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Herbal News from Richters
Fall 2005
In this issue:
| 1. Butterbur
Helps Hay Fever |
| 2. Autumn
Is the Best Time to Plant Garlic and Other Herbs |
| 3. Family
Health Symposium at Richters, September 18 |
| 4. Stevia
Becoming a Hot Crop |
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1. Butterbur Helps Hay Fever
As effective as
antihistamines without the drowsiness
 A
herb used in cough medicines since the Middle Ages has shown great
promise as a treatment for hay fever. Swiss and German researchers
have found that the purple butterbur, Petasites hybridus,
is as effective as antihistamine drugs in treating seasonal allergies.
But unlike antihistamines, butterbur does not cause drowsiness,
so allergy sufferers can drive automobiles and operate machinery
while taking the herb.
Butterbur
is a perennial herb found in Europe, Asia and parts of North America.
Traditionally the roots were used, but recently
the plant's leaves have attracted attention. Both the leaves and
the roots contain compounds called petasines that inhibit the body's
ability to produce leukotrienes involved in allergic reactions.
A U.S. and German study published last year in the journal Neurology
showed that butterbur is highly effective against migraine headache.
Approximately 20
percent people in industrialized nations suffer from hay fever.
Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion and itching
of the mucous membranes. In some patients headaches and fatigue
can be debilitating enough to interfere with work and normal social
functioning. Antihistamines
are effective in reducing runny nose and sneezing, but drowsiness
is a common side effect, even for newer so called "non-drowsy"
antihistamines.
In
the butterbur study, published in the journal Phytotherapy Research,
three groups of patients received pills made from either
butterbur extract, fexofenadine or a placebo. Fexofenadine, a non-drowsy
antihistamine, is sold as Allegra in the U.S. and as Telfast 180
in Europe. Patients
taking either butterbur or fexofenadine showed similar improvements
in total symptom scores while patients taking a placebo showed no
improvement. The results were statistically significant, which is
a way of saying that the effect of butterbur on hay fever is unlikely
to be explained by pure chance.
Although side effects
were reported in each treatment group, three-quarters of side effects
in the fexofenadine group were related to drowsiness, compared to
just over one-third in the groups receiving placebos or butterbur.
"Because butterbur
does not cause the drowsiness that is so often associated with other
antihistamines, it could be particularly useful for patients who
cannot tolerate other therapies," lead researcher Andreas Schapowal
said.
 In
its raw form butterbur contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which can
cause liver damage. The butterbur extract in the study is made from
only the leaves of plants in specially controlled conditions and
uses carbon dioxide extraction to reduce the level of pyrrolizidine
alkaloids below the level of detection,
35 parts per billion. In the study liver function was normal in
the patients receiving the butterbur extract. Butterbur products
are commercially available in the U.S. under the names Migravent
and Petadolex but have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Schapowal
also led a 2002 study published in the British Journal of Medicine
in which it was found that butterbur compared favourably with cetirizine,
another non-drowsy antihistamine. Cetirizine is sold in the U.S.
under the name Zyrtec.
Adapted from an United Press International
report by Eva A. Sylwester, Aug. 23, 2005
Click
here to order Petadolex
Click
here to order butterbur seeds
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2. Autumn Is the Best Time to Plant
Garlic and Other Herbs
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Plant gourmet
garlic and shallots, goldenseal, ginseng, saffron, wild rice
and others
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| 'Inchelium
Red' garlic. One of seven garlic varieties available
from Richters |
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As summer draws to a close and the
fall harvest is coming in, it seems counterintuitive to be
thinking about planting herbs. But the late summer-early autumn
period is the best time to plant many popular herbs such as
garlic, shallots and saffron.
Garlic tops the list as the most popular
fall planting herb. Nothing beats home-grown garlic for great
taste. Garlic is very hardy and surprisingly easy to grow.
Planting now will yield a harvest next July or August. It
will survive zones down to as low as zone 3. Richters has
seven varieties of garlic, including Music, the most important
commercial variety in Canada. Specialty varieties such as
Siberian, Purple Trillium, and Inchelium Red are favourites
now. For example, Susanville is a wonderful mild-flavoured
variety excellent for roasting because its cloves slip apart
and spread effortlessly on bread after roasting.
Garlic's close relative, the shallot,
is best planted in fall. Not all shallots are winter hardy,
so stick with the French, Frogs' Leg or Grey varieties –
all hardy to zone 4. Like garlic, shallots will produce an
abundant crop of bulbs next summer when planted in the fall.
Another perennial onion, the Egyptian
onion, is also be planted now. Next summer wacky looking clusters
of small tasty bulbs will appear at the tops of its stems.
Use the bulbs fresh, or dry them for later use. Store them
as you would garlic or onions.
The fresh leaves are edible too – use them as green onions.
The Egyptian onion is hardy to zone 3.
You can hardly be faulted for believing
that saffron won't grow in North America: it is, after all,
the world's most expensive spice and is almost never seen
in North American gardens. But saffron is easy to grow and
surprisingly hardy – to zones 6-8 – which means
that it will grow throughout much of North America. And although
it takes 150,000 flowers to produce one kilogram of the saffron
spice, just six plants will produce enough for a typical recipe.
Probably the hardest thing about saffron is to decide where
to plant it – it not only deserves a spot in the herb
garden, its beautiful lavender flowers appearing in fall do
not at all look out of place in the flower garden. Fall is
the time to plant the bulbs and Richters has them available
in packs of 10 and 100 bulbs.
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| Wild
rice, a North American delicacy. |
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Fall is also the time to plant some of our
most important medicinal herbs: ginseng, goldenseal and wild
yam. Ginseng in particular, and goldenseal to a lesser extent,
have attracted a bizarre lore about where they will or will
not grow. But in the past decade much has been learned about
these plants and they are turning out to be much easier to
grow and much more adaptable to varied conditions than previously
thought. Can these these forest plants be grown in home gardens?
Yes, if they get the shade a deciduous tree and rich, well-drained
soil. Richters has seeds or roots available. Commercial growers
take note: goldenseal is still one of the most profitable
and sought after herb crops grown in North America.
Wild rice is not a plant that everyone can
grow: it needs fresh water about 18 inches (45 cm) deep during
its growing season, from April to August. But if you have
the right spot to grow it the reward is a spectacular harvest
of fresh wild rice that must count as one of the North America's
very best native delicacies. The black wild rice is totally
magical when cooked fresh!
Another native delicacy planted in the fall
is the sunchoke, or as it is more commonly known, the Jerusalem
artichoke. This amazing vegetable is one of North America's
gifts to the world. It has nothing to do with Jerusalem and
it is not even remotely like an artichoke. It is actually
a type of sunflower with tubers that can be cooked and eaten
like potatoes. But unlike potatoes, it does not overload the
system with carbohydrates when eaten. It's a healthier alternative
for diabetics and anyone looking to improve their diet. It's
the easiest and hardiest vegetable we know of, surviving in
zones as low as 3. It needs almost no care once established:
it comes back year after year without replanting; it easily
outcompetes weeds; and few pests bother it.
Click here for planting instructions for many of the herbs
mentioned in this article
Click the links
below to order. Order by September 30 for delivery in time
for fall planting.
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3. Family Health Symposium at Richters,
September 18
Three
professional herbalists speak on how herbs can contribute to good
family health
Richters is hosting a symposium on Sunday
September 18 targetted at both lay people and health professionals
who want to learn how herbs can help enhance the health of their
families and their pets. Three qualified professional herbalists
will speak on women's health, pet care, and kids' health.
This is the first time that Richters is putting
on an event with a family health focus. In part the event is intended
to show how can go beyond the use of herbs in foods and teas and
begin to use herbs for healing and for maintaining optimum health.
"One of the things we are beginning to realize
is that many people have medicinal herbs in their garden or in their
medicine cabinets, but when it comes time to actually use herbs
for healing they are afraid," said Conrad Richter, president
of Richters."It's understandable, because herbs are powerful
health agents and need to be treated with care and respect. But
with a little help – to show them how simple remedies can be
useful for everyday good health – we find that people gradually
develop trust in herbs and the confidence in their abilities to
use them correctly."
Modern reliance on "quick fix" drugs
for more than three generations has resulted in the loss of traditional
herbal knowhow in families, Whereas years ago a grandmother, an
aunt, or mother would know which herbs to use and how to prepare
and take them, now most families get their information about herbs
from books or the Internet or from friends. Without somebody to
show them the steps from raw herbs to tinctures, teas and salves,
and how and when to apply them, most people end up going back to
pills from the pharmacy.
 The
symposium features three prominent members
of the Ontario Herbalists
Association, Canada's biggest and best known association of
herbalists.
Celina Ainsworth, owner
of a thriving herbal practice and store on Roncesvalles Avenue in
west Toronto, will speak on women's health and herbs. Celina is
vice-president of the OHA and a faculty member of the Dominion Herbal
College, The Institute of Holistic Nutrition, The Canadian College
of Naturopathic Medicine, and The Mohawk McMaster College. Women
experience significant changes to their bodies during their lifetimes
such as pregnancy, nursing and menopause, so they have special needs
that women have learned can be addressed safely using herbs. Black
cohosh, an old Indian herb used for "women's troubles"
is now one of the best selling herbs used for treating the symptoms
of menopause.
Kerry Hackett is the president of the OHA and
a medical herbalist with a diploma in veterinary homeopathy. She
will speak on herbs for aging cats and dogs. After a long and productive
life, a companion animal deserves to have the best possible "elder
years". The combined use of nutrition, herbal medicine, flower essences
and homeopathy not only work to prevent future problems but can
also help with common conditions like arthritis, obesity, digestive
and urinary malfunction as well as depression.
John Redden, owner of Viriditas
Herbal Products in Toronto and editor of the Canadian Journal of
Herbalism, is speaking on kids' health. Simple homemade remedies
that anyone can make can be a big help parents with young children.
For example, infants tend get a lot of painful earaches and herbs
like mullein and garlic are excellent for earaches. With support
from herbs parents can lessen their dependence on antibiotics, and
let the child's young body develop its own resistance to bacteria
and viruses. "Often families that rely too much on antibiotics
end up experiencing more sickness than families that regularly use
herbs," says Conrad Richter.
The price of admission to this event has been
kept low to allow as many people as possible to benefit. For similar
events you can expect pay much more and not get the the quality
of knowledge that these experienced professionals have to offer.
This is a rare opportunity – don't miss it!
On
the morning of the symposium, the OHA will be holding its annual
general meeting at Richters. Members of the OHA are invited to stay
for the symposium. And members of the general public are encouraged
to become members of the OHA – anyone can join.
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4. Stevia Becoming a Hot Crop
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 Natural
sweetener herb has spawned a billion dollar industry
Without a doubt stevia, the natural
sweetener herb from Paraguay, in South America, is the hottest
new commercial herb crop today. Crop acreage is expanding
in Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. Consumer products
such as soft drinks and diet foods are featuring calorie-free
sweeteners derived from the stevia plant. And as stevia becomes
better known, garden centres and nurseries are starting to
offer potted plants to gardeners.
Stevia contains compounds called steviosides
that are 300 times sweeter than sugar. Because the body does
not metabolize steviosides they do not contribute any caloric
value to food. Diabetics and others unable to tolerate sugar
can take stevia with immunity. Dieters love stevia because
they can continue to enjoy sweets without counting calories.
In the United States and Canada stevia
use in the processed food industry is prohibited. Health Canada
and the U.S. Food and Administration say that there is not
enough safety evidence to permit stevia use in foods –
this despite hundreds of years of use in South America, and
a 70 history of safe use in Japan where its use in foods is
allowed. Cynics in the herb industry believe that the powerful
sugar and artificial sweetener lobbies are behind the anachronistic
ruling by the regulators. As things stand now, stevia may
be sold as a dried herb and as an extract but it cannot be
added to other foods.
Despite the restrictions, stevia use
is climbing in North America. Powdered extracts that look
and feel like white sugar and liquid extracts that look and
feel like honey or syrup are widely available in health food
stores and groceries. Unlike artificial sweeteners such as
aspartame, steviosides do not break down under heat, so if
the regulators change their minds and allow stevia use in
foods such as baked goods, the market for stevia will explode
overnight.
In India where a rapidly growing affluence
coupled with a traditional love for sweets is causing the
incidence of Type II diabetes to soar. Interest in stevia
cultivation is very high, to the point where banks are financing
farmers switching to stevia and national crop insurers are
insuring stevia crops. China, also grappling with a rapidly
changing socioeconomic condition, has quietly become the world's
leading grower of stevia leaf and producer of stevia powder.
In the meantime Richters has become
a leading supplier of stevia seeds. For the first time, high
quality stevia seeds with high germination and vigour are
available to the industry in kilogram quantities. Previously
it was thought that stevia biology limited germination to
less than 10%. But by using a combination of special techniques
the germination rate has been raised to over 70%, even higher
than 80%.
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| Richters cleaned seeds shown on
left; another seed company's seeds shown on right,
with debris and disease-harbouring feathery calyx
lobes still attached to many seeds. |
Germination test boxes: Richters
seeds on left; the other seed company's seeds on
right did not germinate. |
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"People are noticing the rise
of stevia's popularity and are jumping on the bandwagon. Some
unscrupulous seedsmen are selling seeds that simply do not
germinate," says Conrad Richter, president of Richters.
"In the last two years Richters has led the way toward
to increasing seed availability and lowering prices."
And soon Richters will be the first company to offer organic
stevia seeds certified under the USDA's National Organic Program
(NOP) rules.
Stevia can be propagated by cuttings,
but diseases such as septoria, a fungus that can wipe out
a crop almost overnight, is spread rapidly via physical contact,
especially when preparing and planting cuttings. However,
septoria is not transmitted by seeds so a stevia crop grown
from seeds always starts off free of disease. This will become
increasingly important as the market demands more organic
stevia.
Currently Richters offers conventionally
grown stevia seeds, plants and powder. Certified organic whole
leaf will be available soon. The quality of this hand picked
and dried organic stevia is truly amazing -- the colour is
outstanding, and the sweetness is intense and unusually "clean"
for a raw stevia product. A "clean" stevia taste
has little of the natural bitterness of stevia present. Stevia
industry insiders have marvelled over the quality of Richters
dried leaf.
Click
here to order Richters stevia products
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The HerbzAlive newsletter is written and published by Richters staff.
Richters Herbs does not provide health care services to the public.
The medicinal information provided here is for research and information
purposes only. It is not meant to be used without qualified medical
supervision. Herbs have powerful effects on the body and can cause
serious harm or even death if used incorrectly. You should consult
your health care provider before using herbs on yourself or on anyone
else
©2005 Otto Richter and Sons Limited. All rights reserved.
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