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STRAWBERRY - HERBAL OVERVIEW
STRAWBERRY
Fragaria Vesca Wild Strawberry, Alpine Strawberry, Mountain Strawberry, Pineapple Strawberry, Wood Strawberry, Woodland Strawberry
Strawberries have a mild aroma reminiscent of roses and have long been enjoyed as a sweet summer treat. Seventeenth century herbalists used the berries to cool the liver, blood, and spleen, or a hot choleric stomach. It was also used to quench the thirst and help reduce inflammation. The root was used as a home remedy for diarrhea and the stalks were used to help heal wounds. An 18th-century botanist and physician, Linnaeus, is said to have used wild strawberries, by eating large quantities of the berries, to keep himself free of gout; however, its effectiveness in treating this condition has not been proven. At one time, the wild strawberry was a highly-esteemed folk remedy. American Indians used root tea for stomach ailments, jaundice and profuse menses. In the 2Oth century, Strawberry tea was used in folk medicine as a tonic. The leaves are mildly astringent, and have laxative and diuretic properties. However, until recently, the delicate plant's medicinal uses were forgotten.
STRAWBERRY PLANT DESCRIPTION
The wild strawberry is a member of the rose family and grows to be about 8 inches high. The fragrant red strawberries begin to develop in June. They are actually fleshy berries, with an outer skin that contains the plant's actual fruits - the hard, tiny, yellow seeds.
The plant grows in North America where both native plants and those from Europe may be found in lightly wooded forests and their edges, on slopes and in clear-cut areas.
PLANT PARTS USED
The leaves, berries and roots are used for therapeutic purposes. Always keep the dried plant parts protected from humidity.
Blight or spots are commonly found on dried strawberry leaf, and this is commonly confused with a pernicious form of mold. This is a natural cycle of the strawberry's maturation process and should not be confused with mold or fungus.
STRAWBERRY CONSTITUENTS / COMPONENTS
The leaves and roots of the wild strawberry plant contain tannin, which has an astringent action. The leaves also are composed of triterpene alcohols, flavonoids, citral (a lemony substance) and traces of essential oils. The berries contain a great deal of vitamin C (60 milligrams per 100 grams fruit), as well as fruit acids and minerals - such as potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, calcium and iron.
STRAWBERRY HISTORY
The Wild Strawberry, a delicate, thin-leaved plant, with small, scarlet berries, cone-shaped and studded with tiny, brown seeds, has a fragrance and flavor more delicate even than the cultivated Strawberry. It chooses a slightly sheltered position, and, being very small, considerable labor goes to the collection of its fruit, which is much more used and appreciated in France than in Great Britain. 1629 is the date assigned to the introduction of the Scarlet Strawberry from Virginia, and the earliest mention of the Strawberry in English writings is in a Saxon plant list of the tenth century, and in 1265 the "Straberie" is mentioned in the household roll of the Countess of Leicester. "Strabery ripe," together with "Gode Peascode" and "Cherrys in the ryse," were some of the London cries mentioned by Lydgate in the fifteenth century. Ben Jonson, in a play written in 1603, speaks of: "A pot of Strawberries gathered in the wood To mingle with your cream."
The common idea that the word Strawberry is derived from the habit of placing straw under the cultivated plants when the berries are ripening is quite erroneous. The name is older than this custom, and preserves the obsolete preterit "straw" of the verb "to strew," referring to the tangle of vines with which the Strawberry covers the ground.
STRAWBERRY USES
The leaves of wild strawberry provide an astringent action. Therefore, the leaves can be used to make a tea that reduces inflamed mucous membranes in the mouth. Fresh strawberries, on the other hand, soothe gastritis and are also helpful in curing anemia. The gentle astringent properties of tannins in the strawberry leaves offer relief from diarrhea, dysentery and other digestive upsets. Use fresh or dried leaves infused in a tea. King's American Dispensatory, a textbook of herbal medicine used by health care providers in the United States in the early 20th century, recommends strawberry leaf tincture mixed with mulberry or raspberry syrup for treating dysentery, conditions modern medicine would identify as chlamydia or gonorrhea, and difficulty in urination.
Strawberry leaf tea is used as a gargle for sore throats. The Strawberry is a useful dentifrice and cosmetic. The fresh fruit removes discoloration of the teeth if the juice is allowed to remain on for about five minutes and the teeth are then cleansed with warm water, to which a pinch of bicarbonate of soda has been added. A cut Strawberry rubbed over the face immediately after washing will whiten the skin and remove slight sunburn. For a badly sunburnt face it is recommended to rub the juice well into the skin, to leave it on for half an hour, and then wash off with warm water to which a few drops of simple tincture of benzoin have been added; no soap should be used.
An infusion of the leaves, 1 to 2 tablespoons, can help treat gastric inflammations and infections, and jaundice. Strawberry leaves in a lotion work well in treating minor burns and scrapes. The fresh fruit is used as a laxative and eating the wild berries will help soothe the symptoms of gastritis. This berry also works as a liver tonic and is particularly good for those who are recovering from hepatitis. A poultice made from Strawberries is used in cases of sunburn and other skin inflammations. In Europe, Strawberry is prescribed as part of a diet for treating tuberculosis, gout, arthritis, and rheumatism.
AN OLD RECIPE
Gather strawberry leaves on Lamas Eve, press them in the distillery until the aromatic perfume thereof becomes sensible. Take a fat turkey and pluck him, and baste him, then enfold him carefully in the strawberry leaves. Then boil him in water from the well, and add rosemary, velvet flower, lavender, thistles, stinging nettles, and other sweet-smelling herbs. Add also a pint of canary wine, and half a pound of butter and one of ginger passed through the sieve. Sieve with plums and stewed raisins and a little salt. Cover him with a silver dish cover.
STRAWBERRY DOSAGE INFORMATION
Strawberry comes in various forms and is an ingredient in many products. For best results, read and follow product label directions.
METHODS OF ADMINISTRATION
STRAWBERRY SAFETY & INTERACTION INFORMATION
There are no known safety issues or interactions associated with Strawberry when taken in the recommended doses. If you are on other medications, it is best to consult with your health care provider before using this herb for the treatment of your condition. Safety in those with severe liver or kidney disease is not known. Avoid if you are allergic to strawberries.
STRAWBERRY SUPPLEMENTS & PRODUCTS
Herbal Remedies: Relaxing Tea, NOW Foods, With Strawberry Leaf, 30 Tea Bags
Relaxing Tea is a languid blend of nature's most soothing herbs.
Herbal Remedies: Prostate Balance Tincture, Liquid, Prostate Herbal Supplement, 2 fl. oz.
Alternative Health & Herbs Remedies Prostate Balance formula, prostate herbal supplement contains a blend of strawberry leaves and other ingredients for prostate problems and to balance male hormones.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Strawberry Leaf (Fragaria Vesca), Certified Organic, Bulk Herbs
Shaman Shop: Strawberry Leaf (Fragaria Vesca), Cut & Sifted, Starwest Botanicals, 1 lb.
Shaman Shop: Strawberry Leaf Extract (Fragaria Vesca), Health & Herbs, 2 fl. oz.
Shaman Shop: Strawberry Leaf Extract (Fragaria Vesca), Health & Herbs, 8 fl. oz.
Herbal Remedies: Strawberry Supplements & Products
Herbal Remedies: Strawberry Information
NUTRITION-HERBAL LINKS
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Prescription for Herbal Healing: The A-To-Z Reference To Common Disorders
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The Complete Guide to Natural Healing
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