Synonyms in a broader sense
Plant synonyms: Ranunculaceae, buttercup, silver candle, cheekwort, bugweed Latin name: Cimicifuga racemosa, group: RanunculaceaeThe medicinal plant grape silver candle belongs to the buttercup family and is a 1 – 2 meter high, herbaceous plant. It is native to North America and Canada. But it is also found today in Europe and North Asia.
Popular locations are light forests, forest edges, hedges and slopes. The plant has a strong, dark, cylindrical rhizome, which is firm and knotty. The leaves are large and double pinnate, deeply serrated and ovate.
The inflorescence of the grape silver candle consists of an overhanging 30-90 cm long raceme of white flowers, reminiscent of candles. The fruits of the grape silver candle consist of 6 mm long capsules with many seeds. In July is the flowering time of the grape silver candle.
The roots of the grape silver candle are used for medicinal purposes (as with the devil’s claw, valerian or coneflower, comfrey and umckaloabo). They are about 12 cm long and 2.5 cm thick in a normally grown plant. In addition to the medicinal plant grape silver candle or Cimicifuga racemosa, there are related species that are used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
History
In the 18th century the grape silver candle found its first importance in gynecology. In its native North America the Indians used the medicinal plant as a tonic for women to treat rheumatism, arthrosis, sciatica and also snake bites. The grape silver candle was also used for climacteric complaints and gynecological diseases.
The Latin name Cimicifuga is composed of the words “cimex” (bug) and “fugare” (flee). Hence the name bugweed. Because of its unpleasant smell, it is said to repel bugs. Today, the grape silver candle is used alongside red clover and soya for menopausal complaints.
Summary
The medicinal plant grape silver candle is native to North America and was already used by the Indians against women’s suffering. The medicinal substances are extracted from the rootstock of the 1.5 to 2 m plant. In folk medicine, the grape silver candle is used for:.
- Menopausal symptoms
- Rheumatic complaints
- For fever
- For lumbago
- As a sleeping pill
- And with snake bites
