| Common Names | Annual Mercury |
|---|---|
| Description | |
| Locations | Epirus (Pindos) |
| Clinical Summary | |
| Contraindications | The whole plant is poisonous, due to the contained mercurialine. The consumption of raw leaves may be fatal. |
| Active Substance | alkaloids chlorophyll essential oil Methylamine trimethylamine vegetable albumin fats ammonia mercurialine (alkaloid) |
| Active Substance Plant Part | root leaves leaves seeds |
| Adverse Reaction | |
| Educational Research | |
| Interaction | |
| Features Description | Mercurialis annua is an annual herb growing up to 45cm, with small, lanceolate, oval, wavy, green leaves and green flowers in inflorescences. The flowering and the harvesting take place from May to November. |
| Method Administration | The plant is administered as laxative and diuretic in the form of herbal tea (20-30g of dried herb in 500mL of boiled water, 2-3 times a day) and infusion (a spoon of dried herb in 500-600mL of boiling water). In homeopathy, it is administered in the form of ointment, while in folk medicine it is applied externally to the skin in the form of ethereal oil and poultice.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 has laxative, cholagogue, emetic and diuretic properties. It is administered in the form of herbal tea for the treatment of constipation, dropsy and chronic insomnia. Also, in folk medicine it is applied externally in the form of poultice against skin inflammation, boils, abdominal and childbirth pain. In homeopathy, it is recommended in the form of ointment against rheumatism and various liver diseases. |
| Pharmacological Use | |
| Mechanism Action | |
| References | Bιβλίο: Τα φαρμακευτικά βότανα και οι θεραπευτικές τους ιδιότητες, Λάμπρου Π. Σπύρου, Αγροτικός εκδοτικός οίκος, Αθήνα 1981, Β' τόμος, σελίδες: 363-364 Βιβλίο: Οδηγός των φαρμακευτικών φυτών, Paul Schauenberg, Ferdinand Paris, Εκδότης Μ. Γκιούρδας, Αθήνα 1981, σελίδες 259, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19957264 http://kentromeletisarxaiasthourias.wordpress.com/2013/11/16/mercurialis-annua- %CF%83%CE%BA%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%AC%CF%87%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%BF/ https://www.google.gr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CEoQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fprofile%2FPeter_Lorenz%2Fpublication%2F221842365_An_approach_to_the_chemotaxonomic_differentiation_of_two_European_dog%2527s_mercury_species_Mercurialis_annua_L._and_M._perennis_L%2Flinks%2F00b7d521f644aec941000000.pdf&ei=VCc3VcOwAs3eaJSqgPgK&usg=AFQjCNGmLzt6-oIWBjSADLx7J1SdgOGwXw&bvm=bv.91071109,d.d2s http://abchomeopathy.com/r.php/Merl |
| Research |
