Medicine Traditions
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Spinacia, Spinach

Spinachia, Lapathum hortense
Ispanaj (Arabic)
Palak (Unani)
Paluk, Chular (Ayurveda)
Bo Cai (TCM)

Picture
Picture
Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491
De Grote Herbari, Berntss, 1538

Picture
Eicones plantarum seu stirpium, Jacobus Theodorus, 1590

Picture
Fuchs, L., New Kreüterbuch (1543)


Botanical name:
Spinacia oleracea

Parts used:
Herb; juice; occasionally the root and seed

Temperature & Taste:
Cool, moist when fresh. Sweet, slightly Bitter

Uses:
1. Clears Liver Heat:
-use as a Spring Tonic
-Liver and Stomach disharmony associated with Heat; Gastritis, Colitis
-Biliousness, Jaundice, Cholecystitis
-acute Heat and Toxin, Fever, Abscess, Mastitis
-seeds are likewise used and are cooling and laxative, and have been given in Jaundice

2. Clears Heat, Stops Cough:
-Cough from Lung heat
-Inflammations of the Lungs

3. Clears Damp-Heat, Promotes Urine:
-irritation of the Urinary tract, urgency
-Urinary Calculi (not from Oxalates)

4. Benefits the Blood and Liver:
-rich in nutrients, it nourishes Liver Blood
-juice has been claimed to improve complexion
-used for Fatigue and useful in Convalescence
-regarded as stimulating growth in Children when failing to thrive
-when cooked, it is gently laxative and emollient, and nutritious, and was therefore recommended for the elderly.

5. Externally:
-applied to cool heat of the Stomach and Liver
-juice is used as a gargle for Sore Throat


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DOSE:
Usually eaten as a vegetable boiled or steamed, traditionally with butter, vinegar and lemon juice.
In medicine, the Juice is often used, after being clarified by gently heating, removing the scum and separating from the sediment.

SUBSTITUTE:
1. Endive
2. Chicory
3. Dandelion
4. Chickweed
5. Goosefoot (Chenopodium)

Main Combinations:
1. Heat disease, Abscess, Mastitis, with decoct with Barley (Avicenna)
2. To cool and moisten the Stomach and Liver, and for Inflammations, it was often combined with Lettuce, Endive, Chicory, Purslane etc.


Cautions:
Generally Safe
1. Not recommended in those with Cold and weak digestion.
2. Contains high levels of oxalic acid so use with caution in those sensitive to oxalates such as those with Gout.

Main Preparations used:

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  • Home
  • About
  • Resources
    • Brief Overview of Traditional Medicine
    • Timeline
    • Authors and Sources
    • Glossaries
    • Articles on Traditional Medicine
    • Photos
    • Medicine Pictures
    • Substitute Medicines
  • Theory
  • Materia Medica
    • Ayurvedic Materia Medica
    • Chinese Materia Medica
    • Tibetan Materia Medica
    • Unani Materia Medica
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine FREE
    • Materia Medica of Herbal Medicine PRO >
      • *Symphytum, Comfrey
    • Animal Materia Medica
    • Mineral Materia Medica
    • Chinese Classification
    • Western Classification
    • Humoral Medicine
    • Herbal Combinations
  • Formulas
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    • Treatment of Specific Conditions
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