Common eyebright

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Common eyebright
Meadow eyebright (Euphrasia rostkoviana)

Meadow eyebright ( Euphrasia rostkoviana )

Systematics
Asterids
Euasterids I
Order : Mint family (Lamiales)
Family : Summer root family (Orobanchaceae)
Genre : Eyebright ( Euphrasia )
Type : Common eyebright
Scientific name
Euphrasia rostkoviana
Hayne

The congregation or Big eyes consolation , even Meadow Eyebright called ( Euphrasia officinalis , Euphrasia rostkoviana , Euphrasia officinalis subsp. Rostkoviana ) is a meadow plant from the family of Broomrape family (Orobanchaceae).

Names

Like many of the plants that are used in medicine , the common eyebright also bears a number of German-language trivial names. Further names for the plant species are Augendank, Augustine herb, Gibinix, Grummetblume, Herbstblümle, Heuschelm, Milchschelen or Weglicht as well as Adhil.

Eyebright owes its broader name to Wiesenwolf to its suction roots , with which it extracts minerals and nutrients from neighboring grasses directly from their roots and thus inhibits their growth ( semi-parasites ). The name Milchdieb results from this property, as the poor growth of the grass can reduce the yield of grazing cattle.

The scientific classification of the genus eyebright is still controversial. Sometimes Euphrasia rostkoviana is combined with other similar plants (e.g. Euphrasia picta , Euphrasia kerneri or Euphrasia stricta ) to form Euphrasia officinalis and then as a subspecies Euphrasia officinalis subsp. rostkoviana addressed.

description

Illustration of the meadow eyebright ( Euphrasia rostkoviana )

The annual herbaceous plant reaches a height of 5 to 25 cm. The flowers are white, often with violet veins, and have a yellow spot on the lower petals. The leaves are almost one centimeter long, crosswise opposite, sessile, ovate-oblong and serrated serrated. Like the entire inflorescence, they are densely hairy.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 22.

Systematics

The following subspecies can be distinguished in Euphrasia rostkoviana :

  • Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne subsp. rostkoviana
  • Euphrasia rostkoviana subsp. campestris (Jord.) P. Fourn. : It occurs in France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, the former Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.
  • Euphrasia rostkoviana subsp. fennica (Kihlm.) Karlsson : It occurs in Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine.
  • Euphrasia rostkoviana subsp. montana (Jord.) Compet.

The following two subspecies of the great eyebright are also regarded by many authors as separate species:

ecology

The great eyebright is an annual semi - parasite on meadow plants; its seeds are only capable of germination in their sphere of influence. With the help of suction roots, the xylem is tapped from host plants. The species shows seasonal dimorphism , i.e. H. Plants that grow in summer and autumn have different shapes.

The flowers are pre-female "real lip flowers". When touching the dust bag of dry trickles pollen on the flower visitors down. Pollinators are especially bees and hoverflies . The secretion of nectar occurs at the bottom of the ovary. The yellow sap marks of the flowers are also interpreted as dummy stamens because the pollinators fly to the flowers outside of the male phase. With older flowers self-pollination is possible because the anthers and stigmas touch each other as the corolla has grown. The flowering time in Central Europe is from July to September.

The fruits are 2-flap capsules which, when dry, open somewhat spreading and thus act as a wind and animal spreader. The whole plant is u. a. because of the granny, serrated wrapper leaves also spread with hay or animal skins, which corresponds to a random and Velcro spread. The seeds themselves spread like granular flyers. Fruit ripens from September to October.

Occurrence

The meadow eyebright occurs in almost all European countries, as well as in Turkey and Georgia. Fresh (poor) meadows and pasture lawns up to an altitude of 2300 m asl are preferred. The species is a character species of the class Molinio-Arrhenatheretea in Central Europe . It occurs particularly in montane societies of the arrhenatheretalia, but also in those of the violion or mesobromion associations. The flowering time in Central Europe is from July to September. The main area of ​​distribution is in Central, Western and Southern Europe. In Austria , this species can often be found in all federal states.

Use in ophthalmology

Meadow eyebright, taken in the Kaiser Mountains (Austria)

Eyebright, first mentioned as euphrasia around 1165, has been used as an eye remedy since the 13th century. The dried above-ground parts harvested during the flowering period are used as medicinal drugs, but also the whole fresh plant.

Active ingredients: Iridoid glycosides such as Aucubin , Euphrosid and Catalpol ; Flavonoids , phenol carboxylic acids , lignans , small amounts of essential oil.

Application: Common eyebright is a drug of folk medicine and homeopathy . Areas of application are coughing and hoarseness in equal measure, but in particular inflammation of the conjunctiva and the edge of the eyelid as a result of catarrhs and eye fatigue.

There are no concerns about internal use as a tea; external use in the form of washes, poultices and baths on the eyes is not recommended for reasons of hygiene, since the preparations are often not free of suspended matter and germs. There is nothing wrong with sterile preparations.

What the postulated effect against eye disorders is based on could not be clarified pharmacologically.

After a research project together with the University of Hohenheim, Weleda has been cultivating eyebright since 2003 in order to be able to meet its needs.

Common names

For the common eyebright , the other German-speaking trivial names exist or existed : Augendienst ( Silesia ), Augenkraut, Augentrost ( Bernese Oberland ), Augstablust ( Appenzell ), Augstenblümli ( Graubünden in the Rhine Forest), Augstenziegen ( St. Gallen near Sargans ), Augustinas ( Upper Engadin ), Gibinix ( Vaud , Entlibuch), Heideln ( Augsburg ), brain herb ( Ore Mountains , Silesia), Hungerblümli ( Bern ), lamp, white lamp (Silesia), Lichchen, Lichter Tag, Lichtkrawt ( Middle High German ), Lichttagkraut, Leuchtenkrawt (Middle High German ), Luchte ( Old High German , Low German ), Milchdieb ( Tyrol im Pongau ), Milchschelm (Entlibuch), Milchtötteln ( Carinthia in Katschtal ), Ogentrost ( Mecklenburg ), Ougenclar, Ougentrost, white Ruhr herb ( Austria ), Selbheide (Old High German), Mocking ( Tyrol, Zillertal ), daylight (Silesia), Ugentrüst ( Transylvania ), path lights and horny goatweed (Graubünden).

history

In his herbal book from 1539 Hieronymus Bock listed four types of plants that were called “eyebright” in his time. For the Nuremberg pharmacists it was the great star chickweed , for the Strasbourgers it was the common eyebright. Two types of forget -me-nots , the swamp forget-me-not and the field forget-me-not , were also called "eyebright" without Bock specifying the location.

A Nuremberg manuscript from 1474 ( Cpg 545 ) mentioned a water burnt out of "augen tropff" or "augen comfort", which was recommended for external and internal use in acute and chronic eye diseases. Also in the little book about the burnt-out waters , attributed to Michael Puff , “ewfrasia water that is eye comfort” was mentioned and recommended for diseases of the eyes in winter.

The "Liber de vinis" ascribed to the Catalan doctor Arnaldus de Villanova - originated in Africa, translated into Hebrew in 1358 and in circulation as a Lower Franconian manuscript by 1400 at the latest - was streamlined into High German by Wilhelm von Hirnkofen in 1478 and printed in Esslingen. In this incunabula it was recommended to put eyebright in must and thus to produce eyebright wine ( vinum eufragiae , vinum eufragiatum ), which according to the theory of quality is hot and dry and is therefore particularly suitable for the treatment of eye diseases of the "phlegmatic" and those suffering from senile vision would.

By illustration and description, “eufragia” - “augendroist” - arabice “herba adhill” was interpreted as common eyebright by Vitus Auslasser in 1479 and in 1485 in the Mainz Garden of Health . In his small distilling book from 1500, Hieronymus Brunschwig reported about a “küngin von Engelant” who burned a particularly effective eyebright water from the flowers alone. Hans Heinrich, the queen's doctor, told him this.

swell

Historical illustrations

literature

  • Willem Frans Daems (together with Mientje Daems and Gundolf Keil ): Euphrasia. Contributions to the medieval pharmacology of eyebright and strawberry. In: Würzburg medical history reports. Volume 14, 1996, pp. 253-260 (edited from Dutch and adapted to the more recent research status by: Willem Frans Daems: Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis van Euphrasia. In: Scientiarum Historia. Volume 4, 1962, pp. 53-62 ).
  • Willem Frans Daems: Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis van Euphrasia. In: Scientarum Historia. Volume 4, 1962, pp. 53-62.
  • Ruprecht Düll , Herfried Kutzelnigg : Pocket dictionary of plants in Germany and neighboring countries. The most common Central European species in portrait. 7th, corrected and enlarged edition. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2011, ISBN 978-3-494-01424-1 .
  • Günther Neidhardt: Euphrasia rostkowiana Hayne, the eyebright. In: Pharmazie , Supplementary Volume I, Supplement 3, Berlin 1947.
  • Ingrid and Peter Schönfelder : The new book of medicinal plants. Franckh-Kosmos Verlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-440-12932-6 .
  • Miranda Seymour: A Little History of Herbs and Spices. Verlag Scherz, Frankfurt am Main 2005, ISBN 3-502-15879-7 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . With the collaboration of Angelika Schwabe and Theo Müller. 8th, heavily revised and expanded edition. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 , pp. 853-854 .
  2. ↑ a b c d Karol Marhold, 2011: Scrophulariaceae : Datasheet Euphrasia In: Euro + Med Plantbase - the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity.
  3. ^ Euphrasia in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  4. ↑ Hans Balzli (ed.): Vocabularies in Codex Salernitanus of the Breslauer Stadtbibliothek (No. 1302) and in a Munich manuscript (Lat. 4622), both from the XII. Century. Leipzig 1931 (= Studies on the History of Medicine , 21), pp. 6 and 32.
  5. ^ Willem F. Daems † (together with Mientje Daems and Gundolf Keil): Euphrasia. Contributions to the medieval pharmacology of eyebright and strawberry. In: Würzburg medical history reports. Volume 14, 1996, pp. 253-260.
  6. ↑ Monika Schulte-Löbbert: Eyebright: Refreshment for tired eyes. on: http://ptaforum.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de
  7. ↑ Natalia Wszelaki, Matthias F. Melzig: Eyebright - Portrait of a medicinal plant - Eyebright - Euphrasia officinalis L. In: Journal for Phytotherapy. Volume 32, No. 1, 2011, pp. 40-46. doi : 10.1055 / s-0030-1262418
  8. ^ Georg August Pritzel , Carl Jessen : The German folk names of plants. New contribution to the German linguistic treasure. Philipp Cohen, Hannover 1882, page 148 f. ( Online ).
  9. ↑ For the origin of the name "eufrasia" see: Willem Frans Daems . The variety of synonyms and the technique of interpretation in the nomina plantarum medievalia. In: P. Dilg (Ed.) Perspektiven der Pharmaziegeschichte. Graz 1983, p. 30.
  10. ^ Gundolf Keil: Arnald von Villanova. In: The German literature of the Middle Ages. Author Lexicon. 2nd Edition. Berlin / New York 1978, Vol. I, Sp. 455-458.
  11. ^ Karl Sudhoff . German medical incunabula. Leipzig 1908, pp. 133-139.
  12. ^ Arnold Carl Klebs . Incunabula scientifica et medica. (Reprint of the edition Bruges 1938) Hildesheim 2004, pp. 57–57: 11 incunabula (Esslingen, Augsburg, Strasbourg, Reutlingen, Ulm).
  13. ^ Willem Frans Daems (together with Mientje Daems and Gundolf Keil): Euphrasia. Contributions to the medieval pharmacology of eyebright and strawberry. In: Würzburg medical history reports. Volume 14, 1996, pp. 253-260; here: pp. 253 and 255 f.
  14. ^ Pseudo-Arnaldus de Villanova . 13-14 Jh: The treatise ... of the care and advice of the wine ... pressure. Esslingen (?) After 1478: Ougentrost wine (digitized version )
  15. ↑ Cpg 545 . Medical prescription collection and tracts. Nuremberg (?) 1474 sheet 120v-121r (digitized version )
  16. ↑ Michael Puff : Booklet of the burnt-out waters . 15th century print Augsburg (Johannes Bämler) 1478 (digitized)
  17. ↑ Gart der Gesundheit . Mainz 1485, chapter 160: Eufragia. Eyebright (digitized)
  18. ↑ Hortus sanitatis 1491, Mainz 1491, part, chapter 167: Eufragia (digitized version )
  19. ↑ Hieronymus Brunschwig : Small distilling book , Strasbourg 1500, sheet 84v: Ougentrost (digitized version )
  20. ^ Otto Brunfels : Contrafayt Kreüterbůch . Johann Schott, Strasbourg 1532, p. 34: Eyebright (digitized version)
  21. ↑ Hieronymus Bock . New Kreütter book. Strasbourg 1539, book I, cap. 108 (digitized version)
  22. ↑ Leonhart Fuchs : New Kreütterbuch… Michael Isingrin, Basel 1543, Chapter 91: Eyebright (digitized version)
  23. ^ Pietro Andrea Mattioli : Commentarii, in libros sex Pedacii Dioscoridis Anazarbei, de medica materia. Translation by Georg Handsch, edited by Joachim Camerarius the Younger , Johan Feyerabend, Franckfurt am Mayn 1586, sheet 356r – 356v: Augentrost (digital copy )
  24. ↑ Nicolas Lémery  : Dictionnaire universel des drogues simples. , Paris 1699, p. 292: Euphrasia (digitized version) ; Translation. Complete material lexicon. Initially drafted in French, but now after the third edition, which has been enlarged by a large [...] edition, translated into high German / By Christoph Friedrich Richtern, [...]. Leipzig: Johann Friedrich Braun, 1721, Sp. 442: Euphrasia (digitized version)
  25. ↑ Albrecht von Haller (editor): Onomatologia medica completa or Medicinisches Lexicon which explains all names and artificial words which are peculiar to the science of medicine and the art of pharmacy clearly and completely [...]. Gaumische Handlung, Ulm / Frankfurt am Main / Leipzig 1755, Sp. 620–621: Euphrasia (digitized)
  26. ↑ August Friedrich Hecker 's practical medicine theory. Revised and enriched with the latest discoveries by a practicing doctor . Camesius, Vienna, Volume I 1814, p. 359 (digitized version )

Web links

Commons : Common eyebright ( Euphrasia rostkoviana )  - album with pictures, videos and audio files