This morning when we went out it was still dark, but Salma went straight to a particular plant which she began to chew on avidly. After a couple of minutes of dedicated chewing she stepped away and began to retch. Then she vomited up a small amount of white foam. She had shown no signs of discomfort beforehand so I was interested to see what plant she had eaten.
When it was light I was able to discover that the plant was scarlet pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis also known as Lysmachia arvensis. Pharmacists know the plant as Arvensis Herba.
This was interesting because since the times of the ancient Greeks there is documentation to show that the aerial parts of the scarlet pimpernel have been used as a medicine. In Greece specifically it was used as an anti-depressant and in Germany, where it is known as Gauchheil or “fool’s heal”, the name also reflects its use for mental conditions.
In other countries the plant material has been applied externally to slow-healing ulcers and wounds. It also has been applied externally as an expectorant and as a remedy for pruritus, rheumatism, haemorrhoids, leprosy and snake bites as well as kidney—related conditions such as dropsy and chronic nephritis. Another interesting use was for rabies.
Like many plants used for medicinal purposes the scarlet pimpernel is toxic to both animals and humans. When animals are allowed to roam free and there is sufficient grazing, they tend to avoid the plant whose leaves are bitter and unpalatable in any case. If animal fodder contains large amounts of the plant animals tend not to eat it as documentation from Australia shows. If grazing is scarce and animals do ingest significant amounts of the plant, they suffer diuretic and narcotic effects strong enough for the plant to be classified as poisonous.
When experimental liquid doses were administered to humans this caused twenty-four hours of intense nausea, headache and bodily pain. Some people also experience dermatitis from contact with the leaf, although I have not experienced this despite handling the plant quite often.
One positive point is that the plant repels some insects probably due to its essential oil which has a pungent smell.
Why did Salma feel that she had to eat this plant this morning when she has passed it by every day since she arrived and had never shown any interest? I have no idea!
