Herbs from Distant Lands

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Eupatorium capillifolium - Dogfennel Eupatorium leptophyllum - False Fennel

PLANT PROFILE

I first found this plant in Baguio City, north Philippines, where it was sold as a Fennel and sometimes a Dill, among other herbs on flower stalls. Even though it's young stems look to me more like the ones of some artemisias (like Artemisia abrotanum), I couldn't deny my senses. It smells and tastes like some kind of fennel or a dill, with closest resemblance to endemic Bulgarian Fennel but with more pungent smell note and bitterness characteristic for Artemisia abrotanum and related artemisia species is also clearly noticeable. As it grew bigger I've suspected it to be some uncommon kind of artemisia even more, with it's typical artemisia stems structure. But it was a supprise when I saw it bloom, as It's flowers differ from artemisias flowers, and look more like... Eupatorium ( many plants from this genus are used in traditional medicine in many countries ). So after quite of a time, since I've bought it and started to carefully use in my kithen, I've finaly indentify this plant as a Eupatorium capillifolium - Dogfennel. But, wait a minute. Many people are describing Dogfennel to have rather unpleasant smell. While I've found mine, just like plants growers and sellers in the Philippines to be nice. Esspecialy its flowers, with sweet, honey and coumarin aroma reminding me that of the flowers of Sweet Clover. The answer for that might be that it is in fact different chemotype of Dogfennel, called - False Fennel, named in latine Eupatorium capillifolium var. leptophyllum or just Eupatorium leptophyllum.
Both plants looks like indentical and are short live perennials, native to southeast of North America, where sometimes it become obnoxsious weed. There's a lack of information about culinary or medicinal use of Eupatorium leptophyllum and scarce about Eupatorium capillifolium. Both are quite pretty, easy to maintain, and sometimes planted as a ornamental plants, that can be bought under the name '' Elegant Feather '' ( which relate to its especially beautiful during and after flowering ). Misslabeling of those Eupatoriums as Fennel or Dill is a serious crime, Fennel is generally beneficial to liver, while Dogfennel consumed freely can severly damage liver, as it contain toxic alkaloids.
Eupatorium capillifolium have also other common names - Summer Cedar and Cypressweed.
Dogfennel has proven to be potent insecticide, esspecialy for Lace Bug (Stephanitis pyrioides ) and weak fungicide. This plant is also placed in houses for its insect repelent action.

CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING

Eupatorium capillifolium is perrenial but short living bush, that can reach over 2m height. It like sunny places, cope well with seasonal drought and poor soils but thrive in wet, compost soils. Dogfennel can be propagated from seeds and rootstock. It is hardy to -10'C. Young leaves and shoots can be used in kitchen, but during flowering time it might taste more bitter and less aromatic ( also probably contain more pyrrolizidine alkaloid ). It is best to be used fresh.

CULINARY USES

Dogfennel contain pyrrolizidine alkaloid that is damaging liver, therefore it cannot be consumed continously or in big quantities. Many people though (including myself) found it safe to be used sporadicaly, in small doses, as a tasty fennel-like spice, good for sandwiches, salads, boild potatoes etc. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, and anyone with weak liver should avoid this herb.

MEDICINAL USES

Eupatorium capillifolium is not widely used in herbalism, but it has long local traditions of medical applications atribute mainly to its antimicrobial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
Lumbee Indians have been using Dogfennel for reproductive system ailments, like male sexual organ and gland disorders, also consider it to be sex tonic and aphrodisiac. They made tea from Dogfennel for fever. Crushed leaves are applied on fungal infections on skin and reptile and insect bites, it is also used as a insect repellant, especially against mosquitoes. Native Americans used this plant also to treat epilepsy and sore throat.
In Cuba decoction of E. capillifoliun is used to stop dysentery and other intestinal problems, it is also used to treat arthritis and considered hemostatic.
There are different chemotypes of Eupatorium capillifolium, and of course different climate and soil shape different chemical balance in plants. That is why tested plant material from USA, Cuba and Mexico have big differences in amounts of its main biochemicals, which contain : thymol methyl ether, 2,5-dimethoxy-p-cymene, myrcene, cymene, ocimene, limonene, camphene, germacrene , astragalin, hyperoside, phellandrene, borneol, limonene, taraxasterol and costic acid.
Dogfennel can not be consumed in big quantities or over long period of time, as it contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are harmfull to the liver. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as anyone with weak liver should avoid this herb.

Sources

'' Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses '' - James Howard Miller, Karl V. Miller, University of Georgia Press 2005
'' CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants '' - Umberto Quattrocchi, CRC Press 2012
'' Herbal Remedies of the Lumbee Indians '' - Arvis Locklear Boughman, Loretta O. Oxendine, Mcferland 2004
'' Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 2 '' - Peter A. G. M. Smet, Konstantin Keller, Rudolf Hansel, R. Frank Chandler, Spring Science & Business Media 1993
'' Medical Botany : Plants Affecting Human Health '' - Walter H. Lewis, Memory P. F. Elvin-Lewis, John Wiley and Sons 2003
'' Florida Ethnobotany '' - Daniel F. Austin, CRC Press 2004
'' Issues in Materials and Manufacturing Research : 2011 Edition '' - Scholarly Editions 2012

http://www.spacecoastwildflowers.com/2010/06/return-to-cruickshank-sanctuary-june-13.html
http://regionalconservation.org/ircs/database/plants/PlantPage.asp?TXCODE=Eupalept
http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/gcc-59952
http://nansh.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=84100
http://www.bio.utk.edu/schilling/Danielweb/eup/genera/eupatorium_web/Eupatorium_capillifolium.htm
http://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1314&context=gsurc
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1975&context=usdaarsfacpub
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/np50015a002
http://www.eattheweeds.com/pyrrolizidine-on-my-mind/
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1711268/any-idea-what-this-might-be
http://www.imherbalist.com/Green-Thoughts.asp
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20922999
http://www.itmonline.org/arts/pas.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/CausesOfIllnessBadBugBook/ucm071047.htm

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Orthosiphon stamineus, Orthosiphon aristatus - Cat's Whiskers, Java Tea

Polska wersja

PLANT PROFILE

Orthosiphon stamineus also called Orthosiphon aristatus is a small, perrenial shrub native to tropical Asia. Its habitat range span from India, threw Myanmar, Thailand, Laos,Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, down to Australia. In late nineteenth century it has been brought to Europe by Dutch traders. It is characteristic for having extraordinary long flower stamens, which brought it common name Cat's Whiskers. Those flowers are making it look so beautifull that it became cultivated for purely ornamental purposes and many people don't realize medicinal values of this plant. Cat's Whiskers is one of the oldest medicinaly used herbs in tropical Asia, as in many regions one of mostly used herbs nowdays. Even though this herb was listed in Nederlandish Pharmacopaeia over 60 years ago, it is still barely known and hard to get in Europe, but its popularity seems to grow all around the world. On Java Island pleasantly tasting infusion of Orthosiphon stamineus, is such a common drink, that in many countries it can be found under name of Java Tea or Javan Tea. Its other common name is Kidney Tea or Indian Kidney Tea. In Indonesia this herb is called Kumis Kucing, on Java Island - Remujung, in Malaysia - Misai Kuching, in China - Shen Cha, Shen Cha Shu and Mao Xu Cao, in India - Warak Leikham, in the Philippines - Kabling Gubat, Kabling Parang and Balbas Pusa, in Thailand - Yaa-nuat-maeo, Rau Meo i Cay Bac, in Cambodia - Kapen Prey. Its forgoten latin synonymes are Orthosiphon grandiflorus, Orthosiphon spicatus, Clerodendranthus spicatus, Clerodendrum spicatum, Ocimum aristatum, and Ocimum grandiflorum.

CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING

Cat's Whiskers is tropical, perrenial shrub, that is growing just up tp 60cm height but sometimes reaching even 1,5m in hight and diameter. With highly ornamental, white or slightly violet flowers, that bloom in august and september, it is often found in tropical gardens as a ornamental plant. In nature, it inhabit banks of streams and thickets, it likes wet compost, neutral or slightly alcaline soils and strong light. It is said to cope with temperatures slightly below 0'C, but its better to keep it as a house plant in temperate climate regions. Leaves or whole stems with flowers, are best to gather before or just when it starts to bloom, left flowers should be cut off soon after it fade to encourage formation of new flower buds.

COSMETIC USES

Cerams and tonics containing extract of Orthosiphon stamineus are designed for greasy skin care. This herb is reducing production of sebum and visible pore size improving skin texture and appearance. It is also beneficial beneficial for the skin, thanks to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. It is also said to have a whitening effect on skin. Drinking Java Tea is helping to get rid of cellulite.

CULINARY USES

Tea is made of Cat's Whiskers leaves and flowers (dried or fresh), which is drunk both hot and cold for its delicate bitterish taste, and for general health improwement.

MEDICINAL USES

Orthosiphon stamineus is one of the oldest and most populary used herbal medicines in South east Asia. Nowadays it is approwed for many ailments, by many medical government authorities in different countries all around the world.
Leaves and flowers of Orthosiphon stamineus are mainly used dried or fresh in form of infusion, but capsules, pills and extracts are also available on market.
This herb is known mainly for its effectivenes in fighting urinary tract infections and inflammations and genitourinary diseases, thanks to its diuretic ( saluretic, uricosuric, natriuretic, kaliuretic, azoturic), antiinflammatory and antimicrobial action. But it have many other properties as well, it is : strongly antioxidant, astringent, cholagogue, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, renal protective, antidiabetic, mildly antispasmodic, anti-alergic, antihyperlipidemic, analgesic, vasodialative, antihypertensive, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antitumor.
All those powers combined makes it helpfull in conditions like : uremia, gallstones, kidney stones, nephritis, dysuria, ascitis, edema, syphilis, gonorrhoea, arthretism, rheumatism, hepatitis, jaundice tonsillitis, atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, eruptive fever, epilepsy, menstrual disorders and cancer.
In his book '' the Green Pharmacy '', Dr. James A. Duke wrote about Java Tea - '' the suspicion is that it helps open the ureters - the tubes leading from the kidneys to the bladder - allowing small stones to be passed.'' Others authors claimed that it helps to dissolve the stones. Drinking Kidney Tea protects kidneys from toxic action of heavy metals. Chewed leaves of Cat's Whiskers are hold in place of toothache to ease the pain
Orthosiphon stamineus is rich in potassium salts (0,738g in 100g of fresh leaves), oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, rosmarinic acid and few other caffeic acid derivatives, flavonoids (sinensetin and eupatorin, salvigenin, quercetin), diterpens (staminol, orthosiphols, neoorthosiphols), alkaloids (orthosiphonin), tanins, saponins, polyphenols, terpenoids, choline and volatile oil (contain mostly beta-caryophyllene, alfa-humulene and beta-elemene)
The se of this herb over long period in big ammounts lead to the body's low sodium lewel. Caution should be taken by people with cardiac and renal insufficiency. It also can sometimes interact in a bad way, with medicines for diabetes and diuretics.