BUTCHER'S BROOM - HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES: HOW TO MAKE BUTCHER'S BROOM TISANE

BUTCHER’S BROOM, BOX HOLLY, RUSCUS ACULEATUS

Butcher’s Broom gets this name because butchers would tie the twigs together and clean their chopping boards with it. It was also used for cleaning chimneys and for repelling rats and mice especially from meat which was hanging to preserve it according to John Parkinson a British botanist (1567-1650). The names Box Holly and Knee Holly come probably from the facts that it grows to a man’s knee height and it has red berries which grow from the centre of its leaves like those of Ruscus hypophyllum and these resemble holly berries, although they can grow to the size of cherries. The flowers that precede the berries are green–white and small. It is a dioecious shrub, as are holly and European Mistletoe, meaning that the stamens and pistils are on different plants. It has prickly leaves like holly too, so you should be careful when handling it. It is a pretty room decoration and is often used in flower arrangements. Despite the name it is not related to either broom (Cytisus scoparius), or Spanish broom (Spartum junceus) as Butcher’s Broom is a member of the Liliaceae family.

  It grows wild in the UK and Europe and spreads from the Mediterranean to Iran. In the 17^th century in Britain, people dug it up from its natural habitat to plant in ornamental gardens, and it has remained a popular plant in these until now. The young shoots of this plant are edible and look a little like asparagus. However the plant has been employed for its medicinal properties for more than 2,000 years. It is an aperient or mild laxative, and has diuretic properties so has been traditionally used for edema (swelling of the legs due to water retention) and was a treatment for piles as it was considered good for the veins. In the 1950s researchers found that it might indeed be useful for the veins as it constricts them and is a blood thinner, so it improves blood circulation and heightens low blood pressure. (If you have high blood pressure then you shouldn’t use it.)

  It contains some coumarins which appear to act as anti-coagulants (blood thinners) and also the saponins ruscogenin and neoruscogenin and has been approved for oral internal use by Germany’s Commission E for chronic venous insufficiency and haemorrhoids. Studies are still underway on Butcher’s Broom and its extracts, but it is thought that it might be helpful for orthostatic hypertension and as a cytotoxic agent.

  Sparteine is also one of the constituents of Butcher’s Broom and this is an effective anti-arrhythmic substance and one which appears to contract the smooth uterine muscle. In other words it expands the heart’s cavities so they fill up with blood and so increases the diastolic blood pressure. Ruscogenin release noradrenalin in the blood vessel walls and improves the tone of both the venous and lymphatic walls so having an anti-edema effect. Ruscin is a ruscoside (steroidal saponins) in the plant which promotes sweating (a diaphoretic) and has a mildly laxative effect. It has also been found to have anti-inflammatory properties. The bioflavonoids give it antioxidant properties too, so it is a very beneficial herb.

   Combined with Witch Hazel it is used to relieve the pain of piles and with black or green tea is used to relieve asthma as it is believed to improve respiration. Researchers think that sparteine may inhibit the toxicity of some snake venoms, and it is also thought to be beneficial for jaundice and to remove kidney stones.

   The parts of the plant used in medicine are the whole plant including the roots. Nicholas Culpeper writing in the 17^th century, wrote the Butcher’s Broom has a

  “gallant cleansing and opening quality. The decoction of the root drank, and a poultice made of the berries and leaves applied, are effectual in knitting and consolidating broken bones or parts out of joint.”

  He said that the root was commonly boiled with fennel and parsley and “smallage” and boiled in white wine, then drunk but he recommended grass roots to be added to this decoction. Interestingly glycolic acid is found in parsley, juniper berries and Butcher’s Broom.

  Dioscorides writing in 1 AD and other ancient physicians believed that this plant was good as a diuretic, laxative, the urinary tract and for the kidneys. Later the Welsh physicians of Myddfai used it in their medications, along with scarlet pimpernel and other herbs for intermittent fevers, and in this remedy for summer fevers:-

  “The mugwort, madder, meadow sweet, milfoil, hemp, red cabbage, and the tutsan, all these seven herbs enter into the composition of the medicine required. Whosoever obtains them all, will not languish long from a wounded lung, or need fear for his life. Any of the following herbs may be added thereto, butcher's broom, agrimony, tutsan, dwarf elder, amphibious persicaria, centaury, round birth wort, field scabious, pepper mint, daisy, knap weed, roots of the red nettle, crake berry, St. John's wort, privet, wood betony, the roots of the yellow goat's beard, heath, water avens, woodruff, leaves of the earth nut, agrimony, wormwood, the bastard balm, small burdock, and the orpine.”

  The tisane below is for veins, blood circulation and other ailments mentioned above, though not for the ones mentioned by the old physicians. It’s a pleasant drink mixed with honey.

BUTCHER’S BROOM TISANE

Ingredients

1 pint boiling water

1 oz twigs and leaves of Butcher’s Broom

OR

½ oz bruised fresh root

Method

Pour the boiling water over the twigs or root and leave to steep for 15 minutes. Alternatively boil all together for 15 minutes.

Strain and drink up to 4 cups a day.

With honey it is good for respiratory problems including as an expectorant.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).

SCARLET PIMPERNEL ( ANAGALLIS ARVENSIS) - USEFUL HERBAL PLANT: INFORMATION, USES AND BENEFITS OF SCARLET PIMPERNEL HERB

SCARLET PIMPERNEL, ANAGALLIS ARVENSIS

The Scarlet Pimpernel is a common weed in Britain, the rest of Europe and temperate zones around the world. It is a member of the Primulaceae family of plants so is related to the primrose and the cowslip. Like the Tickle Me plant it closes at night, or actually in this case its flowers open around 8 or 9 am and close by 3 pm, and sooner than that if rain threatens. It is more shrinking in this respect than the violet. When the flowers close they are not visible amongst the leaves as they are only red-orange on the upper side of the petals. Because it closes when rain threatens it is called the Shepherd’s Barometer or the Poor Man’s Weatherglass. In Old English it was known as Bipinella. Perhaps because of its ability to blend in unnoticed with the leaves when closed, the Scarlet Pimpernel was the name given to Charles Dickens’ hero who rescued members of the French aristocracy from the guillotine in “A Tale of Two Cities.”

  Its leaves are toxic and dangerous to animals, although birds love the seeds. These are produced after the flowers have died and the stem, which was erect during flowering time, bends backwards when the seed pods form. The flowers do not contain honey but attract insects for pollination purposes with the violet hairs on the stamens.

  The little flower has been used for centuries as a cure-all with Pliny writing that it was good for liver complaints and Dioscorides (1AD) called it anagallis, from the Greek, anagelao meaning to laugh, as it dispelled the depression that followed liver complaints. The Greeks used its juice to cure eye problems including cataracts, and Gerard and Culpeper agreed that it was good for the eyes mixed with honey and dropped into them. There is an old rhyme which says,

   “No heart can think, no tongue can tell,

    The virtues of the pimpernel.”

It was thought that it could get rid of melancholia and make people happy. Culpeper believed that it would cure the bites from poisonous creatures and rabid dogs, and Gerard used it as one of the ingredients in a preparation called “Diacorallion” as a treatment for gout. Interestingly it is used to treat gout in parts of India in traditional medicine today. Gerard thought that the scarlet Pimpernel was the male flower with the rarer blue variety being the female flower. (Of course they are different genuses.) In his British Herbal of 1756 John Hill wrote that the whole plant could cure epilepsy and elsewhere there is written assertions that the flowers alone could cure this disease. Culpeper writing in the 17^th century said that it was useful as a strong infusion to promote sweating during fevers, and the Physicians of Myddfai used it as an ingredient for bath water during intermittent fevers. Their remedy was to “Take the mugwort, dwarf elder, tutsan, amphibious persicaria, pimpernel, butcher’s broom, elder bark and the mallow, and boiling them as well as possible in a pot or cauldron. Then take the water and the herbs and add them to the bath.”

  They used it in other preparations including one which included Common Speedwell for abdominal pains, and this rather bizarre cure for infertility. It is included for its curiosity value only!

  “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.”

Another rather strange one is for profuse menstruation, and it shows how little these old physicians knew about the workings of the body. The prescribed ingredients were

 “the reddish bastard balm, small burdock, orpine, stinking goose foot, pimpernel, water avens, with the ashes of a hart’s horns that has been killed with his antlers on, boiling them as well as possible in red wine, straining the liquor carefully and drinking it daily till it is finished, abstaining (the while) from stimulating food. Being restrained by the above means, the blood will be habitually diverted to the thighs and ancles.”

   The whole plant can be gathered in June when the leaves are in peak condition, and dried, although it is believed that the fresh plant is more effective. Apart from its uses in medicine, it has been used to deflect evil charms including he evil eye. It is said that the leaves of the plant were eaten as salad in Europe, but as they are toxic, this is doubtful. It has however been used for rheumatism in the USA in the early 20^th century, and the expressed juice is allegedly good for the liver and spleen.

  Clinical trials have shown that this plant has antioxidant and antifungal and antiviral (against herpes simplex) properties. It is also thought to be good for gastro-intestinal complaints, acne, eczema and wounds, for the liver and kidneys and the respiratory tract. However, much more research needs to be done on this shy little plant.

TUTSAN - THE ORIGINAL SCENTED BOOK MARK: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF TUTSAN

TUTSAN, DAIL Y BEIBLAU, SWEET AMBER, HYPERICUM ANDROSAEMUM

Tutsan is now a common sight in most parts of the world as it has beautiful yellow gold flowers, (hence the name Sweet Amber) and red berries which turn glossy black in autumn. It is native to Western Asia, parts of North Africa and Europe and is common in the UK where it can be found in hedgerows and woodland. It is a shrub which grows to about 3 feet tall with semi-evergreen leaves that turn green-purple in autumn, matching the berries. It is often used in flower arrangements, but has medicinal properties too, although the berries are toxic. These begin red and when mature they are black. In France they were made into a compote for a diuretic.

  In Welsh it is called Dail y Beiblau, or Bible leaves as the sweet smelling leaves were used as bookmarks and the most common book in Wales was the Bible. The name Tutsan comes from the Norman French, toute saine meaning all healthy. Although it was not thought of as a cure-all like its relative, St. John’s Wort, it was used as a wound cleanser and healer, as an antiseptic, a diuretic and stomachic, with the leaves being used for all such treatments.

  It was introduced into Australia in 1865 in Hobart as an ornamental and has since become a noxious weed both there and in New Zealand, where it was not a native species. It doesn’t have any nectar so relies on insects and beetles to pollinate it. It is resilient and attempts to eradicate it often fail.

  The Physicians of Myddfai used it along with other herbs in their medicinal preparations, such as the one below: -

 

 “The mugwort, madder, meadow sweet, milfoil, hemp, red cabbage, and the tutsan, all these seven herbs enter into the composition of the medicine required. Whosoever obtains them all, will not languish long from a wounded lung, or need fear for his life.”

“If the disease be gravel, make a medicine of the following herbs, mascerated in strong clear wheat ale, viz. water pimpernel, tutsan, meadow sweet, St. John's wort, ground ivy, agrimony, milfoil, birch, common burnet, columbine, motherwort, laurel, gromwel, betony, borage, dandelion, little field madder, amphibious persicaria, liverwort.”

They also used it for fever medications and as seen here to get rid of stones in the organs. The Portuguese use it to protect the liver and for jaundice, as well as a diuretic.

   Culpeper, the British 17^th century herbalist believed that it was good for sciatica, gout and “to heal burnings by fire.”

    The leaves are good in poultices and healing ointments as they are antiseptic and clean wounds. If you have a cut you can bruise a fresh leaf and rub it on the wound to keep it clean and to heal it.

   Not as much research has been carries out on this plant as on the more famous Hypericum, St. John’s Wort, but what has been done shows that it contains xanthones which are used as insect repellant, and a precursor to the bioflavonoid, quercetin. It also contains hyperin (a bioflavonoid) and nonacosane is in the berries. Hyperforin and adhyperforin are found in the young shoots but not in the mature plant. Research is needed to ascertain what medicinal value this plant has given its uses throughout history. The invasive weed may have some benefits for us all.

SPEEDWELL ( VERONICA OFFICINALIS) - INFORMATION: USES AND BENEFITS OF SPEEDWELL HERB : COMMON SPEEDWELL TISANE RECIPE

SPEEDWELL, VERONICA OFFICINALIS and GERMANDER SPEEDWELL, VERONICA CHAMAEDRYS

There are many varieties of Speedwell or Veronica but they have different medicinal properties, with officinalis being the one used in herbal remedies (hence the ‘official’ title). The Common Speedwell (V. officinalis) is native to Europe, including the British Isles, and to temperate parts of Asia, but it now grows abundantly in North America and other parts of the world. It is believed that it got its name Veronica because the flowers have streaky marks on them resembling the ones which were left on the cloth Veronica, the woman who wiped the face of Jesus while he was carrying the cross to his crucifixion at Calvary or Golgotha.

  It was used by the Physicians of Myddfai (Wales) along with other native plants in a number of remedies. This is an old remedy for abdominal complaints and the following herbs were used to make a medicine: - “sweet gale, bay leaves, pimpernel, male speedwell, river star tip, borage, moss, liverwort, the young leaves of the earth nut, and the mallow.” Another remedy was for carbuncles although it was a third alternative: - “…take the roots of the purple dead nettle, the roots of mugwort, and the speedwell, boiling all together in goat’s whey, adding butter to the scum thereof, and drinking it day and night.”

  Speedwell means to thrive, and it has been used as a general cure-all and modern medical trials have found that the V. officinalis contains more potent properties than the Germander speedwell. John Gerard, writing in the 16^th century, thought rather highly of the Germander Speedwell, and believed that “given in good broth of a hen” it was useful for cancer treatment. He also thought that it got its name “from the form of the leaves like unto small oak leaves” and so he claims it was given the name “chamaedrys which signifieth a dwarf oak.” This is rather stretching one’s imagination as the leaves do not appear to resemble those of any kind of oak. However the old writers extolled the virtue of this Speedwell and wrote that it was a good wound healer, blood purifier, as well as being useful in the treatment of small pox and measles. A decoction of the whole plant was used to stimulate the kidneys and the leaves were thought to be good for coughs. The juice from the fresh plant was boiled with honey to make a syrup for asthma and catarrh.  It is best to harvest the whole plant in summer (May-July) and dry it for future use.

   An infusion of the Common Speedwell (V. officinalis) has been given through the centuries for gout, to promote sweating in fevers, as a diuretic, expectorant, tonic, for heart and liver complaints, haemorrhages skin problems and wounds. Today the infusion or tisane is used externally for skin complaints and for coughs and catarrh.

  In clinical trials it has been discovered that the Common Speedwell enhances the regeneration of the gastric mucous and is useful in the treatment of old ulcers.  The plant contains β-sisterol, and is rich in vitamins including E (phytol) and K as well as vitamin C. The polyphenols in this plant have potent antioxidant activities and it also contains the omega-3 fatty acids. Trials have shown that it can reduce the cholesterol levels in the blood of lab animals and it contains the glycoside, aucuboside which is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties. The astringency of the plant is due to the tannins it contains. It is an ingredient of some skin whitening creams along with Lemon Balm and yarrow, although whether or not these work is open to question.

COMMON SPEEDWELL TISANE

Ingredients

2 tsps fresh flowering herb

½ cup boiling water

Method

Chop the herb and pour the boiling water over it. Allow to steep for 15 mins then strain and drink.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).  

PTEROSPERMUM ACERFOLIA - THE DINNER PLATE TREE: USES AND BENEFITS OF PTEROSPERMUM ACERFOLIA TREE

THE DINNER PLATE TREE, MAPLE LEAFED BAYUR TREE, KARNIKARA TREE, PTEROSPERMUM ACERFOLIA, KANAK CHAMPA TREE

This tree has a number of names in many languishes, and it resembles a fig tree. The immature fruit look a little like figs, although as they mature they become more elongated, until they finally split open to release the myriad winged seeds they contain. The name Ptero means winged in Greek, and spermum means seeds, so it’s easy to see how this tree got its name. The seeds pods take a year to become mature, so can be seen on the tree along with the flowers, which give off their fragrance at night. Like some honeysuckles and night-flowering jasmine, the flowers come into their own in the evening and leave a wonderful aroma on the air. There are about 40 species of Pterospermum which live in the Eastern Himalayan area, West Malaysia and South East Asia. They belong to the Malvaceae family or the Sterculiaceae one. It gets its English name from the fact that its leaves are the size of dinner plates and food is sometimes served on them.

  Pterospermum acerifolia (also known as Pentapetes acerifolia Linn.) is native to India, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Thailand and is cultivated in Pakistan and North America, grown on roadsides and as a garden ornamental. There is a huge old tree of this variety in the Pearl Continental Hotel grounds in Rawalpindi. The wood from this tree is used to make packing crates and cases, for planks and ply wood and decorative items.

   It is used in folk medicine for a number or purposes; the under part of the leaves are used to staunch bleeding from skin wounds, and the flowers act as mothballs, repelling insects from cloth where they have been laid. A tonic is made from the flowers, which is also used for inflammation, ulcers, tumours, blood problems and leprosy. The bark and leaves have reportedly been used to treat small pox. The bark is used as an anthelmintic to get rid of intestinal parasites.  It has been found that the stem bark has antimicrobial properties, while the leaves contain boscialin glucosides which seem to be liver protective. It is thought that they might be useful for sufferers of Type 2 diabetes. The leaves have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties possibly because of the phenolic compounds they contain, and researchers are continuing their research into the medicinal value of this tree.

GOLDENROD - TOUCHED BY MIDAS? HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF GOLDENROD: GOLDENROD TISANE RECIPE

GOLDENROD, SOLIDARE VIRGAUREA

Goldenrod has been given a bad press because people confuse it with the yellow ragwort which flowers at the same time and causes hay fever in some people. Goldenrod is a healing herb and has been used for centuries to heal wounds, as its Latin name, Solidare (to make whole) suggests. Virgaurea basically means “pure gold” which refers to the colour of the flowers and to the fact that it is a very useful medicinal plant. Its colour is one that might have been given it by the Midas of Greek legends, who had the unhappy gift of having everything he touched turn to gold. It is native to Europe, and is the only one of the Solidare family to be native to Britain. It grew in the garden when I was a child, but got removed after someone was repeatedly stung by the bees that swarmed to the flowers. The plants grow to around 3 feet high, but the Canadian variety can grow higher.

  Goldenrod cross-breeds easily, to the extent that there are now at least 130 species in North America alone. It has spread from Europe to Asia, North and South America and the Azores.

  In Europe it can be found in the ingredients of cough medicines and arthritis medication, but not much research has been done into its properties. Because it has been used since time immemorial for a number of ailments it is generally considered safe for human consumption.

  Goldenrod contains the bioflavonoids kaempferol and quercetin among others and phenolic glycosides which have anti-inflammatory actions. It is generally thought to have a diuretic action, and be anti-inflammatory. The tisane prepared from the plant can be used both internally for dispelling kidney and gall bladder stones, as well as for rheumatism, a general tonic, and urinary tract and yeast infections. The tisane may be drunk three times a day, a cupful each time, or applied to eczema and other skin irritations. It is believed that it might also have anti-spasmodic actions, and it is known to stimulate the functions of the liver and kidneys. It can also be used as a gargle for sore throats, and mouth infections.

  Goldenrod is also known as Woundwort in the UK because the tisane can also be applied to old wounds as well as fresh ones to heal them. The tisane can be made from the flowering tops or from the whole plant which is above ground. It should be harvested just before it is in full flower and hung in an airy room until dry, then it can be crumbled or reduced to a powder and stored for later use. (Wear gloves to handle it as some people get allergic dermatitis from it.) Some people swear that it keeps colds and flu at bay if the tisane is drunk at least once a day during the winter. You can take ½ tsp of the powdered Goldenrod in a glass of water, as a general tonic, as well as for any of the ailments mentioned above. For ulcerous colitis and other stomach problems, you can chop a whole plant and boil it in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes, then allow to steep for another 15 mins before straining and drinking. This is good for hay fever and other seasonal allergies as it soothes the mucous membranes in the lungs.

  Goldenrod has been used in folk medicines around the world to treat the following ailments: - TB, diabetes, gout, enlargement of the liver, haemorrhages of all kinds, menstrual problems, piles and asthma.

  After the Boston Tea Party in 1773 there was a shortage of tea, so Americans made a substitute with equal parts of Goldenrod, betony, red clover and New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus Americana). Later Goldenrod was exported to China where it commanded a high price as a tea substitute.

    In some European countries Goldenrod is thought to point to riches, whether in the form of treasure which you can find if you hold the flowering tops in your hand as you will have visions of where treasure is hidden, or point to hidden springs (close to where it grows wild) which were equally valuable in ancient times.

 

GOLDENROD TISANE

Ingredients

2-3 tsps dried whole herb, chopped

1 cup boiling water

Method

Put the herb in a cup and pour boiling water over it. Leave it to steep for 15 minutes then strain and drink.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

EYE - CATCHING SILK OAK TREE (GREVILLEA ROBUSTA) - INFORMATION AND USES

BAHEKAR, BEKKA, SHAHBLOOT, SILKY OAK, SOUTHERN SILKY OAK, GREVILLEA ROBUSTA

Grevillea robusta is a member of the Proteaceae family and as its name suggests is a hardy member of that genus, which is why it is used as rootstock for the less hardy types of grevillea. It has many names in many languages; the ones given above are its Urdu names. In English it is also known as River oak, Silk oak, Silver oak and Southern Silky oak. It gets the oak name because the wood from it looks like oak wood. It also has Latin synonyms: - Grevillea umbratica and Grevillea pectinata. It was names by Allan Cunningham after Charles F. Greville (1749-1809) who was one of the founders of the Royal Horticultural Society, London; because of its hardiness it got the Latin name robusta (robust).

  In Uganda and East Africa generally, as well as in Brazil, India and Hawaii, it is used for shade in coffee plantations, and for the same purposes in tea plantations in India and Sri Lanka as it protects not only the coffee and tea plants but also the workers. It can grow to heights of between 25 and 40 metres and is very beautiful when in flower. The flowers look like huge furry orange-gold caterpillars crawling across the branches. They are full of nectar and the Aborigines in Australia to which it is native, drink it straight from the flowers, or make a drink from them. The flowers are said to be very rich in vitamin C, and attract honeybees. Because it sheds its leaves and flowers, a thick layer of leaf mulch can build up in the soil around the tree, and as this may go to a depth of 30-40 centimetres, it protects the soil and maintains its temperature. The leaves and twigs ar said to be rich in aluminium.

  I came across this species of tree in Rawalpindi and it was clearly an old tree that had been planted many years ago. Bees are attracted to the flowers, but the flowers, fruit and seeds of the tree can cause skin irritation because of the cyanogenic compounds found in them; the leaves can also irritate the skin. Despite this, in Kenya the natives of the Kakamega Forest use the tree for medicinal purposes, which is a little unusual given that it is a non-native species. They use it to cure sore throats, earache, chest problems, flu and toothache, and there are also superstitions regarding it. However in Hawaii where it was also introduced it has come to be seen as invasive.

  The wood from Grevillea robusta is used in parts of the world for fuel as it makes good charcoal and firewood, as well as being used to make furniture. It is thought that the gum which exudes from the tree when it is cut could be used for industrial purposes. Yellow and green dyes can be made from the leaves, and the flowers are used for their fragrance.

   Some research has already been done on this tree and its properties but there is a lot more to be done before scientists can determine what it can be used for in terms of medicine. So far they have isolated his-resorcinols from it, striatol being the most potent, which may be a potential help for the cardiovascular system. The tree also contains grevillol a phenolic which resembles uroshiols the skin irritant in poison ivy. It also contains 5 alkylresorcinol glycosides, names Grevillosides G and H which are also being investigated. Who knows in what ways this tree can help us? Until we find out, I’ll continue to admire its beauty.