SHEPHERD'S PURSE - RICH IN VITAMIN C: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF SHEPHERD'S PURSE

SHEPHERD’S PURSE, CAPSELLA BURSA-PASTORIS

Shepherd’s purse can be found all over the world, in Europe, West Africa and Asia, and is naturalized in many other countries. It is a member of the Bassicaceae or Cruciferae family so is related to the cabbage, mustard, brussel sprout and broccoli. Capsella means capsule and refers to the seed pods of this plant while bursa means purse and pastoris of rural people. If you have traveled to rural parts of Portugal and Greece, you may have seen shepherds carrying leather satchels or knapsacks containing their lunch and these days probably their mobile phones and the seed pods were thought to resemble these. That is how it came to be called shepherd’s purse. It is sometimes called witches purse too, however. In fact it has many names and they are in many languages.

  It has been used to stem internal and external bleeding since time immemorial and the European agency has recognized it as being safe to treat internal and external bleeding, in infusions and liquid extracts mainly because it has been in use for longer than thirty years to treat such problems and the use has been widely documented. Some research has been done which appears to show that it can help angina pectoris sufferers and to regulate blood pressure and some of its constituents have been studied in other plants, but the studies have not been sufficient for the cautious medical establishment to accept their use as yet.

  The young leaves of the plant if gathered in spring before it flowers can be used in salads or cooked as a green vegetable as you would cook spinach. They have been used as cabbage substitutes, but reportedly, when the leaves get older they become tougher and have a rather more peppery flavour, rather like watercress. The root can apparently be a substitute for ginger root if you happen not to have any to hand.

  The leaves are rich in vitamins C and A in the form of beta-carotenes and they also contain vitamin K along with the B-complex vitamins, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. As for flavonoids they contain quercetin and kaempferol among others and the flavonoid glycosides in the plant include rutin, diosmin and hesperitin. Amino acids include proline, tyramine and ornithine. The minerals it contains are potassium, manganese, copper, iron, calcium and phosphorous. It is particularly rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C so useful for anaemia. Saponins and tannins are present as well, and the off-putting odour you smell when you pick the plant may be because of sinigrin which is a mustard oil glycoside. The volatile oil’s major constituent is camphor, and perhaps it should be noted that the plant also contains vanillic and fumaric acids.

  According to the University of Michigan’s library file, shepherd’s purse has some sedative or hypnotic effects as do chamomile, valerian, kava kava, mugwort and St. John’s wort.

  When combined with other herbs shepherd’s purse has been used for cardio-vascular diseases, but its main claim to medicinal fame is its ability to staunch the blood from external wounds, (Culpeper in the 17^th century said that it was particularly good for head wounds when used in an ointment) and for internal haemorrhages, blood in the urine and for helping stem the blood flow after childbirth and during heavy menstruation as it acts on the muscles of the uterus. The tisane can be used for these purposes and although the dried aerial parts of the plant are used, the fresh flowering herb is much more effective as it tends to lose its potency after being dried. It is said that it will work for up to a year, but if you have access to the fresh herb – and after all it is very common – use this.

  To make the decoction you need to chop up the above ground parts of the plant including the flowers; 1 ounce of the plant needs 12 fluid ounces of water which should be boiled, then simmered to reduce it to ½ pint of liquid. Strain it and drink cold. In Britain this has been used to stop diarrhoea because of its astringent properties probably from the tannins the plant contains. The expressed juice from the plant can be put on cotton wool and placed in the nostrils to stop a nosebleed too.

  The whole plant has also been used to alleviate the pains associated with rheumatism in poultices.

  The seed pods can be ground and added to soups and stews rather like pepper, and the seeds may be eaten cooked or raw.

  The seeds are believed to be effective against mosquito larvae and can be used in the water they are hatched in so the shepherd’s purse seeds could in future help to prevent outbreaks of malaria and dengue, as it is said that they have insecticidal properties. Good news for Pakistan which has seen many cases of dengue fever this year.

MAIDENHAIR FERN - HAIR OF VENUS: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF MAIDENHAIR FERN

MAIDENHAIR FERN, ADIANTUM CAPILLUS-VENERIS L.

Maidenhair ferns grow around the world, but this one is also called the True Maidenhair which is native to southern Europe and seems to be indigenous to parts of the British Isles and western Ireland too. It has been used to decorate bathrooms as it thrives in moist conditions. However its leaves repel water- it simply runs off them. In its natural state it can live in rock crevices like rock samphire, and close to the sea and waterfalls. It likes a moist, usually shady place to grow.

  The fronds of the Maidenhair fern are gossamer-like, and the leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree resemble these closely. They must have been though to resemble hair, or perhaps Linnaeus gave it the botanical name capillus because it was once though to work as a hair restorer. The Latin name Adiantum means “unwetted” while capillus-veneris means “hair of Venus.” It belongs to the Polypodiaceae (many-footed) family of plants and can grow in its natural state to heights of one foot and can be one foot or a little more across.

  The above ground parts have been used in traditional medicine at least since the Greeks used it as an expectorant for coughs. Mediaeval herbalists used it for respiratory problems and it has been combined with King’s clover in an infusion to treat varicose veins and arteriosclerosis. Combined with the Greater Periwinkle or lime flowers it was used for blood circulation problems. The infusion of the fronds is said to be a good treatment or dandruff and similar scalp problems. The seeds have been used with Elecampane or mulberry leaves to treat asthma and coughs too.

  Maidenhair fern contains coumarins, the bioflavonoids, rutin and isoquercetin among others, and terpenoids along with other substances. In France at one time it was used along with orange flowers and honey as a cough syrup, and in traditional Greek medicine it is used for women’s period problems. It should not be used during pregnancy as it promotes the menstrual flow. The leaves are edible and make a very attractive garnish for dessert dishes.

  John Gerard, the English herbalist who wrote in the 16^th century has this to say about the plant:-

  Gerard writes of it:

'It consumeth and wasteth away the King's Evil and other hard swellings, and it maketh the haire of the head or beard to grow that is fallen and pulled off.'

Culpeper, writing in the 17^th century writes of the fern in this way: -

“This and all other Maiden Hairs is a good remedy for coughs, asthmas, pleurisy, etc., and on account of its being a gentle diuretic also in jaundice, gravel and other impurities of the kidneys. All the Maidenhairs should be used green and in conjunction with other ingredients because their virtues are weak.”

  In some countries such as Nepal a paste is made from the fronds and this is applied to the forehead or the chest to alleviate headaches or chest pains. It is thought to promote a nursing mother’s milk flow when given as a tisane too.

  The fronds can be used fresh or gathered in summer and dried for later use. Apparently it has been used in poultices for insect and snake bites, but it doesn’t appear to have potent medicinal effects, at least in studies which have been conducted on it so far. The studies are inconclusive and contradictory in some cases. Besharat M et al, Dec 2008 “Antibacterial Effects of Adiantum capillus-veneris Ethanolic Extract of Three Pathogenic Bacteria In Vitro” Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research,1242-3, concluded “According to the ancient papers about medicinal herbs, this herb has antibacterial effects. Our result did not show this effect in ethanolic extract.”

  Of course, experiments with other types of extract and bacteria could have different results. Majid Alipour and Omid Khanmohammadi, 23^rd September 2011, “Antibacterial activity of plant extracts against oral and skin pathogens”: African Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 5 (19); pp 2909-11, state in their conclusion that Adiantum capillus-veneris showed “antibacterial activity against S. (Streptococcus) pyrogenes and S. aureus” and suggested that it could be used instead of penicillin against these bacteria. Streptococcus pyrogenes is the bacteria which is responsible for rheumatic fever.

  Other researchers have mad different claims for the efficacy of this plant and its traditional medicinal uses, but these have not been thoroughly tested in other trials.

MAIDENHAIR FERN TISANE

Ingredients

1 cup of maidenhair fern leaves, snipped finely

2 cups boiling water

a little honey to sweeten

Method

Pour the boiling water over the leaves and leave to steep for 20 minutes. Strain, sweeten with honey and drink a small cupful 3 times a day.

Do not use for prolonged periods of time, only for the short duration of a cough or cold.

Without the addition of honey this can be used externally to relive the pain associated with varicose veins too, and can be rubbed into the scalp to get rid of dandruff.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).

ELECAMPANE - FLOWER OF HELEN OF TROY: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF ELECAMPANE

ELECAMPANE, INULA HELENIUM

Elecampane has been used at least since the time of the ancient Greeks in medicinal preparations. It is supposed to have got the name Helenium (of Helen) from the fabled beauty, Helen of Troy the wife of the Greek king Menelaus. One legend says that she was carrying a bunch of elecampane flowers when Paris captured her and took her to Troy. Another says that the flowers sprang from her tears. Yet another legend suggests that she was the first to use elecampane for the bites of “venomous serpents.”  Alternatively the plant grew prolifically on the island of Saint Helena and so got its name from the island.

  Elecampane is native to south-eastern Europe and western Asia and has large leaves which have velvety undersides and can grow to lengths of one and a half feet. The leaves resemble those of mullein, while the flowers look a little like sunflowers, hence one of its names, the wild sunflower. It is also known as horse-heal because it has been used as a cure for some diseases suffered by horses and scabwort, as it has been effective in treating scabies in sheep; because of its velvety leaves it has also been called velvet dock, although the leaves as they grow on the plant do not really look like dock leaves. It has been naturalized in many countries including Britain where it is regarded as an indigenous species as it has been growing there in its wild state for so long. It was also grown in gardens for medicinal purposes in the Middle Ages.

  Ancient writers such as the Roman Pliny called it Enula, and he writes that Julia Augustus ate the roots of elecampane daily “to help digestion and cause mirth.” He went on to write that the root if chewed while fasting would “fasten teeth.” Galen, another ancient physician considered it good for sciatica.

  John Gerard, writing in his 16th century Herball had this to say about Elecampane, and it should be remembered that most of his information came from the ancient Classical writers.

“It is good for shortness of breath, and an old cough, and for such as cannot breath unlesse they hold their necks upright. It is of great vertue both given in a looch, which is a medicine to be licked on, and likewise preserved, as also otherwise given to purge and void out thick, tough, and clammie humors, which stick in the chest and lungs. The root taken with honie or sugar made into an electurary, clenseth the brest, ripeneth tough flegme, and maketh it easie to be spet forth, and prevaileth mightily against the cough and shortness of breath, comforteth the stomacke also, and helpeth digestion.”

  Nicholas Culpeper writing in the 17th century had this to say of it: -

  “One of the most beneficial roots nature affords for the help of the consumptive. It has a fragrant, very agreeable smell; and a spicy, sharp, and somewhat bitterish taste. It is good for all diseases of the breast, and has great virtues in malignant fevers; in strengthening the stomach, and assisting digestion, not like a bitter, but as a warm, invigorating, animating medicine; and it has not its equal in the cure of the hooping-cough in children, when all other medicines fail. The fresh roots of Elecampane preserved with sugar, or made into a syrup or conserve, are very effectual to warm a cold windy stomach, or the pricking therein, and stitches in the sides caused by the spleen; and to help the cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing in the lungs. The dried root made into powder, and mixed with sugar, and taken, serves to the same purpose; and is also profitable for those who have their urine stopped, or the stopping of women's courses, the pains of the mother, and of the stone in the reins, kidneys, or bladder; it resists poison, and stays the spreading of the venom of serpents, as also putrid and pestilential fevers, and the plague itself.” He also called it “Elfwort” or the elf plant.

  Mainly elecampane has been used for coughs and respiratory problems, although the Welsh Physicians of Myddfai recommended it for burns mixed with egg white, the roots of the white Canna lily, and garlic. In Welsh elecampane is called “Marchlan y Llwyglas.” It is still used in herbal cough linctuses often mixed with thyme,liquorice root, mullein and white horehound.

  It has also been used in potions to protect against witches and other evils, one of which calls for nine herbs, namely: - rue, verbena, mugwort, yarrow, wood betony, the lesser celandine, white clover, nettle and elecampane. A European recipe for a love powder consisted of this herb combined with mistletoe, and verbena.

  If using the root of elecampane for its inulin content it is best to harvest it in autumn and take a root from a two or three year old plant. These are said to have the highest yield of inulin which soothes the digestive tract and is useful in treating coughs in the elderly and children and also good for nervous coughs as it is a relaxant. The volatile oil from elecampane contains camphor the sterols sitosterol and stigmasterol, alantol, helenin, and alantoic acid among other constituents. The oil has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

  Very few studies have been done on elecampane, but as it is a member of the Asteraceae (Compositae) or daisy family, if you are allergic to these plants, don’t use medications containing elecampane.

 

HORSETAIL - ANCIENT HERB: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF HORSETAIL

HORSETAIL, EQUISETUM ARVENSE

This small plant has its origins millions of years ago, as does ginkgo biloba. It is descended from huge tree-like plants that were around in the Paleozoic era, about 400 million years ago. It is a close relative of ferns such as bracken, and is viewed as a non-flowering weed. It is native to parts of Europe including the British Isles, Asia, the Middle East and North America. It has hollow stems and shoots and looks a little like asparagus when it first appears from the soil, but this resemblance doesn’t last as you can see from the photos.

   It grows “bristles” and to me looks like a small Christmas tree - or that’s what I thought when I first found a clump of them growing in my local park when I was a child. My biology teacher was very interested in them and explained that they were plants from prehistoric times and very simple ones. That was where his explanation ended.

  The bristly appearance gives rise to one of its names, bottle brush, and setum means bristle in Latin too. The name Equisetum means horse bristle, (equus means horse in Latin) and arvense means of the fields. The feathery green parts of this plant have a scratching or scouring effect and it was once used to clean metal, hence another name for it, pewterwort. The feathery tails which form as the plant dries are made from silica crystals which give this effect.

  In some places it is believed that the plants indicated that there is a subterranean source of water, so if you see a clump of horsetail you won’t need a hazel twig divining rod.

  The above ground parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine systems, but if you are tempted to take any medicines made from horsetail you need to supplement your intake of B-complex vitamins, as the plant contains thiaminase which can deplete these vitamins in the body. It should be treated with caution as it also contains equisetic acid which is thought to be identical to aconite acid, which is a potent heart and nerve sedative which can be fatal in large doses. It shouldn’t be taken over a prolonged period of time.

  The plant also contains flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol as well as saponins along with phenolic compounds which give it its antioxidant properties. Alkaloids are present too one of them being nicotin, making it unwise to give any medication made from this plant to children. The Asian and North American horsetail contain luteolin-5-glycosides although these are not contained in the European plant.

  In Germany the horsetail is used for problems of the lower urinary tract and for gravel in the kidneys, and topically it is used to promote wound healing. The horsetail is taken dried in an infusion, 1 teaspoon of the herb steeped in 250 ml. boiling water for 20 minutes and drunk three times a day. If you take horsetail internally you should increase your intake of fluids.

  To make a compress to place on a wound you need 10 grams of the herb to 1 litre of water.

  Horsetail extracts are used in cosmetics and are said to help prevent or smooth out wrinkles by repairing cell damage and increasing collagen production.

  It is thought that the plant may be a useful treatment for osteoporosis because of its silica content. However few studies have been conducted on this plant. It is possible that it may have anti-cancer properties but this is still under investigation.

  Traditionally horsetail has been used for minor wounds and burns when it has been applied as a compress or poultice, stomach ulcers when the infusion is taken internally and to get rid of kidney stones.

   Writing in the 17^th century, the English herbalist, Culpeper has this to say about horsetail, and perhaps he should be given the last word on this curious plant.

    “It is powerful to staunch bleeding either inward or outward, the juice or the decoction thereof being drunk, or the juice, decoction or distilled water applied outwardly. It also stays all sorts of lasks and fluxes in man or woman and bloody urine; and heals not only the outward ulcers, the excoriation of the entrails, bladder &c., but all other sorts of foul, moist and running ulcers, and soon solders together the tops of green wounds. It cureth all ruptures in children. The decoction thereof in wine being drank provokes urine, and helps the stone and stranguary; and the distilled water thereof drank two or three times a day  and a small quantity at a time also eases the bowels and is effectual against a cough that comes by distillation of the head. The juices or distilled water being warmed, and hot inflammations or pustules or red wheals and other breakings-out in the skin, being bathed therewith, doth help them and doth no less the swelling heat and inflammation of the lower parts in men and women.”