Hi Holly,

In your book, you talk about the value of antioxidants, but it seems like you also aren't wild about taken large doses of them as supplements. You say they can turn into oxidizing agents, which seems like the opposite of an antioxidant. Is that right?

CJ

Dear CJ,

First, thanks for reading my book! Yes, the opposite of an antioxidant is an oxidizing agent.

Let's take the case of oxidizing agents called free radicals, since they are pretty simple to understand. (In chemistry lingo, the loss of electrons is called oxidation, and since free radicals tend to kidnap single electrons from other molecules, free radicals are technically oxidizing agents: they cause the oxidation of other molecules.)

The notorious free radicals that attack our molecules are reactive because they have, in addition to the usual paired electrons, a single unpaired electron, which is usually an unstable situation for a molecule, depending on where that unpaired electron rests on the molecule. Unstable molecules in general are more harmful than stable ones; they are more likely to attack your body’s own molecules. (To learn more about free radicals in general, see “Free Radicals-what are they?")

Since free radicals have all their electrons paired up except for one, they have an odd number of electrons, unlike the typical molecule, which has all its electrons paired up in twos and thus has an even number of electrons. Stable molecules that have all their electrons paired up are far more common than the rarer free radicals.

Flavonoids in grape, like quercetin, start off with an even number of electrons, but they are able to donate one of their electrons to pair up with the unpaired one on the free radical, so it will no longer be a free radical. This “quenches” the former radical and stabilizes it. However, realize that since quercetin starts off with an even number of electrons and loses one, it ends up with an odd number of electrons. This loss of one of its electrons temporarily turns quercetin into a free radical, too, albeit usually a more stable, less damaging one.

Dose, however, is always important. If you were to take a ton of quercetin, you would have the potential to create many quercetin free radicals in your body. Although quercetin free radicals are somewhat more stable than your average free radical, having lots of free radicals of any kind around is not a healthy environment for your cells.

The quercetin free radical can un-radicalize itself, so to speak, by again donating its unpaired electron, quenching a second free radical. The loss of a second electron gives quercetin an even number of electrons again, making it more stable than before.

Some flavonoids quench, others scavenge. The scavenging flavonoids kidnap the single, unpaired electron from a free radical, becoming a free radical themselves in the process, but hopefully a more stable one. Again, however, stable or not, more is not better. The free radical scavengers and quenchers from plants typically don't reach such high concentrations in our body after we eat them--we could be in trouble if they did.

You can't say that for antioxidant supplements--they can too easily be overdosed and turn into the very things we were trying to do away with in the first place. The bottom line is that is seems safer to get your antioxidants from plant foods, rather in isolated supplement form.

There are other, more chemically complicated mechanisms by which antioxidants turn into oxidizing agents. But they basically stem from a similar mechanism to the one above, from switching from one state to another in the process of neutralizing an oxidizing agent.

I hope that helps answer your question!

Antioxidants might seem complicated, but they are all simply reducing agents. Chemically, what that means, is that reducing agents donate electrons in some way to another molecule. Since electrons are negatively charged, from the standpoint of charge, you can view this as reducing the charge of another molecule, either in charge distribution across bonds, or overall.

Lately, the glorious fall colors hitting me takes me back to a medieval eye prescription. The admonition is so simple, it makes me smile. I disovered it in The Old English Herbals by Eleanor Sinclair Rohde.

I feel for those medieval herbalists. They didn't know what atoms or molecules were. Hard enough doing research on molecules when you don’t know what molecules even are.

This book outlines  all sorts of complicated prescriptions to pick herbs. For example, you might only pick certain herbs when Jupiter is in the ascendent, and when the moon is in Virgo, and you really ought to say three Pater Nosters and three Aves when you do so.

 If the herb didn't work, I gather that you could easily claim the heavens were not in the exact right position when you picked it. (Kind of like our modern version of "but did you drink enough water afterwards?")

Yet this book has a prescription we all can follow.

Apparently, looking at marigolds, according to this medieval text, can improve your eyesight. The medieval text exhorts us to allow flowers, specifically yellow ones, to "gladden our eye".

Something about this directive charms me. I like the idea of a prescription to look at natures' colors. Can't hurt. Might help. It may at least lift our spirits. Which is actually a big deal, when you think about it.

Attention is overlooked. Attention requires practice. When we pay attention, signals in our brain are strengthened, and the resolution of our sensory map is refined. This is not hairy-fairy. There are molecules moving, neurons strengthening connections, firing faster, growing ties.

We may snicker at medieval ignorance, but let's think about this. We are working to change a signal to the brain's visual cortex using color. Artists know about this already, don't they?

Here is a 12th-century poem to encourage us to do so:

Golde [marigold] is bitter in savour

Fayr and Yelw is his flowur

Ye golde flowur is good to sene

It maketh ye syth and bryth and clene

Wyscely to looken upon his flowirs

Dwareth owt of ye heed wikkid [humours].

The thought of marigolds reminds me of how my mom would dutifully plant these annuals each spring. I remember this in a sensory way, because I used to eat them. They were bitter. I was a toddler. I’ll never forget my mother planting them outside our La Habra, California home, and a neighbor lady walking by stopped, then started shouting in alarm,

“Your daughter is eating the flowers!”

My mom looked up, smiled, looked at me, and said happily, “I know!”

Then turning to me, she told me to stop. She wasn’t too concerned about it, I gather. I believe she had faith in my stamina.

I still remember how they taste. I don’t recommend eating them.

It is enough to look at them.

       Dr. J. P., Salt Lake

Nettle tea has no caffeine, and won’t sting you, either.

Great question. And shame on me for not addressing it in my book, Herbs Demystified. Since I can't find a readily available scientific explanation right off the bat, I will give you my best guess.

The simplest explanation is that heat causes nettle’s stingers to poop out their inflammatory contents, which then get diluted by the rest of the cooked material. Heat causes molecules to move faster, increasing pressure, and you can imagine that boiling causes nettle stinger cell contents to pop like tiny, over-pressurized balloons.

Since the inflammatory molecules are now are dilute, they are less potent. Realize that a nettle stinger injects a small area of your skin with a concentrated dose of inflammatory mediators.

Sometimes heating molecules causes them to degrade, that is, to change into other molecules which don't have the same activity. But I suspect that is not going on with these molecules. Some molecules are more fragile than others.

Also, heating molecules sometimes gives them enough energy to leave the pot, so to speak, and fly around the room. That’s evaporation. If the molecule has a smell, you can detect such escapism when the molecule flies up your nose. But these are not very volatile (easy to evaporate) molecules, so I don't think that is the case, either. These molecules are too attracted to water to want to leave the pot.

When heated, the stingers themselves are likely to denature (the formal term for a biomolecule losing its shape), so the mixture will no longer contain mini-injectors, as well.

I hope that helps!

Holly

I did my usual thing and dug into all the published peer reviewed articles that I could find on the topic. Here are some of the tidbits that I learned and shared with this editor:

Botany and Culinary:

Calendula is related to marigold, and sometimes called “pot marigold”, but the marigold that most people plant in their gardens is not calendula. It is related to it; in the same family (Asteraceae, also called Compositae) but not the same genus (the genus of the marigold is Tagetes and that of calendula is Calendula).

Calendula grows very easily and has bright yellow or orange daisy-like flowers. (I once had some completely invade my garden and it took forever to pull them all out.)

Calendula flower petals are edible, sometimes tossed in salads for color.

Laying chickens are sometimes fed calendula flower petals along with their feed, which turns the yolks a brighter yellow from the carotenoid pigments in the flowers.

Some researchers are investigating the use of calendula extracts to kill snails that carry parasites in developing countries.

Safety: Although calendula seems generally pretty safe, there is insufficient information to recommend taking large amounts of it orally on a regular basis. A few petals here and there in salads on occasion, for example, is unlikely to hurt you. Pregnant or lactating women should avoid consuming it therapeutically simply because it is an unknown. It is in a family of plants that always raises a red flag for allergies. People with allergies to other plants in this family (ragweed, daisies, dandelion, sunflower, chrysanthemums, arnica, and other daisy-shaped flowers) are more likely to have an allergy to calendula, or to eventually develop one. People in this category should perform a patch test if they want to try calendula topically, and should avoid eating it.

Nonetheless, reports of allergies to calendula are uncommon in the scientific literature, compared to allergies of other asteraceae plants. There is one published report, from Russia, of a woman who gargled with a preparation of calendula and she suffered anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction:

Klin Med (Mosk). 1974 Apr;52(4):142-3.

Title: [Anaphylactic shock after gargling with an infusion of Calendula]

[Article in Russian]

Gol'dman II.

Publication Types:

Case Reports

Another study showed that after 433 patients were patch tested for calendula allergy, 9 responded positively, showing they had the potential for a bad reaction to calendula:

Contact Dermatitis. 2001 Nov;45(5):269-72.

Title: The seamy side of natural medicines: contact sensitization to arnica (Arnica montana L.) and marigold (Calendula officinalis L.).

Reider N, Komericki P, Hausen BM, Fritsch P, Aberer W.

Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Innsbruck, Austria.

Animal tests show calendula is relatively nontoxic. Cell and animal studies show nothing alarming, but more studies should be done. Because studies are incomplete, a 2001 report prudently says “it is concluded that the available data are insufficient to support the safety of these ingredients in cosmetic formulations.” (This is not surprising since it is the status of all but the most thoroughly studied herbs.) At that time is was judged to be used in around 200 different cosmetic products.

Final report on the safety assessment of Calendula officinalis extract and Calendula officinalis.

Int J Toxicol. 2001;20 Suppl 2:13-20. Review.

Homeopathic calendula: Homeopathic preparations of calendula (not to be confused with naturopathic or holistic) involve a particular method of diluting the herb down to nonexistence in the preparation. Homeopaths believe the preparation retains a “memory” of what was once it, which is really rather bizarre when you think about it.

This idea has never been proven by any experiment, though people have repeatedly tried to prove it. (Homeopathic remedies can “work” via the placebo effect, which can sometimes be impressive for certain indications.) I would personally not use a homeopathic preparation of anything. I would prefer a remedy that has actual ingredients in it.

Formulation: Most of the folkloric and scientific use of calendula involves the use of the outer ray flowers. Each flower has many tiny “disk” flowers, as well, in the center of the flower, but these are not usually used, nor is the green part of the herb. Curiously, we now know that the ray flowers have the highest percentage of faradiol (farrah DIE-all) esters, which are thought to be antiinflammatory, and that could explain how they help skin to heal. (The faradiol esters were 10 percent higher in ray flowers than disk flowers, and 100 percent higher than the green bits.)

Zitterl-Eglseer K, Reznicek G, Jurenitsch J, Novak J, Zitterl W, Franz C.

Title: Morphogenetic variability of faradiol monoesters in marigold Calendula officinalis L.

Phytochem Anal. 2001 May-Jun;12(3):199-201.

Also, the faradiol esters are oil-soluble, and not water or alcohol soluble. So the best method of obtaining them is to soak the outer flowers in something oily like vegetable oil, or petroleum jelly.

Faradiol esters are also found in sunflower petals, arnica petals, coltsfoot flowers, and dandelion herb. Arnica, however, often causes a rash, and the other plants are less well known.

The oil-based preparations will end up being colored, since carotenoid pigments that are colored are oil-soluble and will leach out from the flower petals into the oil. Carotenoids in moderate doses are known to be antioxidant and protective. (Megadoses of oral carotenoids may be harmful, though.)

Water or alcohol preparations are less likely to contain the above faradiol esters and carotenoids, but more likely to contain common plant flavonoids, which are not unique to calendula but found in most plants. Flavonoids often act as protective antioxidants by a variety of different mechanisms, and may in theory have anti-cancer activity.

Faradiol esters’ activity: Faradiol esters in an a category of common plant molecules known as triterpenes (try-TERP-enes). Faradiol esters are “antiedemic” (relieve localized swelling of tissues) and antiinflammatory in a small number of animal studies. It is possible that other triterpenes in calendula have similar, but perhaps less potent, activities. Antiinflammatories in general relieve “heat, pain, redness and swelling”—the four common signs of acute (short term) inflammation. They can also speed healing. Inflammation is caused by the immune system over-reacting and causing damage. It is a case of friendly fire. Inflammation also commonly underlies, and we now think, perpetuates many disease processes. So it often helps to shut it off.

This study singled out the faradiol esters as the most active antiinflammatory agents in calendula flowers:

Planta Med. 1994 Dec;60(6):516-20. Title: The role of triterpenoids in the topical anti-inflammatory activity of Calendula officinalis flowers.

Della Loggia R, Tubaro A, Sosa S, Becker H, Saar S, Isaac O.

Istituto di Farmacologia e Farmacognosia, Universita di Trieste, Italy.

In the following study the faradiol esters from calendula were found effective in reducing the swelling of mouse ears that were treated with an irritant. A compound derived from calendula’s faradiol esters, called faradiol, was just as effective as indomethacin, a prescription antiinflammatory medicine which is similar to ibuprofen.

J Ethnopharmacol. 1997 Jul;57(2):139-44.

Title: Anti-oedematous activities of the main triterpendiol esters of marigold (Calendula officinalis L.).

Zitterl-Eglseer K, Sosa S, Jurenitsch J, Schubert-Zsilavecz M, Della Loggia R, Tubaro A, Bertoldi M, Franz C.

Institute for Botany and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Wien, Austria.

Freeze-dried calendula extracts protected mice from the inflammatory effects of injections of carageenan and prostaglandin E1 in another study. White blood cells normally infiltrate the site of injection, causing swelling, but calendula prevented this from happening.

Vet Med Nauki. 1981;18(6):87-94.

Title: [Anti-inflammatory action of a group of plant extracts]

[Article in Bulgarian]

Shipochliev T, Dimitrov A, Aleksandrova E.

Another Bulgarian study showed that calendula extracts sped wound healing in rats:

Acta Physiol Pharmacol Bulg. 1982;8(4):63-7. Title: Influence of the physiological regeneration and epithelialization using fractions isolated from Calendula officinalis.

Klouchek-Popova E, Popov A, Pavlova N, Krusteva S.

Inflammation caused by an irritating chemical placed on mouse ears was relieved markedly by calendula extracts:

Phytochemistry. 1996 Dec;43(6):1255-60.

Title: Triterpene alcohols from the flowers of compositae and their anti-inflammatory effects.

Akihisa T, Yasukawa K, Oinuma H, Kasahara Y, Yamanouchi S, Takido M, Kumaki K, Tamura T.College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan.

How does it work? This is always what I am most interested in, because some mechanisms are better than others, some are safer than others. So far, we don’t really know calendula works, because those studies have not been done.

But there is a hint that water and alcoholic extracts of calendula do not work like aspirin and other related (NSAID) drugs. These drugs prevent an enzyme (cyclooxygenase or “COX”) from making prostaglandins, and some prostaglandins are known to promote inflammation.

Calendula and a number of other herbs were tested for this aspirin-like activity (tested for COX inhibition). Calendula was not singled out in the article for COX inhibition as other herbs were, so it doesn’t seem to work that way. However this study used alcohol and water extracts and these extracts do not contain the faradiol esters, so they don’t say anything about how the faradiol esters might work. It might still be that faradiol esters act like aspirin (but their structure is not very aspirin-like so I personally doubt that.)

Roum Arch Microbiol Immunol. 2003 Jan-Jun;62(1-2):117-29.

Title: Hydroalcoholic plant extracts with anti-inflammatory activity.

Herold A, Cremer L, Calugaru A, Tamas V, Ionescu F, Manea S, Szegli G.

National Institute of Research-Developmentfor Microbiology and Immunology Cantacuzino, Bucharest, Romania.

Looking at the structure of faradiol esters, they look very steroid-y to me, that is, they look like steroids. Steriods can be either hormonal, or inflammatory, in general. Some steroids have activities both of hormones and anti-inflammatories. We don’t know if calendula has any hormonal activity, those studies have not been done.

One of the most well-known steroidal antiinflammatories is hydrocortisone cream, or cortisol. In theory, faradiol esters might act like hydrocortisone, because they resemble hydrocortisone, but that is not known, the studies have not been done. Hydrocortisone and other antiinflammatory steroids work by preventing the precursor to prostaglandins (called arachidonic acid) from getting released from cell membranes. Aspirin-like drugs, on the other hand, prevent this arachidonic acid from being turned into prostaglandins by the enzyme cyclooxygenase (“COX”).

Clinical studies with actual people: These are always so much nicer, for so many reasons, than animal studies. There is only one well-designed one. This is a French study comparing oil-based calendula extracts to trolamine, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The punchline is that women using calendula (126 women) had statistically significantly less acute dermatitis than those using (128 women) trolamine (trade name Biafine). The dermatitis that radiation therapy causes is similar to sunburn, but can be more severe, with red skin, peeling, and blisters forming. The women using calendula also had less pain and this effect was also statistically significant. What I thought exciting about the study was that the women using calendula were more likely to continue radiation therapy without interruption, which is more likely to get rid of their cancer. Patients in the trolamine group requested 12 total suspensions of radiotherapy treatments because of dermatitis, but only 1 patient in the calendula group requested an interruption in her therapy, and that request was not related to her dermatitis.

J Clin Oncol. 2004 Apr 15;22(8):1447-53.

Title: Phase III randomized trial of Calendula officinalis compared with trolamine for the prevention of acute dermatitis during irradiation for breast cancer.

Pommier P, Gomez F, Sunyach MP, D'Hombres A, Carrie C, Montbarbon X.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Leon Berard, 28 rue Laennec, 69373 Lyon Cedex 08, France.

You can read the article yourself if you want, if you link to http://www.jco.org/cgi/reprint/22/8/1447

The authors of the study are up front, which is nice, about a couple of limitations of their study. First, they did not compare calendula to an inactive placebo, which would be more ideal so we could see just how effective calendula is. But it perhaps it would have not been kind to give half of the women an ineffective skin treatment after their breasts were burned with radiation. Trolamine is often used on skin after it has been treated with lasers or radiation therapy. It actually is not thought to be all that effective, so in that respect it may have acted somewhat like a placebo.

Another limitation of their study was that it was single blind, not double blind. Ideally, you want neither the subjects nor the scientists to see who is getting what, so no one can subjectively form any preconceived bias for a particular treatment. But the calendula ointment is yellow, so it was impossible to disguise it from the patients. So they knew what treatment they were getting. The doctors, on the other hand, did not know who got what treatment, since the patients could were required apply their ointments many hours before their skin was examined by the doctors, and by that time their skin was not yellow.

The article mentions several times, by the way, that 30% of the women using calendula did not like applying it, (compared to 5% of the women using trolamine.) The article didn’t say why. Perhaps they did not like putting something so yellow on their skin, or perhaps the tactile sensation of the ointment was unpleasant. Trolamine did not have such a problem with compliance.

Rare and previously undiscovered carotenoids in calendula flowers: Carotenoids are a type of plant pigment that is common in plants; they are often yellow, orange, or red. They are likely anti-oxidant and free radical scavenging (that’s a good thing.) I was intrigued that three new versions of lycopene were discovered in orange, but not yellow, calendula flowers. The common form of lycopene, that we are most familiar with, is what makes tomatoes red. (These new versions have similar structure as chain-like molecules, but are “cis-trans isomers”, that is, they bend in different ways along the chain at locations of double bonds.) Orange calendula flowers also contain some carotenoids that are relatively rare in nature. We don’t know what their properties are, if any, but it is likely that they are at least similar in activity to other more common carotenoids:

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2005 Nov;69(11):2122-8.

Title:Analysis of carotenoid composition in petals of calendula (Calendula officinalis L.).

Kishimoto S, Maoka T, Sumitomo K, Ohmiya A.

National Institute of Floricultural Science, Ibaraki, Japan.

Note: You can overdo licorice. It’s sent people to the ER, but these are people who took a lot of it regularly over a span of time. As Paracelsus, the father of toxicology, famously suggested, the dose makes the medicine and the dose makes the poison.

Here’s my deep dive into this interesting, historic herb:

Licorice

Glycyrrhiza glabra

History and Folklore
The first thing you may think of when considering licorice--or “liquorice,” if you are in Europe--is that it is candy, but historically it is better known as an herb. The candy is traditionally prepared from the sweet-tasting root of the licorice plant, a member of the bean family (Fabaceae or Leguminosae). It is native to the Mideast and has been recommended by ancient healers, such as the Greek Dioscorides, who used it as a wound healer. Perhaps signifying its value, it was found at Tutankhamen’s burial site. Konrad von Megenberg, one of the most prolific German writers of the fourteenth century, who wrote Das Buch der Natur (The Book of Nature), called licorice “bear’s droppings,” which remains a good name if you want to keep your friends away from your candy. Napoleon himself was reportedly addicted to licorice, which theoretically could have hampered his sex life (see below.)

Commercial licorice is mainly harvested from the Mediterranean, Spain, Asia, and the former USSR. Millions of pounds are imported to the United States, not so much for candy, as you might think, but 90 percent is used in flavoring cigarettes and other tobacco products. Real licorice is far more popular in Europe. Licorice candy in the United States often has no licorice at all but is flavored with anise oil. However, real licorice candy is now being sold more often in the United States, too.

Licorice has traditionally been used for ages around the world, for congestion, sore throats and cough, digestive problems, ulcers, arthritis, and constipation. Some of these uses appear valid, but the herb contains a potent drug that produces both benefits and dangerous side effects. As such, licorice should be used with care.

How Scientists Think Licorice Works
Licorice temporarily shuts down some members of a family of enzymes called short-chain dehydrogenase reductases (SDRs). This does both good and bad things to you. SDR enzymes are a large family of enzymes that accomplish a wide variety of chemical transformations in the body. Some SDR enzymes that licorice hampers break down stomach-protecting molecules, and other SDR enzymes that licorice inhibits help keep blood pressure low by balancing sodium and potassium concentrations. SDR enzyme inhibition by licorice can thus protect your stomach but raise your blood pressure.
This disabling of SDRs occurs by glycyrrhizinic acid or its salt, glycyrrhizin, the molecules that give licorice root its mild sweetness. Their structures somewhat resemble human steroids, yet unlike steroids they are also attached to sugar molecules. Both licorice molecules have the ability to impersonate your own steroids, and this enables them to “competitively” inhibit your SDR enzymes, meaning that an SDR enzyme temporarily docks with these imposters instead of its customary targets, which prevents the enzyme from performing its usual task.

After you eat licorice, glycyrrhizinic acid or glycyrrhizin reaches your gut, and the bond between the steroid part and the sugars is cleaved, yielding just the sugar-free and unsweet steroid mimic, glycyrrhetinic acid. If the names of these licorice molecules all look like Welsh to you at this point, you are not alone. The thing to remember is that they are all biologically active. The sugar-free metabolite also inhibits short chain reductases, and it can get absorbed into your bloodstream. That’s where the trouble starts. Before we go there, let’s discuss the nice thing licorice does for your gut.

By raising your supply of gut-protecting prostaglandins, licorice increases mucous and decreases acid. You have many sorts of different prostaglandins, each of which has varied and even opposing effects, yet they have acquired negative connotations in popular health articles, because many prostaglandins promote damaging inflammation. However, not all of your prostaglandins are bad. Some of your gut prostaglandins decrease acid secretion and increase the production of protective mucous, which coats your stomach, shielding it from acid and protein-degrading enzymes. Stomach mucous creates a slimy barrier that literally prevents acid and digestive enzymes from digesting the stomach lining itself, which would cause sores on the lining of the stomach that are otherwise known as ulcers. Aspirin, in fact, blocks the synthesis of these gut-protecting prostaglandins, initiating the classic gastric distress associated with aspirin, sometimes causing ulcers. Licorice, on the other hand, inhibits the SDR enzymes that break these gut-protecting prostaglandins down. This allows the prostaglandins to hang around for a longer period of time, consequently enhancing the safeguarding of your stomach lining.

What helps your stomach may help your throat, too. The mucous that licorice increases protects not only your digestive tract, but may help with coughs and sore throats, too; however, that idea is more controversial. Some think it is simply the pleasant, sweet taste that encourages salivation and swallowing, which suppresses a cough reflex.

Licorice may induce uterine contractions. Licorice does not increase all prostaglandins. Licorice specifically hampers the SDR enzyme 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase. This enzyme breaks down prostaglandin F2-alpha and prostaglandin E2. Therefore, licorice raises the concentrations of these two prostaglandins by slowing their metabolic conversion to less active forms. Both prostaglandins are used medically to induce either labor or abortion, because they contract the uterus. Increasing these prostaglandins is worrisome for women who are prone to painful uterine contractions, better known as menstrual cramps, and even more troublesome for pregnant women. Increasing these specific prostaglandins by using licorice could induce premature labor; thus most reputable sources advise you should not take licorice if you are pregnant. Don’t panic if you are pregnant and have innocently eaten one licorice candy. To my knowledge, cases of single doses of licorice inducing acute abortion have not been documented, but heavy use of licorice (500 mg per week) has been positively linked to premature delivery.(1)

Eating an inordinate amount of licorice causes a potentially dangerous syndrome called apparent mineralocorticoid excess. It’s a common story: a person with high blood pressure innocently enjoys a lavish amount of licorice on a regular basis and winds up in the emergency room. It may surprise you to know that this scenario is quite familiar to medical professionals. In repeated tests of people taking large doses of licorice, all volunteers begin to show signs of apparent mineralocorticoid excess after twenty-four hours, beginning with potassium loss, sodium retention, and water retention, which is then followed by gradually climbing blood pressure. Thankfully, it takes a lot of licorice to cause these side effects, and these symptoms go away after licorice is discontinued. Prolonged consumption (weeks or months) of licorice exceeding a products’ suggested serving size leads to more severe symptoms, however, such as lethargy, paralysis, and heart failure.

It’s called “apparent mineralocorticoid excess,” because a specific hormone classified as a mineralocorticoid appears to be overactive. The most striking effects of licorice overdose--potassium loss, sodium retention, and high blood pressure--are all classically associated with a hormone called aldosterone. Aldosterone is in the category of hormones known as a mineralocorticoid, because it affects mineral balance, specifically potassium and sodium, and because it is produced by the outer core of the adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex. It appears as though licorice increases aldosterone, based on the symptoms it causes; however, in people who overdose on licorice, aldosterone remains low and may even be suppressed. Since aldosterone appears to be in excess, the term apparent mineralocorticoid excess is used for the syndrome that it causes. Here is what licorice really does.

It isn’t aldosterone that licorice increases, but cortisol, which looks like aldosterone to your kidneys. At first scientists postulated that licorice simply mimicked the hormone aldosterone, which certainly seemed reasonable, because aldosterone is a steroid, and licorice contains steroid mimics. You can still find many old herb books that say that licorice binds to aldosterone’s receptor and acts like aldosterone. That theory, however reasonable, proved incorrect. Researchers in the late 1980s were puzzled by this, until a link was made with people who had apparently identical symptoms to licorice toxicity but instead possessed a rare genetic disease rendering them with a defective version of the enzyme 11-beta-dehydroxysteroid reductase type 2 (11-beta HSD2). Since this enzyme is in the family of SDR enzymes that licorice inhibits, researchers made the connection that licorice inhibits this enzyme. This theory has withstood testing in test tubes, isolated cell cultures, animals, and humans, and is now the currently accepted mechanism for licorice causing apparent mineralocorticoid excess.

In the kidney this 11-beta HSD2 normally inactivates cortisol, another steroid hormone. Cortisol (called hydrocortisone when used therapeutically) has a wide range of different actions, such as quelling inflammation and altering blood sugar levels. Normally cortisol’s action on the kidney is blocked, however, because an SDR enzyme in the kidney turns cortisol into a less active form called cortisone. If left active, cortisol works on the kidney just like aldosterone, binding to aldosterone’s receptor and triggering the same effects as aldosterone: potassium wasting through the urine, sodium retention, water retention, and hypertension. The problem with cortisol acting just like aldosterone in your kidney is that cortisol is several times more concentrated than aldosterone in your plasma, and if cortisol remains unchecked at your kidney, it will appear as though your kidney is flooded with aldosterone when it is actually cortisol doing all of this. Normally, the 11-beta HSD2 enzyme inactivates cortisol in the kidney, preventing it from impersonating a flood of aldosterone hormone. This explains why aldosterone appears out of control but remains low in both licorice overdose and 11-beta HSD2 deficiency; it is actually surplus cortisol acting like aldosterone.

In normal circumstances in the kidney, the SDR enzyme 11-beta HSD2 turns cortisol into the less active cortisone, which is not capable of binding to the aldosterone receptor and is thus not capable of acting like aldosterone. When licorice inactivates 11-beta HSD2, cortisol is no longer deactivated in your kidney, and a flood of cortisol binds to your kidney’s aldosterone receptor, mimicking aldosterone.
Remember, however, that licorice also can protect the stomach lining by preventing an SDR enzyme from breaking down gut-protecting prostaglandins. It’s a shame that a potentially good ulcer medication has such serious side effects, which begin when licorice’s molecules enter your blood stream. If some smart chemist out there wants to synthesize a nonabsorbable form of these licorice molecules, which remain in the gut, there might be a new ulcer medication on the market.

Good Effects . . . And Not So Good
Licorice overdose is a thoroughly documented and common occurrence. Licorice toxicity is more common in Europe, where more licorice is consumed, and the licorice that is eaten there is real licorice. In the United States licorice often has the syndrome-causing ingredient, glycyrrhizin, removed, and it is called deglycyrrhizinized licorice. It is flavored with similar-tasting anise oil, which does not have this problem. In fact, many U.S. “licorice” products contain no licorice, mimicking its taste with anise oil. Demand for real licorice in the United States is growing, however, so check the label to be sure.

If you don’t have a condition that precludes eating licorice, you can use it to treat ulcers, gastrointestinal upset, cough, and sore throats. Just use it cautiously. There is reasonable evidence that real licorice helps in treating these conditions. Multiple serving sizes of licorice per day for a period on the order of a week or more are usually required for licorice overdose symptoms to show up in healthy people, and the occasional dose of licorice can certainly help people who have ulcers. Be sure you have actual licorice, since many so-called licorice products don’t contain any, and make sure the licorice has not been deglycyrrhizinized. Don’t take too much of the product, and don’t take it for too long. Most pharmaceutical references suggest limiting your treatment to less than four to six weeks, and avoid taking more than 100 grams a day. If you feel any strange symptoms coming on, like weakness, dizziness, water retention, headache, or heart palpitations, stop using it.

Certain people should avoid licorice. Do not take licorice if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, low potassium (hypokalemia), kidney disease, or are pregnant. Certain hormonal disorders may be exacerbated by licorice. This includes adrenal disease, Cushing’s disease, primary hyperaldosteronism (Conn’s disease), secondary hyperaldosteronism, and pseudohyperaldosteronism. Since licorice may have estrogenic action, those with estrogen-sensitive conditions (breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids) may find it helpful to avoid excess licorice, too.

Licorice may not be the most romantic treat for your male partner. If you are male, recent evidence suggests licorice could have a downside for your love life. In some small studies it decreased testosterone levels of both male and female volunteers, and because of this it was suggested as a possible culprit in male sexual dysfunction.

You may be surprised at how many products contain licorice. If you take the time to read labels, you will see that many herbal teas, for example, contain licorice as a sweetening agent, even though they are not labeled “licorice” tea. One case report describes a man who drank 100 grams of licorice in an herbal tea daily for three years, and he had to be hospitalized for extremely low potassium and muscle weakness, which developed into paralysis. His symptoms retreated slowly, even after his licorice was discontinued.(2)

The literature is replete with similar cases. For example, one woman habitually chewed licorice-flavored gum and developed serious symptoms;(3) another did so after she ate five licorice sticks a day for a month.(4) Licorice is of course found in licorice candy, but it is also present in some candies that don’t have “licorice” in the name. Some licorice candies sport festive titles like “Turkish Pepper” or “Fisherman’s Friend,” and though they contain licorice, their names do not make that obvious. Licorice is also added to many tobacco and smoking products. There is a case report of a man who chewed roughly ten bags of chewing tobacco a day and swallowed the juice. The resulting paralyzing weakness that he suffered was attributed to the licorice content of the tobacco.5 He recovered when his chew was taken away from him. Many other tobacco products contain licorice as flavoring agent, but it is unlikely that licorice-laced tobacco will affect someone who smokes it. When burned, physiologically active licorice molecules most likely degrade. (What tobacco molecules transform into after they are burned is more of a concern for cancer doctors.) Licorice is also added to certain cough drops, lozenges, and syrups for flavoring.

An occasional small dose of licorice won’t kill you, but you should limit it, especially if you have any of the conditions listed above. Overdosing on licorice takes some effort, as evidenced by the existing case reports, and the occasional bit of licorice won’t kill you. However, if you have condition that could be worsened by licorice, there is no sense in aggravating it either; you should reasonably limit your licorice consumption to amounts far less than what most people would consume. Better yet, treat yourself with deglycyrrhizinized licorice, which has had most of its active ingredient removed.

Evidence of Action
The evidence for licorice’s producing untoward and even dangerous side effects--high blood pressure and potassium loss--are far more thoroughly documented than its therapeutic actions. Nonetheless, it may promote the healing of ulcers, although because of its side effects, it should only be taken for limited time periods. Licorice was able to prevent ulcer caused by aspirin in rats,(6) and licorice increases stomach-protective mucous formation and decreases stomach acid production. Both of these actions shield the stomach from damaging acid, allowing old ulcers to heal and preventing new ulcers from forming.
Carbenoxalone, a semisynthetic derivative of glycyrrhetic acid that releases licorice’s natural glycyrrhetic acid when consumed orally, has been shown to accelerate the healing of ulcers, too.(7) Unfortunately, people taking carbenoxalone also experience worrisome blood pressure elevation and potassium loss; it causes the same problems as licorice. It is sold in the United Kingdom, but is not available in the United States.

Deglycyrrhizinized licorice has also been tested as an ulcer aid. This is licorice that has had most of its offending, side effectcausing glycyrrhizin removed (sold commercially as “Caved-S”). Unfortunately, it is the glycyrrhizin and its aglycone metabolite that are responsible for the ulcer-protecting, beneficial effects. Indeed, animal studies show deglycyrrhizinized licorice had no effect on gastric prostaglandins, which are thought to mediate licorice’s protective effects. Consequently, it is not a surprise that most deglycyrrhizinized licorice trials for ulcer have been unimpressive,(8, 9) although a few actually boast modest benefits.(10, 11) This may be due to the trace glycyrrhizin (about 3 percent remains) in the treatment; or perhaps unknown factors are at work. At any rate, deglycyrrhizinized licorice is certainly safer than licorice, but probably doesn’t help ulcer sufferers either.

Licorice has been tested for other possible benefits on a limited scale. There is preliminary evidence that licorice reduces testosterone in both men(12) and women,(13) which is usually a detriment for the men, but could theoretically help certain women, such as those with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Licorice might reduce body fat, but small trials testing licorice’s ability to help you lose fat are conflicting, possibly because of the weight gain that it causes through water retention.(14) Also, some preliminary studies show that licorice has action against hepatitis B and C,(15, 16) but the studies are too small to draw conclusions as of yet. Additionally, a skin preparation using licorice was able to reduce redness and itching in dermatitis.(17) More evidence is needed to evaluate licorice for these uses.

The Bottom Line
• Licorice raises blood pressure, causing you to retain sodium and lose potassium, by inactivating an enzyme that normally keeps cortisol from acting on your kidneys. In extreme cases these side effects can be dangerous and have even been fatal.
• Licorice may help those with ulcers or stomach upset, but should not be taken for extended periods of time. Licorice protects your gut by inactivating an enzyme that normally inactivates mucous-producing and acid-decreasing prostaglandins in your gut.
• Deglycyrrhizinized licorice is safer than licorice, although it may be less effective in healing ulcers.
• Don’t use licorice if you are pregnant. It may cause premature delivery.
• Several medical conditions are aggravated by taking licorice, such as hypertension, heart problems, and kidney disease, and estrogen-sensitive diseases, such as certain cancers, endometriosis and uterine fibroids, hyperaldosteronism and pseudohyperaldosteronism, low potassium, and male sexual dysfunction.

What’s in it
Licorice’s active ingredient, which also makes it taste sweet, is due to about 5 to 9 percent glycyrrhizin, the acid salt of a saponin glycoside. The free, acidic version of this molecule is also active, and is called glycyrrhizic acid. Both are bound to two glucuronic acid sugar molecules. Licorice also possesses 1 percent flavonoids, primarily liquiritin and liquiritigenin, and related chalcones isoliquiritin, isoliquiritigenin. Isoflavonoids include formononetin, glabren, glabridin, and glabrol. Hydroxycoumarins include herniarin and umbelliferone, and sterols such as beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol. The root contains trace anethole, estagole (also present in anise and fennel oils), and eugenol (also found in cloves).

Commonly Reported Uses for Licorice*
Internally
used for gastrointestinal ulcers, stomach upset, sore throat, cough, congestion, expectorant, sweetener, flavoring
forms available for internal use:
dried whole, chopped, or powdered root, capsule, extract, infusion, tea, powdered extract, tincture, candies, gum, lozenges, syrup, liqueurs
commonly reported dosage:
A typical dose of licorice is 1 to 4 grams of powdered root, or up to three cups of licorice tea, daily, taken for no longer than four weeks.
*These uses and dosages are from historic use and are not necessarily tested nor recommended.

References

1 Strandberg TE, Andersson S, Jarvenpaa AL, McKeigue PM. Preterm birth and licorice consumption during pregnancy. Am J Epidemiol. 2002 Nov 1;156(9):803-5.
2 Lin SH, Yang SS, Chau T, Halperin ML. An unusual cause of hypokalemic paralysis: chronic licorice ingestion. Am J Med Sci. 2003 Mar;325(3):153-6.
3 Michaux L, Lefebvre C, Coche E. Perverse effects of an apparently harmless habit. Rev Med Interne. 1993 Feb;14(2):121-2.
4 Berlango Jimenez A, Jimenez Murillo L, Montero Perez FJ, Munoz Avila JA, Torres Murillo J, Calderon de la Barca Gazquez JM. Acute rhabdomyolysis and tetraparesis secondary to hypokalemia due to ingested licorice.
An Med Interna. 1995 Jan;12(1):33-5.
5 Blachley JD, Knochel JP. Tobacco chewer’s hypokalemia: licorice revisited. N Engl J Med. 1980 Apr 3;302(14):784-5.
6 Dehpour AR, Zolfaghari ME, Samadian T, Vahedi Y. The protective effect of liquorice components and their derivatives against gastric ulcer induced by aspirin in rats. J Pharm Pharmacol. 1994 Feb;46(2):148-9.
7 Bianchi Porro G, Petrillo M, Lazzaroni M, Mazzacca G, Sabbatini F, Piai G, Dobrilla G, De Pretis G, Daniotti S. Comparison of pirenzepine and carbenoxolone in the treatment of chronic gastric ulcer. A double-blind endoscopic trial. Hepatogastroenterology. 1985 Dec;32(6):293-5.
8 Bardhan KD, Cumberland DC, Dixon RA, Holdsworth CD. Clinical trial of deglycyrrhizinised liquorice in gastric ulcer. Gut. 1978 Sep;19(9):779-82.
9 Nussbaumer U, Landolt M, Rothlisberger G, Akovbiantz A, Keller H, Weber E, Blum AL, Peter P. Postoperative stress hemorrhage: ineffective prevention with pepsin inhibitor and deglycyrrhizinized licorice extract. Prospective study. Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 1977 Feb 26;107(8):276-9.
10 Morgan AG, McAdam WA, Pacsoo C, Darnborough A. Comparison between cimetidine and Caved-S in the treatment of gastric ulceration, and subsequent maintenance therapy.
Gut 1982 Jun; 23(6): 545-51.
11 Turpie AG, Runcie J, Thomson TJ.Clinical trial of deglydyrrhizinized liquorice in gastric ulcer. Gut. 1969 Apr; 10(4): 299-302.
12 Armanini D, Bonanni G, Mattarello MJ, Fiore C, Sartorato P, Palermo M. Licorice consumption and serum testosterone in healthy man. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2003 Sep;111(6):341-3
13 Armanini D, Mattarello MJ, Fiore C, Bonanni G, Scaroni C, Sartorato P, Palermo M. Licorice reduces serum testosterone in healthy women. Steroids. 2004 Oct-Nov;69(11-12):763-6.
14 Armanini D, De Palo CB, Mattarello MJ, Spinella P, Zaccaria M, Ermolao A, Palermo M, Fiore C, Sartorato P, Francini-Pesenti F, Karbowiak I. Effect of licorice on the reduction of body fat mass in healthy subjects. J Endocrinol Invest. 2003 Jul;26(7):646-50.
15 Eisenburg J.Treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Part 2: Effect of glycyrrhizic acid on the course of illness. Fortschr Med. 1992 Jul 30;110(21):395-8.
16 Abe Y, Ueda T, Kato T, Kohli Y. Effectiveness of interferon, glycyrrhizin combination therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Nippon Rinsho. 1994 Jul;52(7):1817-22.
17 Saeedi M, Morteza-Semnani K, Ghoreishi MR. The treatment of atopic dermatitis with licorice gel. J Dermatolog Treat. 2003 Sep;14(3):153-7.

JT., Costa Rica

Guarana, the plant, contains caffeine, and this is identical to the caffeine in coffee, tea, and cola. I love to talk about caffeine, because it is one my own favorite plant-derived molecules.

People also have historically assumed that sugar revs you up, perhaps because we intuit it can be used for energy--but we don't necessarily use it for energy. Sugar can also be stored (as either glycogen or fat). Once again, science shows we can't trust our first opinions: sugar, or carbohydrates in general may even have sedating effects for some.

Here’s some guarana stuff I learned writing Herbs Demystified:

Guarana

Paullinia cupana, Paullinia sorbilis

History and Folklore If you are from South America, you already know all about this herb. I was introduced to guarana ages ago, through a spell-checker.

Fumbling about as a novice on one of the very first word-processing software programs available, I was writing a letter to my Norwegian sister-in-law, Jurene. Pressing the wrong button, I was startled to see her name changed to Guarana in every instance. “Dear Guarana,” the letter now began. “What on earth is that?” I wondered, irked that the demonstrably dim spell-checker knew more words than I did. I had to look it up. I learned my spell-checker believed my relation was “an invigorating South American shrub”.

I have been further educated by my Brazilian students that guarana is the national drink of Brazil, and, eyes gleaming, they proclaim absolute devotion to it. As an unabashed coffee lover I can relate—its main therapeutic constituent is caffeine.

Guarana is both a climbing, Amazonian evergreen vine, and the drink made from its seeds. Indian legend holds the plant grew from the eyes of a divine child that was killed by a serpent. Guarani Indians were the first to process the seeds, hence its name. After the seeds are shelled and roasted, they are powdered and mixed with water to form a dough. This is molded into hard cakes or bars. Amazonian Indians used these on-the-go guarana bars by grating off a piece for themselves with a hard fish bone when they needed a little extra zip. This form of guarana is likened to bitter chocolate, only astringent and dry, without the fat found in cocoa butter.

Besides abating fatigue, guarana is considered an aphrodisiac. Traditionally it is used to treat mild digestive upset—its tannins may help in that arena—and headache—an action probably assisted by its caffeine.

Guarana seeds are also mixed with cassava and allowed to ferment to make one of Brazil’s favorite drinks. Sugary, amber-colored guarana sodas, however, are huge in South America, and most of its devotees say it’s not just the caffeine but guarana’s contribution of an unusual, spicy, berry-like flavor not found in other sodas. These have made their inroads into U.S. grocery shelves, marketed under the term “energy drinks”, and sporting confidence-inspiring names, like “Bawls”.

What’s in it Guarana contains the stimulant purine alkaloids caffeine (2-7.5%) and smaller amounts of theophylline and theobromine. Its tannins are proanthocyanidins (12%), and also contains cyanolipids such as 2,4-dihydroxy-3-butyronitrile. It also contains trace amounts of the saponin fish poison timbonine.

How Scientists Think it Works

Guarana’s main active ingredient is caffeine. Like tea, coffee, cocoa, and mate’, these unrelated plants all possess differing amounts of stimulant molecules called methylxanthines: the classic stimulant trio of caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. They all tend to work the same way, with different potencies and subspecialities. Caffeine is the most prominent one in guarana, and guarana has more caffeine than coffee. People taking guarana typically experience the same effects as those drinking coffee.

You may already be familiar with caffeine’s most obvious effects, like stimulation, faster heartbeat, and an exceptional urge to urinate. Caffeine also stimulates your gut’s release of digestive enzymes and acid, discourages blood clots, and briefly raises your blood pressure, as if you have been climbing a flight of stairs. Regular caffeine consumers, however, do not have high blood pressure.

A lot of caffeine’s other effects are signature moves of the “fight or flight” nervous system. This readies you for action, and some of these effects can be exploited therapeutically. For example, blood vessels in muscles are widened, allowing them greater access to blood sugar. At the same time, blood sugar is released from stores in the liver, and fat breakdown is stimulated (hooray!), the products of which can also be used to feed cells poised for action. Caffeine tends to suppress appetite—eating is not something you need to do while fighting or fleeing—plus its stimulating effects form the rationale for its addition to diet aids. Blood vessels in other areas are constricted, like in the brain and skin, conserving its delivery to muscles and lungs. The constriction of blood vessels in your brain by caffeine makes it useful in treating vascular headaches, and you may notice its addition to some over the counter analgesics and prescription migraine medicines. Caffeine opens up the respiratory system, allowing you to get more oxygen. Theophylline, one of the other methylxanthines, is better at this than caffeine, however, and is therefore used in asthma medications.

How does the caffeine in guarana and other plants perform these tricks? Caffeine is an adenosine receptor antagonist. The main effects of caffeine are attributed to its antagonism of a molecule called adenosine. Caffeine does other things, too, like increasing calcium in muscle cells, making them twitchy by lowering the threshold stimulus needed for them to contract. Caffeine may also stimulate histamine receptors in your gut, too, increasing digestive juices. But the main effects of caffeine are through its inhibition of a sleep-inducing molecule called adenosine.

Adenosine is released as part of a larger molecule called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, from stimulatory nerves, but it doesn’t stimulate. It is released at the same time as the stimulatory fight-or-flight neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, perhaps as a means to keep norepinephrine from getting out of hand. The slow, spontaneous breakdown of ATP lingering outside the nerve releases adenosine. This adenosine doubles back on its tracks, and binds to adenosine receptors on the nerve that released it.

Adenosine blunts the nerves’ ability to release the stimulatory norepinephrine, so adenosine inhibits brain activity, and it makes you sleepy. Adenosine also accumulates throughout the day as ATP is broken down during its use to fuel reactions that just would not go on their own; reactions that require energy.

So, as you spend energy throughout the day, adenosine builds up, and it’s binding to adenosine receptors in your brain shuts down your brains’ activity.

Caffeine and other methylxanthines look a lot like adenosine, and also temporarily stick to adenosine receptors, blocking adenosine’s access to them. This keeps you from getting sleepy. Besides allowing the fight-or-flight stimulant norepinephrine to work unopposed by adenosine, caffeine has indirect effects that boost dopamine and serotonin, and this could explain why we get a pleasure-enhancing mood reward from consuming it.

Scientists speculate that caffeine’s effect on these hormones may explain why large studies have shown that habitual caffeine consumers are less likely to get Parkinson’s disease or to commit suicide. Despite our puritanical impulses to portray anything that makes us feel so good as a danger, caffeine has several health benefits, although certain people should not have it. For a summary of all of caffeine’s positive and negative disease risks, see “interesting facts”, below.

Guarana also contains a lot of tannin. The effects of guarana tannin are less well known. Small doses of tannin are benign and can even be helpful. Tannin cross-link proteins, pulling them tight, and this skin-tightening effect is meant by “astringent”. Tannins “tan” the lining of your mouth and digestive tract in a mild way. This forms a temporary, protective barrier against gastrointestinal irritants, hence guarana’s traditional use in treating indigestion. Large doses, however, can upset your stomach.

Unlike mate', guarana is not (so far at least) linked to increased cancer risk. Another tannin-containing South American herb, yerba mate’ (see also), is very popular and part of South American cultural traditions, just as wine drinking is among European ones. Like guarana, it has both caffeine and a high tannin content. Mate’, however, has been repeatedly linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, and we aren’t sure why. It certainly isn’t its caffeine content. Early studies suggesting caffeine was a carcinogen were confounded by coffee drinkers’ tendency to smoke.

Caffeine has been vindicated of these charges in numerous, better-designed studies, and the American Cancer Society officially states that caffeine does not cause cancer. Tannin, on the other hand, theoretically could, if you have loads of it, and some have proposed this is behind mate’s’ increased cancer risk.

There have been no associations of guarana with cancer, but no one has performed epidemiological cancer-risk studies on it, either. If you want to limit any tannin’s actions, have it with protein. The tannin reacts with the protein and not with you.

Good Uses…And Not So Good

Guarana gives you an energy boost, and can stop a vascular headache, but don’t overdo it. Too much stimulation will make you jittery and bad-tempered, and any fine motor controls you require go down the drain. I’ll never forget being impressed by the latter effect, staying up late doing lab work, drinking coffee, and discovering that my hands under my microscope magnified their tiny caffeine-induced tremors into awesome, large scale oscillations. It dawned on me as the explanation for my clumsy work, and I sadly pitched my coffee in order to continue my microscopy. If you do fine artwork or anything requiring careful control of your hands, don’t have guarana beforehand.

Watch out for withdrawal. Like other caffeine containing beverages, guarana is pleasure-enhancing and addictive; though this is not as sinister as it sounds. The tolerance you develop to caffeine is mild, and unlike many other additive drugs, caffeine pharmacology works differently. It isn’t something that you need more and more of to continue having the same effect. You won’t end up selling your house and car to fund your caffeine habit, for example.

There are health benefits to moderate regular caffeine drinking, too though not everyone should have it. It you are used to guarana or other caffeinated substances, their sudden withdrawal may cause blood to flood into your brain, causing headache, and the increased number of adenosine receptors that you make while taking caffeine makes you more susceptible to adenosine’s sleep-inducing effects, making you groggy.

Certain people should limit their guarana. It is not for the insomniac. Caffeine is a common culprit in causing insomnia, and guarana’s caffeine content is higher than coffee’s. Caffeine can cause some people to have an irregular heartbeat, and if you think you are one of these people, don’t have guarana. Certainly, if you don’t like how it makes you feel, don’t take it! If you are not a regular consumer of caffeine, it may boost your blood pressure, though those who take it regularly don’t experience this effect. Because caffeine can enter fetal circulation, pregnant women are advised to have no more than one cup of coffee per day, and since guarana has more caffeine, guarana abstinence seems wise. Unless you want a fussy, sleepless baby, don’t nurse while taking guarana, either. The caffeine in it is transported through breast milk.

Guarana is not for pets. Although the problem is more often seen with chocolate, pets should not be exposed to methylxanthines in general, because they resond differently than humans and in some cases it can kill them.

Various forms of guarana have precautions, too. The diet and cognitive aids containing guarana typically contain many other herbs with unknown safety records, and since it’s not clear they work, avoid them. And although there are some “diet” versions, most guarana sodas and “energy drinks” are brimming with sugar. Since energy is measured in calories, why not rename them “calorie drinks”? Their sugar can certainly make you gain weight. Sugary sodas cause tooth decay, too.

The tannins in guarana are an unknown, but a concern. It is not known if their presence in the herb mate’ causes cancer, for example. Tannins do limit your absorption of protein, because they bind to proteins in your gut. To limit the action of tannins in your gut, some have suggested taking high-tannin containing herbs like guarana with milk, to keep them preoccupied enough with milk proteins.

Interesting facts: Through caffeine, nature teaches us once again that no molecule is entirely bad or entirely good. Regular caffeine consumption has been associated with a decreased risk of committing suicide, and less risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, gallstones, liver disease, and type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, it can increase urinary loss of calcium, although studies attempting to link it to osteoporosis have been inconclusive, perhaps because dietary calcium compensated for the loss in the people studied. It was once believed caffeine stimulated breast cyst formation, but this is no longer held to be true; well-designed studies have found no evidence to support this. Caffeine can cause some people to have an irregular heart beat, although it is not associated with causing heart disease. It can enter fetal circulation and its effects on fetuses are unknown, but not associated with birth defects. However, a Danish study found that women consuming more than 300 mg of caffeine a day were more likely to risk a stillborn child, so pregnant women should limit it or avoid it entirely.

Evidence of Action There are not many studies of the effects of guarana on humans. Its effects on cognitive performance are contradictory. One double blind study says it had no significant effect on elderly volunteers compared to caffeine or placebo(1), while another double blind placebo controlled study suggested guarana gave participants moderately better attention on mental tests, but slightly worse accuracy in their answers(2).

Two studies examine guarana as a weight loss agent, but unfortunately, mixed with other herbs, so it is hard to say which herb is doing what. Healthy volunteers consuming guarana mixed with yerba mate’ and damiana, showed significantly delayed gastric emptying compared to placebo, theoretically helping them retain a feeling of fullness(3). Mice fed solely guarana, or caffeine, however, showed no change gastrointestinal transit, in another study(4). After 45 days of taking this mixture, significant weight loss of around 11 pounds (5 kg) was seen, and for those who continued on the extract for a year, the weight was not regained.

Another mixture containing guarana and the now widely banned ephedra showed significantly greater loss of weight and fat than those taking placeboes(5), but it should be noted that 11 of the 35 subjects in the active group withdrew before the study was complete, complaining of chest pain, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, and irritability, and it is likely that a lot of these side effects were caused by ephedra, which was banned for its toxic and sometimes fatal effects on the heart.

Guarana contributes caffeine, which is an appetite suppressant and stimulant, and this theoretically could have contributed to the effects in these studies. However, there is no way to tell whether guarana caused the weight loss in these studies of herbal mixtures.

Caffeine also stimulates an increase in blood sugar, blood pressure, and heart rate, all of which were significantly elevated in the later studies’ herb-taking volunteers as well. Mice fed guarana also experienced a significant surge in blood sugar after an hour, from its storage form, glycogen, in the liver(6). This significantly prevented them from experiencing a drop in blood sugar during exercise. Rats fed guarana had better endurance in swimming tests, and showed no ill effects from the herb(7).

Animal studies hint that guarana isn’t harmful, and it could provide certain health benefits. A study with rabbits fed guarana showed their platelets were less likely to clot(8), a known effect of caffeine. Guarana also prevented chemical induced liver cancer in mice(9), and protected rats from indomethacin or alcohol caused stomach injury(10). No toxic or adverse effects of guarana on behavior or organ tissues of rats or mice were seen even at high doses(11). Additionally, an antioxidant effect was observed in the form of decreased membrane oxidation (lipid peroxidation.)

The Bottom Line

• Guarana exhibits therapeutic actions through its high caffeine content. Caffeine works primarily by blocking a sleep-inducing molecule called adenosine.

• Because of its caffeine, guarana is a stimulant, and can be effectively used to treat vascular headaches. It is not clear whether it boosts mental ability or works as a diet aid, however.

• Guarana also has tannins, which in small doses can relieve indigestion, but in large doses can cause it. The high dose of tannins from another stimulant South American herb mate’ might increase cancer risk, but no one knows whether guarana is associated with cancer, as well.

• Although regular, moderate caffeine intake is associated with health benefits, it should not be taken in excess, it can cause withdrawal, and certain people should not have it. People prone to irregular heartbeat and pregnant or nursing women should avoid guarana.

1 Galduroz JC, Carlini EA. The effects of long-term administration of guarana on the cognition of normal, elderly volunteers. Sao Paulo Med J. 1996 Jan-Feb;114(1):1073-8

2 Kennedy DO, Haskell CF, Wesnes KA, Scholey AB. Improved cognitive performance in human volunteers following administration of guarana (Paullinia cupana) extract: comparison and interaction with Panax ginseng.

Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004 Nov;79(3):401-11.

3 Andersen T, Fogh J. Weight loss and delayed gastric emptying following a South American herbal preparation in overweight patients. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2001 Jun;14(3):243-50.

4 Campos AR, Barros AI, Santos FA, Rao VS. Guarana (Paullinia cupana Mart.) offers protection against gastric lesions induced by ethanol and indomethacin in rats. Phytother Res. 2003 Dec;17(10):1199-202.

5 Boozer CN, Nasser JA, Heymsfield SB, Wang V, Chen G, Solomon JL. An herbal supplement containing Ma Huang-Guarana for weight loss: a randomized, double-blind trial.Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Mar;25(3):316-24.

6 Miura T, Tatara M, Nakamura K, Suzuki I. Effect of guarana on exercise in normal and epinephrine-induced glycogenolytic mice.Biol Pharm Bull. 1998 Jun;21(6):646-8.

7 Espinola EB, Dias RF, Mattei R, Carlini EA. Pharmacological activity of Guarana (Paullinia cupana Mart.) in laboratory animals. J Ethnopharmacol. 1997 Feb;55(3):223-9.

8 Bydlowski SP, Yunker RL, Subbiah MT. A novel property of an aqueous guarana extract (Paullinia cupana): inhibition of platelet aggregation in vitro and in vivo. Braz J Med Biol Res. 1988;21(3):535-8.

9 Fukumasu H, Silva TC, Avanzo JL, Lima CE, Mackowiak II, Atroch A, Spinosa HD, Moreno FS, Dagli ML. Chemopreventive effects of Paullinia cupana Mart var. sorbilis, the guarana, on mouse hepatocarcinogenesis. Cancer Lett. 2005 May 7

10 Campos AR., et. al,. op. cit.

11 Mattei R, Dias RF, Espinola EB, Carlini EA, Barros SB. Guarana (Paullinia cupana): toxic behavioral effects in laboratory animals and antioxidants activity in vitro. J Ethnopharmacol. 1998 Mar;60(2):111-6.

No, I don't hate the flower itself. I hate people recommending it. It's overharvested and at risk, for one thing, because of this pointless demand.

And arnica is toxic (people have died consuming it). Companies are legally required to dilute arnica so that it no longer exists in solutions that are sold as homeopathic.

I have heard so many medical professionals casually recommend arnica. It must just be an easy thing to remember.

You put a cream on your bruise. And OH MY GOD THE BRUISE EVENTUALLY HEALED.

Does skin ever heal on its own? Is this a miracle?

All the good clinical studies I have read on arnica are dissapointing. I know it is an easy thing to remember, arnica for bruises. But if you are a medical professional, carefully read the Pubmed studies before you repeat what you hear. Just look at all the retractions.

Hi Holly,

You say that Arnica should not be taken internally but I was recommended
by my doctor to take it in pill form before having rhinoplasty. I got
the 6c strength and have to take 5 twice a day.

Thanks!

Hi Alisa,

Indeed, while many herbs are safe, arnica is not one of them. People taking it internally have died. But what you are taking does not contain any arnica, because the "c" indicates it is a homeopathic remedy. So at least it won't hurt you.

Homeopaths believe that you can dilute an herb to the point of nonexistence in their preparations. They believe the water contains the "memory" of what was once in it.

This is an 18th century mystical belief that has never been proven by any scientific study, although scientists have tried to prove it and failed repeatedly. One French study published in Nature, where even the journal editors took the unusual precaution of saying they did not believe it but wanted people to try to at least duplicate the experiment, suggested that something might be going on, but the researchers were later found to have thrown out all the evidence that did not support their theory--they just said it was "bad data", although there was nothing really wrong with it. In science, you aren't allowed to throw out data that doesn't agree with your pet conclusion. That is called "data selection", and if you do it knowingly, it is a type of fraud.

Nonetheless, a lot of people still cite this discredited work as evidence for homeopathy.

For a typical homeopathic oral preparation (doing some quick calculations) a person would have to swallow a volume as large as the planet Jupiter to get one molecule derived from arnica, so you don't have to worry about any arnica in your preparation. For this reason, I don't personally recommend homeopathic remedies, even though they are very popular.

Got a bruise? Ice and pressure. Works really well.

I hope that helps!
Holly

And look at who drew that lovely flax flower for me. Some sweet husband that I love.

The Chemistry of Nature

Connections with the Land
THE CHEMISTRY OF NATURE
by Holly Phaneuf Erskine

I have a funny habit. After identifying any new plant, I look it up in the National Library of Medicine's Pubmed.
I want an ingredient list. I was trained to be a medicinal chemist, one who synthesizes new drugs— and plant compounds inspire me.

Today's pharmacopeia originated mainly from plants, fungi, and sometimes even animals. Immobile beings evolve more varieties of chemical tools, since they can't run away from predators or radiation, so I focus on plants. Besides, I love plants!

But lifesaving medicines can come from surprising sources. A peptide in poisonous Gila monster lizard spit provided the recent development of a new type of anti-diabetic drug, for example.

Even obscure plants yield handfuls of studies, and well-known plants garner hundreds. Our overlooked local freshwater sponge (which is an animal, I know!) produced three studies exploring its skin-healing properties. Many scientific papers explore certain roadside weeds' accumulation of toxins from the soil. Hawkweeds may naturally remove lead from our soil, for example, and may be managed to aid mechanical remediation. Unfortunately, most therapeutic research looks only at what pays the bills: heart disease, cancer, diabetes. We're missing a lot. Millions of microbial species remain undiscovered, let alone what they synthesize.

My plant friends often appear exclusively on protected Land Trust properties. Developed areas rarely sport gaywings, boneset or tufted loosestrife. Maybe it's microbes in the protected soil, as unknown as the dark matter of our gut flora, supporting essential interactions. We're not smart enough to recreate Land Trust residents from scratch, and they can't survive in isolation.

The Land Trust helps me protect my extraordinary, chemically complex friends.

Holly Phaneuf Erskine co-led a hike at the Three Springs Nature Preserve last summer. Hikers learned to identify medicinal plants on the preserve.

I've learned a bunch of odd things writing Herbs Demystified.

I can finally spell “hemorrhoids” without looking it up.

Half my readers assume I'm an ardent herb advocate who wants everyone to use herbs instead of traditional medications. The other half seem equally convinced that I disapprove of herbs and want to take them away from everyone. They are all wrong. It must be hard not to be able to categorize me. I'm just really interested in plant molecules.

Some supplements and herbs are contaminated with heavy metals, like mercury and lead. Some are contaminated with drugs. Consumerlab. It’s an organization that independently tests herbs and supplements. Check them out.

There is a medical journal called Colon.

Wild yams can grow up to 800 pounds. In traditional cultures they are given as gifts. You would remember getting one.

Uva ursi is an herb which can turn your urine greenish-brown.

I learned that the placebo effect can be amazing for certain conditions. Not for broken legs. But reading a study where menopausal women took soy isoflavones for hot flashes, I was amazed at how effective it was...oh no, wait. That was the placebo group. Lesson: Our minds are more powerful than we think.

Scientific articles can have funny names. Like, “Childhood Constipation. Is There Light at the End of the Tunnel?” I think it depends on which end you are looking from.

At the Eccles Medical Library at the University of Utah Hospital, on the end of each journal-filled bookcase, there is a label describing which journals can be found alphabetically on each shelf, for example, from “Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica to Cancer Science,” and “Experimental Brain Research to Geriatrics”, for example. But on the last one, someone kept crossing out the “to” and writing “on”.

Performing a web search on various phrases occasionally turns up a sponsored site which mechanically inserts your phrase into their text: “We hope you found __________!” So, when I searched on “diarrhea and bloody stools” this returned the eager phrase, “We hope you found diarrhea and bloody stools!”

Often my own web searches turn up my own website. But I know ahead of time that I don’t know the answer to my own question.

Peter Ciesla dyeing fabric with goldenrod at Bazyli Studio. Peter played a wise spaceman in our movie, The Emissary. Peter shares my love of foraging.

Do you like foraging? I do.

So do certain cast members of our movie, The Emissary. In my novelization of the movie, it seemed fitting to cast our hero from outer space as a plant collector, too. It seemed to me that someone stuck living on a space station would really be wowed by life on Earth!

On various sets, Peter and I swapped foraging stories. We spent many hours outdoors, waiting for a scene to be set. There, we’d discuss whatever weeds were visible. Peter recalled many from his childhood in Poland. I would rib Peter that it seemed his grandmother would put all of them in one sort of soup or another! I gathered his grandmother was a true old-world herbalist.

When Tim and I both missed our vaccinations and came down with the 2009 swine flu, I will never forget how Peter left on our doorstep a big jar of hearty vegetable soup containing burdock root, known in Asian cultures as gobo. He had harvested the roots on his Baileys Harbor residence. If anyone has ever tried harvesting burdock roots you know that's a labor of love. The roots grow deep and require extra strength to extract. It's not something I have ever had the strength to do, as much as I would like to eat gobo. I would need power tools. I still recall how delicious and nourishing that soup felt when we were laid low.

Peter is also an established fabric artist and designer who sometimes uses plants to dye his materials.

The day of posting this article Peter won an award for this! Some of Peter Ciesla's handiwork: linen dyed with black walnut. Original design, dyeing, and fabric art at Bazyli Studio in Door County Wisconsin.

I wrote this 455-page book on herbs.

Foraging is more than a diversion for me. Part of my passion for all things biological stems from my conviction that our learning the code of nature's sophisticated technology is, on a broader scale, a matter of life and death for the human race.

I'll explain why in a bit.

First, foraging gives daily, simple, joyful moments of appreciation for the cultural lore of our ancient, living world.

When I learn about a new plant, the first thing I do is type its Latin name into the National Library of Medicine's Pubmed to see what research has been done on it, and hopefully I can get a list of its constituents. Some plants have thousands of studies. Some have only a handful. Most plants have some research studies on them. I think some folks might be surprised to know that.

I did just look up spleenwort. Nothing. Someone probably once thought it looked like a spleen. Other plants have names like liverwort and bladderwort ("wort" is an old name for herb.) Once long ago, people used the Doctrine of Signatures—not an actual document, but an idea—that the shape of a plant told you what it was good for. I do NOT recommend trying this out.

I come from a family of foragers. This is my great grandmother, May Combs Monroe, with her dandelion digging tool and bucket. I was told she went out every day that she could, in order to dig wild greens to eat.

I also like to see what folklore might surround my new interest. Some folklore is on to something. And some requires historical interpretation. For example, anything claiming to "purify the blood" sounds nice, until you learn that "purifying the blood" is a polite archaic euphemism for curing venereal disease. Which probably didn't work.

Because I have built up relationships with so many plants, when I travel in strange places, I still find familiar green faces. In the most urbanized cities I can still greet a familiar old friend like plantain cramming its way through sidewalk cracks. (Plantago major provides the seeds for commercial fiber supplements like Metamucil, plus its greens make a nutritious salad addition.)

I have yet to visit any spot in America where wild catnip doesn't flourish, and I am often bringing home a fresh sprig for my feline tribe to battle over. Foraging is an ancient way of showing gratitude for what we are given.

In order to forage, you have to recognize the right species of plants or fungi so you don't kill yourself with the wrong ones. Which sometimes happens. No matter how much we laud the benefits of a plant-based diet, and we should, you don't see people roaming around on their hands and knees eating random weeds everywhere.

Instinctively, you know the botanical and mycological oddballs are out there, which will give you cramps, make you vomit, and then you will possibly die. Hemlock, death's cap mushroom, and others. You have to know what you are doing. I use a microscope to ID my mushroom spores but I am a scaredy pants. It isn't necessary to be so rigorous with certain plants or mushrooms that don't have dangerous lookalikes. I just like an excuse to use my microscope.

Foraging is a form of treasure-hunting. If you relish the taste of garlicky ramps or meaty morels, you will be out there with me in the early spring wandering the woods and fields. There are only a few weeks every spring when ramps and morels flourish.

Every spring we transplant a few wild ramps (also called wild leeks) from the woods to our yard, to keep them going strong.

Some people make money foraging. I never know when a particular top-secret oak in my neighborhood will explode with a carpet of the hard-to-find and pricey black trumpet mushrooms. Once I knocked myself out gathering over twenty pounds of yellow chanterelles (in the pouring rain), worth around twenty dollars a pound, from our local woods. I've met some locals who sell their bounty to restaurants that are grateful to feature lobster mushrooms or ramps or morels on their seasonal menus. I just dry or freeze mine. Years later, we still have several bags of dried chanterelles in our pantry which we can't be bothered to eat because we are tired of them.

My efforts are more humble. I'll just pick some of our plentiful weeds. Dandelion, purslane, sow thistle, mallow, and lambsquarters leaves get sautéed in olive oil to take some of the spirit out of those bitter sesquiterpenes. Delicious and nutritious! Beats going to the store. Cheaper, too. Plus I don't use any weedkiller.

Neutron and Fringes inspect my dandelion harvest. They prefer catnip.

Foraging can be a matter of survival. It was an activity required for our ancestor's survival and in some cultures still is. I would rather not have to depend on foraging for survival, but in the back of my mind, there is the quiet whisper that says, At least I will know what plants and mushrooms are safe if there is some catastrophe.

My favorite book on easy, safe foraging edible weeds (with recipes!) is by Dr. John Kallas, Edible Wild Plants.

I have our spaceman collecting plant samples throughout my books. What put this idea in my mind? It wasn't in our movie.

It first occurred to me in reviewing the the raw footage, or dailies. One particular scene came out better than we had anticipated.

There were just three of us in Newport State Park. I was behind the camera, filming the director, my husband, Tim Erskine, as Door County resident Jim, and Peter Ciesla as Koyper the Spaceman.

It was a magical morning in the wilderness. Dew glittered on fresh spiderwebs laced across a field of vividly colored prairie flowers, like diamond necklaces draped over a bed of jewels. Energetic insects, birds and mammals invigorated the field with all of their mysterious morning activities. We were knee-deep in life. We were explorers on another world, except that the world we had entered was ours. We were giddy.

Bleary-eyed, sleep-deprived, and completely drained after long nights of filming into the wee morning hours for days on end, the sunshine and life refreshed our souls. I will never forget the enchantment of that morning.

In this scene, Koyper the spaceman wanders around the meadow, enthralled. He asks Jim, "Do you ever get used to being under the sky?"

His wonder for being on Earth seemed appropriate for a human who spent most of his time living far away on a space colony. It is still one of our favorite scenes.

This moment inspired an theme for my books. It seems to me that a wise spaceperson would view the highest technology in the universe to be found in life on Earth. This sets up some fun tension between Jim, Earthbased engineer, and Koyper the spaceman, in my novelized versions of our movie:

Jim craves to learn about Koyper’s amazing space technology. Koyper protests that it is all based on what is already surrounding Jim’s feet. Life on Earth!

Those of you who know me know that I have a lifelong passion for plants and their constituents, and some of you may even have my 2005 book, Herbs Demystified.

My interest in plants grew early in life. Perhaps I was an insecure child, because I felt it might be useful to learn about what plants I could use to survive. Just in case!

I grew up collecting foraging and plant books, got bachelors degrees in biology and chemistry, and melded my interest in botany with my eventual doctoral degree in medicinal chemistry. Medicinal chemistry is the science of drug design and synthesis. Not many of colleges have a med chem graduate program. Our lab in Salt Lake was mostly interested in antioxidants in the 90's, just when antioxidants were becoming all the rage. That's another story, but it gives you a sense of my background.

Many medicinal chemists will go on to work for drug companies or remain in academia. I stayed in academia. I loved teaching.

Medicinal chemists know that plants, fungi, and sometimes even animals (often their venoms) provide much of the framework for both old and new pharmaceuticals. You'd be hard pressed to find a pharmaceutical that does not have a natural analogue to inspire it. What is formally called natural products is a required part of medicinal chemistry coursework.

I love giving medicinal plant hikes for Wisconsin's Door County Land Trust. Here I am gabbing about plants at Three Springs Nature Preserve.

Some of my colleagues, poor things, went off to Fiji every year to scuba dive for the marine animals known as tunicates, as possible sources of new anticancer therapeutics and antibiotics. Others interviewed Native American tribe elders on their use of medicinal plants, hoping to get clues on which plants to bring back to their lab. The lab across the hall from ours always had a flask the size of a small child stirring away all day, full of leaves and solvent, working away to extract whatever was held in the leaves for later analysis.

I didn't do anything so glamorous. I just synthesized drugs that I hoped would make good general antitoxins. The labs in our department all did a variety of different things, but we were all aware how necessary it was to study what nature had already made, because nature is literally a few billion years ahead of us in developing drugs.

Each organism is a potential treasure house of technology and medicine, and I want that theme to be loud and clear in my book. Without being preachy.

Plants make primary metabolites and secondary metabolites. It's the secondary ones that excite me. Primary metabolites are everyday housekeeping molecules, like light-gathering chlorophyll; essential for survival. Most plants share these in common. Then there are the molecules that plants spend valuable energy making that they don't need to survive, the secondary metabolites. These vary more from species to species, but many unrelated species share the same ones, too. Why would a plant bother to make molecules that affect our physiology?

Because plants can't run from predators, they must synthesize chemical weapons to keep themselves from being eaten. Many of these, like caffeine and nicotine, keep insects from eating the plant, or keep microbes from rotting them, and these molecules have accidental and sometimes useful effects on our physiology as well. As solar powered organisms, plants also must shield themselves from excess radiation, and many of their colorful pigments do this, as well as making good antioxidants and free radical scavengers. We benefit from eating highly colorful plants in part because these pigments protect us using the same mechanisms, as well.

We've only scratched the surface in what we know is out there in the just the plant world, never mind fungi or animals, as far as new molecules that could improve our pharmacy or technology. Every time we lose a species to extinction, we lose novel technology. Not just molecules, but mechanisms.

The slime mold Pilobolus launches spores with such dazzling acceleration that it inspires rocket scientists to learn its design. New electronic displays (interferometric modular displays) were built after studying the iridescent wings of the Morpho butterfly. Cellular proteins are being used to solve problems that vex supercomputers .

Biomimetics: The study of the structure and function of biological systems as models for the design and engineering of materials and machines.
—The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4e

The highest tech is not with the space aliens. It is right in front of our noses, if we are smart enough to perceive it. In my novels, Koyper explains that nature is a sophisticated classroom that requires close study for the survival of his Colony in space.

One theme nature expresses is that diversity equals health. A monoculture of plants leads to a sick ecosystem. Lack of diversity of gut microbes leads to a greater risk of disease. Even a greater diversity of nasal flora is associated with less sinusitis! It makes sense; more species present in a system keeps the others in check. If one gets out of control and takes over, you have a diseased state. It is out of balance.

One way that Tim and I help to preserve natural diversity in our area is to support our local Door County Land Trust. Many places have similar organizations that set aside wild places to protect them from development. We are grateful that The Erskine Woods, an old family property, is now in their hands. There, I see rare plants and fungi that I have not seen anywhere else. Who knows what treasures they hold?

"And I have no idea what this is!" I am saying. Later on I learned this is cup plant, Silphium perforlatum. With a quarter of a million plant species on Earth you are always a beginner.



_____________

Plant awareness exercises

Find a docent-led walk in your area. I go on these, and always learn something new, because there is always so much I don't know that I can learn from other plant lovers. I'll take my cell phone to take pictures, and a notepad for notes. If you have the time, it is far better to sketch a plant than to photograph it, for the sake of memorizing details, in your notes, regardless of your artistic ability.

Draw a plant
In my first botany class, Dr. Gaither horrified me by asking our class draw the plants we were studying. I thought, I didn't sign up for an art class. I thought this was botany!

I was 17 when Thomas Gaither here started me on a lifelong journey. I will forever be grateful for his wisdom.

I don't think of myself as an artist. But this turned out to be a fantastic exercise. If you really want to memorize a plant, don't photograph it. Draw it. Put to the side whatever thoughts you have about your artistry. Take a plant, a pencil and paper, and draw exactly what you see. There’s an analogy, probably, to the value of writing down things by hand. I’ve written an article on why written notes work better than virtual ones.


It helps to learn some of the common variations of plant morphology first.
In drawing the plant, you have to ask yourself:

Do the leaf veins run parallel to each other or do they form a netted pattern?
Are the leaf margins serrated or smooth or scalloped?
Are the stems square or round or hollow?
Are the leaves alternating or directly opposing each other on a stem?
Are there hairs on the leaves or stem?
How many petals are there? Are they symmetrical?
Do the leaflets originate from one point (palmate) or along one rib (pinnate)?
Do flowers originate from one point (umbel) or along a stem (raceme) or appear singly on a stalk (simple)?
And so on.

In the meantime,

Check out all my plant posts here