Herbs & Herbal Remedies @ Green Papaya

Angelica has never been shown to stimulate uterine contractions, but given its traditional use to induce menstruation and abortions, pregnant women should not use medicinal amounts.

Angelica contains chemicals known as psoralens. When exposed to sunlight. people who have ingested psora lens often develop a rash (photosensitivity).

Psoralens also may promote tumor growth, leading the authors of a report in the journal Science to advise against taking angelica internally. On the other hand, a recent animal study showed another angelica constituent (alpha-angelica lactone) has an anti-cancer effect. Angelica’s role in human cancer, if any, remains unclear. However, people with a history of cancer should probably not use it until this question has been resolved.

Pretty Poison

Fresh angelica roots are poisonous. Drying eliminates the hazard. Herb gardeners should be sure to dry angelica roots thoroughly before using them.

Finally, unless you are a confident field botanist, do not collect angelica in the wild. It’s easy to confuse with water hemlock (Cicuta maculata), an extremely poisonous plant.

Other Cautions

The Food and Drug Administration includes angelica in its list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy nonpregnant, nonnursing adults who have no history of cancer, heart attack, or photosensitivity, angelica is considered relatively safe in amounts typically recommended. Angelica should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If angelica causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, take less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Native Cultivation - Harvest and Have a Feast Day

Angelica often blooms around May 8, the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel, which is the source of this herb’s Latin name, archangelica.

Angelica grows to 8 feet and resembles celery, hence its common name, wild celery. It’s a biennial that dies after producing seeds. It grows from seeds or root divisions. Seed viability is relatively brief, only about six months, but refrigeration extends it up to a year. Germination may take a month. Sow angelica in the fall or spring lh inch deep in well prepared beds. Allow plants 2 feet in all directions.

Angelica thrives in rich, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. It prefers partial shade. Leaves may be harvested in the fall of the first year, roots during the spring or fall of the second year.

Angelica is not usually considered a culinary herb, but fresh leaves provide a zesty accent to soups and salads. It has a fragrant aroma and a warm, vaguely sweet taste reminiscent of juniper, followed by a bitter aftertaste. Steamed stems may be eaten with butter, and chopped stems add flavor to roast pork.

Contrary to legend; angelica does not deliver humanity from epidemic disease. In fact, most of this herb’s traditional uses have not stood up to scientific scrutiny. Contemporary herbalists generally recommend angelica mostly for digestive problems and to help clear mucus, uses that may have some validity.

Respiratory Ailments - The Doctrine of Signatures scores one. German researchers have discovered that angelica relaxes the windpipe, suggesting that it may have some value in treating colds, flu, bronchitis, and asthma, after all.

Digestive Aid - The same German investigators found that angelica also relaxes the intestines, lending some credence to its traditional use in treating digestive complaints

Arthritis - Japanese researchers have reported that the herb has anti-inflammatory effects, meaning there may be something to angelica’s traditional Asian use as an arthritis treatment.

Intriguing Possibilities - Preliminary research reports from China suggest angelica increases red blood cell counts. This means the herb may someday prove beneficial in treating anemia. Chinese researchers also report angelica increases the ability of blood to clot. If they’re correct, that’s good news for people with clotting impairment. It also means that anyone at risk for heart disease should avoid this herb. Increased blood clotting can lead to decreased blood flow to the heart and in some cases might trigger a heart attack.

The Chinese have also found that angelica improves liver function in people suffering from cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis. Their research is preliminary, however. No specific recommendations can be made at this time about using angelica for liver problems.

Rx for Angelica

Angelica reportedly gives relief from colds, flu, and bronchitis. It is sometimes used as a digestive aid or for arthritis relief. There are a variety of ways to prepare this herb, depending on your personal preference.

For an infusion, use 1 teaspoon of powdered seeds or leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 20 minutes.

For a decoction, use 1 teaspoon of powdered roots per cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes. Drink up to 2 cups a day Angelica decoctions taste bitter.

In a tincture, use ½ to 1 teaspoon up to twice a day. When using commercial extracts, follow package directions.

Angelica should not be given to children under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.

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.