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Betonica, Betony

Chiron, Serratula
Ortus Sanitatis, Cube, Johann von, 1501

Dioscorides Materia Medica, Ruellio, 1549
Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599
Medical Botany, Woodville, 1810

Botanical name:
Betonica officinalis (syn. Stachys betonica, S. officinalis)
It appears that local varieties were also used synonymously

Parts used:
Herb; flower

Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Bitter, pungent
discusses, attenuates, opens, cleanses

Classification:
2G. CLEANSING.   2T. GLUTINATE
3C. ALEXIPHARMIC.   3E. DIURETIC.   3G. EMMENAGOGUE.   3M. ARTHRITIC.   3O. EMETIC   3P. MASTICATORIES & STERNUTATORIES
4a. CEPHALIC.   4b. OPTHALMIC.   4f. SPLENETIC.   4g. HEPATIC.   4h. NEPHRITIC.   4i. UTERINE

Uses:
1. Clears Wind-Cold, Resists Poison:
-preserves from Epidemic diseases
-Cold, Flu, all types of Fever
-acute aches and body pains, acute Headache from Wind-Cold
-Venomous Bites, Rabid Dog bites and 'Deadly Poisons' (3 drams with wine, Dioscorides)
-taken before a Deadly Poison, Dioscorides said there would be no harm

2. Clears Wind, Calms the Mind and Nerves:
-Cephalic; ‘chiefly for Head diseases’.
-Headaches (specific), Vertigo, Migraine, and Neuralgia of the Head and Face, Paralysis, Numbness, Dizziness, Spasms, Convulsions
-Nervousness, Stress, Anxiety (especially with indigestion), Insomnia, Dream-disturbed Sleep
-Madness and insanity (since Dioscorides)
-also to benefit Sight
-traditionally against 'Love Spells'

3. Moves Qi, Opens Obstructions:
-distention over the Liver or Spleen; Liver congestion; Sclerosis (with Water for Liver obstruction, with Oxymel for Spleen obstruction)
-Jaundice, Hepatitis
-Indigestion, Heartburn (chew and swallow)
-Hernia (Dioscorides)
-taken before alcohol to avoid drunkenness

4. Moves the Qi and Blood, promotes Menstruation:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea, Menstrual cramps; delayed or difficult Menstruation
-Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) (Chevallier)
-'Betony, in doses of one drachma to three cyathi of wine, is taken for various affections of the uterus, as also directly after childbirth' (Pliny)
-promotes Labor, reduces Labor pain (taken in doses of 2 drams, Salerno)
-internally and externally for Trauma and Bruising (3 drams in wine)
-Palpitations
-noted by Pliny to clear pale and ashen complexion and clear the skin.

5. Clears Wind-Damp, promotes Urine:
-difficulty or painful Urination, Cystitis
-Kidney or Bladder pain (since Dioscorides)
-Urinary stones
-Rheumatism, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sciatica (since Dioscorides)

6. Clears Phlegm, Stops Cough:
-Cough, Wheezing, Asthma, Bronchitis, Tuberculosis
-coughing of foul sputum (powder taken with Honey or Hydromel)

7. Stops Bleeding:
-bleeding of the Lungs, Stomach, Bladder, Bowels, Uterus
-Spitting Blood (Dioscorides)
-taken with Wine for heavy menstruation (Hildegard)

8. Promotes Vomiting:
-1 dram of the root with hydromel purges Phlegm by vomit (Dioscorides)

9. Externally:
-chronic Sores, Wounds, Ulcers (int. and ext.)
-applied to severed nerves
-draws thorns, splinters and bits of broken bone
-used as a snuff to promote Sneezing


Dose:
Infusion: 2–4 grams (1 teaspoonful)
Brief Decoction: 3–9 grams (per day)
Powder: 1–4 grams
Tincture (1:5 in 45%): 2–6mls
Fluid Extract: 2–4mls
Dioscorides gave doses of 1 dram to open the Liver and Spleen; 2 drams for Edema and Bladder pain; 4 drams to Purge the bowels.
From this we see 1 dram moves Qi, 2–3 drams eases pain and moves Blood (taken with wine), 4 drams purges.

Substitutes:
Burnet was said to be ‘Little inferior to Betony’ (Culpeper)

Main Combinations:
Betony & Vervain
Betony & Hyssop
Betony & Sage

ACUTE DISEASES:
1. Cold and Flu with Headache and Sinusitis:
i. Betony, Yarrow, Eyebright
ii. Betony, Peppermint, Elder flower, Eyebright
2. Rhinitis, Hayfever:
i. Betony with Yarrow and Eyebright
ii. Betony with Balm, Marjoram, Oregano, Nutmeg, Clove, Benzoin, Frankincense, Mastic (as in Powder for Catarrh)
3. Fever:
i. Betony Water, Plantain Water, Syrup of Sorrel (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
ii. Betony, Pennyroyal decocted in water (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
iii. Syrup of Betony, Oxymel, Fennel Water (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
4. Quartan Fever, Betony decocted in wine. (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
5. Tertian Fever, Betony, Plantain (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)

HEAD / WIND DISEASES:
6. Wind-Cold diseases of the Head; Vertigo, Headache, Sinusitis:
i. Betony with Marjoram, Thyme, Sage, Fennel seed, Aniseed, Peony root (as in Syrup of Betony)
ii. Betony with Stoechas, Sage, Peony, Raisins, Licorice, Aniseed, Nutmeg (as in Decoction to Warm the Head)
iii. Betony with Pennyroyal, Calamint, Citron peel, Marjoram, Stoechas, Clove (as in Powder to Warm the Head)
iv. Betony with Calamus, Red Coral, Calendula, Stoechas, Rosemary, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Fennel seed, Peony (as in Powder for Cold Diseases of the Head)
7. Headache:
i. Betony with Vervain, Horehound and Hyssop
ii. Betony with Vervain and Feverfew
iii. tension headaches, Betony with Vervain, Lavender and St. Johns wort
iv. Headache and Nerve disorders, Betony with Sage
v. Headache, Facial Neuralgia, Betony (1 oz.), Rosemary, English Scullcap (½ oz. each) infused in 2 pints of boiling water. (Hool)
8. Tinnitus and Menieres Disease, combine Betony with Shepherd's Purse, Rosemary, Mistletoe
9. To clear the Eyes and benefit the Sight:
i. 1 dram of Betony powder every morning improves the sight and clears floaters.
ii. Betony with Senna, Fennel seed, Eyebright, Vervain, Rosemary, Licorice, Mace (as in Powder to Cleanse the Sight)
iii. Betony with Eyebright, Rosemary, Elecampane, Fennel root, Chebulic Myrobalan, Rue seed, Lovage seed (as in Electuary to Strengthen the Sight)
10. Vertigo:
i. Betony with Juniper and Centaury (as in Powder of Juniper for Vertigo)
ii. Betony with Stoechas, Eyebright, Thyme, Marjoram, Rosemary, Lavender, Aniseed, Fennel seed, Peony root, Clove, Cinnamon, Aloeswood (as in Tincture for Vertigo)
11. To strengthen Memory, Betony with Sage, Balm, Peony, Basil seed, Zedoary, Cumin, Nutmeg, Licorice (as in Powder to Strengthen the Memory)
12. Apoplexy:
i. Betony decocted in wine
ii. Syrup of Betony made into a potion with Balm Water (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
13. Insomnia, Betony, Camomile, Balm
14. Poor Eyesight, Betony with Rue, Eyebright, Fennel seed
15. Toothache from Cold, Betony decocted in water and wine with Oregano, Camomile, Orris and Pyrethrum (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)

OTHER:
16. Asthma and Phthisis, conserve of Betony flowers (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
17. Benefit Digestion, conserve of Betony, as muchg as a Nazelnut, taken at supper (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
18. Acid regurgitation, take with of Betony (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
19. Colic, Betony decocted in wine. (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
20. Obstruction of the Spleen, Betony with Scolopendra and Fennel root (Arnold de Villa Nova)
21. Spitting Blood:
i. Betony decocted in wine
ii. Betony with Rue and Mint, boiled in Milk.
iii, decoct Betony in wine and take with Armenian (Red) Earth.
22. Edema:
i. Conserve of Betony, as much as a Hazel nut (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
ii. Betony with Butcher's Broom root (Arnold de Villa Nova)
23. Stones:
i. Betony water before bathing resists Stones (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
ii. Betony, Vervain, Yarrow (Pliny)
24. Arthritic diseases, Distilled Water, Wine decoction or Syrup of Betony are commended
25. To promote Menstruation:
i. Betony powder 1 dram taken with Betony (or other suitable) water
ii. Betony with Mugwort, Elecampane, Hyssop (as in Decoction to Promote Menstruation)

EXTERNALLY:
26. Plaster for Fractures (especially for Skull fractures), and foul Sores and Ulcers: Betony with Agrimony, Sage, Comfrey, Frankincense, Myrrh, made into a plaster with Rosin, Wax, Turpentine. (as in Betony Plaster)
27. Ointment for Back pain, Betony with Agrimony, Mugwort. (as in Ointment for Back Pain)
28. Head wounds, Betony with Myrrh and Saffron (Arnold de Villa Nova)
29. Toothache, decoct Betony in vinegar with Ground Ivy and Pyrethrum and use as a mouthwash (Arnold de Villa Nova)
30. Sneezing Powder: Betony, Sage, Marjoram, Orris (Memorial Pharmaceutique, 1824)

Major Formulas:
Betony Infusion Compound
Decoction to Warm the Head
Decoction to Promote Menstruation (Turner)
Syrup of Betony (Pharmacopoeia Augustana)
Syrup of Betony (Bononiense)
Water for Cancer
Special Confection for Scoliosis

Cautions:
Generally safe.

Main Preparations used:
Distilled Water of the Leaf or Flower, Conserve of the Flowers, a Simple or Compound Syrup, Salt of the Ashes

1. Conserve of the Flowers:
i. Betony flowers (1 part), White Sugar (2 parts).
  Used for Cramp, Palsy, Sciatica, Epilepsy, Madness. Also for spitting of Blood, pain of the Stomach, Kidney, Bladder, Liver or Spleen, and of all inward parts; it promotes Urine in Dropsy. Used against Agues, all venom and all inward sickness. It also promotes Menstruation. (Wirtzung, Salmon)

2. Distilled Water of Betony.
  Good for pains of the head, dropsy, and all sorts of fevers. Also promotes labour. Excellent against venomous bites. (Salmon)
  ‘In all Catarrhs and Defluctions, not only to prevent them, but to preserve the head from them, Water of Wild Betony is very useful, being distilled with Wine, and every day one spoonful taken as long as need is: It is thus made: Wild Betony when the flower is ripe, gathered in the decrease of the Moon, before Sunrise in the morning; cut them very small, and pour upon them rich White Wine, let it for some time in the Sun, after distill it by a Limbec in Balneo’. (Practical Chymistry, John Hartman, 1670)

3. Quiddonia of Betony:
  Juice of Betony, depurated  8 lbs.
  White Sugar                             1 lb.
Mix to form a Quiddonie, SA.
  A good Cephalic and Neurotic; very good for Headaches, Migraine, Vertigo, Epilepsy, Palsy, Lethargy, Convulsions and other like diseases coming from Coldness and moisture. It is also good for Gout and Dropsy. Taken 3 times a day for Coughs, Colds and Catarrhs, as well as Asthma, Hoarseness, Wheezing, Phthisis and similar Lung and Breast diseases. It dries up excess moisture falling into the Eyes, and is used to open obstructions of the Liver and Spleen, and is also good for Stitches, griping of the Bowels. It promotes Menstruation and causes a speedy and easy Delivery. Admirable against Spitting of Blood, and blood in the Urine.
Dose: 6 drams–1.5 oz. (Pharmacopoeia Bateana)
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Betony is an important and much used Herb. Almost no other herb has such a variety of indications in the old Herbals. Antonius Musa (62 BCE to 14 CE), physician to Emperor Augustus wrote a treatise on Betony listing 47 diseases it could treat. The Salerno Herbal lists 39 separate conditions and Herbarium of Apuleius (c. 1050), 29 disorders. Most of the indications given from Roman times continued up into at least the 17th century, many well after that. One hint to its variety of indications is in the doses given by Dioscorides. Whereas most herbs are generally listed in 1–2 dram doses, Betony has a range of doses of between 1–4 drams in Dioscorides, along with different vehicles (Water, Wine, Hydromel etc).

Uses of Betony from the Herbarium of Apuleius (c.1050):
  i. For monstrous nocturnal visitors and frightful sights and dreams.
  ii. If a mans Head be broken
  iii. For sore of Eyes
  iv. For sore of Ears
  v. For dimness of Eyes
  vi. For bleared Eyes
  vii. For strong blood-running from the Nose
  viii. For Toothache
  ix. For sore of Side
  x. For sore of the Broad of the Loins
  xi. For sore of Belly
  xii. In case a mans inwards be too costive
  xiii. In case blood gush up through a mans Mouth
  xiv. In case a man have a mind not to be drunken
  xv. In case a pustule (carbuncle) is going to settle on a man
  xvi. In case a man be inwardly Ruptured
  xvii. In case a man become Tired with much riding or walking
  xviii. In case a man be out of Health or feel Nausea
  xix. That a mans meat may easily Digest
  xx. In case a man cannot retain his meat
  xxi. For sore of Inwards, or if they be swollen
  xxii. For taking of Poison
  xxiii. For bite of Snake
  xxiv. Again, for bite of Snake
  xxv. For bite of Mad Dog
  xxvi. In case a mans Throat be sore or any part of his neck
  xxvii. For sore of Loins, and if a mans thigh ache
  xxviii. For the Hot Fever
  xxix. For Foot disease
(Herbarium of Apuleius c. 1050, taken out of Leechdoms, Wortcunning, and Starcraft of Early England, Rev. O. Cockayne, 1864)