Also Known as: Ligusticum Levisticum (Linn.). Old English Lovage. Italian Lovage. Cornish Lovage. Botanical Name: Levisticum officinale W. Koch
Description Lovage is a flowering plant in the same family as carrots, parsley, and dill. Its dark green leaves resemble cilantro, while the stalks resemble celery. The herb is sweeter but stronger than celery. Brought from Europe as both a food and as a medicinal, it now grows wild in the United States in New England, the Great Lakes states, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. For centuries, it has been thought of as a good ingredient to add to love potions.
Constituents: Lovage contains a volatile oil, angelic acid, a bitter extractive, resins, etc. The colouring principle has been isolated by M. Niklis, who gives it the name of Ligulin, and suggests an important application of it that may be made in testing drinking water. If a drop of its alcoholic or aqueous solution is allowed to fall into distilled water, it imparts to the liquid its own fine crimson-red colour, which undergoes no change; but if limestone water be substituted, the red colour disappears in a few seconds and is followed by a beautiful blue, due to the alkalinity of the latter. .
Parts Used: The entire plant is medicinal, but typically the roots and the leaves are used in herbal medicine.
Typical Preparations: Teas, tinctures, encapsulations. Also eaten fresh as a vegetable. The dried leaf may be sprinkled on food or added to soup stock.
Medicinal Action and Uses : Formerly Lovage was used for a variety of culinary purposes, but now its use is restricted almost wholly to confectionery, the young stems being treated like those of Angelica, to which, however, it is inferior, as its stems are not so stout nor so succulent. The leafstalks and stem bases were formerly blanched like celery, but as a vegetable it has fallen into disuse. A herbal tea is made of the leaves, when previously dried, the decoction having a very agreeable odour The roots and fruit are aromatic and stimulant, and have diuretic and carminative action. In herbal medicine they are used in disorders of the stomach and feverish attacks, especially for cases of colic and flatulence in children, its qualities being similar to those of Angelica in expelling flatulence, exciting perspiration and opening obstructions. The leaves eaten as salad, or infused dry as a tea, used to be accounted a good emmenagogue. An infusion of the root, for gravel, jaundice and urinary troubles, and the cordial, sudorific nature of the roots and seeds caused their use to be extolled in 'pestilential disorders.. 'Culpepper, said the working of the seeds was more powerful than that of the root; he tells us that an infusion 'being dropped into the eyes taketh away their redness or dimness.... It is highly recommended to drink the decoction of the herb for agues.... The distilled water is good for quinsy if the mouth and throat be gargled and washed therewith.... The decoction drunk three or four times a day is effectual in pleurisy.... The leaves bruised and fried with a little hog's lard and laid hot to any blotch or boil will quickly break it.'
Precautions: Specific: Not for use in pregnancy except under the supervision of a qualified healthcare practitioner.
