Sempervium, Sedum, Houseleek

Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485

Sempervivum majus
Della Materia Medicinale Andrea Valuassori, 1562

Lesser and Middle Houseleek
Dioscorides Materia Medica, Ruellio 1549

Wall or Lesser Stonecrop (Sedum acre)
Medical Botany, Woodville, Vol III, 1810

Sempervivum tectorum
Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1806

Sempervivum tectorum
(Photo by Consultaplantas) (Wikimedia)

Uses:

1. Clears Heat and Fire:

-chiefly used in Choleric (Bilious) and Malignant Fevers, to quench Thirst and allay Heat
-Bock (Krauterbuch, 1565) said it should only be used internally in the most extreme Fevers
-“the Juice or distilled Water o( Houseleek. is very good in any Inflammations of the Body whatsoever, but especially in the Frenzy”. (The Compleat Herbal, Tournefort, 1719)

2. Clears Heat and Poison, Resolves Masses:

-Swellings, Tumors, Cancer

3. Externally:

-in gargles for sore Throat, Tonsillitis, severe inflammations of the Mouth and Throat
-loose teeth and Scurvy of the Gums
-inflammations and ulcers of the eye
-discharge of the ears
-pain in liver and kidney inflammation
-all hot inflammations and swellings
-Warts or Corns are continually moistened with the leaf, then the leaf skin is applied which will take the away. (Tournefort, 1719)
-Tumors and Cancer, including Breast Cancer
-limb pain from heat and inflammation, Gout
-topically to Burns
-corroding Ulcers
-juice is applied to Freckles and skin spots

Main Combinations:

1. Chronic Internal Bleeding:
i. Houseleek, Shepherd’s Purse, Plantain
ii. Houseleek with Horsetail, Gentian, Calamus (Hüttner)
2. Cancer: “the famous empirical Antii-Cancerous Nostrum of Count Mattaei is said to have consisted of Sedum acre (Betony stone-crop), the Sempervivium tectorum (House Leek), Sedun telephium (Livelong), the Matricaria (Feverfew), and Nasturtium Sisymbrium (Watercress)”. (Herbal Simples, Fernie, 1897)

Externally:

3. Hot inflammatory tumors and swellings, Houseleek with Purslane, Nightshade, Rose and Willow leaf, topically.
4. Heat and Inflammation of the eye:
i. Houseleek with Plantain, applied topically
ii. Houseleek, Rose water, Egg White
5. Plaster for Breast Tumors and Cancer:
i. Houseleek juice, Nightshade juice, egg white and oil of Rose, equal parts
ii. Fenugreek, Barley meal, Mallow, Greater and Lesser Houseleek, Black Nightshade, Oil of Roses (Wirtzung)
4. Ulcers of the Uterus or Urethra, Houseleek juice (4 oz.), Litharge (1 oz.), Egg Yolks (2), beat together, for topical application. (from a Parisian Surgeon, out of Tournefort)
5. Tonsillitis:
i. Gargle the distilled water of Houseleek
ii. Severe Tonsillitis: “For a desperate Quinsy take the following Gargarism: Take of the fresh Leaves of Houseleek four Pounds, of Sal ammoniac an Ounce and a half, bruise them and put them into a Cucurbite of Glass in a subterraneous Vault, till the Salt melts; distill them in an Alembic till they are dry; the Distillation is to be repeated, or at least an Infusion on Ashes; and make a Gargle of this when it is requisite”.  (The Compleat Herbal, Tournefort, 1719)