Polygonatum is a genus of about 50 species of
flowering plantThe flowering plants or angiosperms are the most diverse group of land plants. The flowering plants and the gymnosperms are the only extant groups of seed plants...
s within the family
RuscaceaeRuscaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Asparagales that includes several genera previously included in the Liliaceae, for example in the Cronquist system...
, formerly classified in the lily family
LiliaceaeThe Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes. Several have bulbs, while others have rhizomes...
.
Some species of this genus have
medicinal propertiesMany plants have traditional medical uses. Ethnobotanists and pharmacognacists catalog and study these plants and uses. This is a list of some of the more common medicinal properties that are ascribed to plants. Many of these terms are still used in modern pharmacology...
, and some (in particular
P. sibiricum) are used as a tisane in Korea, which is called dungulle.
Some
Polygonatum shoots are edible, cooked like asparagus, as are the roots - after appropriate treatment - being a good source of starch .
"Solomon's Seal" , especially the root, is traditionally used in a range of afflictions from
menopauseMenopause is the time in a woman’s life when menstruation ends. It is part of a biological process that begins, for most women, in their mid-fifties. During this time, the ovaries gradually produce lower levels of natural sex hormones—estrogen and progesterone...
to broken bones.
Polygonatum is a genus of about 50 species of
flowering plantThe flowering plants or angiosperms are the most diverse group of land plants. The flowering plants and the gymnosperms are the only extant groups of seed plants...
s within the family
RuscaceaeRuscaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Asparagales that includes several genera previously included in the Liliaceae, for example in the Cronquist system...
, formerly classified in the lily family
LiliaceaeThe Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes. Several have bulbs, while others have rhizomes...
.
Some species of this genus have
medicinal propertiesMany plants have traditional medical uses. Ethnobotanists and pharmacognacists catalog and study these plants and uses. This is a list of some of the more common medicinal properties that are ascribed to plants. Many of these terms are still used in modern pharmacology...
, and some (in particular
P. sibiricum) are used as a tisane in Korea, which is called dungulle.
Some
Polygonatum shoots are edible, cooked like asparagus, as are the roots - after appropriate treatment - being a good source of starch .
Selected species
- P. biflorum
Polygonatum biflorum is a species of the family Polygonatum native to the United States.-External links:*...
- Smooth (or Great) Solomon's-seal
- P. cirrhifolium
- P. cobrense - McKittrick's (or Southwest) Solomon's-seal
- P. commutatum
Polygonatum commutatum, Solomon's seal or Smooth Solomon's seal, is a widespread native plant of North America, located mainly from the eastern seaboard through the Great Plains. It is usually located in semi-shaded locations....
- Solomon's seal
- P. cyrtonema
- P. falcatum
- P. hirsutum - Hairy Solomon's-seal
- P. humile - Dwarf Solomon's-seal
- P. inflatum
- P. involucratum
- P. kingianum
- P. lasianthum
|
P. latifolium - Broadleaf Solomon's-seal
P. macropodium - Big Footed Solomon's-seal
P. maximowiczii
P. multiflorum Polygonatum multiflorum is a plant species of the genus Polygonatum. In Britain it is one of three native species of the genus, the others being Angular Solomon's-seal and Whorled Solomon's-seal.-References:*Matthew Wood. Random House, 1997. ISBN 9781556432323; pp. 397–408...
- (Common) Solomon's-seal
P. odoratumPolygonatum odoratum, commonly known as Angular Solomon's-seal or Scented Solomon's-seal, is a plant species of the genus Polygonatum...
- Scented (or Angular) Solomon's-seal
P. orientale - Oriental Solomon's-seal
P. pubescens - Downy Solomon's-seal
P. sibiricum
P. stenanthum
P. verticillatumPolygonatum verticillatum or Whorled Solomon's-seal is a plant species of the genus Polygonatum....
- Whorled Solomon's-seal
P. × hybridumPolygonatum × hybridum is a hybrid cross between Common Solomon's-seal and Angular Solomon's-seal ....
- Garden Solomon's-seal |
Medicinal uses
"Solomon's Seal" , especially the root, is traditionally used in a range of afflictions from
menopauseMenopause is the time in a woman’s life when menstruation ends. It is part of a biological process that begins, for most women, in their mid-fifties. During this time, the ovaries gradually produce lower levels of natural sex hormones—estrogen and progesterone...
to broken bones. As a topical application, the root are said to expedite the
healingHealing is the act or process of curing or of restoring to health. Assessed physically, healing is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....
of cuts and bruises, skin
irritationIrritation or exacerbation, in biology and physiology, is a state of inflammation or painful reaction to allergy or cell-lining damage. A stimulus or agent which induces the state of irritation is an irritant...
s and
inflammationInflammation is the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue. Inflammation is not a...
s, and as a face wash is good for
acneAcne vulgaris is a common skin condition, caused by changes in pilosebaceous units, skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland, via androgen stimulation. It is characterized by noninflammatory follicular papules or comedones and by inflammatory papules,...
,
blemishBlemish may refer to:*A minor imperfection. For skin imperfection, see Acne vulgaris*Blemish a music album from David Sylvian released in 2003....
es and all kinds of imperfections of the skin. When consumed as a
teaTea is the agricultural product of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the Camellia sinensis plant, prepared and cured by various methods...
, it is said to alleviate a range of symptoms associated with
menopauseMenopause is the time in a woman’s life when menstruation ends. It is part of a biological process that begins, for most women, in their mid-fifties. During this time, the ovaries gradually produce lower levels of natural sex hormones—estrogen and progesterone...
, indigestion, diabetes, broken bones,
insomniaInsomnia is a symptom of any of several sleep disorders, characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. Insomnia is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease. By definition, insomnia is "difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both"...
,
kidneyThe kidneys are paired organs, which have the production of urine as their primary function. Kidneys are seen in many types of animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are part of the urinary system, but have several secondary functions concerned with homeostatic functions. ...
pains, and even
infertilityInfertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
.
Its use to fight diabetes was first observed in 1930 by Langecker. After experiments, he concluded that it was effective in fighting nutritional
hyperglycemiaHyperglycemia, hyperglycaemia, or high blood sugar is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. This is generally a blood glucose level of 10+ mmol/L , but symptoms may not start to become noticeable until later numbers such as 15-20+ mmol/L or...
, though not that caused by adrenaline release, probably due to its content in glucokinin.