✵The article gives records of the herb Lovage, its English name, Latin name, common names, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Levisticum officinale Koch., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Lovage, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Lovage(Sea Parsley).
English Name: Lovage.
Latin Name: Levisticum officinale Koch.Also referred to as Angelica levisticum Baillon and Hipposelinum levisticum Britt.and Rose.
Common Names: Bladder Seed, Lavose, Sea Parsley.
Property and flavor: The rubbed leaves give off an aromatic scent, the fruit is very fragrant.
Brief introduction: The underground parts of the highly fragrant perennial are used in medicinal teas. The plant is native to West Asia and the Mediterranean region, long cultivated in North America, and bears yellow-brown fruits and clusters of small yellow flowers.
Botanical source: Common herbal classics defined the herb Lovage as the root and rhizome of the species (1).Levisticum officinale Koch. It is a plant species of the Levisticum genus, the Apiaceae family (Umbelliferae, parsley family). The root and rhizome are used medicinally. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Levisticum officinale Koch.
Botanical description: Levisticum officinale Koch is a sturdy perennial herb, the whole plant is fragrant, and it grows up to 1~2.5 meters high. The rhizome is a big and thick, spindle-shaped, branched root, 4~5 cm in diameter, with many branches and leaves sheath residues at the top, the root is brownish-yellow on the outside and whitish on the inside. Stems are upright, smooth, and glabrous, and their base is 3~4 cm in diameter, purplish red, shiny, hollow, and longitudinally grooved. The basal leaves and the lower leaves of the stem are pinnately divided two or three times, with long stalks, and the base of the petiole expands and grows into a round shape with a purple leaf sheath; The upper leaves of the stem usually pinnate only once; The outline of leaves is wide obovate to wide triangle, the petiole of stem leaves is short, and the uppermost leaves are mostly simplified into small leaves with three cracks at the top; The terminal lobe is obovate to ovoid-rhombic, more or less coriaceous, 4~11 cm long and 2~7 cm wide, with 2-3 cracks in the upper part of the leaf margin, a few irregular coarse serrations, the lower part of the leaf margin being entire, sharp or long at the top and wedge at the base.
The diameter of the compound umbel is about 12 cm, the umbrella spokes are 12~20, the involucral bracts are 7~11, and the involucral bracts are 8~12, all of which are wide-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, and the tips are long and tapered, recurved, with white edges, membranous and sparse short hairs; The umbel is nearly spherical, with yellow-green flowers, inconspicuous calyx teeth, petals are oval, short claws at the base, slightly concave tip, and short conical style base.
The mericarp is oval, tawny, and slightly flattened at the back, 5~7 cm long and 3~4 cm wide. The lateral and dorsal ribs are broad-winged, and the wings of the dorsal ribs are wider than those of the lateral ribs. There are oil tubes 1 and 2 in each groove, and the ventral surface of the endosperm is flat or slightly concave. Its flowering period is from June to August and fruiting from August to September.
Ecological environment: Levisticum officinale Koch is indigenous to West Asia and the Mediterranean region, it grows wild in the Balkan and northern Greece and is cultivated in Europe, and North America, it was also introduced to cultivation in China.
Characters of herbs: Lovage root is the dried rhizomes and roots of Levisticum officinale, as well as their preparations. Roots of 2-year-old plants are collected in autumn.
Pharmacological actions: ①.reduce intestinal spasms and antispasmodic; ②.diuretic; ③.antimicrobial; ④.cholinergic;
Lovage volatile oil component ligustilide may reduce intestinal spasms, the essential oil has an antispasmodic effect on smooth muscle, volatile oil may lessen the amount of gas within the stomach and intestines, and the bitter taste of the tea may alleviate these discomforts by boosting the secretion of saliva and gastric juices. Animal studies indicate that lovage has promise as a diuretic, the herb probably promotes urination by irritating the kidneys.
Medicinal efficacy: Lovage is used in folk medicine as a diuretic for increasing urine flow, calming stomach upset, and reducing excess gas, and used to treat sore throat, malaria, kidney stones, bladder problems, boils, congestion, rheumatism, migraine headache. In Europe, the herb is approved for infections of the urinary tract, kidney and bladder stones, lovage is used for irrigating therapy for inflammation of the lower urinary tract, and irrigating therapy for prevention of kidney gravel.
Administration of Lovage (Sea Parsley):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Lovage (Sea Parsley)
Herbal classic books
Dosage: A common daily dosage is 4 to 8 grams, a decoction is prepared using 1 to 2 teaspoons, 2 to 4 grams of dried root per cup of water. The liquid extract is taken in doses of 0.3 to 2 ml. Infusion is prepared with 1.5 grams of herb per cup. Tea is prepared with 2 to 4 grams herb to 1 cup, several times a day between meals. The herb should be protected from light and insects in well-sealed containers. The whole herb should be stored not longer than 18 months, and the powdered herb, not longer than 24 hours.
Contraindications, Precautions and Adverse Reactions: The FDA places lovage on its list of foods that are "Generally Recognized As Safe"(GRAS), it is by all indications safe for most people to use, exceptions include people with inflamed kidneys or impaired kidney function. Lovage could make susceptible individuals develop a rash or other adverse skin reactions to the sun appear to have abated, the risk appears to be greatest among people who have handled the plant, and an elevation of UV sensitivity among light-skinned individuals is possible (phototoxic effect of the furocoumarins). The herb should not be used during pregnancy.
✵The article gives records of the herb Lovage, its English name, Latin name, common names, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Levisticum officinale Koch., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Lovage, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
English Name: Lovage.
Botanical description: Levisticum officinale Koch is a sturdy perennial herb, the whole plant is fragrant, and it grows up to 1~2.5 meters high. The rhizome is a big and thick, spindle-shaped, branched root, 4~5 cm in diameter, with many branches and leaves sheath residues at the top, the root is brownish-yellow on the outside and whitish on the inside. Stems are upright, smooth, and glabrous, and their base is 3~4 cm in diameter, purplish red, shiny, hollow, and longitudinally grooved. The basal leaves and the lower leaves of the stem are pinnately divided two or three times, with long stalks, and the base of the petiole expands and grows into a round shape with a purple leaf sheath; The upper leaves of the stem usually pinnate only once; The outline of leaves is wide obovate to wide triangle, the petiole of stem leaves is short, and the uppermost leaves are mostly simplified into small leaves with three cracks at the top; The terminal lobe is obovate to ovoid-rhombic, more or less coriaceous, 4~11 cm long and 2~7 cm wide, with 2-3 cracks in the upper part of the leaf margin, a few irregular coarse serrations, the lower part of the leaf margin being entire, sharp or long at the top and wedge at the base.
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