Cynoglossum officinale
Encyclopedia
Cynoglossum officinale (houndstongue, houndstooth,dog's tongue, gypsy flower, and rats and mice due to its smell ) is a herbaceous plant of the family Boraginaceae
, found in most parts of Europe
, and also North America
where it was accidentally introduced.
, with reddish-purple flowers blooming between May and September. It lives in wet places, waste land and hedge
s.
, lung diseases
and persistent cough
s. Houndstongue ointment is said to cure baldness
and be used for sores
and ulcers. These uses are not supported by scientific evidence.
In 1725, houndstooth was presented in the family dictionary, Dictionaire oeconomique, as part of a cure for madness. In that book, madness was viewed as "a distemper
, not only of the understanding, but also of the reason and memory, proceeding from a cold
, which drys up everything it meets with that is humid in the brain
." To cure madness, Dictionaire oeconomique noted:
In the 1830s, houndstooth was known in France
to be made into an emollient and diuretic
for daily use in inflammatory diseases, especially of the urinary organs. To prepare as a diuretic
, the houndstooth leaves were mashed, and then boiled in water to extract
oils, volatile organic compounds, and other chemical substances. The mix could be sweetened with liquoriee to create Ptisan of Dog's-grass. After decoction
, the herbal tea was taken internally a cupful at a time. In 1834, the Hospital of Paris provided a formula of 2/3 ss—J to Oij of water for houndstooth tea. By the end of the 1830s, doctors in England
were using houndstooth as an antiaphrodisiac to combat venereal excesses.
In 1891, the U.S. state of Michigan
identified hounds tooth, along with flea-bane, rag weed
, burdock
, cockle-bur
, and stickseed, as some of the worst weeds in the state.
Boraginaceae
Boraginaceae, the Borage or Forget-me-not family, include a variety of shrubs, trees, and herbs, totaling about 2,000 species in 146 genera found worldwide.A number of familiar plants belong to this family....
, found in most parts of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and also North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
where it was accidentally introduced.
Growth
It can be either annual or biennialBiennial plant
A biennial plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle. In the first year the plant grows leaves, stems, and roots , then it enters a period of dormancy over the colder months. Usually the stem remains very short and the leaves are low to the ground, forming...
, with reddish-purple flowers blooming between May and September. It lives in wet places, waste land and hedge
Hedge
Hedge may refer to:* Hedge or hedgerow, line of closely spaced shrubs planted to act as a barrier* Hedge , investment made to limit loss* Hedge , intentionally non-committal or ambiguous sentence fragments-See also:...
s.
Folklore
The name houndstongue comes from the belief that it could ward off dog attacks if a leaf was worn in the shoe.Herbalism
Herbalists use the plant as a treatment for pilesHemorrhoid
Hemorrhoids or haemorrhoids , are vascular structures in the anal canal which help with stool control. They become pathological or piles when swollen or inflamed. In their physiological state they act as a cushion composed of arterio-venous channels and connective tissue that aid the passage of...
, lung diseases
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
and persistent cough
Cough
A cough is a sudden and often repetitively occurring reflex which helps to clear the large breathing passages from secretions, irritants, foreign particles and microbes...
s. Houndstongue ointment is said to cure baldness
Baldness
Baldness implies partial or complete lack of hair and can be understood as part of the wider topic of "hair thinning". The degree and pattern of baldness can vary greatly, but its most common cause is male and female pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia, alopecia androgenetica or...
and be used for sores
Wound
A wound is a type of injury in which skin is torn, cut or punctured , or where blunt force trauma causes a contusion . In pathology, it specifically refers to a sharp injury which damages the dermis of the skin.-Open:...
and ulcers. These uses are not supported by scientific evidence.
In 1725, houndstooth was presented in the family dictionary, Dictionaire oeconomique, as part of a cure for madness. In that book, madness was viewed as "a distemper
Distemper
Distemper may refer to:*A viral infection**Canine distemper, a disease of dogs**Feline distemper, a disease of cats**Phocine distemper, a disease of seals*A bacterial infection**Equine distemper, or Strangles, a bacterial infection of the horse...
, not only of the understanding, but also of the reason and memory, proceeding from a cold
Common cold
The common cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, caused primarily by rhinoviruses and coronaviruses. Common symptoms include a cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fever...
, which drys up everything it meets with that is humid in the brain
Human brain
The human brain has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times larger than the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size. Estimates for the number of neurons in the human brain range from 80 to 120 billion...
." To cure madness, Dictionaire oeconomique noted:
In the 1830s, houndstooth was known in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to be made into an emollient and diuretic
Diuretic
A diuretic provides a means of forced diuresis which elevates the rate of urination. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way.- Medical uses :...
for daily use in inflammatory diseases, especially of the urinary organs. To prepare as a diuretic
Diuretic
A diuretic provides a means of forced diuresis which elevates the rate of urination. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way.- Medical uses :...
, the houndstooth leaves were mashed, and then boiled in water to extract
Extract
An extract is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures or in powder form....
oils, volatile organic compounds, and other chemical substances. The mix could be sweetened with liquoriee to create Ptisan of Dog's-grass. After decoction
Decoction
Decoction is a method of extraction, by boiling, of dissolved chemicals, or herbal or plant material, which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes. Decoction involves first mashing, and then boiling in water to extract oils, volatile organic compounds, and other chemical substances...
, the herbal tea was taken internally a cupful at a time. In 1834, the Hospital of Paris provided a formula of 2/3 ss—J to Oij of water for houndstooth tea. By the end of the 1830s, doctors in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
were using houndstooth as an antiaphrodisiac to combat venereal excesses.
In 1891, the U.S. state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
identified hounds tooth, along with flea-bane, rag weed
Ragweed
Ragweeds are flowering plants in the genus Ambrosia in the sunflower family Asteraceae. Common names include bitterweeds and bloodweeds....
, burdock
Burdock
Burdock is any of a group of biennial thistles in the genus Arctium, family Asteraceae. Native to the Old World, several species have been widely introduced worldwide....
, cockle-bur
Cocklebur
Cockleburs are a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to the Americas and eastern Asia.-Growth:They are coarse, herbaceous annual plants growing to 19.69-47.24 in tall. The leaves are spirally arranged, with a deeply toothed margin. Some species, notably X...
, and stickseed, as some of the worst weeds in the state.
External Links
- Species Profile- Houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale), National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural LibraryUnited States National Agricultural LibraryThe United States National Agricultural Library is one of the world's largest agricultural research libraries, and serves as a National Library of the United States and as the library of the United States Department of Agriculture...
. Lists general information and resources for Houndstongue.