Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Skullcap The Safety Factor
There are no reports of toxicity from skullcap infusions, but large amounts of the tincture can cause confusion, giddiness, twitching, and possibly convulsions.
The FDA lists skullcap as an herb of “undefined safety.” For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, skullcap is considered relatively safe in amounts typically recommended.
Skullcap should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If skullcap causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
Sedatives from the Garden
Many skullcap species grow in Europe, but the American herb is the one used in herbal Healing. It’s sometimes called Virginia skullcap, but it grows all over the United States and southern Canada.
Skullcap is a slender, 2-foot, branching, square-stemmed perennial with opposite, serrated leaves. The flowers have two lips. The upper lip includes an elongated caplike appendage, which is the source of most of the herb’s popular names.
Skullcap may be propagated by seeds or root divisions planted in early spring. Thin seedlings to 6-inch spacing. Skullcap grows in any well-drained soil under full sun and requires little care. Although it is a perennial, skullcap rarely lives longer than three years.
Harvest the leaves in midsummer.