Anchusa azurea Mill.
Boraginaceae
- Italian Alkanet
- Italian Bugloss
- Large Blue Alkanet
- zanab el-qitt ذنب القط
- לְשׁוֹן-פַּר אִיטַלְקִית
- leshon-par italqit
Hemicryptophyte
- Batha
- Phrygana
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distribution and other botanical details.
Medicinal Complaints / Uses
Anchusa azurea Mill.
System/State | Traditional Complaint/Use |
Activity / Interpretation | Traditional Preparation/ Administration |
Parts Used | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dermatological | Hair strengthener |
Hair restorer | Extract flowers & drink +1 spoon of honey. |
Flower | Z |
Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT) | Earache |
Analgesic | Cook flowers + poppy capsules/pods (seeds removed) + khadaljan (Alpinia officinarum) & drink or direct steam to ear. (See NOTES 2) |
Flower | Z |
Gastrointestinal | Diarrhea / dysentery |
Anti-Infective, Anti-diarrheal | 1. Cook flowers in water & drink |
Flower | Z |
Gastrointestinal | Drooling (excessive salivation) |
Non-specific | Cook flowers in water & drink. |
Flower | Z |
Gastrointestinal | Jaundice |
Hepatic | Use flowers. (Preparation/ Admin. not specified.) |
Flower | Z |
Gastrointestinal | Strong abdominal pain |
Analgesic, Carminative | Cook flowers in water & drink. |
Flower | Z |
General | High fever |
Anti-pyretic | Cook flowers in water & drink. |
Flower | Z |
General | Strengthen/ tone body |
Tonic | Cook flowers in water & drink. |
Flower | Z |
Haematology | Lack of blood (anaemia) |
Anti-anaemic | Decoct flowers, add + nabat sugar & drink. (See NOTES |
Flower | Z |
Mental Health | Fear |
Anxiolytic | Decoct flowers (optionally add + nabat sugar) & drink.(See NOTES |
Flower | Z |
Respiratory | Cough |
Anti-tussive | Cook flowers in water & drink. |
Flower | Z |
Womens Health | All women after childbirth (See NOTES 3) |
Alterative, Tonic | Decoct flowers, add + nabat sugar & drink. (See NOTES 4) |
Flower | Z |
Womens Health | Menstrual pain |
Analgesic | Decoct flowers & drink. |
Flower | Z |
The authors of FLORAPALE, (Flora Palaestina Ethnobotanical) web site do not take responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of the plants described here. Always seek advice from a health professional before using a plant medicinally or for other purposes. See DISCLAIMER.
1. Z notes that the Hebrew name for this species translates as Italian bull's tongue & that an additional common Persian name is "goleh gabzebun" which he relates to the Persian name "golgobzamo" (gol = flower, gobzamo = bull's toungue).
2. Nabat sugar used in some recipes is crystalline sugar formed by dissolving sugar granules in water & slowly vaporizing it.
3. Alpinia officinarum used in the recipe for earache is a non-native introduced species.
4. Z mentions that using Anchusa azurea for all women after childbirth is described together with the complaint for anemia & therefore may refer to treating blood loss & anemia after childbirth.
Anchusa azurea contains cynoglossine alkaloid that may have a paralyzing effect. Therefore CAUTION using this species internally.