Chickweed or Stellaria media:Tradition and History......

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   Basic Botanical Info:Stellaria media,Chickweed
 

 Botanical Name:Stellaria media (Linn.)Cyr. or Stellaria media (Cyrill.)
 Official Latin Name: Stellaria media
 English Name:Chickweed
 Family: Caryophyllaceae
 Chickweed is generally known to most people being a common weed, if not the most common, the world over.
 Flowering time: It flowers throughout the year.
 Astrology: A fine, soft pleasing herb under the dominion of the Moon
 Part Used:Herb,Aerial parts, root.
 Stellaria media (L.) Cry.(Alsine media L.)

 Common Names:Chickweed,Stellaria media,Adder¡¯s Mouth,Chickweed,Indian Chickweed,Satinflower,Scarweed,Starweed,Starwort,Stitchwort,Tongue Grass,Starweed. Star Chickweed. Alsine media (Linn.). Passerina
 Other Names: Mouse-ear, Satinflower, Starweed, Starwort, Stellaria media, White Bird's Eye,White Bird's-eye,Winterweed;(French) Stellaire.(German) Augentrosgrs.

 Habitat:It has been said that there is no part of the world where the Chickweed is not to be found. It is a native of all temperate and north Arctic regions, and has naturalized itself wherever the white man has settled, becoming one of the commonest weeds. Native to Europe and Asia, chickweed is now found in most regions of the world. Chickweed grows easily in open areas and is generally regarded as a troublesome weed. The plant is harvested in summer. It prefers moist places and wood-sides, but seeds readily on cultivated soil.

 

 Basic Botanical Info:Stellaria media,Chickweed
 Chickweed Botanical Description:
 Phytochemical and Constituents:
 Gernal Uses and Medicinal Uses:
 Uses in History registration and Ancient Lore:
 Administration and Application Guide:
 Research Update:Chickweed or Stellaria media


   Chickweed Botanical Description:

 From the Groundsel, we naturally from association of ideas turn to the Chickweed, though it is in no way botanically allied to the Groundsel.

 Several plants have been named Chickweed, one of them a plant belonging to the Purslane family and four species of Cerastium - the Mouse Ear Chickweeds - but the name especially belongs to the plant in question, Stellaria media, the ubiquitous garden weed, of which our caged birds are as fond as they are of Groundsel, a taste shared by young chickens, to whose diet it makes a wholesome addition.

 Chickweed is a most variable plant. Gerard enumerates no less than thirteen species, but the various forms are nowadays merely considered deviations from the one type. Hooker gives three varieties which have been named by other botanists as separate species.


 This apparently feeble member of the pink group is actually a lusty annual with matted to upright green stems that take over many areas. Commencing its growth in the fall, it vigorously thrives through the sleet and snowstorms of winter, even in the far north, survives most weed killers, beginning to bloom while the snow is often still on the ground, and many times it finishes its seed production in the springtime. Chickweed is so abundantly fruitful, however, that it flowers throughout most of the country every month of the year. Growing to a foot high in matted to upright trailing stems, it has egg - shaped lower and median leaves and stem less and highly variable upper leaves. In the star or great chickweed (S. pubera), the characteristic blooms, brightly white and about 1/2 inch across, have such deeply notched petals that their 5 appear more like 10-the number of stamens. Usually gathering themselves together at night and on cloudy or foggy days, they unfurl under the brilliant sun

 Chickweed ranks beside herbs such as burdock root as being terrific blood cleansers. Where there exists a threat of blood poisoning or tetanus due to chemical dye or dirt getting into the bloodstream, here's what you should do. First make a poultice and apply it directly to the affected area in order' to draw out as much of the poison as possible. To make the poultice, simply blend together 1 tbsp. each of the powdered ginger root, capsicum and kelp, adding just enough honey/wheat germ oil (equal parts) to form a smooth paste of even consistency. Spread this on clean surgical gauze and apply to the area. Cover and leave for up to 7 hours before changing again, if necessary. At the same time administer internally capsules of chickweed (6 at a time) or a tea (2 cups at a time) made by adding 1 tbsp. dried herb to 2 cups boiling water and steeped for 20 minutes before straining and drinking. The same steps can also be followed with great success in treating carbuncles, boils, venereal disease, herpes sores, swollen testicles and breasts.

 Chickweed brings great comfort to the miseries of chronic itching and severe rashes. Just make a salve using fresh chickweed, if possible; otherwise the dried powder will have to be used instead. Needed: 1-1/2cups coarsely cut fresh chickweed (or 1/2 cup liquid chlorophyll with 1 cup powdered chickweed); 2 cups pure virgin olive oil; 6 tbsp. beeswax. Warm up the oil and beeswax in a pan on top of the stove on medium heat. Then combine all the ingredients in a heavy cast iron skillet or small heavy roast pan and place in the oven for about two hours on just the "warm" setting. Then strain through a fine wire strainer while mixture is still hot, pour into small clean jars and seal tightly.

 

 The stem is procumbent and weak, much branched, often reaching a considerable length, trailing on the ground, juicy, pale green and slightly swollen at the joints. Chickweed is readily distinguished from the plants of the same genus by the line of hairs that runs up the stem on one side only, which when it reaches a pair of leaves is continued on the opposite side. The leaves are succulent, egg-shaped, about 1/2 inch long and 1/4 inch broad, with a short point, pale green and quite smooth, with flat stalks below, but stalkless above. They are placed on the stem in pairs. The small white star-like flowers are situated singly in the axils of the upper leaves. Their petals are narrow and deeply cleft, not longer than the sepals. They open about nine o'clock in the morning and are said to remain open just twelve hours in bright weather, but rain prevents them expanding, and after a heavy shower they become pendent instead of having their faces turned up towards the sun, though in the course of a few days rise again. The flowers are already in bloom in March and continue till late in the autumn. The seeds are contained in a little capsule fitted with teeth which close up in wet weather, but when ripe are open and the seeds are shaken out by each movement of the plant in the breeze this being one of the examples of the agency of the wind in the dispersal of seeds, which is to be seen in similar form in the capsules of poppy, henbane, campion and many other common plants.

 The Chickweed is also an instance of what is termed the 'Sleep of Plants,' for every night the leaves approach each other, so that their upper surfaces fold over the tender buds of the new shoots, and the uppermost pair but one of the leaves at the end of the stalk are furnished with longer leafstalks than the others, so that they can close upon the terminating pair and protect the tip of the shoot.

 The young leaves when boiled can hardly be distinguished from spring spinach, and are equally wholesome. They may also be used uncooked with young Dandelion leaves to form a salad.

 The custom of giving Chickweed to birds is a very old one, for Gerard tells us:

 'Little birds in cadges (especially Linnets) are refreshed with the lesser Chickweed when they loath their meat whereupon it was called of some "Passerina." '

 Both wild and caged birds eat the seeds as well as the young tops and leaves. Pigs like Chickweed, and also rabbits; cows and horses will eat it; sheep are indifferent to it, but goats refuse to touch it.

 From the Groundsel, we naturally from association of ideas turn to the Chickweed, though it is in no way botanically allied to the Groundsel.

 Several plants have been named Chickweed, one of them a plant belonging to the Purslane family and four species of Cerastium - the Mouse Ear Chickweeds - but the name especially belongs to the plant in question, Stellaria media, the ubiquitous garden weed, of which our caged birds are as fond as they are of Groundsel, a taste shared by young chickens, to whose diet it makes a wholesome addition.

 Chickweed is a most variable plant. Gerard enumerates no less than thirteen species, but the various forms are nowadays merely considered deviations from the one type. Hooker gives three varieties which have been named by other botanists as separate species.


  Growing:

 This annual spreading plant is usually hated as an obnoxious weed by the typical gardener. It is found throughout temperate areas of North America and of Europe, the plant's native homeland. It prefers full sun, average to poor soils, and infrequent watering.

 Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a member of the Caryophyllaceae, or carnation, family. There are about 25 species of Stellaria, including some native varieties, growing abundantly in the wild in North America. Chickweed is a European native that has naturalized throughout the world in fertile, mineral-rich soil. It thrives in shady, moist locations in gardens, near human habitations, and on the edge of woods. The herb is often found growing under the shade of oak trees. Chickweed is a persistent annual. It self-seeds and may produce as many as five generations within one season.

 The genus name Stellaria refers to chickweed's tiny, white, star-shaped flowers. The common name refers to the herb's appeal to birds and barnyard fowl, particularly young chickens. Other common names include Indian chickweed, stitchwort, starwort, white bird's eye, chick wittles, satin flower, adder's mouth, mouse ear, starweed, passerina, tongue grass, and winter weed. Chickweed has been used for centuries. The nutritious herb was fed to caged birds and rabbits. It was also traditionally prepared as an early spring tonic, eaten fresh or steamed, to cleanse the kidneys and liver. English physician Nicholas Culpeper described chickweed as "a fine soft pleasing herb under the dominion of the Moon."

 Chickweed is a juicy, succulent, low-growing, and delicate herb which grows from a slender taproot. The straggly, weak stems may stretch along the ground for two feet or more forming dense mats only a few inches off the ground. The light-green, oval, and entire leaves grow in opposite pairs about an inch apart along the smooth and branching stem. A single line of fine white hairs grow along one side or the other of the thin stems, alternating at the node of each pair of leaves. Stems are slightly swollen at the joints. Leaves appear stalkless at the growing tip but the older leaves develop stalks at least as long as the attached leaf. At night the half-inch long leaves close in on each other to protect the developing buds. The tiny white flowers grow singly in the leaf axils of the upper leaves. The five petals are deeply incised, and smaller than the pointed green sepals. Blossoms open in the sun and close on cloudy, gray days and throughout the night hours. Minuscule seed capsules, with a barely-perceptible toothed edge, follow the blossoms. In damp weather the "teeth" swell, effectively closing the capsule to protect the ripening seed. The tiny yellow-orange seeds continue to ripen even after the herb is harvested. Chickweed self-seeds freely in cool, moist habitats.


   Phytochemical and Constituents:

 Chickweed contains mucilage, saponins, silica, Minerals, vitamins A, B, C, fatty acids.Whole herb contains phytochemicals following:Saponins 4.5% majorly composed of gypsogenin;contains flavonoids such as :orientin,isoorrientin,vitexin,isovitexin;isovitexin 7,2"-di-O-beta-glucopyra-noside;isovitexin 7-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside-2"-O-beta-glucopyranoside;luteolin;apigenin;genistein,6,8-2-C-vicenin-2;etc.vanillic acid;p-hydroxybenzoic acid;ferulic acid;caffeic acid;chlorogenic acid;saccharopine;aminoadipic acid;ascorbic acid;dehydroascorbic acid;amino acids;etc.


   Gernal Uses and Medicinal Uses:

  Part Used Medicinally: The whole herb, collected between May and July, when it is in the best condition, and dried in the same manner as Groundsel. It is used both fresh and dried.

  Medicinal Usage:

  Demulcent, refrigerant: It is held in great repute amongherbalists, used mostly in the form of an ointment. The plant chopped and boiled in lard makes a fine green cooling ointment, good for piles and sores, and cutaneous diseases. It has also been employed as an application for ophthalmia.

  Inflammation and indolent ulcers: The fresh leaves have been employed as a poultice for inflammation and indolent ulcers with most beneficial results. A poultice of Chickweed enclosed in muslin is a sure remedy for a carbuncle or an external abscess. The water in which the Chickweed is boiled should also be used to bathe the affected part.

  B vitamins and Minerals Source:  Chickweed is an excellent source of many B vitamins and various minerals. It is used to treat bronchitis, pleurisy, coughs, colds, and as a blood builder. Externally it is good for skin diseases, due to its astringent properties, and the tea added to the bath is good for soothing skin irritations and rashes. A poultice of the leaves treats cuts, wounds, and bruises. Because it is such a valuable vitamin and mineral source, chickweed is used in foods and teas for the ill to help build the body.


  Mild astringent:  tightenstop layers of skin,reducing secretions,relieving irritation,improving tissue firmness.Although chickweed was formerly taken orally to treat several types of conditions, no evidence currently supports its oral effectiveness in any condition. It may, however, provide a soothing effect when applied to skin irritations because it may have a mild astringent effect. An astringent shrinks and tightens the top layers of skin or mucous membranes, thereby reducing secretions, relieving irritation, and improving tissue firmness. Chickweed may be made into an ointment or a poultice (a soft cloth soaked in a solution and then applied topically) to relieve bruising and to treat cuts and scrapes. A solution made from fresh or dried chickweed leaves may help to relieve itching when it is added to bathwater.

  Treat irritated skin,soothe severe itchiness: Chickweed is chiefly used to treat irritated skin, being applied as juice, poultice, ointment, or cream. Chickweed may soothe severe itchiness where all other remedies have failed. Chickweed is often used to relieve eczema, varicose veins, and nettle rash (urticaria). An infusion of the fresh or dried plant may be added to a bath, where the herb's emollient properties will help reduce inflammation - in rheumatic joints, for example - and encourage tissue repair. Chickweed may also be taken internally to treat chest ailments. In small quantities, chickweed also aids digestion.

  Good for constipation: A decoction made with the fresh plant is good for constipation, and an infusion of the dried herb is efficacious in coughs and hoarseness. The dose of the fluid extract is 10 to 60 drops.

 

  Gerard tells us that:

 'the leaves of Chickweed boyled in water very soft, adding thereto some hog's grease, the powder of Fenugreeke and Linseed, and a few roots of Marsh Mallows, and stamped to the forme of Cataplasme or pultesse, taketh away the swelling of the legs or any other part . . . in a word it comforteth, digesteth, defendeth and suppurateth very notably.'

 He says that 'the leaves boyled in vinegar and salt are good against mangines of the hands and legs, if they be bathed therewith.'

 Combined with Elecampane, Chickweed has also been recommended as a specific for hydrophobia, and the juice, taken internally, for scurvy.

 Culpepper calls it 'a fine, soft, pleasing herb, under the dominion of the Moon,' and goes on to tell us that:

 'It is found to be as effectual as Purslain to all the purposes whereunto it serveth, except for meat only. The herb bruised, or the juice applied, with cloths or sponges dipped therein to the region of the liver, and as they dry to have fresh applied, doth wonderfully temper the heat of the liver and is effectual for all impostumes and swellings whatsoever; for all redness in the face, wheals, pushes, itch or scabs, the juice being either simply used, or boiled in hog's grease; the juice or distilled water is of good use for all heat and redness in the eyes ... as also into the ears.... It helpeth the sinews when they are shrunk by cramps or otherwise, and extends and makes them pliable again, by using the following methods, viz.: Boil a handful of Chickweed and a handful of dried red-rose leaves, but not distilled, in a quart of muscadine, until a fourth part be consumed; then put to them a pint of oil of trotters, or sheep's feet, let them boil a good while, still stirring them well, which being strained, anoint the grieved part therewith warm against the fire, rubbing it well with your hand, and bind also some of the herb, if you choose, to the place, and with God's blessing it will help in three times dressing.'

 Chickweed water is an old wives' remedy for obesity.

 Chickweed has been used to treat bronchitis, coughs, colds, hoarseness., it has been used as a diuretic for kidney and bladder problems. Many herbalists use chickweed to help in weight control because they claim it dissolves fat deposits and faty tumors.

  Externally,  it is used in the form of a poultice or ointment and applied to boils, ulcers and abscesses. The fresh juice has also been used to dissolve warts and other skin growths.

  Mechanism of How it works in the body?

 Internally, it is thought the saponins are responsible for the relief of itching. It is particularly noted for its cooling qualities, and is especially soothing when applied to skin problems presenting as hot and itchy. Chickweed is thought to be useful on wounds to reduce scarring. Additionally, the combined constituents are thought to be beneficial for arthritic conditions, while topically the whole plant has a soothing, healing quality. Chickweed works also on the digestive system in small amounts, soothing and healing the digestive tract.


   Uses in History registration and Ancient Lore:

 The entire chickweed plant is edible. The stems and leaves are used in medicinal preparations. Herbalists, however, disagree about the medicinal potency of chickweed. One writer, a professor of pharmacognosy, dismissed chickweed as a "worthless weed" and an "ineffective herb." Other writers and herbalists praise the diminutive herb for providing "optimum nutrition" and for its "unsurpassed" ability to cool fevers and infections. The English physician Nicholas Culpeper, writing in the seventeenth century, credited chickweed as beneficial for "all pains in the body that arise of heat." Taken as an infusion, chickweed acts internally to cool inflammation of the digestive and respiratory system. It has been used to treat bronchitis, pleurisy, colitis, gastritis, asthma, and sore throat. The herb's diuretic action helps eliminate toxins from the system and reduce retention of fluids. Chickweed contains mucilage, saponins, silica, coumarins, flavonoids (including glycoside rutin), triterpenoids, and carboxylic acids. The herb is rich in minerals, including copper and iron, and vitamins A, B, and C.

 Gathered fresh, chickweed is beneficial in poultice form to ease rheumatic pain and to treat boils and abscesses. The herb can also be used to draw out splinters and the stingers of insects and to dissolve warts. Its vulnerary (wound-healing) action speeds the healing of cuts and wounds. Its emollient qualities soothe itching and irritation of eczema or psoriasis. An infusion may be added to bath water for soothing relief of inflamed skin. It also provides relief to swollen and painful hemorrhoids.

 Another species of chickweed, S. dichotoma, known as yin chai hu is used in Chinese medicine to stop nosebleed, to reduce heavy menstrual bleeding, and to bring down fevers. The species S. alsine is also used in Chinese medicine as a medicinal remedy for treating colds, snakebites, and even traumatic injury.

 Boil a handful of Chickweed and a handful of red Rose leaves dried in a quart (1.1 1) of muscadine until a fourth part be consumed, then put to them a pint(568 ml) of oil of troters or sheep's feet; let them boil a good while still stirring them well, which being strained, anoint the grieved part therewith, warm against the fire, rubbing it well with one hand; and bind also some of the herb, if you will, to the place, and with God's blessing it will help in three times dressing.


  Medicinal virtues:  The bruised herb or the juice applied with sponges to the region of the liver, doth temperate the heat of the liver, and is effectual for all imposthumes and swellings whatsoever, for all redness in the face, wheals, scabs and the itch. The juice, simply used or boiled with hog's grease and applied, helpeth cramps, convulsions and palsy.

 The juice or distilled water is good for all heats and redness in the eyes if some is dropped into them and is good to ease pain from the heat and sharpness of blood in the piles. It is used also in hot and virulent ulcers and sores in the privy parts of men and women, or on the legs or elsewhere. The leaves boiled with Marsh Mallow and made into a poultice with Fenugreek and Linseed, applied to swellings and imposthumes, ripen and break them, or assuage the swellings and ease the pains. It helpeth the sinews when they are shrunk by cramp or otherwise.

  Modern uses:  Chickweed is a valuable healing and soothing agent, used in many ways, both internally and externally. The herb digested in oil and made into an ointment is excellent for haemorrhoids and ulcers, or for eczema, psoriasis or other irritating skin diseases. A decoction of the herb is used to wash and bathe swollen and inflamed tissues. The powder is used in poultices to give relief in bronchitis, pleurisy and rheumatism. The tea can be taken internally at the same time - one teaspoonful to a cup of boiling water. Three or four cups a day may be taken.


   Administration and Application Guide:
 

  Preparations:

 Gather chickweed from young plants before or during flowering and throughout the year. Snipping the stems will encourage growth of new branches for later harvest. The freshly harvested herb will keep for several days if refrigerated. The fresh herb may be eaten in salads, or very, very lightly steamed as a potherb. Chickweed has a somewhat bland taste, so other edible greens may be added to the pot to enhance the flavor.

  Infusion:  Place 2 oz of fresh chickweed leaves and stems in a warmed glass container. Bring 2.5 cups of fresh, nonchlorinated water to the boiling point, and add it to the herbs. Cover and infuse the tea for about 10 minutes. Strain and drink warm. The prepared tea will store for about two days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Chickweed tea may be enjoyed by the cupful up to three times a day. A strong infusion may be used as a skin wash or bath additive to soothe itching and inflamed skin.

  Poultice:  Chop fresh chickweed leaves and stems in sufficient quantity to cover the area being treated. Sprinkle the herb with water and place over the area. Cover the herbal mass with a strip of wet cotton gauze to hold the poultice in place. When gathering the older, tougher plant, the herb may be simmered either in water alone or in a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar for about five minutes. Apply to the skin after the mixture has sufficiently cooled.

  Tincture:  Combine four ounces of finely-cut fresh or powdered dry herb with one pint of brandy, gin, or vodka, in a glass container. The alcohol should be enough to cover the plant parts. Place the mixture away from light for about two weeks, shaking several times each day. Strain and store in a tightly-capped, dark glass bottle. A standard dose is 1¨C4 ml of the tincture three times a day.


  Precautions:

 Historically, small amounts of chickweed have been used for food with no apparent bad results. It contains varying amounts of chemicals known as nitrates, however, which may be associated with causing birth defects or miscarriages when consumed in large amounts by pregnant women. Even though the amounts of chickweed that are used as food or dietary supplements are not likely to contain enough nitrates to present a danger, the oral use of chickweed is not recommended during pregnancy.

 High nitrate levels are dangerous for children under the age of 6 months. Although a nitrate overdose in an infant from a mother using chickweed is very unlikely, breast-feeding women should also avoid using it.The wind-blown pollen of chickweed may aggravate hay fever. Chickweed is considered safe for all external applications. There was a report in 1980 of "temporary paralysis" after ingestion of large amounts of the infused herb, however there are no other documented reports of toxicity. The PDR For Herbal Medicines reports no health hazards when this herb is taken "with the proper administration of designated therapeutic dosages."

  Possible side effects:

 Although no side effects have been associated with taking chickweed, the nitrates it contains may result in nitrate poisoning especially among infants younger than 6 months of age.

  Major Side Effects:

 In the past, isolated case reports of muscle paralysis have been attributed to eating or taking very large amounts of chickweed. No study evidence proves this effect, no recent instances have been documented, and the chickweed involved may have been contaminated with pesticides or mixed with other plants.

 Chickweed is known, however, to contain chemicals called nitrates. Cattle and other large animals that have eaten quantities of chickweed far in excess of what a human could practically consume have had symptoms of nitrate poisoning. Although no human cases of nitrate poisoning have ever been associated with taking or eating chickweed, very rare cases of nitrate poisoning have been reported in humans ?particularly in infants who are less than 6 months old. Because the first sign of nitrate poisoning is a bluish coloration of the fingers and lips, nitrate poisoning in infants may be known as “Blue Baby Syndrome? It is a serious condition that could cause death, brain damage, or other severe consequences if it is not treated immediately.


  Possible Interactions:

 No interactions between chickweed and prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs, other herbal products, or foods have been reported. However, because few reliable studies of chickweed have been conducted in humans, its possible interactions are not understood completely.

  Should I take it?

 One of the first plants to appear in the spring, chickweed is a very common weed that invades lawns throughout North America, Europe, and most other mild climate zones. A chickweed plant consists of stringy stems that can make new roots if the ends touch the ground. Eventually, low clumps of interconnected plants can extend over large areas, choking out grass and other vegetation. The low-lying stems directly produce small, oval leaves covered with fine hairs. Large quantities of small, white, five-petaled flowers bloom from early spring until the first hard frost. Although chickweed is an annual plant (it dies at the end of its growing season), each plant makes a profusion of seeds that resist cold weather and grow aggressively as soon as the weather becomes warm enough in the spring.

 In the past, chickweed was used as a vegetable ?either cooked or raw. The leaves and, sometimes, the stems and flowers of chickweed have also been used in medicine. For oral use, these “above ground" or aerial parts of chickweed typically are dried and made into tea or packaged commercially as capsules, extracts, or tinctures. Extracts are concentrated liquid preparations usually made by soaking chopped or mashed plant parts in a liquid such as alcohol, and then straining out the solid parts. Tinctures are less concentrated than extracts, but they are prepared in similar ways. None of these oral dosage forms are proven to have medical value. Either fresh or dried chickweed may be used topically.

 No scientific study results support the oral use of chickweed for any medical condition. It may relieve skin conditions when applied topically, however.

  Risks: Because chickweed contains uncertain amounts of nitrates, which may be responsible for miscarriage or birth defects, chickweed should not be taken by pregnant women. Due to a very small risk of nitrate poisoning, chickweed is also not advised for breast-feeding women or small children.


  Dosage and Administration:

  Dosage recommendations for chickweed:  vary considerably according to the type of product used. Keeping in mind that no medical benefits have been proved for any oral chickweed preparation, the directions on the package should be followed if chickweed is used for medical purposes.

  For use as a topical solution:  any amount of fresh chickweed leaves and stems may be washed to remove possible pollutants and then placed into a heatproof, non-metallic container. Cover the chickweed completely with boiling water, let it stand until the liquid has cooled, and strain out the solid particles. The resulting solution may be added to bathwater or it may be used undiluted as a soak for irritated feet or hands.

 Although formerly used as a tea, chickweed's main use today is as a cream applied liberally several times each day to rashes and inflammatory skin conditions (e.g., eczema) to ease itching and inflammation. As a tincture, 1 - 5 ml per day can be taken.

 

  Applications:

  Aerial Parts:

 Decoction:  Use the herb fresh, if possible, for a cleansing, tonic mixture to relieve tiredness and debility. Also helpful for urinary tract inflammations, such as cystitis.
 Tincture: Add to remedies for rheumatism.
 Poultice: Apply the fresh plant to boils and abscesses; also to painful rheumatic joints.
 Compress:  Soak a pad in the hot decoction, or tincture diluted in hot water, and apply to painful joints.
 Cream:  Apply to eczema, especially if it is itching. Use to draw insect stings or splinters, and on burns and scalds.
 Infused Oil:  Follow the hot infusion method, and apply the oil as an alternative to creams for skin rashes, or add 1 tbsp to bathwater for eczema.

  Root:

 Decoction: Use for hot fevers related to weakness in chronic illness.
 Aromatic and Diuretic Marinade:
 1/2 Cup (125 ml) water
 1 cup (40 g) raw chickweed
 1 fresh celery stick
 1/2 cup (125 ml) apple cider vinegar
 1/2 t (2 g) dill seeds
 1 pinch salt

 Pour the boiling water onto the chopped chickweed. Thinly slice the celery and blanch separately. Add the blanched celery, the vinegar and the dill seeds. Sterilize or refrigerate. Consume within 1 month as a garnish on chickpeas or pate, or in a salad.

 

  How to make chickweed bread?

 Chickweed has a very mild taste but can be quite stringy; so cut the stems in short lengths and enjoy a fresh wild salad rich in iron and Vitamin C. It can also be cooked or used to make a chickweed bread
 2 cups of chopped chickweed leaves and stems.
 2 cup minced onion
 2 tablespoons oil
 2 tablespoons honey or fruit juice concentrate
 1 teaspoon salt
 3 cups wheat flour
 2 cup warm water
 1 packet yeast

 Saute onion and chickweed until tender (not brown). Dissolve honey and yeast into the warm water and then the salt. Mix the yeast mixture with the saut¨¦ed chickweed and onions and slowly add the flour until the dough no longer sticks to your fingers Form into a ball and let it rise to twice its volume. Shape into loaves and let rise again. Bake at 375F for 40-45 minutes.


  Scientific References:

  1.Chickweed or Stellaria media:Tradition and History......