Houndstongue

Cynoglossum officinale

Other Names : Cynoglossum officinale, beggar’s lice, dog’s tongue, sheep bur, dog bur, sheep lice, glovewort, woolmat

Special Precautions of Houndstongue

• Only External Use !!
• The toxic components are pyrrolizidine alkaloids called cynoglossine, consolidine, echinatine and heliosupine. Prolonged ingestion of pyrrolizidine alkaloids leads to liver damage and eventual failure
• The plant is more a threat to farm stock than humans.

Health Benefits and Uses of Houndstongue

Only External Use !! Houndstongue has a long history of use for a variety of magical, medicinal, and practical purposes.

• The name houndstongue comes from the belief that a leaf worn in the shoe could ward off dog attacks.
• Extracts of roots and leaves of houndstongue have been used in folk remedies for various ailments including fever, eczema, acne vulgaris, and hemorrhoids.
• Contains a compound called allantoin that may treat ulcers in the intestine and on the skin.
• Houndstongue ointment is said to cure baldness.
• The red pigments of the outer root surface are antibacterial and reportedly have wound-healing properties.
• In the 1830s, houndstooth was known in France to be made into an emollient and diuretic for daily use in inflammatory diseases, especially of the urinary organs. To prepare as a diuretic, the houndstooth leaves were mashed, and then boiled in water to extract oils, volatile organic compounds, and other chemical substances. The mix could be sweetened with liquorice to create Ptisan of Dog's-grass
• In the form of a poultice, it has been found highly beneficial in scrofulous tumors, burns, goitre, and may be applied to recent contusions or inflammations with much advantage; also to remove the pain and soreness attending irritated, bruised, or chafed parts, giving complete and immediate relief, especially in excoriation of the feet from much traveling. The tincture, or the application of bruised fresh leaves will remove the swelling and ecchymosis consequent upon severe blows or bruises
• Roots and leaves have been used as pesticides and leaves have been used to repel moles in gardens and rodents from stored foods.

References

Ryan, Michael (1835). "Collection of Formula of the Civil and Military Hospitals of France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain and Ireland". London Medical and Surgical Journal. 7: 527. OCLC 13350693. Retrieved October 8, 2011.