What do White Willow Bark and Aspirin Have in Common?

Over 200 years ago, Aspirin was patented in Germany for the German pharmaceutical company, Friedrich Bayer & Co., but the origin of the active ingredient in the early product was available all along in God's creation, the White Willow Tree.

The Acetylasalicylic Acid in early aspirin was extracted from the active, salicin, which is found good concentrations in White Willow tree bark.  Salicin was isolated in crystalline form by a French pharmacist in 1828, and later the acid was separated out by an Italian chemist.

The man known as the "Father of Medicine", Hippocrates knew of the willow barks' ability to relieve pain and reduce fever and used it for this. At first, aspirin was used in powder form, and in the early 1900's was made into a tablet form. There is interesting information available about how the patent and trademarks expired during WWI, and through a series of events, circumstances and purchases, became part of IG Farben, a company that worked together with a number of chemical companies that were at the financial center of the Nazi regime. 

After the WWII and the split up of the various companies, Bayer became a separate entity and was purchased by Miles Laboratory as recently as 1978, but long before that, it had become a household name. There is more to the history of this simple but profound product that we will not go into in this post. 

Many still appreciate and enjoy using the natural, herbal form of the product, the inner bark of the White Willow tree. I use it myself on occasion. If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please contact me using the comment field, comments are moderated and I don't approve comments that are personal requests directed to me. You may also request references for the various claims in this post until I take the time to connect them with links.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

An Event that involves Authors, Gardening and a Special Herb Farmer

Can you spare some gardening time this coming Saturday, April 27th, 2013?  

If you are free this coming Saturday, or not free but can break away from what you are doing for a bit, may I invite you to come to a special  online author and gardening event, "Authors Giving for Healthy Living"?  It's an International gathering of Authors and book lovers to benefit a very special project. 

Bea Kunz, gardener and herb farmer of Sage Hill Farms is the sponsor of the event and oversees the gardening project.  The event is being coordinated by Kim Mutch Emerson of Master Koda Select Publishing, LLC.  Both of these woman are very special to me and I can vouch for their integrity and passion for all that they set their hearts and minds too.

Special authors are offering their books for sale, and proceeds from sales will benefit a gardening project for students at Curry Middle School.  Bea's desire is to encourage the children to appreciate better foods and better health through hands-on experience.

For more information, please visit this link for a Press Release: "Top Authors Give Proceeds to Middle School Gardening Project".
  
To view the books being offered, you can visit this link.  

Image courtesy of Bea's Beatitudes/All About Herbs
 

Sustainable Mulch for the Well Kept Garden

This post brought to you by Scotts Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

"Sustainable" is a much-used word today as many want to sustain and maintain the environment by the choices that they make.  For this particular post, we are focusing on one aspect of sustainable gardening. 

I have known about the health benefits provided by some of the properties of Eucalyptus leaves for years, but until given the opportunity to share Scotts Florida Select Natural Eucalyptus Mulch with you, I had no idea that parts of it could be used as a mulch.  In Florida they have learned to appreciate this local sustainable product because it grows about 4x faster than Cypress making it a preferred alternative to Cypress, and an excellent sustainable resource.  It is also a local product to those of you who live in Florida. 

I don't live in Florida, but in the Northeast where, as I type this, we are having a freeze warning tonight and cool temperatures this week.  But the Spring perennials are sprouting and blooming, and it's time to put together my shopping list of gardening supplies.  I need new gardening tools, gardening gloves, a kneeling pad for my knees as I work on the garden, and will be looking at the various types of Scotts Nature Scapes mulch that are available.  The Nature Scapes mulches come in 3 colors; Classic Black, Sierra Red and Deep Forest Brown, and will do much to improve the landscaping in my yard.

What I liked about this mulch is the fact that when wet, it increases in size.  It did suggest that it's best not to use it up against wood fences, trees, or other wooden surfaces.  You can use it around trees and shrubs, just not up against the wood.  You'll also want to be careful with seedlings, as you're putting down a 3" thick layer that will be too much for new plants. Add the mulch after plants mature. Mulch is so helpful in keeping the soil moist during dry spells which reduces water usage, and it prevents weeds. 

We hope those of you in warm climates are enjoying your gardening. 

The photos of crocuses, daisies, and hosta used on this page are owned by me and are from my gardens...you are welcome to use them if you provide a link back to this post.

Horsetail for Hair, Skin, Nails and more

Horsetail that I have used medicinally goes by the botanical name Equisetum arvense (image source).  There are other varieties of this herb, but this is the most common. 

Though native to Europe, we have Horsetail growing all over in the area where I live in Northern NJ, perhaps because we are in a lake community and the herb loves moist soil. When you drive out of our community, it grows heavily along the roadway beside another lake close to us. The Latin name means "horse bristle". Fossil records show that this plant is very primitive. It also shows that the plant used to grow as tall as sixty feet! Now it grows to about 2 feet.

Historical Use:

Meskwaki Indians fed Horsetail to their horses to improve the gloss of the hair, the main & tail. It was also used to scrub, clean & polish cooking utensils. The Greek physician, Diosorides, suggested using it as an astringent. In Switzerland, a tincture was used for cystitis and tuberculosis. American Indians and the early American settlers used it as a diuretic for kidney disorders. Folk medicine indicates use to help with excess menstruation and bleeding. The properties that probably gave the herb all these useful benefits include the fact that the herb is astringent, antiseptic, ani-hemorrhagic, diaphoretic, emmengogue, homeostatic, tonic and vulnerary. Today, it is suggested as one of a number of herbs helpful during cold and flu season to increase resistance to infection.

Scientific Info:

Horsetail can be used as an astringent both internally and externally to treat skin abrasions, diarrhea and indigestion (Spoerke, "Herbal Medications"). Silica is one of the main nutrients found in horsetail, an extremely common element in the earth. It is also found in the connective tissue throughout the body, aiding in the building and repair of connective tissue. It helps to increase collagen, and aids the body is using calcium to build bones. A UCLA study found that silicon supplements significantly increased bone calcium content as opposed to non-supplementation (Faelton, "Complete Book of Minerals and Health"). (Note: This is why a calcium supplement that I use, Skeletal Strength, contains certain herbs, because not only does vitamin D, Magnesium, etc. help with calcium absorption, but also the properties in the herbs.)

Some research seems to indicate that because Horsetail is high in Silica, which reduces blood cholesterol and helps to prevent aging and degenerative disorders like heart disease, for example. Silica is also beneficial to the skin & eyes. The flavanoids in Horsetail strengthen the capillaries, it's phytosterols, or plant steriods, help with inflammation. Some use it for inflammation in the kidneys, bladder, and prostate. This herb is also a great source of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. It has moderately high levels of vitamin E and pantothenic acid (B5). The minerals/trace minerals include calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, selenium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, cobalt and iodine, contributing to strong connective tissue, hair, skin and nails.

PABA, a building block to folic acid and antioxidant that protects the skin from sunburn, is also found in horsetail.

If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!

Safety Issues: Horsetail herb is not recommended for those who hypertension, or certain cardiovascular problems.

Creative Commons Image Source

Hawthorn Berry Bush or Shrub

The botanical name for this spiny bush, shrub, or small tree is Cratageus oxyancanthoides. 

Though it is native to the Mediterranean, it is cultivated worldwide. Wildlife enjoy it as a safe place to take cover, and as a food source. The bush flowers in the spring, and the berries are ready to harvest in early fall. 

Hawthorn Berries are are used to make jams and jellies, and for medicinal purposes. If allowed to grow, a tree can reach up to 24" tall. 

Back in Greek and Roman times, the herb was used decoratively for wedding bouquets, and the suspicious Romans used it in baby beds to keep away evil. 

Some records state that upon Christ's death on the Cross, the herb became associated with death, as supposedly the thorns made up his crown of thorns, though He did have a crown of thorns placed on his head, I am not sure what type of plant it was from. 

It was the English herbalist from the 17th century, Nichlolas Culpeper who suggested the herb be used for kidney stones and congestive heart failure. Studies validate some of the benefits of Hawthorn to the heart and circulatory system.

Scientific Info:

Hawthorn berry actives include Procyanidolic oligomers, or PCOs, which collectively refer to proanthocyanidins. These are plant bioflavanoids which, because of their chemical structure they are easily absorbed by cell membrane, and because of this, the protective properties are easily absorbed by our bodies down to the cellular level.

The term Proanthocyanidins as well as ORAC is quite popular with the many health drinks out there touting the benefits which include:

• Trapping free radicals and lipid peroxides


• Delaying the onset of lipid peroxidation


• Inhibiting free radical production by the enzyme xanthine


• Inhibiting the damaging affects of enzymes that destroy connective tissue

These protective properties in Hawthorn berries are particularly beneficial to the tissues of the circulatory system and protect against heart disease. Some of the benefits to the heart attributed to the herb include:

Stimulating peripheral vasodilation which lowers blood pressure and stress on the heart and increasing the flow of blog to the extremities.

• After the above, there is a mild dilation of the coronary vessels and then increased enzyme metabolism in cardiac muscle contractions


• Increase oxygen utilization by the heart


• It should be noted that in stressful conditions, the affect can be the opposite, please contact me if you would like me to send the specific studies.

Hawthorn berries are often suggested by herbalists for heart problems related to aging and degenerative conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, angina, and arrhythmia.

Cautions:

According to the book "Healing Herbs", high doses of the herb can have a sedative affect, and are recommended for those with chronic insomnia, but amount taken should not exceed safe levels for cardiotonic effects.  And I will add that there are better herbs to use if you are dealing with insomnia.

If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please contact me using the "comment" form below.  Comments are moderated, and I will not post comments that contain requests.

Image Credit: D H Wright on Flickr

Container Gardening Plants Pots and Plans

Spring is in the air more than it isn't in the northeast, and my thoughts are turning towards gardening. I really enjoyed the following article about container herb gardening, and thought I would share it with you. I have an old antique ceramic wash tub on my deck with strawberries growing in it, and an antique bucket with plants close to the house where it is very warm and sunny in the summer. I am thinking of making it a small kitchen container garden. Happy reading...and dreaming if it's still cold where you are:

Container Gardening Ideas For Pots And Planting Herbs

Author: Mary Hanna

For container gardening ideas, scan the internet, the library or a bookstore. The challenge is to come up with a lovely container garden plan. There are a widespread collection of containers available for your container garden. These range in size from small-scale house-plant pots to size able boxes and planters.

Equally varied are the materials from which they are made. These include wood, glass, clay, aluminum, bamboo, straw, plastic, fiberglass, terra cotta, tin, cast iron, zinc, copper, and brass, each with select advantages and disadvantages. What you choose will depend on availability, price, background, and attraction not to mention the characteristics of the gardening

Here are some container gardening ideas. In addition to run-of-the-mill circular pots and tubs, there are modern and ultra-modern forms such as square, rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, and octagonal. Also eligible are old iron kitchen pots, kettles, pails, jugs, casks, vases, crocks, jam tubs, barrels and nail kegs, Japanese fish tubs, aged sinks, bathtubs, bamboo soy tubs. There are novelty containers such as driftwood, wheelbarrows, donkey carts, spinning wheels and boxes attached to a roadside mail container. There are also bird cages, decorative well heads, animal figures, and Strawberry jars. Woven baskets may be used to conceal unattractive containers. Even tar paper pots, handled by garden centers and florists are worthy if painted or veiled to upgrade their exterior. Any of these can be used in your container gardening ideas.

Where to find your container supplies? Begin with what you possess. If you explore cellars or basements, attics, garages, and sheds, you will doubtless encounter objects of interest. Old-fashioned pots and kettles, usually sold in antique shops at rural auctions or observed at old New England inns, have much attraction.

Different container garden ideas to ponder are old cookie and bean jars, pickle and other types of crocks, wash tubs, coal pails, jardinières, and ceramic bowls. For drainage, scatter a thick layer of substantial pebbles or shattered pieces of pots or bricks at the bottom and then moisten plants with care. In substantial containers, drainage material should be many inches thick. Where rainfall is hefty, be certain to keep garden containers without drainage outlets on porches, below awnings or the under sizable eaves of house. With pails and old galvanized wash tubs, holes can be easily punctured at the bottom.

Plants in containers without drainage openings stay wet longer. Some of these--crocks, jardinières and cookie jars--are massive enough to be secure against the elements in exterior container gardening.

What constitutes the perfect container for your container garden ideas? A container needs to be attractive, even if it is not an object of art. It should be sturdy and lasting and able to resist all kinds of weather. This is especially true of the substantial sizes which oft times continue outdoors all year around. In the North, alternate icy and thawing is a predicament in winter (and could generate cracking); in blazing climates, intensive heat, humidity, and moisture are to be considered (and could cause fading). And in semiarid areas, there is the impact of searing sun to keep your attention, another source of fading. All these things need be kept in mind when coming up with your container gardening design.

The perfect container must be vast enough to hold a size-able quantity of soil. It should have super drainage facilities through holes or various openings at the bottom or sides. It must not rust, at least in a single season, and it should have a wide enough base to perch firmly wherever placed. Further, it needs to be heavy enough to withstand average winds. In severe storms, like hurricanes and tornadoes, movable containers can be shifted to interim safety. All of these things should be factored in when you are coming up with your container gardening ideas.

Resistance to rot is another requisite. Wooden containers--except those made of rot-resistant Redwood, Western Cedar, and Southern Red Cypress--will require treatment with a wood preservative. Except for lifelong containers, the capability to move your container garden is another quality, and sometimes a safety precaution, of portable container gardening.

Sizable boxes and planters can be equipped with wheels, and garden centers have redwood tubs that perch on platforms with wheels. An opening in the platform corresponds to the hole in the tub. Size-able containers without wheels can be pushed on iron or wooden rollers by two or more people; however, if you live in an area inclined to severe storms it is best to keep your containers small-scaled.

Smaller containers are ideal for cultivating herb container gardens. If you plan to plant an herb container garden be imaginative. Here are some container garden ideas for herbs that go great together.

• For an Italian selection try Sweet Basil, Italian Parsley, Oregano, Marjoram and Thyme.


• For a pleasing scented container use Lavender, Rose Scented Geranium, Lemon Balm, Lemon Thyme, and Pineapple Sage.


• For utterly extravagant salads try Garlic Chives, Rocket, Salad Burnet, Parsley, Celery.


• And to say "We love French Cooking!" use Tarragon, Chervil, Parsley, Chives and Sage. Any of these will liven up your meal and please your family.

So these are just a few container gardening ideas. Get out a pad of paper and make up a container garden plot that will add to the view and conceivably even the palate.

Happy Container Gardening!

Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved 
Permitted to use through an article marketing site that is no longer available, sellingwitharticles.com

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. At one time you could visit her websites at http://www.gardeningherb.com/
and http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com but these sites are no longer active.  Still, the article is a good one.

Shamrocks vs Clovers - What's the Difference?

Are you looking for the post "What is the Difference Between a Shamrock and a Clover"? 

Since moving this blog, it has been hard to find some posts because of extra information added to the urls during the transition, so seeing as St. Pattie's Day is just days away, let me help you. You will find the post by clicking the click-able title link above, or clicking right here. Wishing you a happy St. Patrick's Day! And may you find many a four-leafed clover, unless you prefer Shamrocks, of course.