Naming |
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|---|---|
| Botanical Name: | Silybum marianum, Carduus marianus |
| Common Names: | Holy Thistle, Marian Thistle, Marystistle, Milk-thistle, St, Mary's Thistle, Wild Artichoke; |
| Key Name: | Milk-thistle |
| Parts Used: | Powdered seed; fresh and lried leaves; Whole and dried flowering plant; Fresh root; fresh youngstems and shoots; freash recepticale. |
| Sister Plants: | |
| Comments: | |
Characteristics |
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| Identifying Character: | L Gaertn, COMPOSITAE; Annual or Biannual |
| Stem: | 30 -150 cm Tall Erect, prominently grooved, seldom branched. |
| Leaves: | Large, oblong, shiny, variegated and very spiny, sessile or clasping. |
| Flowers: | Violet-purple, Thistle-like to 5 cm lon, usually solitary and surrounded at the in a hemispherical capitula base by long spiny appendages. Late summer to early autum. |
| Fruit: | Blackish, specked, ovovoid achene wigh a long white papp |
| Taste: | |
| Odour: | |
| Root: | |
| Image: |
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Distribution |
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| Distribution: | Native to central and west Europe, Introduced and naturalized in California and elsewhere. Naturalised to Britain. Dry rocky soils, stony soils to 600m altitude. |
| Cultivation: | Wild plant. Easily grown from seed. In a sunny wel drained place. Sister Plants |
| Harvest: | Flowering plant |
Medical |
|
| Therapeutic Action: | Bitter tonic Choleretic; Cholagogue; Diuretic.; Hypertensive. |
| Medical Uses: | Whole Plant, Appetite stimulant; Digestive, Dyspepsia, Liver said to regenerate tissue, Gall bladder; Stimulate flow of Bile, Powdered Seed: Taken in emulsion are markedly Choleretic and used in cardiovascular disorders, Jaundice , Gallstones colic; Leg Ulcers , Variscose Veins . |
| Constituents: | Essential oil; Tyramine; Histamine; Silybin; Silymarine; |
| Solvents: | Alcohol; Water; |
| Dosage: | Decoction Fluid extract oil powder tincture |
| Administration: | |
| Formulas: | Formula #[154] Lower Blood sugar. |
| Contra Indications: | |
| Preparation: | |
| Chinese: | Contra-IndicationsSeed to be used only by qualified personnel; |
| Veterinary: | |
| Homeopathic: | Seeds used |
Pollination and Pollinators |
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| Apis: | No |
| Pollinator: | |
| Pollen: | No |
| Pollen Notes: | |
| Nectar: | No |
| Nectar Notes: | |
Other |
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| Non-Medical Uses: | |
| Culinary Uses: | Young leaves, shoots, peeled stems, flower recepticals, and roots many be cooked and eaten |
| History: | |
| Reference: | [1] The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism Stuart; [2] The Herb Book John Lust; [5] School of Natural Healing Dr. John R. Christopher; [24] The Herbalist Joseph #. Meyer; [38] The Illustrated Book of Herbs Their Medicinal and Culinary uses; Edited by Sarah Bunney; |
| URL: | |
| Share: | Public |
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