Lovage is a medicinal plant with a diuretic, anti-edemic, antirheumatic action, useful as a remedy for pathologies of the uro-genital system. Let’s find out better.
Property of Lovage
The lovage has multiple properties. It is diuretic, antirheumatic, antiseptic, tonic and digestive.
These properties are due to the presence of contents such as vitamins, essential oils, sugars and tannins that enhance its healing function.
Lovage has a high diuretic and antispastic action that make it an effective remedy for the treatment of urinary tract disorders such as gravel, kidney inflammation and water retention.
Its diuretic action is essentially due to the presence of an essential oil contained in the root of the plant.
This oil stimulates the elimination of urine by preventing the loss of mineral salts. The lovage is an excellent remedy in the treatment of water retention and edema caused by kidney disorders.
The active ingredients contained in lovage help to relieve digestive disorders, but also to treat diseases of the respiratory system such as tonsillitis and bronchitis.
How to use
The parts of the lovage plant used in herbal medicine are the roots, but sometimes the leaves and fruits (seeds) are also used. The extracts of the plant can be taken in the form of infusions and mother tinctures.
The use of Lovage in herbal teas finds space for its diuretic, carminative, diaphoretic, antispasmodic, emmenagogue, tonic and aperitif properties. Lovage is used to make infusions or as a mother tincture.
- To make the infusion, the leaves are left to rest in a cup of hot water. This can then be used to relieve digestive upset or headaches.
- The infusion of the seeds helps in the treatment of disorders related to the menstrual cycle, especially when this is scarce or absent.
- The mother tincture, on the other hand, is useful for the treatment of menstrual pains.
- Fresh lovage leaves can be added to soups to enhance their flavor or to flavor liqueurs.
Contraindications of lovage
Avoid taking lovage in case of ascertained hypersensitivity to one or more components. The use of Lovage is contraindicated in pregnancy, lactation and in case of reduced kidney and / or cardiac function.
Description of the plant
The lovage or mountain celery (Levisticum officinale) is a perennial plant belonging to the Apiacea family. The erect stem can grow up to a height of 2 meters. The leaves, in terms of appearance and flavor, are reminiscent of those of celery. The flowers are tiny, greenish-yellow in color gathered in umbels.
Habitat of the lovage
The Lovage is a very rustic plant; it is found both in uncultivated land and in vegetable gardens, and sometimes it grows wild. It grows up to an altitude of 1800 meters.
Background
The lovage name derives from the Latin ligusticum which means Ligurian, referring to the Liguria region where it grows in abundance.
The leaves of the lovage help to relieve tired feet, for this reason in the Middle Ages they were put in the shoes of travelers.
