Ligusticum
| Ligusticum | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Ligusticum mutellinoides | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Tribe: | Selineae |
| Genus: | Ligusticum L. |
| Species | |
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See text |
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Ligusticum is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae, native to cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Its name is believed to derive from the Italian region of Liguria.[1]
They are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Mouse Moth which has been recorded on L. scoticum.
[edit] Species
- Ligusticum ajanense
- Ligusticum apiifolium - Celeryleaf Licorice-root
- Ligusticum brachylobum
- Ligusticum calderi - Calder's Licorice-root
- Ligusticum californicum - California Licorice-root
- Ligusticum canadense - Canadian Licorice-root
- Ligusticum canbyi - Canby's Licorice-root
- Ligusticum filicinum - Fernleaf Licorice-root
- Ligusticum gingidium
- Ligusticum grayi - Gray's Licorice-root
- Ligusticum holopetalum
- Ligusticum hultenii
- Ligusticum huteri
- Ligusticum ibukicola
- Ligusticum jeholense
- Ligusticum monnieri
- Ligusticum mutellina - Alpine Lovage
- Ligusticum mutellinoides - Small Alpine Lovage
- Ligusticum porteri - Osha or Porter's Licorice-root
- Ligusticum scoticum - Scots Lovage
- Ligusticum sinense - Gaoben 藁本
- Ligusticum tenuifolium - Idaho Licorice-root
- Ligusticum vaginatum
- Ligusticum verticillatum - Northern Licorice-root
- Ligusticum wallichii - Chuānxiōng
[edit] Uses
The roots of two species are used as medicinal herbs. L. wallichii is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in Chinese herbology, where it is called chuānxiōng (川芎); in English, Szechwan Lovage.[2] L. porteri (Osha) is used in Western herbal medicine. Chinese Ligusticum root contains alkaloids that have been shown in studies to inhibit TNF-alpha production and TNF-alpha-mediated NF-kappaB activation.[3] One study conducted in Japan showed that active compounds found in Ligustici Sinensis have both anti-inflammatory and pain reducing effects, exerting its anti-inflammatory benefits in the early and the late stages of processes in the inflammatory pathology.[4]
Both Ligusticum sinense and L. jeholens Essntial Oils contain natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents. [5]
Ligusticum wallichii (Ligusticum) root or L. porteri (Osha) root can be soaked in ethanol (whisky, vodka, etc.) for at least a month. The resulting tincture is an effective, though pungent, liniment for sore muscles that can be stored (in a cool place) indefinitely.
[edit] References
- ^ Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
- ^ Page about use in Chinese medicine
- ^ Prieto JM, Recio MC, Giner RM, Máñez S, Giner-Larza EM, Ríos JL (2003). "Influence of traditional Chinese anti-inflammatory medicinal plants on leukocyte and platelet functions" (in English). J Pharm Pharmacol 9 (55): 1275-82. http://www.nutritionreview.org/library/arthritissupport.php. Retrieved 2012-1-05.
- ^ Jim English (2010). "Traditional Chinese Herbs for Arthritis" (in English). Nutrition Review 5 (2). http://www.nutritionreview.org/library/arthritissupport.php. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ Jihua Wang 1 , Liang Xu , Ling Yang , Zhilong Liu and Ligang Zhou "Composition, Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils from Ligusticum sinense and L. jeholense (Umbelliferae) from China" Rec. Nat. Prod. 5:4 (2011) 314-318 http://acgpubs.org/RNP/2011/Volume%205/Issue%201/41-RNP-1008-293.pdf
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