Fifteen famous herbs and their use for health

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List of medicinal plants is long. This list gives space to both rare as well as common. Some of these plants, have beautiful and colourful flowers. Others have pungent leaves, or tasty berries. While some of them found their way into modern medicine, others are more popular as ornamental. We devote this blog to famous fifteen that have multiple entries in medicinal plant postage stamps. Their medicinal use originated in temperate Europe, and gradually percolated to Asia, Middle east and the Americas. This blog is a trilogy of Five Plant extracts (Opium, Peppermint, Chamomile, Foxglove and Strophanthus); Five Flowers (Rosa canina, Marigold, Lavender, Sage and Valerian); Five Berries (Common Hawthorn, Sea-buckthorn, Blueberry, Black-currant, and Crow berry).

I Five plant extracts

1. Papaver or Opium

Opium is an extract or sap of Papaver somniferum. There are a variety of Papaver species, and plant is known for its beautiful flowers, culinary seeds as well as intoxicating opium. Opium is an ancient medicinal product, and also finds its place on coat of Royal college of Anaesthetists (along with cocaine leaves and snakes). Sometimes we fail to learn from history. We have come a long-short way from opium wars of 17-18th century, to opioid epidemic in the 21st.

2. Foxglove or Digitalis

In 1785, English physician William Withering noticed that a herbal remedy was doing something good. The herbal remedy was foxglove plant, and it was indeed working in patients with dropsy (or heart failure). Withering, who also had a keen interest in Botany, carefully documented its effect on many patients, who improved. Foxglove was used as a sporadic remedy till 1930, when we could isolate its active compound digoxin from another species Digitalis lanata.

3. Peppermint

Peppermint was first described in 1696. Its leaves give us soothing menthol. While we better know it for state and smell, peppermint leaves and oil also have a medicinal role. They sooth our stomach, and help reduce a variety of abdominal pains. About 85% of global production of peppermint comes from Morocco. However most of it is used in toothpastes, chewing gums, soaps, candies and beauty products.

4. Chamomile

This native of Europe, has extensively travelled across the world. Its dried flowers, leaves and oil are all used for a variety of usages. On one hand it is an anti-oxidant and reduces inflammation. While it also soothes nerves, is a relaxant and makes a person enjoy a blissful sleep. It should be no surprise that it is widely marketed as a powder, tea, tincture, and even in lotions used in external applications.

5. Strophanthus

Strophanthus is a plant with peculiar flowers. Petals have long thready extensions, and are a rich source of strophanthin – a cardiac glycoside. While it is a contemporary of foxglove as a cardiac glycoside, many traditional communities from Africa use it as an arrow poison. Its overdose slows the heart, and when poisoned wild animals are easy to capture.

II Five Flowers

1. Rosa canina or Dog-rose

It is unusual for a plant to have a canine in its name. This canine is probably dog, which gives this plant a popular name dog-rose. Till 18th century we used this plant to treat humans, bitten by a rabid dog. Well described in ancient Greek and Persian medicine, we use its flowers for a variety of health needs. During second world war, this flower was also a source of Vitamin C. Today phytochemists suggest a variety of anti-inflammatory usages for this plant. We use its flowers and false-fruits (called hips) in salads, jams, tea and as a syrup.

2. Calendula officianalis or Marigold

This plant, with bright yellow flowers was an original native of Southern Europe. Today its more common use is for decoration, and as a natural edible colour. In the past healers used its oil and leaves to protect the skin and for a faster healing of small scratches. Today we often use marigold leaves and flowers in herbal teas. This usage may be anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and may also help reduce fevers.

3. Lavender

Lavender is a plant, as well as a colour. It is difficult to guess if this colour was named after its flowers, or was it other way around. None-the-less, this is another plant from southern Europe which grows in temperate climates. Herbalists commonly use Lavender oil in aroma-therapy, perfumes, balms and skin ointments. Sometimes, this topical use may lead to skin allergies. We have reports of poisoning from Lavender oil ingestion. While Lavender is used for headache, skin allergies, and infections, none of these effects are clinically proven.

4. Salvia officinalis or Sage

Sage is a Mediterranean plant, with bright purple flowers. This plant was well known to Romans, who used it for a variety of usages. These usages included warding off evil, a remedy for snake-bites, and also for plague. This plant has a sweet scent, and was grown across monasteries in Europe. A 16th century text describes this plant as “…is singularly good for the head and brain, it quickeneth the senses and memory, strengtheneth the sinews, restoreth health to those that have the palsy, and taketh away shakey trembling of the members..” These stated affects and its usages remain without much of a proof.

5. Valerian

The name Valerian is derived from being strong. This plant native to Europe is an ancient Greek herb. Its leaves and flowers were used as a remedy for insomnia and convulsions. Extract from its root was used in England and Scotland to provide strength and energy. This plant was also used to ward of evil. Despite not authorised for clinical use today, its preparations are available to treat nervousness and lack of sleep.

III Five Berries

1. Common Hawthorn

Hawthorn is both a symbol of hope, and a charm against evil. It is a revered plant in Mediterranean. Jesus wore a crown of thorns, that probably came from the same plant. Bright red hawthorn berries are still used by Greeks to drive bad spirits away. Herbalists use its extract for the heart and blood pressure an effect that remains without a scientific proof.

2. Sea-buck thorn

Sea-buckthorn is a juicy berry, rich in Vitamin C. It grows across dry and cold European regions. Berry itself is edible and its extract is an anti-oxidant. Again, scientific proofs are scarce but sea-buckthorn extracts are widely used to treat acne, skin diseases, and menstrual abnormalities.

3. Blueberry

Blueberry is a tiny blue fruit, and is often used in cakes, tarts and muffins. Herbal folklore suggests a variety of health benefits. These include longevity, improved health of heart, its blood vessels and even some protection from Cancer.

4. Black-crow berry

Empetrum or crow-berry is a herb from the sub-arctic region. Natives from these regions often used this plant to cure stomach ache, fever, and to heal eye-sores. Other two sub-arctic plants are Angelica and Thymus. Angelica gives a pleasant odour and is often added to many herbal medicines. In nordic countries, Thyme-tea is used to treat colds, coughs and fever.

5. Black currant

Black currant is more popular in cakes and jams. This berry is rich in Vitamin C. During second world war, it was used as a syrup so as to supplement diet. The flavour caught on, and its use in culinary became more common. It is widely grown in Europe, but almost none in the Americas. In fact US had banned this plant in 1911. Black currant supports a fungus – white pine blister rust. This fungus in turn affects pine trees. The US ban on black currant was finally lifted only in 2003.

Epilogie

Today, many medicinal usages of famous plants are still popular. While scientific community has found little evidence for some, yet health and wellness industry loves historic anecdotes. Many others have grown beyond medicine into culinary and food industries.

Philatelic presence of these plants is incredible. Different countries have endorsed them in their postage stamps. Famous they are, and probably shall remain.