Prunella vulgaris, known as common selfheal, heal-all, heart-of-the-earth, is a medicinal plant in the genus Prunella. It grows 5 to 30 cms high^[1] (2-12inches), with creeping, self-rooting, tough, square, reddish stems branching at leaf axis. The leaves are lance shaped, serrated, and reddish at tip, about an inch long and 1/2 inch broad, and grow on short stalks in opposite pairs down the square stem. The flowers grow from a clublike, somewhat square, whirled cluster; immediately below this club are a pair of stalkless leaves standing out on either side like a collar. Flowers are two lipped and tubular. The top lip is a purple hood, and the bottom lip is often white; it has three lobes with the middle lobe being larger and fringed upwardly. Flowers bloom at different times depending on climate and other conditions, but mostly from June to August.^[2] For medicinal purposes, the whole plant is gathered and dried when the flowers are in bloom. The leaves and small flowers of heal-all are edible.

Habitat and cultivation

Heal-all is a perennial herb found throughout Europe, Asia and North America, as well as most temperate climates. Its origin seems to be European, though it has been documented in other countries since before any history of travel. In the United Kingdom it is abundant throughout Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England. In the Republic of Ireland it is currently abundant in the west in the counties Galway and Clare, the southwest in Kerry, the south coast, and is also found around the central basin of Ireland. It is often found growing in waste ground, grassland, woodland edges, and usually in basic and neutral soils.^[2] It is grown in any damp soil in full sun or in light shade. Seeds are sown in very early spring in a flat outdoor area.

The flowers are arranged in several whorls at the end of a stem, forming a tight cluster. The upper lip of the flower forms a hood and there is a small lobed lower lip. It blooms throughout June to September.

Properties

closeup of the flowers

plant habit

Heal-all is both edible and medicinal. It is often used in salads, soups, stews, and boiled as a pot herb. It has been used as an alternative medicine for centuries all over the world and for many ailments. The plant's active chemical constituents are betulinic acid, D-camphor, delphinidin, hyperoside, manganese, oleanolic acid, rosmarinic acid, rutin, ursolic acid, and tannins.^{[citation needed]} It is taken internally as a medicinal tea in the treatment of fevers, diarrhoea, sore mouth and throat, internal bleeding, and weaknesses of the liver and heart.^[3] In vitro studies have shown it to have an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of pseudomonas, Bacillus typhi, E. coli, Mycobacterium tuberculi.^[4] It is showing promise in research for cancer,^{[citation needed]} AIDS,^[5] diabetes,^{[citation needed]} and other maladies.^[6][7]

Folklore

Heal-all was once proclaimed to be a holy herb and was thought to be sent by God to cure all ailments of man or beast. It was said to drive away the devil, which led to the belief that heal-all was grown in witches' gardens as a disguise. The root was also used to make a tea that Native Americans used to drink in ceremonies before going hunting to sharpen their powers of observation.^[8]

Other names

In Germany it is known as Kleine Braunelle; in the United States, as Lance Selfheal, Aleutian selfheal, Heal-all, Carpenter weed, Heart-of-the-earth, Blue Curls (generically) and as Hook Heal. In Finland it is called Niittyhumala, and in Poland it is Glowienka pospolita.

References

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