Herbs & Herbal Remedies @ Green Papaya

An Angel of an Herb

Family: Umbelliferae (includes carrot, parsley)

Genus and species: Angelica . archangelica (European); A. atropurpurea (American); A. Sinensis (Chinese)

Also known as: Wild celery, Masterwort; in China, Dang-gui, Dang-qui

Parts used: Roots, leaves, seeds

Although angelica has been used in magic and medicine for several thousand years, some scientists have dismissed this herb as medically worthless. They may have been too quick to condemn it, however. Recent research reveals several intriguing benefits and even supports a few of the traditional uses for this long-respected herb.

A Mystical Past

European angelica has been viewed as a magical herb for more than 1,000 years. European peasants made angelica leaf necklaces to protect their children from illness and witchcraft. Angelica was reputed to be the only herb witches never used, and its presence in a woman’s garden or cupboard was once used as a defense against charges of witchcraft.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the juice from crushed angelica roots was combined with other herbs to make “Carmelite water,” a medieval drink said to cure headache, promote relaxation and long life, and protect against poisons and witches’ spells.

In 1665, Europe was decimated by bubonic plague. Legend has it that a monk dreamed he met an angel who showed him an herb that could cure the scourge. The herb was angelica, and the monk so named it in honor of the angel in his dream. The name stuck, and angelica water was incorporated into the official English plague remedy, “The King’s Excellent Plague Recipe,” developed by the Royal College of Physicians in London. History provides no clear verdict on the effectiveness of the “Excellent Recipe,” but perhaps the old monk’s dream was prophetic. Bubonic plague is a bacterial disease, and modern science has discovered that certain substances isolated from angelica have some antibacterial action.

Ancient Healing Tonic

In Asia, where Chinese angelica (dang-qui) has been used since the dawn of history, the herb was once considered the tonic for all gynecological problems. Traditional Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic physicians still prescribe it for menstrual problems, arthritis, abdominal pain, and colds and flu.

During the 17th century, angelica became a popular treatment for colds and other respiratory ailments. Its stems are hollow and allow air to pass through them. Under the Doctrine of Signatures-the medieval belief that an herb’s physical appearance reveals its healing benefits - hollow stemmed plants were considered beneficial for respiratory problems.

When European colonists arrived in North America, they found many Indian tribes using American angelica the same way their own healers used the European species-to treat respiratory ailments, particularly tuberculosis.

Eventually the colonists began using large doses to induce abortion.

The 19th-century American Eclectic physicians recommended angelica for heartburn, indigestion, bronchitis, malaria, and typhoid.