THE STRAWBERRY TREE - NOT JUST AN ORNAMENTAL: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OD STRAWBERRY TREE

STRAWBERRY TREE, ARBUTUS UNEDO

You could be forgiven for thinking that the strawberry tree is so-called because its fruit taste like the strawberries which are ubiquitous these days, almost regardless of the season. However if you bit into one of these fruit expecting the luscious strawberry taste, you would be sorely disappointed, as they have a more delicate flavour, which may be an acquired taste. In fact the tree gets its name ‘unedo” from the Latin meaning “I eat only one.” This translation is open interpretation as it could mean that the fruit is so delicious that one is sufficient, although it probably means that the fruit is an acquired taste and one is enough. It is better tasting when cooked however and can be made into jams and preserves as it has a high pectin content.

  The strawberry tree is an evergreen and the flowers and fruit appear together in October through to December, as the flowers take almost a year to fully blossom. It can grow up to 10 metres tall, but is more often seen as a shrub than a tree in its wild state. It is a member of the Ericaceae family of plants so is related to heather and bilberries. It looks a little like a very red lychee when on the tree, but doesn’t have the same delicate flowery flavour and has an amber-coloured flesh. The fruit are ripe when they fall to the ground. It is native to southern Europe, northern France and south west Ireland, being found most plentifully around Lake Killarney, and grows in Lebanon and Turkey, where some research has been done on its properties and uses in traditional medicine.

  In Spain it has a special place, as it is on Madrid’s coat of arms along with the bear, and the fruit is used to make a liqueur. It is also used for this purpose in the Algarve in Southern Portugal, and the beverage is called medroñho or medroñheira. In some parts of Greece it is added to tsipouro which is a little like the better known ouzo.

  The fruit and leaves contain tannins although the fruit also contains pectin, so these are useful to treat diarrhoea when made into a tisane. The tisane made from the leaves has been used to lower blood pressure in Morocco, and to protect against and cure colds by the Salish tribe of Vancouver Island, Canada.

  Modern medical research has shown the leaves in particular to have potent antioxidant properties and one Turkish study “Antioxidant activity of Arbutus unedo leaves” ended by stating that the ethanol and methanol extracts of the leaves showed “Potent antioxidant activity”. This was published in Fitotherapia Vol. 74 (6) pp 597-99, with the research being done by Pabuçcuoğlu, a. et al., 2003.

  Another study by Lidia Mendes, Victor de Freitas, Paula Baptiste and Márcia Carvalho, 2011, “Comparative antihemolytic and radical scavenging activities of the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) leaf and fruit” Vol. 49 (9) pp 2285-91 in the Food and Chemical Toxicology Journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, was possibly the first study to test the extracts of the leaf on human biological membranes came to the conclusion that the leaves possess more potent medicinal activities than the fruit, particularly as regards antioxidant properties.

  A study conducted by Moroccan scientists, Hassane Mekhl et al  published in February 2006 in the Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Medical Journal Vol.20 (2) pp 135-139 concluded that their results showed that extracts of the leaves were effective in treating high blood pressure, so bearing out the traditional use of the strawberry tree.

  Yet another study by the Turks, Hatice Ertabaktar et al, 2009 “In vitro Activity of Arbutus unedo Leaf Extracts Against Trichomonas vaginalis Trophozoites” in the Turkish Parasitological Journal Vol.33 (4) 264-65, concluded that the extracts of leaves from the tree may prove effective in treating those STDs which are caused by the Trichomonas vaginalis bacteria. However they are unsure of what constituent of the leaf has this inhibitory effect.

  The leaves contain flavonol glycosides such as quercetin and hyperin, (bioflavonoids) as well as juglanin found in walnuts, phenol glycosides including arbutin, lipids, tannins and vitamin E.

  Perhaps you should look put at the strawberry tree you planted in the garden as an ornamental and view it in a new light.

KNAPWEED - ALMOST FORGOTTEN MEDICINAL PLANT: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF KNAPWEED

COMMON KNAPWEED, CENTAUREA NIGRA

This plant has several different names depending on where you live it will be known as the Common Knapweed, the Lesser Knapweed and the Black Knapweed; but all refer to the same plant, Centaurea nigra. It looks a little like a thistle but without thorns, and grows to around 70 centimetres tall in the UK where it is a common sight in grassland, along grass verges and amongst crops. In fact it is related to the cornflower (Centaurea cyanus). The whole Centaurea genus is named after Chiron the centaur who was the legendary first healer. In myth it is said that he cured his own hoof with this knapweed.

  In Geoffrey Chaucer’s day, this plant was called Matfellon and was used with pepper to stimulate the appetite. Its flowers are edible and can be added to salads as can the flowers of the marigold, borage and violet, to name but a few.

  In Culpeper’s day (17^th century) it was used for many purposes including wound healing as this extract from his Complete Herbal shows: -

  “This Knapweed helps to stay fluxes, both of blood at the mouth or nose, or other outward parts, and those veins that are inwardly broken, or inward wounds, as also the fluxes of the belly; it stays distillation of thin and sharp humours from the head upon the stomach and lungs; it is good for those that are bruised by any fall, blows or otherwise, and is profitable for those that are bursten, and have ruptures, by drinking the decoction of the herb and roots in wine, and applying the same outwardly to the place. It is singularly good in all running sores, cancerous and fistulous, drying up of the moisture, and healing them up so gently, without sharpness; it doth the like to running sores or scabs of the head or other parts. It is of special use for the soreness of the throat, swelling of the uvula and jaws, and excellently good to stay bleeding, and heal up all green wounds.”

  The Physicians of Myddfai included it in a potion for fevers along with about a dozen other herbs, and seemed not to use it alone. This is one of their remedies for the bite of a viper or adder, the only venomous snake in Britain.

 “For the bite of a viper. Take the round birthwort, knapweed, and field scabious; mix with water and drink.”

  The plant has been used medicinally, but only the dried root and seeds are used mainly in decoctions as Culpeper mentions. This is made from one ounce of the dried seeds or root to one pint of water. You boil this mixture until the liquid is reduced by half and then strain it. The dose is apparently 75 millilitres up to three times a day.

  The Common Knapweed is native to Western Europe including Britain and Ireland and has been introduced elsewhere. In Washington State, it is now classed as a noxious weed, making it yet another example of how introduced species can damage an eco-system. 

JERUBEBA - THE NEXT WONDER HERB? HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF JERUBEBA

JERUBEBA, SOLANUM PNAICULATUM

Jerubeba is a member of the Solanaceae or nightshade family of plants, making it a relative of the Nipplefruit, aubergines, Belladonna, tomatoes and potatoes as well as the spiny and woody nightshades. It is native to Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, and has been used in these countries in traditional medicine for centuries. The plant grows to around three metres high and has hairy undersides on its leaves, with white to lilac flowers giving way to a berry-like fruit which when ripe is yellowy-orange, in some ways resembling its distant relative the Cape gooseberry. As a member of the Solanaceae family it is also related to the tomatillo, the Chinese lantern and the tamarillo.

 Traditionally in Brazil it is used as a general tonic as well as for fevers, anaemia, erysipelas, hepatitis, liver and spleen disorders, uterine tumors, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic gastritis, and digestive problems such as poor digestion, bloating, and flatulence. Jurubeba leaf tea is a very common household remedy throughout Brazil for hangovers and relief from that feeling you have when you over-eat. It is also sometimes used externally in poultices to heal wounds and ulcers. The parts used are the leaves, fruit and roots.

  Other traditional uses recorded are to get rid of internal parasites and to reduce flatulence. It is supposed to be a diuretic, to help in respiratory problems and also to clear obstructions in the internal organs.

  Any herbal remedy should be used with care and only in consultation with a doctor. There are effects of Jerubeba which should be borne in mind. First of all the phytochemical solasodine contained in the plant and others in the nightshade family has been shown in some studies to reduce sperm count and have an anti-fertility effect in male animals. It also has been shown to lower blood pressure as well as to stimulate the heart. Herbalists in Brazil recommend that the plant should not be used for longer than 30 days as it can irritate the stomach lining.

  Dr. G. L. Cruz, in his book, "Livro Verde das Plantas Medicinais e Industriais do Brasil" (1965, Belo Horizonte, Vol. 11 p. 554) wrote that

 ". . . the roots, leaves, and fruit are used as a tonic and decongestive. It stimulates the digestive functions and reduces the swelling of the liver and spleen. It is a good remedy against chronic hepatitis, intermittent fever, uterine tumors, and hydropsy."

   However these traditional uses have not been corroborated by research despite claims to the contrary.

   Research does seem to show that the plant is a good treatment for stomach ulcers and gastric disorders, thus bearing out at least some of its traditional uses.

 “…antiulcer activity of the plant extracts appears to be related directly to a potent anti-secretory activity. No toxic signs were observed following administration of different extracts up to 2 g/kg body wt., p.o. Collectively, the results validate folk use of Solanum paniculatum L. plant to treat gastric disorders.” S. Mesia Vela et al. 2002, “Solanum paniculatum L. (Jurubeba): Potent inhibitor of gastric secretion in mice” Phytomedicine Vol. 9 (6) pp.508-14.

   These results were published from the same study in different journals in the same year

“Our results indicate that neither S. paniculatum ethanolic leaf extract nor its ethanolic fruit extract exhibited mutagenic effect in mice bone marrow; however, at higher doses, both extracts presented cytotoxic activity.” Viera PM, Santos SC and Chen-Chen L. 2010, “Assessment of mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of Solanum paniculatum L. extracts using in vivo micronucleus test in mice” Brazilian Journal of Biology vol.7 (3).

  However the study also showed that the “leaf extract may have antimutagenic effects” but this was not conclusive. Viera P. M, Santos S. C and Chen-Chen L. 2010, “Solanum paniculatum L. leaf and fruit extracts: assessment of modulation of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity by micronucleus test in mice.” Journal of Medicinal Food Vol. 13 (6) 1424-30.

  The jerubeba has also been found to have anti-viral effects on the herpes virus; Ydia M, Valadares et al, 2009 “Antiviral activity of Solanum paniculatum Extract and Constituents” in Z Naturforsch Vol. 64 pp 813-818. This study concluded that this plant is a “source of cytotoxic and antiviral compounds.”

  However most of the research has been carried out in Brazil and has been focusing on proving that the traditional uses of the plant are valid according to its botanical structure. More research needs to be done by others to see if these studies’ findings can be replicated.

 

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.