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Herb Finder
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Mexican Tea | | Name : | Mexican Tea | | Synonyms : | Chenopodium
Feathergeranium
Goosefoot
Jerusalemoak
Jesuittea
Mexicantea
| | Parts Used : | Seeds, essential oil | | Habitat : | Found in waste places in almost all parts of the United States. Naturalizedfrom Central America. | | Description : | Wormseed is an annual or perennial stout aromatic plant 3-5 feettall. Its erect stem is strongly branched from the base. Oblong orlanceolate with lacerate-pinnatifid margins, its alternate, yellowish-greenleaves are marked beneath with small resinous particles. Bloomingfrom July to September, the numerous green flowers grow on almostleafless spikes and are followed by small, green bladdery fruits withsolitary, lenticular seeds. Seeds glandular-spotted. | | Constituents : | Anthelmintic (killing intestinal worms). | | Uses : | The oil of chenopodium, derived from the seeds and other overgroundparts of wormseed, is an excellent anthelmintic for roundworms,hookworms, dwarftapeworms, intestinal amoeba, and other intestinal parasites,though it is not as effective against large tapeworms. Either theoil or an infusion of seeds with milk was used in treating worms inchildren. Now largely replaced by synthetics, wormseed is seldom used.
Wormseed is also used as a mild cardiac stimulant and to promotesecretions of skin and kidneys. | | Safety : | This herb's oil is highly toxic. A dash of the leavesis added as a culinary herb to Mexican bean dishes in the belief thatit may reduce gas. May cause dermatitis, vertigo (dizziness or light-headedness)or an allergic reaction.
An overdose of the oil can result in poisoning and death. (a 1 yearold baby given a dose of 4 drops 3 times per day for 2 days, diedand other cases of overdose deaths are on record.
Do not use wormseed without medical supervision. |
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