HEMP AGRIMONY - NO RELATION TO HEMP, OR AGRIMONY: HISTORY AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF HEMP AGRIMONY

HEMP AGRIMONY, EUPATORIUM CANNABINUM 

Hemp agrimony despite its name is not related to either agrimony or cannabis, or the Hemp tree (Vitex Agnus Castus or the Chaste berry tree) but is distinguished by being the only member of the Eupatorium genus which is native to Europe. It is also native to parts of Asia and North Africa, but has naturalized after introduction, to North America. The Latin name Eupatorium, refers to the King of Pontus, Mithradates Eupator who was a reputed alchemist who dabbled some believed in the dark arts. It is believed that the name cannabinum came from the shape of the leaves of this plant. In Culpeper’s day it was called Water Agrimony or Bastard Agrimony or hemp and it has been used medicinally for millennia.

  Hemp agrimony likes to grow in watery places, damp grasslands, marshes and wet woodlands. I’ve always liked the plant because it attracts butterflies and it is an attractive plant with pink-red flowers or sometimes white ones. The flower heads look large, but in fact they are made up of clusters of florets with pappus (hairs) growing on them. They grow to around 5 feet (1.5 metres) tall and can be 4 feet (1.2 metres) wide. They flower between July and September and it is best to harvest the leaves before the flowers open and dry them for later use. The leaves are said to be very effective if made into an infusion or tisane at the onset of flu as they contain vitamin C. This tisane used to be used to combat scurvy. The Physicians of Myddfai believed that hemp agrimony could stop you getting drunk and had this to say:-

“If you would not be drunk, drink in the morning as much as will fill an egg-shell of the juice of the hemp agrimony.”

In the Middle Ages it was believed that people should be bled regularly to make them healthy, and there were certain days when bleeding should not take place and after the bleeding you should eat and drink certain things. Here is another use the physicians of Myddfai made of hemp agrimony:

 “Month of April. Bleed. Take a gentle emetic, eat fresh meat, use warm drink. Eat two mouthfuls of hart's tongue twice a day. Avoid the roots of vegetables, as they will occasion an obstruction. Drink hemp agrimony.” (Hart’s tongue is a type of fern.)

  Writing much later in the 17^th century, Nicholas Culpeper had this to say about the virtues of hemp agrimony:

 “It is a plant of Jupiter, as well as the other agrimony; only this belongs to the celestial sign Cancer. It healeth and dryeth, cutteth and cleanseth, thick and tough tumours of the breast; and for this I hold it inferior to but few herbs that grow. It helps the cachexia, or evil disposition of the body; also the dropsy and yellow jaundice. It opens obstructions of the liver, mollifies the hardness of the spleen; being applied outwardly, it breaks imposthumes; taken inwardly, it is an excellent remedy for the third-day ague; it provokes urine and the terms; it kills worms, and cleanseth the body of sharp humours, which are the cause of itch, scabs... The smoke of the herb, being burnt, drives away flies, wasps....; It strengthens the lungs exceedingly. Country people give it to their cattle when they are troubled with the cough, or brokenwinded.”

  Country people believed that if they put hemp agrimony leaves on bread, they would prevent it from turning mouldy, and it is said that the juice from the leaves and stems can be rubbed on pets and domestic animals to repel insects, including mosquitoes (this would smell better than the juice of Herb Robert).

   Marie Corelli had clearly researched the use of the herb for this passage in her book, “The Treasure of Heaven” (although she didn’t get the colour quite right!) which is quoted below.

“..Cos they'se gittin' too wise for Nature's own cure. Nobody thinks o' tryin' agrimony, water agrimony--some calls it water hemp an' bastard agrimony--'tis a thing that flowers in this month an' the next, a brown-yellow blossom on a purple stalk, an' ye find it in cold places, in ponds an' ditches an' by runnin' waters. Make a drink of it, an' it'll mend any cancer, if 'taint too far gone. An' a cancer that's outside an' not in, 'ull clean away beautiful wi' the 'elp o' red clover.”

  Dioscorides writing in the first century AD praised the herb for use externally and internally as it works to clean and heal old stubborn wounds and ulcers. There is some debate as to which agrimony he is writing about but Parkinson was convinced he meant hemp agrimony as he wrote,

“…all the apothecaries of our land …do use the first kind of agrimony as the most assured eupatorium of Dioscorides. However, in former times, both we and they beyond the seas did usually take the Eupatorium cannabinum, which they called Eupatorium vulgare, for the true kind.”

  Hemp Agrimony can be used in bath water to ease aching muscles and joints and a compress of the leaves is said to relieve headaches. The ancient Greeks used the infusion as eye wash for inflammation of the eyes and with chamomile, the leaves are good in a tisane to aid digestion. The Anglo-Saxons used it to heal wounds and would put the bruised leaves on cuts as well as washing wounds with the infusion.

  Hemp agrimony has been found to boost the immune system and make it less susceptible to colds and flu. The roots have mild diuretic qualities and are a laxative, as well as a tonic for the blood. It is believed to have antibacterial properties and is good for sore throats and mouth ulcers.

  The infusion or tisane is made with one ounce of the dried leaves and flowers (of a handful of fresh) to 250 ml of boiling water. Let the herb steep for 15 minutes before straining and then either drink it or leave it to cool and use externally.

  There is little research into this herb, but it seems that it is safe, although perhaps should not be used during pregnancy unless used under the supervision and direction of a doctor.

HERB ROBERT - ANCIENT MEDICINAL HERB: HISTORY AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF HERB ROBERT

HERB ROBERT, GERANIUM ROBERTIANUM 

This herb has been used in medicine for centuries, although in the 20^th century, particularly in Portugal it was hailed as a folk cancer remedy when the powdered leaves were taken with a raw, fresh egg yolk. Of course this has not been proven to work. Dioscorides described it and it was known to the old herbalists, who used it mainly for blood problems, as the stalks and leaves turn bright red in autumn, a sign to these old herbalists that it was good for the blood.

  This plant is known by around a hundred names some of which refer to other plants more often, such as bloodwort (red dock), and red robin (not ragged robin) and cranesbill, which is native to the US and poisonous. However Stinking Bob is a name given to this herb which is unique to it, and refers to the smell given off by its bruised leaves. It is also called the Fox Geranium, some say because of its “foxy” smell after rain. It is native to hedgerows and woodland in Europe the British isles included, and to temperate Asia as it grows as far east as Japan and in the Himalayan regions.

  No one really knows how it became Herb Robert, although there are several contenders for being its namesake, including Robert Duke of Normandy, who died in 1134, St Robert of Molesme, a French monk who died in 1110, and Robin Goodfellow or Puck, the mischievous elf who has a role in Shakespeare’s play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The Latin name Robertianum might be a corruption of ruber meaning red, rather than referring to any specific Robert, Robin or Rupert, names that seemed to have been linked to this plant.

  The leaves of Herb Robert are the main part of the plant used for medicinal purposes and an infusion of these has been drunk and used as a wash for the skin, and for inflammation of the eyes. A poultice of the leaves has been used to relieve hardened breasts, to increase lactation in nursing mothers, to relieve irritated skin and the pain of rheumatism and reduce bruising, as well as being applied to herpes sores and ulcers. The infusion can also be used for the same external purposes.

  Internally the tisane or infusion was thought to stop bleeding, and to be a good gargle for sore throats and oral problems such as toothache and mouth ulcers. In Quebec it is called the quinsy herb because of these uses.

  Nicholas Culpeper, the English herbalist who wrote in the 17^th century has this to say about Herb Robert: 

  “It is under the dominion of Venus. Herb Robert is commended not only against the stone, but to stay blood, where or howsoever flowing; it speedily heals all green wounds, and is effectual in old ulcers in the privy parts, or elsewhere. You may persuade yourself this is true, and also conceive a good reason for it, do but consider it is an herb of Venus, for all it hath a man's name.”

    The freshly crushed leaves may be useful to repel mosquitoes- if you don’t mind their “foxy” smell. It is said that deer and rabbits, give this plant a wide berth too.

  Some clinical trials have shown that the plant can lower blood sugar levels thus supporting its traditional use for diabetes sufferers.

  The whole plant including the roots can be used to produce a brown dye, and is also used in the infusion, although it would seem that an infusion of the leaves works very well alone. The tisane is mildly diuretic and has astringent qualities. The plant has been used in Asia for the treatment of malaria, jaundice and kidney infections.

 The Physicians of Myddfai recommended herb Robert to be used for pneumonia along with other herbs as in this ancient remedy:-

  “Let (the patient) take, for three successive days, of the following herbs; hemlock, agrimony, herb Robert, and asarabacca, then let him undergo a three day's course of aperients.”

Clearly this is not to be recommended for use!

 I grew up with this little plant all around but no one ever used it for medicinal purposes to my knowledge.

BLADDERWRACK - AS SATISFYING TO POP AS BUBBLE WRAP AND GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH; HISTORY AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLADDERWRACK

BLADDERWRACK, FUCUS VESICULOSIS

There is a lot of bladderwrack around the South Wales coastline and as a child I enjoyed popping the globules on this seaweed when I was bored at places like Limeslade Bay on the Gower coast. It’s similar to popping bubble wrap. I didn’t know then that this ugly (I thought) seaweed could be so beneficial for our health.

  Like laverbread  and Irish moss it contains a lot of iodine, which is essential for the functioning of the thyroid gland which supports the growth and development of children and infants. Because it stimulates the thyroid it is believed that it can help reduce weight in people who are obese because of a sluggish thyroid as it can increase the body’s metabolic rate.

  Chemists who had shops along the coast of South Wales used to use the expressed juice of bladderwrack (got from the globules I loved to pop) as a treatment for rheumatism and to reduce fat.  Grapes and dried bladderwrack were made into a wine cordial (Fucus wine) to give to children with bone problems. People used to use this seaweed in a cold poultice of the bruised fronds to relieve the problem of hardened or enlarged glands.

  Bladderwrack can be found on the North Atlantic coasts and the Pacific coasts of North America, but care should be taken if you harvest it as it should not be taken from polluted waters which contain arsenic, cadmium or mercury from factories and agricultural practices. It is best gathered towards the end of June, but you have to gather it from the rocks to which it is attached, rather than harvesting fronds which have been cast up on the beach by the sea; such seaweed has lost much of its medicinal properties.

  Bladderwrack has traditionally been rapidly dried in the sun after harvesting and needs to be turned fairly often so that it dries evenly. It can then be ground to a powder, which is believed to have astringent properties and can be used in the treatment of both constipation and diarrhoea according to traditional medicine systems. This is because of the alginic acid it contains.

  There have been clinical trials on this sea plant although there have been no human trials. Studies on animals suggest that it has anti-tumour properties and can reduce the growth of cancerous cells. It has potent antioxidant properties and is chemo-preventive, as it contains fucoidan which seems to have anti-angiogenic, anti-viral and immunomodulatory properties. In vivo tests have shown that a topical application of extracts of bladderwrack can help improve skin problems, be chemo-preventive, anti-collagenase and help remove cellulite. However tests need to be carried out on people before these claims can be proven.

  It is believed to reduce the risk of oestrogen-related cancers in some Asian populations and may improve menstrual problems. It is also said to help alleviate fatigue and lower cholesterol levels, thus improving the health of the heart.

  People who have hormonal-sensitive cancers should avoid using it or at least treat it with caution and only use it under strict medical supervision.

BAOBAB TREE - THE TREE OF LIFE: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF BAOBAB TREE

BAOBAB TREE, ADANSONIA DIGITATA L. BAOBAB

There are eight species of baobab tree, one in Australia, six in Madagascar and this one which has made its home in the African savannah, and can be found in twenty Sub-Saharan countries in Africa. It has been used by Africans for millennia for food, medicine, ropes and mats as well as beverages and was a subsistence food. It still is for some, but since 2008 when its was approved by the EU as a Novel Food, and then in 2009 when the dried fruit pulp got approval as Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) by the USDFA, things are slowly changing. Phytonutrient, a non-profit making organization has helped Africans use the fruit of the baobab tree to rise out of poverty by harvesting the gourd-like fruit and selling it to commercial enterprises which use the dried pulp in health supplements and in some foodstuff. It has been used in fruit bars and smoothies and can actually be used to cook with, if only the fruit could be transported. In some countries such as Malawi, there are sustainable projects with people encouraged to plant more baobab trees, but this is certainly a long-term investment, as the trees take many years to mature.

  The baobab tree is a member of the Bombacaceae family of plants, so is related to Bombax ceiba, the red silk cotton tree which grows in Asia and to the durian, the favourite fruit of many Thais.

  At one time scientists thought that the mighty baobab trees were in danger of extinction, because the young trees do not resemble their older relatives. Now we know that the baobab isn’t under any immediate threat, but that was before the Western world hailed the fruit as “King of the Superfruits”. (Superfruits include the mangosteen, kiwi fruit and pomegranates, among others.) The fruit tastes a little like a jackfruit or a melon, which you have to peel and discover the marshmallow-like fruit hidden in sinewy fibres. The fruit contains six times as much vitamin C as an orange, according to National Geographic and has twice as much calcium as cow’s milk. It is also rich in minerals such as iron, phosphorous and magnesium as well as being potassium rich, making it good for the health of the brain, nerves and muscles. It also contains some of the B-complex vitamins and vitamin A.

  It has been used in traditional African medicine for fevers, malaria, vitamin C deficiency, stomach ailments and upsets, and a multitude of other ailments. The young leaves are eaten as a vegetable, like spinach, and the fruit can be cooked with meat, poultry and fish according to some gastronomes.

  One tree, known as the Big Baobab has had its interior made into a bar, and can hold 60 people or more. That must be the world’s ultimate bar and can be found at Sunlands Nursery in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The tree has been dated as being 6,000 years old (at least) making it one of the oldest trees on the planet, as it was around when our iron Age ancestors roamed the African grasslands (which the savannah was at the time).

Bar inside Baobab

  There are many legends about this tree, explaining its name of “upside-down” tree. It was thought that God was offended by the tree and so planted upside down as a punishment. In winter the branches of the tree stretch skywards just as roots burrow into the ground. The flowers bloom at night and it is unwise to pick them as if you do, so the superstition goes, a lion will rip you apart. It is said that spirits dwell in the flowers. Other superstitions say that if you soak the seeds of the fruit in water and then drink it you will be invincible and strong as a lion. The water, thus drunk will also give protection from all evil.

  Elephants, monkeys and baboons feast on this fruit and the flowers are pollinated by bats and bush-babies which inadvertently carry pollen with them on their fur. This pollen is used as glue, while later the seeds can be pressed to make cooking oil or eaten raw or roasted. When powdered they can be used as a thickener for soups and stews too. They can also be ground after roasting to make a coffee-like drink. It is known as the “Tree of Life” because of all the benefits it has for the locals and wild life.

  The dried fruit pulp is being used in cosmetics and hair-care products as well as in food stuff, and it is to be hoped that we do not over-harvest this tree which has been a source of life for Africans for millennia.