Teucrium polium
Encyclopedia
Teucrium polium is a sub-shrub and herb
native to the Mediterranean
region and the Middle East
. Its flowers are small and range from pink to white, and its leaves are used in cooking and for medicinal purposes, particularly for the treatment of stomach ailments. It has also shown some promise in the treatment of visceral pain
. In traditional Persian medicine, T. polium (locally called 'kalpooreh') is used as an anti-hypertensive, anti-bacterial, carminative, anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhea, anti-diabetes and anti-convulsant agent. A scientific study in 2003 failed to find any benefit to diabetics, even though it is commonly used in the mideast for this purpose. A scientific study in 2006 found that it does have anti-nociceptive and anti-spasmodic effects. Caution should be applied with use of this herb due to its known Liver and Kidney toxicity.
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
native to the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
region and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Its flowers are small and range from pink to white, and its leaves are used in cooking and for medicinal purposes, particularly for the treatment of stomach ailments. It has also shown some promise in the treatment of visceral pain
Pain
Pain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting iodine on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone."...
. In traditional Persian medicine, T. polium (locally called 'kalpooreh') is used as an anti-hypertensive, anti-bacterial, carminative, anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhea, anti-diabetes and anti-convulsant agent. A scientific study in 2003 failed to find any benefit to diabetics, even though it is commonly used in the mideast for this purpose. A scientific study in 2006 found that it does have anti-nociceptive and anti-spasmodic effects. Caution should be applied with use of this herb due to its known Liver and Kidney toxicity.
External links
- Felty germander page at Annie's Annuals
- The Effect of Extract of Teucrium Polium On Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels of Type 2 Diabetic Patients. Shiraz E-Medical Journal Vol. 4, No. 4, October 2003
- Anti-Spasmodic and Anti-Nociceptive Effects of Teucrium polium Aqueous Extract. Iranian Biomedical Journal (IBJ) July 2006
- Abstract: Antinociceptive effects of Teucrium polium L total extract and essential oil in mouse writhing test