Cetraria islandica

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Cetraria islandica
Icelandic moss (Cetraria islandica)

Icelandic moss ( Cetraria islandica )

Systematics
Class : Lecanoromycetes
Subclass : Lecanoromycetidae
Order : Lecanorales
Family : Parmeliaceae
Genre : Cetraria
Type : Cetraria islandica
Scientific name
Cetraria islandica
( L. ) Oh.
Illustration of the Icelandic moss ( Cetraria islandica ) from Koehler's medicinal plants from 1887
Icelandic moss in the form of the moss drug (Lichen islandicus)
Brown colored specimen in full sun.

Cetraria islandica - even Iceland moss , Iceland moss , Irish moss (not to be confused with Irish moss ), Lichen islandicus , blood lung moss , fever moss , Hirschhornflechte or barley (Austrian) - is a cushion-shaped growing Strauchflechte .

description

The lichen grows to a height of 4 to 12 centimeters, its individual shoots branch out like antlers, are rigid, scaly and often bent in rivulets, brown-green on the top and white-green on the underside. The 3 to 6 millimeter flat bands are serrated on the edge.

Depending on the light exposure, the lichens store different amounts of a brown pigment that serves as sun protection. Lichen in the high mountains is therefore dark brown to black brown in color.

Occurrence

It is widespread throughout Europe, but only in higher elevations in the south. The largest deposits are in the mountains, in the Swiss Alps mostly between 1500 and 2500 m altitude and in Iceland (cushions up to 20 cm thick), where they pose a danger to hikers because they cover crevices in the lava field; The lichen can also be found in the lowlands in open locations on sandy soils. It is typical for moors, light pine forests and dwarf shrub heaths . In the tundra or in places exposed to the wind in high mountains, the species forms extensive lawns together with other lichens.

Icelandic moss in phytotherapy (herbal medicine)

The first known description can be found under the name Muscus islandicus catharticus in a list of medicinal products, the Copenhagen tax of 1672 . The whole or chopped up thallus is used in phytotherapy ( Lichen islandicus ). The drug contains mucilage and bitter-tasting lichen acids. The Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products of the EU in November 2014 islandicus Lichen as a traditional herbal medicinal product classified. The approved areas of application include the relief of dry cough and inflammation in the mouth and throat as well as temporary loss of appetite. Lichen islandicus is used pure or mixed as a cough tea .

The lichen is collected in late summer and autumn when the weather is dry. The collection areas include Scandinavia, the Balkans and Russia. To protect the valuable ingredients, the herb should dry slowly in a darkened place.

Ingredients and effects

Icelandic moss contains bitter substances , lichen acids (e.g. fumarprotocetraric acid ), iodine , mucilage ( lichenine ) and vitamins A , B 1 and B 12 as therapeutically effective ingredients . It has a soothing and strengthening effect on the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat . It is also used for inflammation of the gastric and intestinal mucosa . It also works against nausea , increases the appetite, invigorates and strengthens ( tones ). The lichen acids are said to have a slight antibacterial effect.

For stubborn acne , therapy with Iceland moss can be tried.

history

swell

Scopoli 1769 --- Ebeling 1779 --- Ebeling 1781 --- Crichton 1789 --- Hahnemann 1790 --- Régnault 1802 --- Jean-Louis Alibert 1805/05 --- Hecker 1814/15 --- Pereira / Buchheim 1846/48 --- August Husemann / Theodor Husemann 1871 --- Theodor Husemann 1883

Historical illustrations

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ O. Anselmino, Ernst Gilg (Ed.): Commentary on the German Pharmacopoeia, 6th edition 1926: Based on the Hager-Fischer-Hartwich comments in the earlier pharmacopoeia. Second volume. Jumper. ISBN 978-3-642-90746-3 . P. 3
  2. ↑ a b c Cooperation phytopharmaceuticals : Icelandic moss.
  3. ↑ Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products: European Union herbal monograph on Cetraria islandica (L.) Acharius sl, thallus. November 24, 2014. p. 3
  4. ↑ Ernst-Albert Meyer: Phytotherapy: cough tea pure or mixed well. In: PTA-Forum , edition 10/2010.
  5. ^ Wilhelm Zopf: The lichen substances in chemical, botanical, pharmacological and technical relationship . 1st edition. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena 1907, p. 173 .
  6. ↑ a b c d Icelandic moss in medicinal plant practice today at books.google.de (accessed on April 11, 2009) .
  7. ↑ see also: Usnea
  8. ^ Ioannis Antonii Scopoli. Annus II. Historico-Naturalis . CG Hilscher, Leipzig 1769, IV (p. 107–118): Lichenis Islandici Vires medicae (digitized version )
  9. ^ Johann Philipp Ebeling  : Dissertatio de quassia et lichene islandico . Glasgow 1779
  10. ^ Additions by Johann Dietrich Philipp Christian Ebeling in his translation of: William Cullen's Materia Medica or doctrine of the medicaments. Leipzig 1781, pp. 67–68: Food (digital copy) ; Pp. 205–207: Contracting means (digitized version)
  11. ↑ Alexander Crichton : Some observations on the medicinal effects of the Icelandic moss and the fall herb . Communicated in a letter to Dr. Simmons by Dr. Alexander Crichton . In: Samuel Foart Simmons (1750-1813) (editor). Collection of the latest observations by English doctors and surgeons for 1789 . Frankfurt am Main 1792, pp. 173-184 (digitized version )
  12. ↑ Samuel Hahnemann : Note on the translation of William Cullen's treatise on the materia medica , Leipzig 1790, Volume II, p. 138 (digitized version)
  13. ↑ Jean Baptiste Étienne Benoît Olive Régnault: Observations on Pulmonary Consumption, or an Essay on the Lichen Islandicus, considered both As an Aliment and a Medicine in that Disorder . London 1802 (digitized)
  14. ^ Jean-Louis Alibert : Nouveaux éléments de thérapeutique et de matière médicale. Crapart, Paris, Volume II 1804/05 (XIII), pp. 31–38: Lichen d'Islande (digitized version )
  15. ↑ August Friedrich Hecker 's practical medicine theory. Revised and enriched with the latest discoveries by a practicing doctor . Camesius, Vienna, Volume I 1814 pp. 240–245: Lichen islandicus. Icelandic moss (digitized version)
  16. ↑ Jonathan Pereira’s Handbook of Medicines Doctrine. From the point of view of the German Medicin edited by Rudolf Buchheim . Leopold Voss, Leipzig 1846-48, Volume II 1848, pp. 8-11: Cetraria Islandica. Icelandic moss (digitized version)
  17. ↑ August Husemann / Theodor Husemann : The plant substances in chemical, physiological, pharmacological and toxicological terms. For doctors, pharmacists, chemists and pharmacologists. Springer, Berlin 1871, p. 1066: Cetraric acid, Lichesteric acid (digital copy ) ; Pp. 1068–1070: Lichenin (digitized version )
  18. ↑ Handbook of the Entire Pharmaceutical Science. Springer, Berlin 2nd ed. 1883, pp. 652–654: Lichen Islandicus. Icelandic moss (digitized version)

Web links

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