Mountain Laser Herb: Applications, Treatments, Health Benefits

Mountain laser herb is also known as mountain cumin and is found mainly in central and southern European mountains. The herb tastes similar to caraway and fennel and was used in the past to treat kidney ailments, coughs, poisoning, eye ailments and gastrointestinal complaints. Meanwhile, mountain cumin is hardly used anymore.

Occurrence and cultivation of mountain cumin.

Mountain laserweed is a deciduous and perennial herbaceous plant that measures between 30 and 150 centimeters and is sometimes called mountain cumin. The umbelliferae are an order of angiospermous plants that is distributed worldwide and includes seven families with a total of nearly 500 genera and 5500 individual species. One of these genera is the umbellifers, which include the laser herbs. One plant species from this genus is the mountain laserweed. All species of laserweed grow as perennial herbaceous plants with strong hollow stems. Mountain laserweed is a deciduous perennial herbaceous plant that measures between 30 and 150 centimeters and is sometimes referred to as mountain cumin. The glabrous stem bears fine grooves and has a round cross-section with fibrous head that attaches at the base. The vegetative parts have blue-green color. The basal leaves are up to 50 centimeters long on average. The stem leaves become smaller towards the top and have a triangular outline. The edge of the lanceolate leaflets on the petals is light colored to white. The inflorescence is double corymbose and bears between 20 and 50 rays. The plant is native to the European mountains, especially in the mountains of Central and Southern Europe. The plant species is considered heat-loving and prefers sunny slopes or forest edges, where it grows mainly on calcareous soils. In Germany, mountain cumin grows mainly in the Alps and in the Eifel.

Effect and application

Mountain cumin herb was used in the past both as a seasoning plant, as well as a medicinal plant. The fruits of the herb taste bitter and smell similar to fennel or caraway. However, compared to these plants, the herb has a much more bitter and pungent taste. In the 9th century, mountain cumin was still one of the most important medicinal plants. Charlemagne issued a decree at that time, which has been handed down as the “Capitulare de Villis”. The decree contains the 89 most important medicinal herbs and also lists mountain cumin. According to the decree, mountain cumin was to be planted on the country estates. Charlemagne wanted to ensure a basic supply of medicinal plants and create a natural pharmacy, so to speak. The herb was popular until the late Middle Ages. In the 16th century, doctors in particular used the plant, which resembles caraway and fennel in its effect. Caraway is used in the form of dried and ripe fruits as well as caraway oil and consists mainly of active substances such as essential oils with carvone, from limonene, phellandrene and other monoterpenes. Caraway also contains phenolic carboxylic acids and flavonoids. The effect is stimulation of the digestive glands. Antispasmodic properties are associated with caraway. Especially in cases of indigestion, flatulence or bloating and cramps of the stomach, intestines and bile, caraway is still used today. Caraway seeds are drunk as tea or applied as essential oil. Especially the oil has antimicrobial properties and is used in mouthwash and toothpaste. In addition, bad breath disappears when chewing on ripe caraway fruits. In each of the above contexts, mountain laser herb was also used until the Middle Ages. In addition, mountain laser herb was associated with the effects of fennel, whose herb and fruit stimulate milk secretion and whose flower stalks are considered beneficial for the bladder and kidneys. Fennel was additionally used to loosen mucus. Moreover, the medicinal plant was used for eye ailments and intoxication. The plant is considered to strengthen the stomach and intestines. The effect is said to relieve abdominal pain, colic, stomach cramps, cough and chest infections. In addition, the plant has a calming effect.

Health significance, treatment and prevention.

Because of this intense flavor under the difficult cultivation, they are now hardly grown. Even growing wild, they are currently extremely rare. Thus, their use has now declined.The fact that mountain cumin no longer plays a role in today’s medicine in the Western world has to do with the alternatives, in addition to the low occurrence. In the meantime, it is no longer necessary to struggle with the cultivation of the plant in order to have recourse to a suitable medicinal plant for gastrointestinal complaints, kidney complaints or eye complaints. Since the herb does not differ from real caraway or fennel in its mode of action, these two plants are suitable substitutes. They are easier to handle in cultivation and are also still common as wild growth. An additional advantage of these alternatives is the taste. Because of its intense bitter taste and pungency, mountain cumin has never been an optimal medicinal plant, especially for children. Caraway and fennel deliver nearly the same medicinal substances and active ingredients at a much more pleasant taste and are therefore much more suitable for consumption. For this reason, the two alternatives have almost completely replaced the mountain laser herb. The declining medical relevance of mountain laserweed is also reflected in modern books on medicinal plants. Hardly any modern medicinal plant book still contains mountain cumin. Nevertheless, mountain cumin was of demonstrable medicinal relevance from the eighth century onward, continuing into the Middle Ages. In fact, as the surviving decree of Charlemagne makes forcefully clear, the plant’s relevance was such that agriculture was officially encouraged to cultivate it.