Lovage

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Lovage
Lovage (Levisticum officinale), illustration

Lovage ( Levisticum officinale ), illustration

Systematics
Euasterids II
Order : Umbelliferae (Apiales)
Family : Umbelliferae (Apiaceae)
Subfamily : Apioideae
Genre : Levisticum
Type : Lovage
Scientific name
Levisticum officinale
WDJKoch

Lovage ( Levisticum officinale ), also Maggikraut , Lavas or Lus (t) stock , in Styria mainly nut stock , is a species of the genus Levisticum from the umbelliferous family (Apiaceae, outdated Umbelliferae). The term "lovage" was created through folk etymological word formation from the Latin "levisticum". The name " Maggi herb" was created because of the similar taste of Maggi seasoning with lovage; However, Maggi wort does not contain lovage.

description

Inflorescence from above
Foliage leaf

Lovage is a hardy, perennial, herbaceous plant that can reach heights of 1 to 2.5 m. The whole plant smells aromatic. The branched stem is an intense green. A rhizome is formed as a persistence organ, which has a diameter of 4 to 5 cm. The lower leaves in particular have long stalks. The leaf blade is two to three pinnate. The terminal leaflet is broadly triangular to ovate, 4 to 11 cm long and 2 to 7 cm wide. The stalked leaflets are two- to three-lobed with a few teeth.

The double-golden inflorescence has a diameter of 12 cm, has seven to eleven bracts with white margins and contains 12 to 20 small bulbs. The nodules have eight to eleven shells and contain many flowers. The yellowish to light green flowers are inconspicuous. The flowering period extends from June to August.

The brown fruit is 5 to 7 mm long and 3 to 4 mm wide. The fruits ripen between August and September.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 22.

Systematics

Levisticum officinale was published in 1824 by Wilhelm Daniel Joseph Koch in Novorum Actorum Academiae Caesareae Leopoldinae-Carolinae Naturae Curiosorum , 12 (1), 101, f. 41 first described. Synonyms for Levisticum officinale W.DJKoch are: Ligusticum levisticum L. , Angelica levisticum All. , Levisticum levisticum Karsten , Hipposelinum levisticum (L.) Britton & Rose , Angelica paludapifolia Lam. , Levisticum paludapifolium (Lam.) Asch. , Levisticum officinale Rchb. , L. officinale var. Vel subsp. cultum Thellung , Selinum levisticum (L.) EHLKrause , Levisticum vulgare Hill , Levisticum vulgare Reichb.

Origin, distribution and cultivation

Lovage probably comes from the Near or Middle East , probably from Iran or Afghanistan . From there it came across the Mediterranean to the rest of Europe . It is only found wild in warm areas. However, since it was and is grown in vegetable and herb gardens, it can also appear wild in places in colder regions of Europe.

Lovage has no special location requirements, but prefers deep, nutrient-rich soil and also tolerates partial shade. There should be a distance of 0.5… 1 m to other plants. Lovage plants can live up to around 15 years.

use

Culinary herb

The fresh lovage leaves are used as a spice, e.g. B. for soup, egg dishes, chanterelles ( chanterelles ) or other mushroom dishes. The taste is reminiscent of that of celery and Maggi spice . Finely chopped leaves can be used to flavor soups, salads, obatztem and stews .

The leaves can be harvested, dried or frozen throughout the summer.

The dried seeds can be used as a condiment in the preparation of stews and roasts. The fruits can also be used as a flavoring component for cheese dishes, bread and pastries.

pharmacology

Lovage in the form of the root drug (Levistici radix)

Serving as a pharmaceutical drug :

  • Dried lovage fruits ( Levistici fructus ) - they are popularly used for indigestion and flatulence and in the household as a spice.
  • Dried leaves ( Levistici herba ) - it is used in the household as a spice.
  • Rhizome and roots (dried whole or cut: Levistici radix ) - they contain essential oil with up to 70% phthalides including 3-butylphthalide, 3-butylidene phthalide (Ligusticumlacton) and 3-propylidene phthalide. The drug is used for flushing therapy for urinary tract infections and for the prevention of kidney gravel .

Since the furocoumarins contained in the drug are not water-soluble, phototoxic side effects are not to be expected with tea preparations , but photodermatoses are to be expected after strong sun exposure .

Dioscurides already describes the seeds and roots of "ligystikón" ("ligusticum" in Columella and Pliny ) as warming, digestive, diuretic and emmenagogue , also against the bites of wild animals. However, the assignment to our Levisticum is questionable. Lovage was a popular remedy in the Middle Ages and Baroque. Hildegard von Bingen praises him a. a. for throat diseases, Lonicerus as diaphoretic, diuretic, digestive and stomach-warming, Matthiolus as emmenagogue, stone and wind blowing. Weinmann calls it an antidote , diuretic , diaphoretic and wound remedy, especially for stomach colds, narrow chests and as an emmenagogue. Hufeland often used it on hydrops . Leclerc calls it a carminative and diuretic. According to Schulz, it is also used for chronic catarrh and menostasis. In Switzerland and Alsace, people with a sore throat drink milk through the plant stem. He also promotes calving in cattle. In folk medicine, lovage is also used for menstrual disorders and as an expectorant. In homeopathy and anthroposophic medicine , lovage a. a. given in otitis media.

Other ingredients

Aqueous extracts of lovage show a blue fluorescence under UV irradiation with light with a wavelength of 365 nm , which is triggered by umbelliferone , a coumarin derivative .

See also

literature

  • Ingrid Schönfelder, Peter Schönfelder : The new manual of medicinal plants. Franckh-Kosmos, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-440-09387-5 .
  • Karl Hiller, Matthias F. Melzig: Lexicon of medicinal plants and drugs. 2nd Edition. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg 2010, ISBN 978-3-8274-2053-4 .
  • Avril Rodway: Herbs and Spices. The most useful plants in nature - culture and use. Tessloff, Hamburg 1980, ISBN 3-7886-9910-8 .
  • Gerhard Madaus: textbook of biological remedies. Volume II. Olms, Hildesheim / New York 1979, ISBN 3-487-05891-X , pp. 1746–1752 (reprint of the Leipzig 1938 edition).

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Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Entry in Tropicos , accessed on July 21, 2012.
  2. ^ Gerhard Madaus : Textbook of biological remedies. Department 1: Medicinal Plants. 3 volumes. G. Thieme, Leipzig 1938.
  3. ^ Levisticum in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  4. ↑ https://www.bzfe.de/inhalt/kraeuter-zubereitung-und-lagerung-442.html Description of the drying of herbs on the website of the Federal Center for Nutrition ( https://www.bzfe.de ).
  5. ↑ a b c d https://www.spektrum.de/lexikon/arzneipflanzen-drogen/levisticum-officinale/8620 levisticum officinale in the "Lexicon of Medicinal Plants and Drugs" at Spektrum.de
  6. ↑ Entry on phthalides. In: Römpp Online . Georg Thieme Verlag, accessed on November 12, 2018.
  7. ↑ Henri Leclerc: La livèche. In: Janus 37, 1933, pp. 281-292.
  8. ^ Gerhard Madaus: Textbook of biological remedies. Volume II. Olms, Hildesheim / New York 1979, ISBN 3-487-05891-X , pp. 1746–1752 (reprint of the Leipzig 1938 edition).
  9. ↑ P. Drosky et al. The optical brighteners Fraxin and Aesculin ChiuZ 2014, 48, pp. 450–459

Web links

Commons : Lovage  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
  • Lovage . In: BiolFlor, the database of biological-ecological characteristics of the flora of Germany.
  • Levisticum officinale WDJ Koch In: Info Flora , the national data and information center for Swiss flora . Retrieved January 9, 2016.
Wiktionary: lovage  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations