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Yerba Santa | | Name : | Yerba Santa | | Botanical : | Eriodictyon glutinosum | | Synonyms : | Bear'sweed
Consumptive'sweed
Gumbush
Gumplant (Grindelia robusta L.)
Mountainbalm
Tarweed
| | Family : | Hydrophyllaceae | | Parts Used : | Leaves | | Habitat : | Follow the bees and find santa yerba on dry mountain slopes and ridgesin the coastal ranges and up into the foothills of the Sierra Nevadafrom Monterey to Tulare northward. | | Description : | A low, shrubby evergreen plant, 2 to 4 feet high, found growing abundantly in clumps on dry hills in California and Northern Mexico. The stem is smooth, usually branched near the ground, and covered with a peculiar glutinous resin, which covers all the upper side of the plant. Leaves, thick and leathery, smooth, of a yellowish colour, their upper side coated with a brownish varnish-like resin, the under surface being yellowish-white reticulated and tomentose, with a prominent midrib, alternate, attached by short petioles, at acute angle with the base; shape, elliptical, narrow, 2 to 5 inches long 3/4 inch wide, acute and tapering to a short leaf-stalk at the base. The margin of the leaf, dentate, unequal, bluntly undulate. The flowers, bluish, in terminal clusters of six to ten, in a one-sided raceme, the corolla funnel-like, calyx sparsely hirsute. | | Constituents : | The chief constituents are five phenolic bodies, eriodictyol, homoeriodictyol, chrysocriol, zanthoeridol and eridonel. Free formic and other acids, glycerides of fatty acids; a yellow volatile oil; a phytosterol, a quantity of resin, some glucose. Taste, balsamic and sweetish, afterwards acrid, but not bitter, recalls Dulcamara and creates a flow of saliva. Odour, aromatic. The leaves are brittle when dry, but flexible in a warm, moist atmosphere. Eriodictyon Californicum is official in the United States Dispensary. Alcohol is the best agent for the fluid extract of the dried plant. | | Uses : | Recommended for bronchial and laryngeal troubles and in chronic pulmonary affections, in the treatment of asthma and hay-fever in combination with Grindelia robusta. Likewise advised for haemorrhoids and chronic catarrh of the bladder. Much used in California as a bitter tonic and a stimulating balsamic expectorant and is a most useful vehicle to disguise the unpleasant taste of quinine. Male fern and Hydrastis. In asthma, the leaves are often smoked. Aromatic syrup is the best vehicle for quinine. | | Dosage : | Infusion: 1 tsp. of crushed leaves to 1 cup of boiling water,steep 30 minutes. Take 1 cup per day.
Fluid extract: mix 10 to 20 drops in liquid daily. | | Safety : | Yerba santa should be used in small amounts as too large doses willirritate the kidneys. | | Myths : | The name yerba santa (means 'Holy weed') was given by the Spanishfathers who became aware of it through Native Americans.
The Native Americans smoked or chewed the leaves for asthma. Thetaste is peculiar, at first, when chewed, seems rather disagreeable,resinous, and bitter. This taste soon disappears and then tastes sweetand cooling, which is especially noticed when chewing stops a minute,or by drinking a glass of water. One Native American expressed it,'It makes one taste kind of sweety inside.' |
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