Saturday, July 26, 2008

Heal All


Common Name: Heal-All, Prunella, All-Heal, Hook-Heal, Self Heal, Slough-Heal, Brunella, Heart of the Earth, Blue Curls, Carpenter-weed, Common Selfheal, Consolida Minor, Lance Selfheal, Sicklewort, Woundwort, Xia Ku Cao

Scientific Name: Prunella vulgaris

Origin: Europe

Range: Europe, Asia, Japan and the U. S….. Found growing in waste ground, grassland, woodland edges, usually on basic and neutral soils

Botanical Description: Vary in color from pinks and purples to while, bloom in the early and midsummer. Attractive perennial flower that acts as a well-behaved ground cover in the garden; will bloom for nearly 2 months.

Part Used: Flowers, leaves

What’s in a Name? It’s name is a description of what was felt for centuries to only be self discriptive

All in the family: Heal All is cousin to such choice delicacies as peppermint, oregano, rosemary and thyme

Harvest: Gather whole plant when flowers bloom, dry for later herb use. Leaves and small flowers are edible. Harvest the aerial parts of self-heal while it is in flower. This may have to be hand harvested with snips or scissors, as the plant is very low growing. May also have to rinse dust from the leaves after harvesting, as the plants can get quite dirty from rain splash.

Cultural Uses: Prunella Vulgaris, or Heal All Plant, has been used for over 500 years for all kinds of wounds, open sores, inflammation, sore throats and most any kind of skin ailment. A cold water infusion of the freshly chopped or dried and powdered leaves is a very tasty and refreshing beverage, weak infusion of the plant is an excellent medicinal eye wash for sties and pinkeye. It is taken internally as a medicinal tea in the treatment of fevers, diarrhoea, sore mouth and throat, internal bleeding, and weaknesses of the liver and heart. Clinical analysis shows it to have an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of pseudomonas, Bacillus typhi, E. coli, Mycobacterium tuberculi, which supports its use as an alternative medicine internally and externally as an antibiotic and for hard to heal wounds and diseases. It is showing promise in research for cancer, AIDS, diabetes, and many other maladies.

As the flower spikes resemble the throat, the herb was also used to treat inflammations of the mouth and throat. In Chinese medicine, the flower spikes are regarded as being very specific for the liver and gallbladder, cooling an over-heated liver condition, call “gan hao, or “liver fire,” from which the phrase “gung-ho” is thought to be derived. In western herbalism, leaves and young shoots applied to fresh wounds to stop bleeding and as first aid for clean cuts.

Medicinal Uses: The whole plant is medicinal as alterative, antibacterial, antipyretic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, febrifuge, hypotensive, stomachic, styptic, tonic, vermifuge and vulnerary.

Food Uses: Edible, it is chewy and flavorless, so more to be eaten for nutrition than gastronomic delight. As a woodland grower, it affords good greens to people who hike far from cities. By all means, eat some leaves and fresh flowerheads if you have access to tender rank-growing specimens. It is good for you. Just add some pieces to sandwiches or salads.

Active Compounds: The plants most useful constituents are Betulinic-acid, D-Camphor, Delphinidin, Hyperoside, Manganese, Oleanolic-acid, Rosmarinic-acid, Rutin, Ursolic-acid, and Tannins. Contains the anti-tumor and diuretic compound ursolic acid. Also rich in natural antioxidant compounds, containing more rosmarinic acid than Rosemary.

Research: Herpes- Research shows Prunella may lessen the severity and duration of outbreaks, however there is no proof that it will completely kill the virus in humans. Even if you don't have outbreaks, you can still spread Herpes to other people.

Recent research suggests the plant possesses antibiotic, hypotensive, and anti-mutagenic qualities. Contains the anti-tumor and diuretic compound ursolic acid. Also rich in natural antioxidant compounds, containing more rosmarinic acid than Rosemary.

In Lore, Legend and Life: Once proclaimed to be a Holy herb and thought to be sent by God to cure all ailments of man or beast, and said to drive away the devil, which lead to the belief that Heal-All was grown in the Witches garden as a disguise. The root was used to make a tea to drink in ceremonies before going hunting by one Native American tribe to sharpened the powers of observation.

Recipes: Medicinal tea or infusion: Add 1 oz. dried or fresh herb to a pint of boiling water, steep till cool, take in ½ cup doses, sweetened with honey, as a general strengthener

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