| Common Names | Common Fumitory, Drug Fumitory, Earth Smoke |
|---|---|
| Description | |
| Locations | Epirus |
| Clinical Summary | |
| Contraindications | Overdose may cause respiratory paralysis. |
| Active Substance | bitter agents terpenoids glutamic acid potassium alkaloids (fumarin and protopine) fumaric acid tannic acid calcium malate |
| Active Substance Plant Part | The whole plant when it is in full bloom |
| Adverse Reaction | |
| Educational Research | |
| Interaction | |
| Features Description | Fumaria officinalis is an annual herb growing up to 0.5m, with pinnate, oval, fluffy, grayish leaves and red or pink flowers in inflorescences. The flowering lasts from May to October and the harvesting takes place from August to September. |
| Method Administration | The plant is administered for the treatment of skin diseases in the form of infusion (1-2 spoons of dried herb in a cup of boiling water, three times a day), which is applied externally. The same infusion is also administered orally as mild hypnotic (3 cups a day, for 20 days). Finally, the plant may be used in the form of tincture (1-2 mL, three times a day).Warning: The use of herb preparations is not recommended without seeking advice from your physician or pharmacist. The substances they contain may interact with the subscribed drugs that the patient already takes, thus eliminating their therapeutic efficacy or inducing toxicity. They may also burden further weakened vital functions of the body thus exposing the patient to increased morbidity and life threatened conditions. |
| Pharmacological Info | The whole plant is used as diuretic, emollient, mild hypnotic and tonic. The plant's extract may increase the intestinal motility as it stimulates the smooth muscle. Also it increases the biliary excretion, and it is used as anti-inflammatory and sedative. Finally, it is administered for the treatment of various skin diseases such as eczema, acne, dermatitis, rashes, and also against conjunctivitis in the form of eye washes. |
| Pharmacological Use | |
| Mechanism Action | |
| References | Βιβλίο: Οδηγός των φαρμακευτικών φυτών, Paul Schauenberg, Ferdinand Paris, Εκδότης Μ. Γκιούρδας, Αθήνα 1981, σελίδες 32 http://ressources.ciheam.org/om/pdf/c23/CI011064.pdf Rarity, conservation, importance and ethnopharmacological knowledge of the greek flora, G. Iatrou, E. Kokkalou, CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/f/fumito36.html http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Fumaria+officinalis |
| Research |
