Stachys betonica, Wood betony

Common names

Bishopswort, lousewort, purple betony

German = Betonien, French = Betoine, Spanish and Italian = Betonica

History

The physician of the Roman emperor Augustus claimed that Betony could cure at least 47 different ailments. In the past it was believed to possess the power to dispel evil and to protect the wearer from ‘visions and dreams’. Parkinson wrote, ‘…it is said also to hinder drunkenness being taken beforehand and quickly to expell it afterwards.’

Medicinal uses

Sedative, bitter, aromatic, astringent (please see Glossary)

Benefits

Headache, vertigo, anxiety states, hysteria, neuralgia. Specifically indicated in neurasthenic headache. Stachys is used in the treatment of nervous debility associated with anxiety and tension and to ease headaches and neuralgia of nervous origin. The astringent effect of the tannins make it a suitable compress for wounds and bruises. The powdered leaves have been used in the past as a snuff, and an infusion of the leaves is said to clear head colds. The French recommend Stachys for liver and gallbladder complaints. Taken internally, it stimulates the circulation. The alkaloid trigonelline is believed to have a hypoglycaemic action.

Warnings

None known

References

Bartram, T. 1995 Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, 1st edn.,Grace Publishers, Bournemouth.

Bremness, L. 1994 Herbs, Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Handbook, London.

BHMA 1983 British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, BHMA, Bournemouth.

Chevallier, A. 1996 The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, Dorling Kindersley, London.

Grieve, M. 1931 A Modern Herbal, (ed. C.F. Leyel 1985), London.

Hoffmann, D. 1990 The New Holistic Herbal, Second Edition, Element, Shaftesbury.

Hyperhealth 1996 Natural Health and Nutrition Databank, v.96.1 CD-ROM, ©In-Tele-Health, available from Healthworks, Leeds. ISBN 0-646-30942-0

Lust, J. 1990 The Herb Book, Bantam, London.

Mabey, R. (ed.) 1991 The Complete New Herbal, Penguin, London.

Mills, S.Y. 1993 The Essential Book of Herbal Medicine, Penguin, London (First published in 1991 as Out of the Earth, Arkana)

Mills, S.Y. 1993 The A-Z of Modern Herbalism, Diamond Books, London.

Ody, P. 1993 The Herb Society's Complete Medicinal Herbal, Dorling Kindersley, London.

Polunin, M. and Robbins, C. 1992 The Natural Pharmacy, Dorling Kindersley, London.

Vickery, R. 1995 A Dictionary of Plant Lore, Oxford University Press.

Weiss, R.F. 1991 Herbal Medicine, Beaconsfield Arcanum, Beaconsfield.

Wren, R.C. 1988 Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations, C.W.Daniel, Saffron Walden.

Special thanks to www.purplesage.org.uk