as an ingredient in natural insecticides.

 They contain a volatile oil whose main constituents are limonene, meothone and pulegone according to a study carried out in the late 1940s.

WILD LIQUORICE: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF WILD LIQUORICE

WILD LIQUORICE, GLYCYRRHIZA ECHINATA

Wild liquorice is native to southern Europe and south west Asia, and is a relative of the liquorice that has been regarded as the official “sweet root” (the meaning of glycyrrhiza), Glychyrrhiza glabra. The wild liquorice is also called German liquorice as this is the official one used in medicine in Germany.

 It is also called Russian liquorice and the Latin name echinata means hedgehog, so it is sometimes called hedgehog liquorice.             o                                                                                

  It is a member of the Fabaceae or Leguminosae family of plants making it a relative of peas, green beans, borlotti beans, chickpeas, soya beans, lupins, field restharrow, the Monkey Pod tree, carob, kudzu or pueraria, indigo, alfalfa, broom, Dyer’s broom, lentils, to the pongam tree, the cancer bush (Sutherlandia frutescans)the lead tree or ipil-ipil, the Indian Coral tree, the tree from which we get Gum Tragacanth or gond katira, jhand the mesquite tree, dhak or Flame of the Forest tree, the Pacific teak tree, the ashoka tree (Saraca indica), amaltas (golden shower tree), European laburnum, the Burmese rosewood tree, melilot or sweet clover, milk vetch, the hyacinth bean, the butterfly pea, and many more.

  The plant can grow to heights of just over three feet and in the wild likes muddy places near rivers.

  It has been mixed with linseed (flax seed oil) as an infusion for sore throats, irritable coughs, laryngitis and other ailments. Powdered along with senna and fennel it was used as a mild laxative. It is mixed with other herbs partially because it makes the medicine taste better and often because of its own medicinal properties.

  It is believed that the ancient Greeks learned about the uses of the liquorice root from th4 Scythians and it was known to Theophrastus in the third century BC who believed it to be a thirst quencher (as it is) - chew the root for yourself! He also commented on the different tastes of the different liquorice roots he was familiar with. Dioscorides used it in the first century AD and is believed the first to have written the name “sweet root” for this plant.                                    

    Ancient Roman writers called it Radix dulcis, or sweet root, just as it is in Greek. In the 11^th century AD it was a well-known medicine in Germany and was cultivated in England. John Gerard had it in his garden in 1592, as did other herbalists of his time. Writing a century later, Nicholas Culpeper says that it grew “in divers place” in England “and thereof is good profit made.” He has this to say about how liquorice in general was used in medicine in the 17^th century:

“It is under the dominion of Mercury. Liquorice boiled in fair water, with some Maiden-hair and figs, makes a good drink for those that have a dry cough or hoarseness, wheezing or shortness of breath, and for all the griefs of the breast and lungs, phthisic or consumptions caused by the distillation of salt humours on them.

It is also good in all pains of the reins, the stranguary, and heat of urine. The fine powder of Liquorice blown through a quill into the eyes that have a pin and web (as they call it) or rheumatic distillations in them, doth cleanse and help them. The juice of Liquorice is as effectual in all the diseases of the breast and lungs, the reins and bladder, as the decoction. The juice distilled in Rose-water, with some Gum Tragacanth, is a fine licking medicine for hoarseness, wheezing, &c.”

  The liquorice root may have liver protective qualities, and may help allergy sufferers. It may also help protect against the development of piles and can be useful as an antibacterial agent (the essential oil). Research is underway to discover how it inhibits the growth of tumours and cancer cells. Liquorice has antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Because of its natural antioxidant properties it can be safely added to food.

  The glycyrrhizin in the root is said to be fifty times sweeter than sugar. The dried root was given to infants to help with teething problems.

  

MEXICAN MINT MARIGOLD - PLANT OF THE AZTECS: HISTORY, HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF MEXICAN MINT MARIGOLD

MEXICAN MINT MARIGOLD, TAGETES LUCIDA

The Mexican mint marigold is native to Mexico and Central America to Guatemala. The 16^th Century Spanish explorers called it “cloud plant” and it has since acquired many other names such as sweet mace, yerba anis, Spanish tarragon, and it is substituted for French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) in cooking. It is a member of the Asteraceae or Compositae family so is related to that tarragon as well as to the common wormwood, southernwood, daisy, sunflower, pellitory or Roman chamomile, marigolds, bur marigolds, purple goat’s beard (salsify), yellow goat’s beard, the Sea Aster or Sea starwort, michaelmas daisies, elecampane, the ox-eye daisy, holy thistles, costmary, tansy, feverfew, groundsel, fleabane and yarrow, just to list a few of its relatives.                                                                                                                

  It was a herb much used by the ancient Aztecs, who, so legend has it administered it to their sacrificial victims before they were killed. It was believed to have sedative an psychotropic effects.

  In medicine it was used for all manner of ailments, including the common cold, colic, malaria and intermittent fevers, and a poultice of the leaves was applied to snake bites. They also used the herb for gout, swellings, digestive problems and so on.

  The plant can help to repel worms in a garden, and also slugs, but to a lesser extent; it exudes a substance from its roots that protects it from weeds such as couch-grass and this also repels bugs.

  The dried plant was burnt as incense and also when burnt it repels insects and is considered an effective insecticide.

  The plant grows to heights of around three feet by one and a half feet, and blooms in August and September. It was used as one of the flavourings in the Aztecs cocoa-based drink, chocolatl, and both the petals and leaves are edible.                                                                                                            

  The Aztecs rubbed the flowers and leaves into their hands and then washed them, leaving their hands smelling sweet. The leaves are used to make a tisane which tastes like liquorice and anise mixed.

  Extracts of the plant have been found to have antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial properties as well as antioxidant ones.  The whole plant can help with digestion, and is a diuretic, and used to bring down the temperature in fevers. It depresses the Central Nervous system, and is reputed to lower blood pressure and to be a narcotic and sedative. However its narcotic and hallucinogenic effects have yet to be scientifically explained.

  The Huichol people smoke it with Nicotiana rustica a wild tobacco, for the psychotropic effects it has been reported. Methyl eugenol has been extracted from the plant and this has a slightly narcotic effect. Anethole, also present in it has similar effects to adrenaline which the body produces naturally, and this can be a mild stimulant.

  The tisane from the leaves or a stronger decoction is taken to relieve diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, hiccups and fevers. It tastes very pleasant and can be sweetened with honey if required.                                                            

  The plant can be made into garlands and can be harvested when still in flower and dried for later use. The flowers produce a yellow dye, and it figures prominently in the Day of the Dead celebrations, when it is place on the graves of deceased family members.

  The genus name Tagetes is believed to have come from the myth of the Etruscan god, Tages who was supposed to be the grandson of Jupiter, a boy who sprang or was ploughed up from the earth, and who had the wisdom of a sage despite his youth. “Lucida” means clear and bright and either refers to the visions one has if one uses the plant for it psychotropic effects, or to the brightness of the flowers which may have reminded people of the brightness of the sun.

  

ICELAND MOSS - ACTUALLY A LICHEN: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF ICELAND MOSS

ICELAND MOSS, CETRARIA ISLANDICA 

Iceland moss is a lichen and not a moss, and grows prolifically in Iceland, hence the name. It is in the Parmeliaceae family of plants and grows to a mere four inches high but has a spread of around two feet. 

It can be found in the Arctic, in Britain, particularly in Scotland, Northern England and North Wales, in North America and south western Ireland. It can be almost any colour in the spectrum from light grey through green to dark brown. Another name for Iceland moss is eryngo-leaved liverwort,.

  In traditional medicine it has been used for pulmonary complaints, peptic and duodenal ulcers and gastric problems. It has a soothing action on the mucous membranes and was used for coughs, bronchitis and other chest complaints as well as for food poisoning and T.B. It is also used to promote appetite. It is said to be good to stop vomiting and feelings of nausea too.

  Today it can be found as an ingredient in toothpaste, and as a baking ingredient. It can be dried and ground and used with wheat flour to make bread. It can also be used to make confectionary, in which case it is made into a jelly and combined with lemon, sugar, chocolate, or almonds. In the 19^th century it was drunk with cocoa sweetened with sugar for a really wholesome drink in cases of colds and flu.

  The whole herb can be used although it has some lichen acids in it which have to be leached out before using internally. This is a tedious process, involving pounding the dried herb to a powder and soaking it in lye or filtering it through ash. Alternatively a jelly can be made from the whole plant by boiling it in water and changing and discarding the water twice- much easier to do. This process removes the bitterness of the plant.

  In traditional medicine systems in Europe Iceland moss is used to treat cancer and as an antibiotic, demulcent (soother).and tonic for the stomach. It is also believed to be a galactagogue, which means that it increases the flow of breast milk in breast-feeding mothers. Externally it is used to treat excessive vaginal discharge, boils, impetigo and to heal stubborn wounds.    

   The German Commission E has approved its use for loss of appetite, inflammation of the mouth and throat, coughs, bronchitis and dyspepsia. The whole plant gives a brown dye, and the antibiotic principle from the plant is used in disinfectant. The plant has potent antioxidant properties and has been found to boost the immune system. A new polysaccharide was found in the plant in 1994 which showed “immunostimulating activity” in vitro (Planta Medica 1994 Vol. 60 (6) pp 527-8 “Immunologically active polysaccharide from Cetraria islandica” Ingolfsdottir, K. et al)

  It has been deemed safe for use because it has been traditionally used in medicine for centuries. Research still needs to be done to allay criticisms of the German Commission E’s decision                                                                                              

BLOOD FLOWER, PERHAPS AN AGENT THAT WILL ASSIST IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST CANCER: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USE OF BLOOD FLOWER

BLOOD FLOWER, MEXICAN BUTTERFLY WEED, ASCLEPIAS CURASSAVICA 

This flower is native to the South American continent although it has now spread throughout the tropics and subtropics. It is related to the common milkweed, and is in the Asclepiadaceae family, and is a relative of aak (Calotropis procera).

  The genus name Asclepias is in honour of the Greek god of medicine, Asklepius or Asklepios, who was the son of Apollo, but who was brought up by Chiron the centaur who trained him in the art of medicine. Unfortunately Asklepius angered Zeus the Father of the gods because he upset the balance and natural order of nature by bringing the dead back to life. He was killed by Zeus’ thunderbolt and became a constellation. Because of this association with the god of medicine, we understand that the genus was considered to have medicinal properties by ancient peoples.

    The beautiful flowers of this plant attract the Monarch butterfly which lays eggs on it and also hummingbirds. The different coloured flowers on the same flower head remind me of those of Yellow sage or Spanish Flag,(Lantana camara). The flowers bloom between June and October, giving way to downy seeds.

  The sap from these plants can cause dermatitis, but diluted and used to get rid of intestinal worms. It is poisonous if ingested. Although the plant is not native to Australia the Aborigines there use it to kill fish and believe it to be a love charm.

  The roots are used in traditional medicine systems for their anodyne (pain relieving properties) and extracts of the roots have been shown to have antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial. (“Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of root extract of Asclepias curassavica”, Hemavani. C. and B. Thippeswamy in Recent Research in Science and Technology 2012, Vol. 4 (1): pp.40-43)

They are insecticidal too, and were used to clear buildings of insects, particularly fleas.                                                          

  In the Ayurveda system of medicine in the Indian subcontinent the plant is used to promote sweating in fevers, to get rid of intestinal worms, as a purgative and emetic, (so the system is cleansed thoroughly by expelling excrement and vomiting) for stomach tumours, piles, and gonorrhoea. The milky latex is used to get rid of warts and corns.

  In traditional medicine in China it is used for fever, to improve blood circulation and control both external and internal bleeding. The whole plant is dried and then made into a decoction as a cardiac tonic, for tonsillitis, bronchitis and pneumonia as well as for urethritis, and both internal and external bleeding. The latex from the plant is used to inhibit Candida growth.In some countries it is substituted for sarsaparilla in medicine.

  The root has antioxidant properties and antibiotic ones according to the research evaluation mentioned above.

  Calotropin has been isolated from the plant and this is a cytotoxic principle in vitro against cancer of the nasopharynx. “Calotropin, a Cytotoxic Principle Isolated from Asclepias curassavica L.”; S Morris Kupchan, John R Knox et al in Science 25 Dec 1964: Vol. 146. no. 3652, pp. 1685 – 1686.

   It has been used to staunch bleeding and has styptic properties and this has been borne out by the following research which concluded thus: “Cysteine proteases from Asclepias curassavica latex exhibited strong pro-coagulant action and were found to be specific in its action (Thrombin like). This could be the basis for the use of plant latex in pharmacological applications that justify their use as folk medicine.” (Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2009 May 4; 123 (1):106-9. “Thrombin like activity of Asclepias curassavica L. latex: action of cysteine proteases” Shivaprasad H. V. et al.)

  It has also shown to have some Chemopreventive properties as outlined in ”Chemopreventive potential of β-Sitosterol in experimental colon cancer model - an In vitro and In vivo study” by Albert A Baska, Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu, Gabriel M Paulraj and Khalid S Al Numair in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2010.

  This plant clearly has some potential health benefits for us, as more research will doubtless show. It is not only here for the benefit of the Monarch butterfly.

JOINTFIR OR MORMON TEA PLANT: PROBABLY DOES NOT CONTAIN EPHEDRINE: HEALTH BENEFITS OF MORMON'S TEA

MORMON TEA PLANT, JOINTFIR, EPHEDRA NEVADENSIS 

The evergreen shrub known as Jointfir, or Mormon Tea plant is native to the south-western US. As the Mormons are not allowed to drink coffee because it is a stimulant (containing, as it does, caffeine) the twigs of this plant are used to make a tisane or tea, hence the name. The plant does not have leaves as such but has spiky green twigs, which resemble a fir tree’s needles (for example those of the European silver fir).

  The flowers are reminiscent of those of the Greek mountain tea plant, and these bloom in April through to the end of June. The fruit is a smooth brown nutlet which can be cooked although it tastes bitter, and it may be roasted and ground to make flour for using in making bread.

  This plant is in the Ephedraceae family, making it a close relative of the Sea grape, Ephedra distachya. Because it is in the Ephedra genus, it was supposed that it has the same properties as other plants in that genus; but it seems that this is not the case. This plant contains no, or very few, Ephedra alkaloids, according to the European Food Standards Agency’s (EFSA) report of 2009. That being the case, most of what has been written about the plants’ psychoactive properties online is probably not true.

  Mormon tea is made by taking the twigs of the plant and infusing them to make a tea or tisane. Both the fresh and dried twigs can be used, and for drying purposes the green twigs can be harvested at any time of the year.

  Traditionally the tea was made by Native Americans who used it medicinally as a blood purifier, diuretic and to lower the temperature of the body during fevers. It was also used as a general tonic and for kidney, urinary-genital problems and STDs.

  The plant does not contain ephedrine, or at least, not much, so all the literature regarding this compound does not apply to this particular member of the Ephedra genus.            

  The fruit from the plant can be eaten raw, although it is a little bland, but sweet, and the twigs can be chewed to treat the symptoms of asthma, but not the root cause. It makes respiratory problems easier, but does not cure them.

  There are rarely any side effects if you drink Mormon tea in moderation, although you may experience some if it is drunk to excess.

  The plant does contain the compounds, kynusenates, which have antimicrobial properties, and it is a very effective diuretic and because of this property, it can contribute to weight loss.

MOLE PLANT, CAPER SPURGE - NOT RECOMMENDED FOR MEDICINAL USE: HISTORY OF HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF MOLE PLANT

MOLE PLANT, CAPER SPURGE, EUPHORBIA LATHYRIS 

The mole plant is so named because it was believed that it deterred moles and other creatures from making a mess of a garden. For the same reason it is called gopher plant in North America. It is a member of the spurge or Euphorbiaceae family which make it s close relative of petty spurge, poinsettia, the Candlenut tree, jamalgota (Croton tiglium), the castor bean plant, yucca, and both French and Dog’s mercury.

  The whole plant is toxic and should be treated with caution. Despite this it has been use in traditional medicine systems in the past. The name ‘spurge’ comes from the Middle English and Old French, ‘espurge’ which means to purge, thus showing what these spurge family plants were traditionally used for in terms of medicine. The mole plant is native to Europe and possibly to Britain, although it may have been a garden escapee there and become naturalized.                                                                                                       

   French people living in rural locations were said to take 12–15 seeds as a purgative, perhaps similar in action and toxicity to castor oil or perhaps even to jamalgota. However one seed is sufficient as a mild laxative. The root is also used as a purgative and emetic (to produce vomiting and so cleanse the system). The leaves and sap or latex from the plant, are vesicant, and have been used by beggars so that they produce blisters and weeping sores which meant that they aroused more sympathy and so got more money. The latex was used in folk medicine for cancers and to remove corns and warts.  It is also said to have antiseptic and diuretic properties. In the past the mole plant was used for diarrhea, gangrene, melanoma, skin ailments, sores, and sore throats. The seeds are used in homeopathy for erysipelas, paralysis, and rheumatism. The seed oil is applied to burns, however this is not recommended.

  The seed is also said to have the ability to kill parasites. The fresh seeds have been used to treat cancerous tumours and leukaemia, and the oil is antiseptic.

  The plant is in flower between May and June and the seeds ripen in July and August. The seeds need to be steeped in salted water for days before using and then pickled in vinegar to be used as a caper substitute, however given their toxicity it is not recommended that they are used.

  The Nobel Laureate, Melvin Calvin believed that the oil from this plant could be used as fuel and used in refineries without too many problems. He first stated this in 1976, but the plant has not been used for fuel yet.                                    

  The latex from the plant has reportedly been used as a depilatory, but given the irritancy caused by this latex it is not advisable to put it on the skin.

  This is a plant that should not be used medicinally, or for food; this post is for information only.