Desmodium mollicum / Amor Seco / Leguminosae (Pea family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Withania somniferum / Ashwagandha / Solanaceae (Nightshade family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Ashwagandha, Indian ginseng, Winter cherry, Ajagandha, Kanaje Hindi and Samm Al Ferakh

Contents

Ashwagandha contains several alkaloids and steroidal lactones. The most common alkaloids are withanine, anaferin, anahygrine, cuscohygrine, pseudotropine, somniferinine, somniferiene, tropanol, pseudo-tropine, 3-a-gloyloxytropane and choline. Ashwagandha also contains steroidal lactones including withaferin A and withanolides (A-Y). Much of Ashwagandha's pharmacological properties has been attributed to two withaloides, withaferin A and withanolide D. (1)(6)

Historical

Withania somnifera is a herb that has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda and folk medicine in India. "It is most commonly used to treat inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, fever, tumors, and a wide range of infectious diseases." (4) It is also used as an "aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory, liver-tonic".(6) "It has been used in rheumatism, consumption and debility".(11) The specific name "somnifera" refers to its sedative qualities and literally means "sleep inducer".

Recent studies have shown that Ashwagandha contains compounds known as withanolides that are steroidal in molecular construction and are similar to compounds found in Panax ginseng. It is for this reason that Ashwagandha has earned the nickname "Indian Ginseng" by some. Not surprisingly, Ashwagandha also shares many qualities with Panax ginseng and has been shown to "increase energy levels, improve overall health, improve the body's resistance to stress and stimulate the immune system".(5)(6)(7) It has also been shown to "help support good cognitive performance and memory while also calming the mind".(6)(7)(8)

Its rejuvenating properties are now being confirmed by scientific studies. According to a double-blind clinical trial on males between 50-59 years old "A significant improvement in hemoglobin, red blood cell count, hair melanin, and seated stature was observed" and "71.4 percent reported improvement in sexual performance".(6)

Several other studies have indicated that Ashwagandha may also have important anti-carcinogenic properties. One such study found that "A significant increase in the life span and a decrease in the cancer cell number and tumour weight were noted in the tumour-induced mice after treatment with REMS (Ashwangandha extract)".(10)

Plant Description

Withania somnifera is an evergreen, erect, woody shrub that reaches up to 170 cm in height. Its leaves are simple, petiolate, ovate and glabrous and the whole body of the plant is covered in star shaped hairs. (11) It grows in the subtropical parts of India and also in parts of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Spain, Afghanistan and many parts of Africa. Its fruit which are berry like and bright red are usually harvested in the Fall and its flowers are greenish or bright yellow in color. (1)(3)

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Norway

References

(1) Withania somnifera, Wikipedia
(2) Herbal Medicine and Botanical Medical Fads, Frank W. Hoffmann, Martin Manning
(3) The 5-minute Herb and Dietary Supplement Consult, Adriane Fugh-Berman
(4) The New Anti-aging Revolution, Ronald Klatz, Robert Klatz, Robert Goldman
(5) Document: NL E116-0-REF
(6) Document: Withania somnifera, Alternative Medicine Review
(7) The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, first edition part I, Government of India, Ministry Of Health And Family Welfare, Department of Indian Systems of Medicine & Homoeopathy
(8) Document: NL-E76-0-REF Ashwagandha
(9) Withanolides potentiate apoptosis, inhibit invasion, and abolish osteoclastogenesis through suppression of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation and NF-kappaB-regulated gene expression, Ichikawa H, Takada Y, Shishodia S, Jayaprakasam B, Nair MG, Aggarwal BB.
(10) Anticarcinogenic activity of Withania somnifera Dunal against Dalton’s Ascitic Lymphoma, A. J. M. Christina, D. Gladwin Joseph, M. Packialakshmi, R. Kothai, S. Jerry Heison Robert, N. Chidambaranathan and M. Ramasamy
(11) Rayasana, Harbans Singh Puri

Myroxylon pereirae / Balsam of Peru / Leguminosae (Pea family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Scent

The odor is the typical balsamic, rich, sweet, cinnamic benzoic, soft and very tenacious, showing an increasing vanilla note on drying out.

Aromatic Properties

Peru balsam has outstanding staying power and is one of the best fixatives for use in aromatherapy essential oil blends.

Contents

50-65% essential oil comprised mainly of benzyl benzoate, benzyl cinnamate, cinnamyl cinnamate, free benzoic and cinnamic acids, vanillin, farnesol, styrene, nerolidol and coumarin

Synergic Combinations

Peru balsam blends well with Cinnamon, Clove, Heliotrope, Labdanum, Musk, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Rose, Sandalwood, Ylang-Ylang, floral bases, oriental bases, powder type perfumes and numerous types of sweet and heavy blends.

Health Warnings

Peru Balsam should not be applied to the skin as it may cause an allergic reaction in some individuals.

Plant Description

A large and beautiful tree with a valuable wood like mahogany, and a straight smooth trunk; the last is coarse grey, compact, heavy granulated and a pale straw colour, containing a resin which changes from citron to dark brown; smell and taste balsamic and aromatic. Leaves alternately, abruptly pinnate, leaflets two pairs mostly opposite, ovate, lanceolate with the end blunt emarginate; every part of the tree including the leaves abounds in a resinous juice. The mesocarp of the fruit is fibrous, and the balsamic juice which is abundant is contained in two distinct receptacles, one on each side. The beans contain Coumarin, the husks an extremely acrid bitter resin, and a volatile oil; a gum resin, quite distinct from the proper balsam, exudes from the trunk of the tree and contains gum resin and a volatile oil; the tree commences to be productive after five or six years, and continues to yield for thirty years; the flower has a fragrance which can be smelt a hundred yards away.

References

Balsam of Peru, A Modern Herbal, by Maud Grieve
Myroxylon, Wikipedia

Peumus boldus / Boldo / Monimiaceae (Monimia family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Peumus boldus, Boldea fragrans, Peumus fragrans, Boldo, Boldu, Boldus, Boldoa, Boldina, Baldina, Molina.

Scent

Aromatic, reminiscent to Camphor and cinnamic acid. It has a warm, spicy and slightly bitter flavour. A deliciously fragrant (but very toxic) essential oil is obtained from the leaves.

Contents

Boldo has many biologically active chemicals. At least 17 alkaloids have been documented thus far, several of which are believed to be Boldo's main active constituents. Much of the biological activity of the plant has been attributed to a single alkaloid called boldine. In addition to boldine, boldo contains ascaridole, benzaldehyde, boldoglucin, bornyl-acetate, 1,8-cineol, coclaurine, coumarin, cuminaldehyde, 2-decanone, 6(a)-7 dehydroboldine, diethylphthalate, eugenol, farnesol, fenchone, gamma terpinene, 2-heptaone, isoboldine, kaempferols, laurolitsine, laurotetainine, norboldine, norisocorydine, pachycarpine, P-cymene, P-cymol, pro-nuciferine, 2-octanone, reticuline, rhamnosides, sabinene, sinoacutine, terpinoline, thymol, trans verbenol, 2-tridecanone, and 2-undecanone.(1)

Historical

Indigenous uses of Boldo have been widely documented. Legend has it that the medicinal uses of the plant were discovered by chance: a Chilean shepherd noticed that his sheep were healthier, and had fewer liver problems, when they grazed on native Boldo plants growing in his fields. For many years the fruit has been eaten as a spice, the wood has been used for charcoal, and the bark has been used in tanning hides. A deliciously fragrant essential oil is obtained from the leaves. The dried and powdered leaves are scattered amongst clothes to sweeten them and repel insects. The small fruits are dried and used as beads in necklaces. When warmed by the body or the sun they release the scent of cinnamon.(1)(2)
The leaves are used for culinary purposes in a similar manner to bay leaves, and also used as an herbal tea, primarily in Chile and Argentina but also in other bordering countries.(3)(4)
According to monographs(6) Boldo contributes to digestive comfort and supports liver and biliary function.

Plant Description

Peumus boldus is an evergreen, fragrant shrub, from 15 to 20 feet high. It is native to the mountainous regions of Chili and introduced to Europe and North Africa. The leaves are opposite, coriaceous, and on leaf-stalks about 1/4 inch in length. The flowers are in loose, terminal, dioecious cymes of about 12 flowers each, on slender, pubescent pedicles. The petals are generally 7, strap-shape, and about 1/2 inch long, of a light-yellow color, and somewhat twisted. The male flower has numerous recurved stamens, with slender filaments, which are hairy at the base. The fruit is a small orange-green, 1-seeded drupe, which is aromatic and edible.(5)

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Finland
• Norway

References

(1) Boldo, Raintree Plant Database
(2) Peumus boldus - Molina. Plants For A Future
(3) Boldo, Wikipedia
(4) Boldo leaves, Gernot Katzer's Spice Page
(5) Boldus.--Boldo. King's American Dispensatory, by Harvey Wickes Felter, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D., 1898
(6) Document: NL E4-0-C-REF, Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport

Myrciaria dubia / Camu Camu / Myrtaceae (Myrtle family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Cocos nucifera / Coconut / Arecaceae (Palm family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Contents

100g Coconut meat contain about 15g carbohydrates, 3g protein and 34g fat.
Coconut oil contains predominantly medium chain triglycerides, with roughly 92% saturated fatty acids, 6% monounsaturated fatty acids, and 2% polyunsaturated fatty acids. Of the saturated fatty acids, coconut oil is primarily 44.6% lauric acid, 16.8% myristic acid a 8.2% palmitic acid and 8% caprylic acid, although it contains seven different saturated fatty acids in total. Its only monounsaturated fatty acid is oleic acid while its only polyunsaturated fatty acid is linoleic acid.(2)

Historical

The origins of this plant are the subject of controversy, with most authorities claiming it is native to South Asia (particularly the Ganges Delta), while others claim its origin is in northwestern South America. Fossil records from New Zealand indicate that small, coconut-like plants grew there as long as 15 million years ago. Even older fossils have been uncovered in Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala (Kerala means "land of coconut palms"), Maharashtra, (India) and the oldest known so far in Khulna, Bangladesh. The fruit is light and buoyant and presumably spread significant distances by marine currents. Fruits collected from the sea as far north as Norway have been found to be viable.(1)
The English name coconut, first mentioned in English print in 1555, comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word coco, which means "monkey face." Spanish and Portuguese explorers found a resemblance to a monkey's face in the three round indented markings or "eyes" found at the base of the coconut.
On the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean, whole coconuts were used as currency for the purchace of goods until the early part of the twentieth century. In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha, meaning "tree which gives all that is necessary for living," because nearly all parts of the tree can be used in some manner or another. The coconut fruit has many food uses for its water, milk, meat, sugar, and oil. It also functions as its own dish and cup. The husk was burned for fuel by natives, but today a seed fibre called coir is taken from the husk and used to make brushes, mats, fishnets, and rope. A very potent fermented toddy or drink is also made from the coconut palm's sap. Coconut oil, a saturated fat made from dried coconut meat, is used for commercial frying and in candies and margarines, as well as in non-edible products such as soaps and cosmetics.(3)
Several Philippine proverbs demonstrate the usefulness of this species:
"If you could count the stars, then you could count all the ways the coconut serves us."
"He who plants a coconut tree, plants vessels and clothing, food and drink, a habitation for himself, and a heritage for his children."

Plant Description

The coconut palm is a long-lived plant that may live as long as 100 years; it has a single trunk, 20-30 m tall, its bark is smooth and grey, marked by ringed scars left by fallen leafbases. The leaves, from 4 to 6 m long, are pinnate; they consist of linear-lanceolate, more or less recurved, rigid, bright green leaflets. The inflorescences, arising at leaf axils and enveloped by a carinate spathe, are unbranched spadices; female flowers are borne basally, male flowers at apex. Flowers bear lanceolate petals, 6 stamens and an ovary consisting of 3 connate carpels. Cross pollination, either anemophilous or entomophilous, occurs. Its fruit, as big as a man’s head and 1-2 kg in weight, is a drupe with a thin, smooth, grey-brownish epicarp, a fibrous, 4-8 cm thick, mesocarp and a woody endocarp; as it is rather light, it can be carried long distances by water while keeping its germinability for a long time.
Although it takes up to a year for coconuts to mature, the trees bloom up to thirteen times a year. Fruit is constantly forming, thus yielding a continuous harvest year-round. An average harvest from one tree runs about 60 coconuts, with some trees yielding three times that amount.

References

(1) Coconut, Wikipedia
(2) Coconut Oil, Wikipedia
(3) Coconut History, by Peggy Towbridge Filippone, About.com

Articles

Any information provided about products on this website, including any links to external websites, is purely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and should never be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the products.

Coconut Oil and its Wonderful Health Benefits
Coconut Research Center

Croton lechleri / Dragons Blood / Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Croton lechleri, Croton draco var. Sangre de Grado, Sangre de Drago, Dragons Blood, Drago, Sangue de Drago, Sangue de Agua.

Scent

Virile, wood scent. Usually added to incense formulas or perfumes for its magical powers.

Aromatic Properties

Used in incense preparations to cleanse a space of negative entities or influences.

Contents

The main plant chemicals in Sangre de Grado include: alpha-calacorene, alpha-copaene, alpha-pinene, alpha-thujene, beta-caryophyllene, beta-elemene, beta-pinene, betaine, bincatriol, borneol, calamenene, camphene, catechins, cedrucine, crolechinic acid, cuparophenol, D-limonene, daucosterol, dihydrobenzofuran, dimethylcedrusine, dipentene, eugenol, euparophenol, gallocatechin, gamma-terpinene, gamma-terpineol, hardwickiic acid, isoboldine, korberin A & B, lignin, linalool, magnoflorine, methylthymol, myrcene, norisoboldine, p-cymene, proanthocyanidins, procyanidins, resin, tannin, taspine, terpinen-4-ol, and vanillin.
Because of the variety of compounds it contains, Sangre de Grado acts as a multi-functional agent.

Synergic Combinations

Palo Santo, Patchouli, Lavender, Rosemary and Tea Tree.

Historical

Sangre de Grado's red sap or latex (and also its bark) has a long history of indigenous use in the rainforest and in South America. The earliest written reference dates its use to the 1600s, when Spanish naturalist and explorer P. Bernabe Cobo found that the curative power of the sap was widely known throughout the indigenous tribes of Mexico, Peru, and Ecuador. Sangre de Drago is used extensively by indigenous cultures of the Amazon River basin for its remarkable healing properties. (1)
"The results of in vitro and in vivo studies largely support the majority of ethnomedical uses of sangre de drago..."(2)

Plant Description

Sangre de Grado is a medium-sized to large tree that grows from 10-20m high in the upper Amazon region of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. Although tall, the trunk is usually less than 30cm in diameter and is covered by smooth, mottled bark. It has large, heart-shaped, bright-green leaves and unique, greenish-white flowers on long stalks. When the trunk of the tree is cut or wounded, a dark red, sappy resin oozes out as if the tree is bleeding, earning this local name. The genus Croton is a large one, with 750 species of trees and shrubs distributed across the tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. Crotons are rich in active alkaloids, and several species are well-known medicinal plants used as purgatives and tonics.

References

(1) Sangre de Grado - Raintree Plant Database
(2) Review of Sangre de Drago (Croton lechleri) - A South American Tree Sap in the Treatment of Diarrhea, Inflammation, Insect Bites, Viral Infections, and Wounds: Traditional Uses to Clinical Research - The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Articles

Any information provided about products on this website, including any links to external websites, is purely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and should never be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the products.

Croton lechleri - Rain-tree

Agaricus blazei murill / God`s Mushroom / Agaricaceae (Agaricus family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Agaricus subrufescens, Agaricus blazei, Himematsutake, God’s Mushroom, ABM (for Agaricus Blazei Mushroom), Cogumelo do Sol (Mushroom of the Sun), Cogumelo de Deus (Mushroom of God), Cogumelo de Vida (Mushroom of Life), Himematsutake, Royal Sun Agaricus, Mandelpilz, Almond Mushroom.

Scent

This Agaricus has a somewhat sweet taste and fragrance of almonds.

Contents

Contains many polysaccharides. Contains Beta glucan in higher doses than both Reishi and Shiitake mushrooms.
The Almond flavor is due to the presence of benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, benzonitrile, and methyl benzoate.(5)
ABM is known to contain three different beta-glucans – β-(1-3)-D-glucan, β-(1-4)-α-D-glucan, and β-(1-6)-D-glucan.

Historical

A Japanese-Brazilian farmer first discovered the Agaricus Blazei Murill in the summer of 1965. Since 1968, Dr. Takashi Mizuno Ph.D., has studied the bioactive substances in fungi, especially those related to anti-tumor active polysaccharides. They discovered that the Agaricus blazei Murril was rich in polysaccharide compounds, which assist in boosting the immune system. Research has found that the two principal polysaccharide compounds, which exist in Agaricus Blazei Murill, are ß(Beta) 1,3-D Glucan and ß(Beta) 1,6-D Glucan.
Agaricus subrufescens was first described by the American botanist Charles Horton Peck in 1893.(2) During the late 19th and early 20th century, it was cultivated for the table in the eastern United States (Kerrigan 2005).(3) It was discovered again in Brazil during the 1970s, and thought to be a new species, Agaricus blazei. It was soon marketed for its purported medicinal properties under various names.
In 2002, Didukh and Wasser rejected the name A. blazei and called the Brazilian fungi Agaricus brasiliensis;(4) this was rejected by Kerrigan through genetic and interfertility testing on several fungal strains.(3)
Samples of the Brazilian strains called A. blazei and A. braziliensis proved to be genetically similar to, and interfertile with, the North American population of Agaricus subrufescens. These tests also found European samples called A. rufotegulis to be of the same species. Because Agaricus subrufescensis the oldest name, it is traditionally considered the scientifically, historically correct name.
Because of the valuable polysaccharide, and lack of supply, Agaricus blazei used to be relatively expensive, until it was successfully artificially cultivated in mushroom farms. China(Maucua) and Brazil are major exporters.

Plant Description

Cap: 7-25 cm; round, sometimes shaped like a marshmallow when young, becoming convex to nearly flat; surface dry, when young covered with fine matted fibrils which break up into tiny scales, except at the center; fibrils pallid, buff, pale brown, or pinkish-brown; scales becoming darker brown or reddish with age; background color white to pinkish-buff; sometimes yellowing with age or when bruised.
Gills: Free from the stem; close; whitish when young, becoming pinkish, then reddish brown, and eventually dark chocolate brown.
Stem: 5-15 cm long; 1-4 cm thick; equal or enlarged at base; with a thick membranous partial veil which has cottony patches on the underside and which forms a high, skirt-like ring; white to pinkish above the ring; smooth or with fibrils or scales below; base often staining yellow with age or when bruised (but the flesh inside does not stain bright yellow when cut); base often with mycelial threads attached.
Flesh: Thick; firm; white; bruising very slightly yellow or not at all. (7)

References

(1) Document: NL E4-0-C-REF (Agaricus blazei and Immune health), Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
(2) Agaricus subrufescens, Illinois Mycological Association
(3) Agaricus subrufescens, a cultivated edible and medicinal mushroom, and its synonyms Kerrigan, Richard W. (2005),
(4) Didukh, Marina & Wasser, Solomon (2002), "Is a Widely Cultivated Culinary-Medicinal Royal Sun Agaricus (the Himematsutake Mushroom) Indeed Agaricus blazei Murrill?", International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms 4(4): 267-290
(5) Volatile Components of Mushroom (Agaricus subrufecens), Chen, Chu-Chin & Wu, Chung-May (1984), Journal of Food Science 49 (4): 1208-1209
(6) Agaricus blazei murill, Wikipedia
(7) Agaricus subrufescens, MushroomExpert.Com

Griffonia simplicifolia / Griffonia / Leguminosae (Pea family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Legal Remarks

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• Finland

Eucommia ulmoides / Hardy Rubber tree / Eucommiaceae (Eucommia family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Cannabis sativa / Hemp / Cannabinaceae (Hemp family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Epimedium sagittatum / Horny Goat Weed / Berberidaceae (Barberry family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Herba Epimedii, Barrenwort, Bishop's Hat, Fairy Wings, Horny Goatweed, Yin Yang Huo, Xian ling pi.

Contents

The main active constituent of Epimedium is icariin, a flavonol glycoside. Epimedium also contains epimedin A, B, C and other flavonoids. (6)(7)

Historical

Horny goat weed was first described in ancient classical Chinese medicinal texts. The use of Epimedium as a medicinal herb dates back to at least 400 A.D. Due to its qi-boosting and spirit quieting effects, the dried herb is traditionally used to relieve stress and fatigue. Chinese folk healers were reported to use Epimedium decocted with squid and red wine as a treatment for bodily fatigue and lack of strength due to overtaxation. It is believed to remedy fatigue and absent-mindedness. Additionally, Epimedium leaf extracts have long been used as an aphrodisiac, and the herb is a common ingredient in the alcoholic "Spring Wine". (1)(2)(3)

Plant Description

Epimedium is a small ground bearing shrub with broad heart shaped leaves that resemble ground ivy. Native to China, many Epimedium species are now grown as an ornamental herb in Asia and the Mediterranean region. There are evergreen and deciduous kinds (the latter have rich green leaves in summer which turn copper and gold before falling). The flowers vary between species from white to yellow and red. (8)

References

(1) Horny Goat Weed: More Than Just a Name by Chris Kilham, Discovery Health.
(2) Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium), Supplement Watch.
(3) Xian Ling Pi, Shen Nong herbal glossary
(4) Epimedium , Wikipedia article
(5) NL-E75-0-REF , Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
(6) Xian ling pi, Yin yang huo , Edited by Joe Hing Kwok Chu, Complementary and Alternative Healing University.
(7) Systematic studies on quality of main species of Herba epimedii. Pei LK, Huang WH, He TG, Guo BL. Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College.
(8) Barrenwort, Epimedium, BBC Gardening.

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