Eryngium, Sea Holly
Eryngo, Sea Holme, Carduus onarinus
Shaukah al-Yahud, Qirsana (Unani)
Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485
Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491
New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563
Left: E. campestre. Right: E. planum
Flora von Deutschland (4), Kohler, 1884
Botanical name:
Eryngium spp.
Although E. maritimum is the principle species, several species are used:
1. E,. maritimum (Sea Eryngo or Sea Holly)
2. E. campestre (Common Eryngo)
3. E. planum
Parts used:
Root
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, moist. Sweet
“temperately Hot, and moderately Dry”. (Schroder)
Classifications:
2M. DRAWING. 2S. STRENGTHENING
3C. ALEXIPHARMIC. 3I. APHRODISIAC. 3J. INCREASE SEMEN
4h. NEPHRITIC. 4j. NERVINE
Uses:
1. Benefits the Kidneys, Promotes Urine:
-Edema or frequent Urination from Kidney weakness
-Urinary retention
-Strangury, Cystitis, Prostatitis
-Impotence, Infertility, used as an Aphrodisiac (especially Candied Root)
-Gravel, Stones
-“The continued use of the Decoction, taken fasting fifteen Days successively, and going to bed, cures the Strangury, pissing by Drops, the stoppage of Urine and the Stone”. (Tournefort, 1730)
-“The Eryngium exerts a specific influence upon the bladder and urethra, relieving irritation. It is one of the most certain remedies that can be employed in dysuria from irritation, and in spasmodic stricture; continued, it proves curative in these cases”. (Scudder, Specific Medicine, 1870)
-“Uneasiness in the bladder, frequent desire to urinate and painful micturition; pain in the bladder extending to the loins”. (Thomas, The Eclectic Practice of Medicine, 1907);
2. Clears Heat, Nourishes the Yin, strengthens the Bones:
-Lumbar pain (Matthiolus); weakness and pain pf the lower back and legs from Kidney deficiency
-lower back weakness; weakness of the bones and joints, chronic Arthritis or Rheumatism
-Yin-deficient Heat; consumption, wasting, damage to fluid from Heat or Fever
–Hoffman claimed the leaves gave noticeable improvement in Consumption
3. Nourishes Yin, Settles Wind, Stops Spasm:
-Spasms, Epilepsy (Matthiolus)
-Fright, Insomnia
-“it is commended in the Falling Sickness, Spasms, Cramps,. Sciatica” … “provided the Indisposition has not taken deep root”. (Tournefort, 1730)
4. Clears Damp, Opens Obstructions:
-opens obstructions of the Liver and Spleen (Matthiolus)
-Hepatic; opens Liver, Gall Bladder and Spleen;
-Jaundice
-“any sort [of] Tumour”. (Tournefort, 1730)
5. Benefits the Uterus, Promotes Menstruation:
-promotes Menstruation (Matthiolus)
-obstructed, delayed or irregular Menstruation
-Infertility
-strengthens in Pregnancy; used for Threatened Miscarriage
-prepares the Uterus for birth and for failure to progress during Labor
-“Rondelitius said,, it promotes Conception, in cold Wombs”. (Tournefort, 1730)
-“believed to be the best medicine for hysteric Passions”. (Sloane)
-“it has a contrary effect as to the Menstrua; for if they flow too much, by reason of Crudities, it slops them; and if they are obstruded by reason of gross and thick Phlegm, collected in those parts, it makes them flow regularly”. (Tournefort, 1730)
6. Clears Heat, Resists Poison:
-Venomous Bites
-Quartan Fever (Matthiolus)
-Poison
-whole herb has been used as a Blood purifier
7. Externally:
-swellings in the Throat, Scrofula
-applied as an ointment to Fractures
-applied to stings, and bites of any Snake for which it is applied and taken internally.
-A poultice or cataplasm applied to the belly to prevent Abortion.
-The juice is dropped in the ears for abscesses of them.
-The powdered root applied as a poultice aids tissue regeneration
Preserved Root:
The Preserved or Candied Root (prepared with Sugar or Honey) is used as a Cordial, Alexipharmic, and is a better tonic and strengthening medicine. See below for method of preparation and uses.
Dose:
1. The Dried (unprepared) and Preserved Root can be used in similar doses. However, some gave the prepared root in doses 50–100% greater than the dried root due to the increase in weight of the prepared root.
2. The unprepared root or whole plant fresh is best against Poison, and to open Obstructions and promote Urine. The prepared (confected) root is a better tonic, better for weakness, old age, Impotence and to promote Sperm and Sexual desire.
3. The best way of using it for these purposes is to make an Emulsion of the fresh Root just dug up”. (Tournefort, 1730)
Decoction: 3–6 grams, up to 9 grams
Powdered Root: 1–3 grams
Tincture (1:4 in 60% alcohol): 4–8 mls.
Fluid Extract (1:1 in 25% alcohol): 2–4, or 5mls.
Preparation
The confected root (sugar or honey prepared) is more tonifying, strengthens the Kidneys, augments Sperm and works as an aphrodisiac.
Main Combinations:
Opening Roots
Sea Holly is one of the Opening Roots.
1. Hectic Fever, beginning of Consumption, Sea Holly root with Comfrey
2. Consumption, decoct Sea Holly root with Snails
3. To prevent Miscarriage, Sea Holly root with Date, Sweet Almond, Nutmeg
4. To promote Urine:
i. Sea Holly root, Winter Cherry
ii. Sea Holly root, Couch Grass, boiled with a Mutton neck. (Materia medica, Tournefort, 1716)
iii. Sea Holly root, Juniper berry, Fennel seed
5. Urinary Stones and Strangury:
i. “A certain Person, say Aetius, who had been long assaulted with the Stone, was never any more troubled with it after constantly using the Root”. (Tournefort, 1730)
ii. decoct Sea Holly root with Pomegranate rind
6. Cold diseases of the Nerves, Sea Holly root with Pine nut, Acorus root, Long Pepper, Clove, Ginger, Nutmeg, Galangal (as in Wonderful Confection for Cold Nerve Diseases)
7. Kidney weakness, and to promote Sperm and Sexual desire:
i. prepared Sea Holly root with Cinnamon. (Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485)
ii. prepared Sea Holly root with Orchis, Parsnip root, Sea Holly, Pine nut, Pistachio, Clove, Ginger, Aniseed, Rocket, Ash tree keys, Cinnamon, Skink (as in Electuary of Orchid (Diasatyrion) of Nicholas)
8. Against Poison, including Snake Bite and Aconite poisoning:
i. Sea Holly root in powder (1 dram) taken with decoction of Wild Carrot seed
ii. Sea Holly root taken with Decoction of Frogs (Apollodorus)
iii. Sea Holly root taken with Goose broth (Heracledes)
9. Abscess of the Eye (stye), Sea Holly leaf, Plantain leaf, decocted in water and vinegar.
Major Formulas:
Powder for Epilepsy (De Medicis Pulveribus)
Electuary of Orchid (Diasatyrion) (Nicholas)
Antidote for Cold Lumbar, for Venery, and Defect of Semen (Nicholas)
Wonderful Confection for Cold Nerve Diseases
Cautions:
Generally Safe.
Some related species have been said to be abortifacient, yet Sea Holly has been used to prevent miscarriage. It should be used cautiously in Pregnancy and full doses should be avoided. In addition, it is only suitable for Threatened Miscarriage with deficiency, not Heat.
Main Preparations used:
Candied or Preserved root
1. Candied or Preserved Root
First method:
Refined Sugar 1 lb.
Egg White 1
Water 1 pint
Boil together, removing the scum as it rises, and form a Strong Syrup; when cool, add the following, having infused them together overnight previously:
Rose water 1 saucer full
Cinnamon water 1 spoonful
Musk 1 grain
After being infused, strain them, and add to the Syrup. The roots are prepared as follows: pick and wash them, and boil in water for 4 hours until soft; peel them and remove the pith, slicing the roots in half if necessary to do this. The roots are then placed in the Syrup for 24 hours, then heat them in the Syrup without boiling for about an hour. When this is done, the roots are removed and placed on paper with sugar sprinkled on, and dried in a mild oven, or by a fire. This method of ‘Conditing’ or preserving may be used for other roots; ‘there is not any that can prescribe you a better way.
Second method:
Take a quantity of Eryngo roots and clean them, removing the pith; steep for a day in Pure Water, stirring it occasionally, then dry them with a cloth. Form a Syrup with an equal weight of White Sugar, and a sufficient amount of Rose Water. When almost boiling, add the roots, and boil till the excess water is consumed. (Salmon)
Third method:
USES:
“Boil the roots till the rind will easily peel off: when peeled, slit them through the middle and the pith being taken out, wash them 3 or 4 times in cold water. Then take for every pound of roots so prepared 2 pounds of Double Refined Sugar; dissolve the Sugar in water, set it over the fire, and as soon as it begins to boil, put in the roots, and continue the boiling till they become soft”. (From the Dispensatory of the Royal College of Physicians)
“The roots condited or preserved with sugar as hereafter followeth, are exceeding good to be given to old and aged people that are consumed and withered with age, and which want natural moisture: they are also good for other sorts of people, nourishing and restoring the aged, and amending the defects of nature in youth”. (Gerard)
“The effect of this Root Candied with Sugar, cannot be enough praised far its Virtue in stimulating the Seminal. Vessels, and provoking to Venery, by increasing the genital Spirits, generating Seed, and railing the languishing and flagging parts for the functions of Love and Pleasure”. (Hoffman)
It “helps those that are withered with old age; restore the Natural moisture [Yin], and provoke Venery“. (Salmon)
“Good against the Plague and Contagion of the Air, taken in the Morning on a fasting Stomach; and are very good for meager and consumptive People. They are likewise good for the Venereal Disease”. (Tournefort, 1730)
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–Pliny mentioned the legend of Phaon, the boatman of Lesbos who won Sappho’s love when he found an Eryngo root shaped like a penis; thus possibly the start of Sea Holly’s aphrodisiac reputation. The Arabs have also used a local variety for impotence.
-“They report of the Sea Holly, if one Goat taketh it into her mouth, it causeth her first to stand still and afterwards the whole flock, until such time as the shepherd take it forth of her mouth”. (Gerard)
-“For if any carry its root, he shall not at any time suffer the treachery of Devils … And if any one have an Aereal Spirit [is possessed], put one of these roots under his clothes, and he will confess to you who he is, and will fly from the Man, a stranger to him”. (Magic of Kirani)
-It enjoyed a wide and popular usage in Europe for well over 250 years.
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