HERBS AND HERBALISM
Two Folk Medicinals
by Dan Salzler

ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM
  As a medicinal herb that has a history from the time of Dioscorides,
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) has maintained its place in the herb
garden and in the home.
  Wormwood has been used for centuries as a major ingredient of aperitifs
and herb wines. Absinthe (not legal in the United States) and vermouth
obtain their names from this plant via 18th century French variations of
the German word Wermut.
  Wormwood contains at least one substance which can be very dangerous to
the consumer if taken in excess. Santonin, a constituent of the herb, is a
hallucinogen, which, when taken in combination with alcoholic drinks, is
very dangerous.
  A perennial herb, artemisia grows to a height of two to four feet. Its
stem and leaves are covered in thick, downy hair, giving the plant a
silvery appearance. In late summer it produces small, very aromatic flowers
with grayish bracts.
  The plant prefers a well-drained, neutral pH soil in full sun to light
shade. It may be propagated by seeds, which are very slow to geminate, by
summer growth cuttings, or by root divisions taken in the early spring.
  The medicinal portions of the plant are the flower tops and the leaves.
Uses include applications of the herb as an anthelmintic (expels worms),
antiseptic, stomachic, and antipyretic (prevents or reduces fevers). Its
oil, applied topically is said to serve as a local anesthetic against the
pain of bites, stings, rheumatism and arthritis. Wormwood is in a variety
of liniments and those popular beverages (taken for medicinal reasons
only!) vermouth and absinthe
  Wormwood, also known as Old Man Wormwood, is a handsome addition to any
garden. If you grow it for no other reason, grow it for its property as an
insect repellant.
  Constituents of wormwood include: bitter and volatile oils which
stimulate secretions and promote appetite; a glucoside; resins and starch.
Absinthin is water soluble component that will wash off the plant leaves
and into the soil, inhibiting growth of certain other plants nearby.
  Artemisia absinthium brings richness and history to the garden. Its
beauty can only be surpassed, perhaps, by some of the artemisias. It
deserves a special place in the garden for all who visit to enjoy.

CAPSICUM ANNUUM
  Cayenne (Capsicum annuum), also known as red pepper, hot pepper and Chili
pepper, is an perennial herb reputed to have several medicinal uses in
addition to its culinary ones.
  Appropriately, the word cayenne is derived from the Greek word meaning
"to bite." It is a member of the pepper family and is native to Africa and
India, where it grows as a perennial. It is not known how long cayenne has
been cultivated in the west, but early writings reveal that the English
were cultivating it as early as the 16th century. Today, the majority of
cayenne that is consumed in culinary and medicinal forms comes from Mexico
and South America.
  The plant, when grown outside its tropical habitat, is considered an
annual and will usually grow to a height of two to three feet. The plants
must be started from seed, indoors or in a greenhouse long before setting
out. Cayenne likes lots of intense light, warm temperatures, and moist
soil.
  The leaves are lanceolate to ovate, entire, and petioled. The drooping
yellow to white flowers produce a long, skinny red fruit that is valued as
a food and as a medicinal. The fruit ripens in late fall and contains seeds
that are very hot to the taste.
  When harvesting the pepper and working with the fruit for culinary or
medicinal purposes, be sure to keep hands and fingers away from sensitive
parts of the body (like your eyes!) as the oils of cayenne can be
irritating to the skin and other tissues.
  There are various historic medicinal uses for cayenne. The English
combined it and slippery elm in equal parts for use in a beverage taken
for constipation. This mixture did not function as a laxative, but served
to strengthen the intestinal function. It has also been dissolved in warm
water and used as a gargle for sore throats. Cayenne peppers rubbed on
pulled or sore muscles served as a liniment, and cayenne powder sprinkled
in shoes kept the feet warm in winter. Cayenne was said to strengthen the
kidneys and, when used in combination with garlic, it was suggested that it
would heal ulcers and lower blood pressure.
  Cayenne contains capsicin, capsaicin, alkaloids, vitamin C, and palmitic
acid.
  Used medicinally as an aid to digestion or as a culinary condiment,
cayenne has qualities worth leaving a place for it in the herb garden year
after year.
----- Reprinted from the Cattaraugus County Independent with permission of
the author. Dan Salzler owns Herb Hollow Farm, Safford Road, East Otto, NY.
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- C L I N T O N I A -
Magazine of the Niagara Frontier Botanical Society
An Affiliate of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences
Vol. 5, Issue 6, November 8, 1990
Electronic Edition: January 15, 1991
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Niagara Frontier Botanical Society, Inc.
Buffalo Museum of Science
1020 Humboldt Parkway
Buffalo, NY 14211



