Benefits from the seashore...

Elspeth and Jim Gibb from Seaweed Organics (www.seaweedorganics.co.uk) visited the class today to introduce us to the benefits of the botanicals that can be gathered from the seashore.

Scotland is home to over 28 varieties of seaweeds, which are categorised into four types:

• Chlorophyceae (greens)
• Phaeophyceae (browns)
• Rhodophyceae (reds)
• Cyanophyceae (blues)

Most of the seaweeds are edible, although they require a certain pallete to truly enjoy them! However, all have extremely beneficial properties when taken internall or applied topically. They are a rich source of protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and trace elements which all promote good health and well-being.
Actually, when compared to land-based botanicals, seaweeds are 10 to 20 times higher in vitamins, minerals and amino acids. With specific seaweeds, such as the Japanese variety Hijiki, Arame and Wakame contain up to 10 times the calcium of milk. Then in comparison with red meat, seaweeds can contain from 4 times up to a staggering 25 times more iron. Also according to the noted herbalist, Dr. Ryan Drum, you would have to consume up to 40lbs of fresh vegetables and/or fruits to get the equivalent volume of iodine that 1g of whole leaf kelp can provide.
A fact about seaweed I thought particularly interesting was that it is a fantastic fat metaboliser, breaking down excess fat in the body and "flushing" it out of your system, by putting it in a position for the body to burn it easily as energy, allowing you to lose weight and maintain it. As an allergy sufferer myself, it was also interesting to note that seaweed, due to its active constituents helps to boost your immune system, not only relieving you from irritating colds and sniffles but alleviating allergy systems also.

However, each species of seaweed has an optimum time when the vitamin content is at is most potent, and as it is only really exposed at low tides, this has to be well monitored. Jim and Elspeth harvest fresh seaweed primarily from the waters between the Isle of Mull and the Isle of Jura, and from the coastline of North Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. They remove the "living" ends of the seaweed, i.e. the leafy part away from the base, as the new cellular growth occurs near the base, otherwise known as the holdfast. Jim and Elspeth took us through the seaweeds most often used:

Ulva lactuca, commonly known as Sea Lettuce, is a bright green, almost paper-thin seaweed, in the Chlorophyceae grouping. It can grow up to 18cm in length, though generally much less, and up to 30cm across. It's paper-thin quality is due to it being only two cells thick, making it soft and translucent. Sea Lettuce is gathered at Easter time from shallow, sandy bays. It is an excellent source of salt, and vitamins A, B complex and C. Traditionally it was used as a poultice to help heal scar tissue, but can also be eaten both raw and cooked to reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol.

Ascophyllum nodosum, commonly known as Knotted Wrack, is a very commonly found brown seaweed in the Phaeophyceae group. It has long fronds with large egg-shaped air-bladders set in series at regular intervals in the fronds and not stalked, which can reach up to 2 metres in length.
Knotted Wrack is rich in iodine, calcium and potassium, and also contains oils with high concentrations of vitamin B12. It also contains a variety of macronutrients, including nitrogan, sulphur and phosphorus and a variety of micronutrients, including manganese, copper, iron and zinc. It is generally dried and then used in a powdered form, and can then be used as a bath soak or in body creams. Extracts of this seaweed act as a natural sunscreen and promote topical tissue repair.

Laminaria digitata, commonly known as Kelp, is the most commonly known brown seaweed, in the Phaeophyceae group, is found growing in dense "forests" and is usually only seen at very low tides. Compared with other algae, Kelp has a fairly high intrinsic growth rate at 5.5% per day, with a carrying capacity of about 40kg wet weight per square metre, where it may grow to a length of up to 4 metres per botanical.
The fronds are rich in a natural version of sodium glutamate and it is high in iron and iodine. The stalks, however, are used more commonly as the key ingredient to help to smooth and cool the skin topically. Also granules of the dried stalk may also used as a gentle skin exfoliate.

Chrondus crispus, commonly known as Carragheen moss or Irish moss, is a member of the Rhodophylaceae group. Reaching up to little over 20cm in length, the Irish moss branches four or five times from the holdfast in a fan-like manner. The branches are 2-15mm broad, firm in texture and range from a dark reddish brown to a pink-purple, however the colours bleach to yellow in sunlight.
The principal constituent of Irish moss is a mucilaginous body, made of the polysaccharide carrageenan of which it contains 55%. The botanical also consists of nearly 10% protein and about 15% mineral matter, and is rich in iodine and sulphur. When softened in water it has a sea-like odour, and because of the abundant cell wall polysaccharides it will form a jelly when boiled, containing from 20 to 100 times its weight of water.
It is harvested at the end of the summer when the natural carrageenan content is at its highest. It is used in creams as an emulsifier, and has been used for centuries as a thickening agent in milk puddings, however it needs to be counteracted with a significant sweetness to be palatable.

Palmaria palmata, commonly known as Dulse, a member of the Rhodophyceae grouping, is a pink, nearly transparent seaweed, that has been an important source of fibre for centuries. The fronds are variable in length, and vary in colour from a deep-rose to a reddish-purple, and are rather leathery in texture. The flat foliose blade gradually expands and divides into broad segments ranging in size to 50cm long, and 30-38cm in width.
It's found in deeper water, attaching itself to tall kelp stems and can survive harsh ocean conditions. Dulse provides an excellent source of vitamin A and C, while also containing all the trace elements needed by humans and has a high protein content. It is used in creams and lotions as it has been proven to increase cellular activity and improve skin elasticity.

Even from these few examples you can see that each seaweed offers its own range of benefits, and dependent on where it is found and harvested, the range of these benefits can alter as the location will determine the qualities which the seaweed will have been absorbed in i.e. minerals, macro and micronutrients, and what organisms interact with the botanical. Seaweed is a natural detoxifier, aiding the absorption and removal of toxins from the body when taken internally or applied topically. It has been used for centuries to ease joints, improve circulation, moisturise skin and detoxify the system, and with a recent downturn in its use in Britain, you have to really wonder why! Maybe with the move back toward organic, freshly made products, such as those sold in Lush, we may see a new increase in the usage of seaweed - even if it is only externally!

Biodynamic Gardening Principles

Duncan Ross has previously spoken to the class about biodynamic gardening principles. Leading us through the methods discovered by Rudolph Steiner's work on the subject, such as the principles of Tropical, Sidereal and Biodynamic gardening techniques.

Steiner's philosophy was that the sun, stars and moon have an effect on our lives personally, and also influence growth, health and productivity of all things surrounding us. This philosophy rings true with my own life style and choice of belief, as a spiritualist, my belief's are that we effect everything around us and in turn those things effect us too... for example, if we choose to be happy, then the things around us, the things effecting our lives will align so that our mood is maintained, and when something comes to challenge us, it is how we choose to handle it that can effect our lives.

Duncan Ross states, in his Grower's Guide to Herb Gardening 3, that:

"It is now generally well known that the use of a planting and sowing calendar helps the biodynamic grower to enhance germination (by sowing at the correct phase of the moon) increase the vigour of the plant, propagate at the right time of day, and harvest when the plants properties are at their most potent... the biodynamic approach can be a practical way of adding an extra 'dimension' to work on the land."

This shows that biodynamic approach has a base in ancient planting methods and in newer knowledge of the effects of the lunar and solar calendars. It encompasses the organic gardening principles, which focus on the health of the soil, and then also looks further by considering the nature of each plant, the biodiversity of the garden, associated organisms i.e. insects and animals, and how they will develop under the knowledge of the calendars.

In our student plots, a cow's horn was filled with fresh manure and buried 3 feet deep in the soil, to develop and mature. The idea is, that come March, we will dig up the horn, dilute the contents of the horn with water and share it across the newly dug plots.

"When we stir the horn manure and especially the silica for an hour in a way that mimics one of the rhythms of the infinite universe, we are potentially able to create the ability to attract some influences onto us, the earth and all around us."

For more information on biodynamic principles, http://www.biodynamic.org.uk/ is a great website. It states:

"A biodynamic farm is a complete system in which all the different components of the farm are seen as parts of a greater whole."

Garden Design

One of our assignments, otherwise known as challenges. Is to re-design RBGE's Physic Garden. It is a challenge I have serious issues with... I have had the Physic Garden, otherwise known as the Dem Garden's plan on my wall for weeks in a vain attempt to try and figure out what to do with it... so far, this hasn't worked so well.

Diane Pyper, a garden designer came to discuss with the class how to understand the concepts of space, form and movement within the garden, as well as creating ambience and harmony within the garden.

The Dem garden was originally planted in the 1960's, and is a collection of three rectangular beds on the North side of the giant Beech hedge. The beds are hemmed in by two long hedges, one straight yew hedge and one holly hedge that has a "pregnant" bum that intrudes on the gardens space - this makes it difficult to plan in a new garden design. Or... I found this to be a major issue with planning a new garden design. The beds have, over time, grown out of control with some plants spreading uncontrolled along the beds... this makes the original designers ideas hard to place. The only difficult to remove botanical in the garden, despite the walls of hedges, is the lone standing yew tree at the back of the garden - which has a runway like appearance in some respects.

It's going to be a difficult re-design... seeing as I don't seem to have the brain to get round the old design and put in place a new one. Might be time to call in the big guns!

A Lesson with Duncan Ross

Duncan Ross from Poyntzfield Herb Nursery joined us today.

In the afternoon, we trudged through the wet, miserable Scottish weather to the nursery and up to our student plots. We wanted to check our seeds as well, the ones we'd sown in November last year, and Duncan wanted to go through seed planting with us again in the comfort of the potting shed.

Both of these didn't go exactly to plan. Our seeds from November were all covered in what looked like a soft green moss, which Duncan blamed on the compost mixture we used. As for the seeds, well... most of them hadn't really done anything, only the fairly easy to germinate ones had thought about doing anything.

As for the seed planting, by the time we'd finished with our student plots, the nursery staff were getting ready to close up and lock the potting shed, so we were moved, swiftly, with a foldable table, into the poly-tunnel. So, we began planting some more seeds, this time in only a pro-seed-germinating compost. With an array of pots and seeds, we were quick, having known the planting technique from our last class, plus we were so cold, wet and muddy we wanted to get back to the classroom asap!
Leaving the seeds with our other, failed, attempts, we gave them a quick water, before collecting up the rest of the seeds, sheltering them from the rain... in pockets and such, and headed back to the classroom.

As I said, we also pottered around our student plots today. In the never-ending drizzle, we stomped around in the mud, removing the plants the previous students had left, moving some to the "stock" bed, if they weren't wanted by any other students. As I'd missed the previous lesson with Duncan that had been focused on the student plots.

Before.

After.

Catherine re-joined us at this point, and after several cups of tea, for the rest of the group, we sat down, in our sodden, mud-covered (in my point of view) clothes and watched a video on traditional Tibetan medicine. It followed the story of the traditional culture, and the traditional ways in which the fresh flowers were chosen and protected, it also followed the journey of two young training doctors as they travelled to Edinburgh, to study conservation at RBGE. The problem in the Tibetan culture, there is no knowledge of cultivation and conservation to help maintain the variety of botanicals they pick and use. So, this scheme was designed to train and send back this knowledge, so it can be passed on and, in theory, help to maintain the traditional Tibetan medicine practice.

After the video, we trudged back out into the miserable weather, home time!

Making our first Soap

Soap Making

Jim joined us today from The Caurnie Soaperie, to take us through the process of making soap.

Vegetable Oil + Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) = Releases Glycerine Soap

There are two processes used to make soap:

Cold Process: Keeps all the essential fatty parts of the soap - it makes the final soap more moisturising, and leads to no waste.

Boiling Process: This removes the glycerine water - called the Sweet Waters. These are then used in the arms/explosive industry to make nitro-glycerin.

The basic process is, the fatty acid chains must be neutralised, which seperates them from the glycerine backbone - this is an exothermic reaction (meaning it gives off heat), this, essentially, creates the soap.

The Process of Making Soap

The first step of the process is to melt 200g of Coconut Oil. This can be done by emptying the Coconut Oil into a beaker and applying direct heat (it is best if the beaker is pyrex).

While the Coconut Oil is melting, measure out 800g of Olive Oil.

The next stage is to make your Lye Solution - which is basically NaOH (Sodium hydroxide) dissolved in water. There is a slight hazard when dealing with this alkali and so safety precautions (such as wearing gloves, goggles and protecting your skin is advised). Pour the alkali into water - do not add the water to the alkali as this could lead a "volcano" effect, as the alkali heats the water exceptionally fast, whereas if the alkali is added to the water, the volume of cold water will keep the alkali more stable. Mix until dissolved - you will notice the exothermic reaction.

Collect together your three base ingredients, and find a large bucket or container to mix them in.

Add the Olive Oil first.

Follow this by adding the, now liquid, Coconut Oil.

While stirring continuously, slowly dribble in the Lye Solution - this is called Saponification.

Keep hand-stirring the mixture.

After the initial stirring you can bring in some speed, using a hand-held blender. You will notice the colour and viscosity change in the liquid. We are now looking for the moment when the mixture reaches trace.

"Trace" is the moment when the mixture is viscous enough that when the blender is removed from the mixture it leaves a mark i.e. it leaves almost an "imprint" of where it was removed from the mixture.

Once the mixture has reached trace, 30g of essential oil (in this case Lavender) is added to the mixture and blended thoroughly, before it is poured into a mould.

On the left you see a soap that has been poured into the mould and been decorated with dried heather and lavender buds. 

Once the soap has been poured into the mould, for aesthetics you can decorate the soap as you wish.

Our two soaps.

Left: Lavender scented soap, decorated with dried Heather and Lavender Buds.

Right: "Ode to Spring" - a Lavender scented soap, containing a Chickweed tincture and dried Oats, decorated with Daphne, Viburnum and Witchhazel blossoms as an Ode to the Spring.

The Lavender and Heather soap, due to the botanicals it contains, will had a sedative-like effect, which in turn is calming to the mind. The Lavender also treats insect bites and burns nicely, soothing them. Whilst the Heather, is antiseptic, gently astringent and helps treat rheumatism and eczema.

"Ode to Spring" contains the Lavender essential oil also, which is calming, as mentioned above. It also contains a Chickweed tincture, which is mildly astringent, carminative, vulnerary and a skin soother, whilst also helping to treat rheumatism and arthritis. We mixed dried Oats through the soap to give it an exfoliant effect which will help soften and smooth skin. The soap was then decorated with Daphne, Viburnum and Witchhazel blossoms, all which lend a sweet Spring fragrance and look to the soap.

"Ode to Spring"

Our soaps - to now be left for a week to set, then removed from their moulds and sliced with a straight-blade knife.

The process it seems is quite simple. It will become more complex when you want to start adding different elements, also changing the base oil being used, i.e. instead of Olive Oil using Seabuckthorn Oil, will alter the volume of alkali solution that is required - there are online calculators that can work this out for you.

The last thing to add is, "Ode to Spring" won the prize for the "best" soap of the day. However all the soaps were excellent, good thing as will be taking a lot of soap home next week!

If you want to look up The Caurnie Soaperie their details are below:

Tel: 0141 776 1218

http://www.caurnie.com/

Self-Study - Resurrection Plant

A phenomenon! For my birthday in November, my flatmate bought me a Resurrection Plant - what is this plant I hear you ask? Well... it is the green desert fern Selaginella lepidophylla.

The idea behind this retailing masterpiece is that it is "The Plant You Cannot Kill!"

"This Resurrection Plant is a desert variety belonging to the moss family. It has learnt to survive in very dry regions by contracting into a dry ball to be carried along by the wind until it settles in water. It will then unfold its fern-like fronds and renew itself as if 'resurrected' from the dead."

"This unusual behaviour can be repeated many times or until the plant finds a permanent damp place to set down its roots, when it will make an easy to care for and attractive houseplant."

"Growing Instructions: Place the dry plant into a container of water and within a few hours the plant will begin to 'come back to life'. It will remain green until deprived of water - when it will again curl up as if dead. To grow the plant in potting compost - simply push the root ball into damp soil and keep the roots moist. If the plant begins to curl up, add water to revive. Keep above 10 degrees C, away from direct sunlight."

It takes around 3 hours after the roots have been wetted for the fern to "unfurl".

Selaginella lepidophylla is a species of desert plant in the spikemoss family, Selaginellaceae. It is noted for its ability to survive almost complete desiccation; during dry weather in its native habitat, its stems curl into a tight ball and uncurl when exposed to moisture - it is native to the Chihuanhuan Desert.

Common names for this plant include: False Rose of Jericho, Rose of Jericho, Resurrection Plant, Dinosaur Plant, Siempre viva, Stone flower, and Doradilla.

S. lepidophylla is easily confused with Anastatica, both species are resurrection plants and form tumbleweeds, they also share the common name "Rose of Jericho".

The plant is now sold as a novelty item, as a bare root in its dry state which can be revived with only a little water. Historically however, when the Spanish Friars entered the New World, including the area that was to become the United States, they used the plant to demonstrate to the Natives the concept of being "reborn".

Botanical Details

Selaginella: from the Latin "selago" (A type of juniper we now call savin juniper. Selaginella's have juniper-like foliage), and the Latin "ella" meaning small.

lepidophylla: from the Latin meaning scaly-leaved.

It is one of 700 species. All of them are primitive plants, fitting somewhere between mosses and ferns in the hierarchy of plant evolution. They belong to a group of plants known as the lycopods, whose members go by the common names of ground pines and club mosses. All are relatively small (up to about one foot tall) and are found around the world, usually in moist locations with mosses and ferns. They reproduce by single-celled spores, and lack flowers, fruits and seeds. Even their "leaves" are not really leaves, but instead leaf-like extensions of the stem. What lycopods consist of then, are roots, stems with scales, and club-like strobili that produce spores.

A desert inhabitant, it can be found growing from rock outcroppings or in dry soil, its close neighbours would be mostly cacti and other arid-loving species. Under these conditions, most other lycopods would perish.

When the soil is moist after infrequent rains, the plant absorbs water and grows rapidly, producing a flat rosette of scaly stems up to one foot across. As the soil dries, it cannot store water like its succulent neighbours, so it folds up its stem into a tight ball as it desiccates and goes into a state of dormany. The folded plant has a limited surface area, and what little internal moisture is present is conserved. All metabolic functions are reduced to a bare minimum and it appears to be dead. The plant can remain in this dormant condition for years, then when the rain returns, the plant's cell rehydrates. The stems unfold, metabolism increases, and growth resumes. Even dead Resurrection plants will unfold if given water, since rehydrated cells expand even if there is no living protoplasm in them.

As a lycopod, the Resurrection Plant can trace its ancestors far back into history. They appeared at least 400 million years ago as small plants similar in appearance to those that are alive today. Their period of prominence however, came later. Between 345 and 280 million years ago they dominated the plant world as giant trees over 100 feet tall with trunks 6 feet in diameter at the base. These swamp inhabiting trees became important contributors to the coal deposits we exploit today. Cooler climates and other, as yet unidentified factors, caused these giant lycopods to become extinct. But their smaller relatives, like the Resurrection Plant, persisted in a changing world.

Today the lycopods make up an inconspicuous remnant of what were once the largest plants on earth. The ability to adapt to one's surroundings has always been the key to survival. In that respect the seemingly insignificant Resurrection Plant is an eminent example of perseverance.

Uses

Despite being a decorative plant, S. lepidophylla has also been used as a herbal medicine. An infusion is made by steeping a tablespoon of dried material in hot water, the tea is used as an antimicrobial in cases of colds and sore throats.

An infusion also has salutary effects on the kidney and liver, and breaks up gallstones.

References

1. Hawkins Bazaar - product purchase: Resurrection Plant
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selaginella_lepidophylla
3. http://faculty.ucc.edu/biology-ombrello/pow/resurrection_plant.htm
4. http://www.backyardnature.net/m/produce/mediherb.htm

Self-Study - Dragon's Blood Resin

During our last class, an intruigingly named resin was mentioned, and purely, due to its name, I wanted to do a profile for it.

Dragon's Blood Resin

Dragon's blood is a bright red resin that is obtained from different species of a number of distinct plant genera: Croton, Dracaena, Daemonorops, Calamus rotang and Pterocarpus.

However, the most common species to obtain the resin from is Dracaena cinnabari, otherwise known as the Dragon's Blood Tree.

The Dracaena cinnabari grows in the mountaintops of the Socotra Archipelago, which is a group of four remote islands located in the Indian Ocean south of the Arabian Peninsula. The distinctive shape the botanical has evolved is crucial to its survival, the Socotra is a hot, desert island with an especially tough dry season and very little rainfall. The water droplets carried along on the occasional "morning mist" accumulate readily on the tree's long waxy leaves, and due to the tree's ingenuious shape, it is efficient at transporting the water to the roots.

In the 15th century, voyagers to the Canary Islands obtained Dragon's Blood as dried garnet-red drops from Dracaena draco, a tree native to the Canary Islands and Morocco. Clearly a family relative of D. cinnabari, it displays almost identical morphology.

A great degree of confusion existed for the ancient's in regard to the source and identity of Dragon's Blood. The resin of Dracaena species, is the "true" Dragon's Blood, and the very poisonous mineral cinnabar (mercury sulfide) were often confused by the ancient Roman's. In ancient China, little or no distinction was made among the types of Dragon's Blood from the different species, even today resin's from both Dracaena and Daemonorops are often marketed as "Dragon's Blood" with little or no distinction made between the plant sources.

Dragon's Blood is the latex (tears), which form when the bark of the tree is cut or scored. This dark sap is collected and is then marketed under the name "Dragon's Blood".

The Dragon's Blood Tree is covered in, what appear to be, "scales", as it grows similar to a palm tree. The resinous substance appears to "bleed" from between the scales, which looks similar to blood seeping out of a cut (or a scaly dragon's hide).

Dragon's Blood resin is very brittle and breaks with an irregular, resinous fracture. It is bright to dark red and glossy inside, and a darker red sometimes powdered with crimson externally. Small, thin pieces can be almost transparent.

History & Folklore

Dragon's Blood has a long history, however is neglected more-so in modern day medicines.

Dragon's Blood incense is traditionally used in Indian ceremonies to get rid of negative energies and spirits, it is regarded as having cleansing properties. It's strong herbal, yet spicy fragrance, is also said to be calming and some believe it has aphrodisiacal properties too, especially if you leave a piece under your mattress.

As well as for burning, the resin has gained other uses throughout history. In the 18th Century, Italain violin-makers are said to have used it as a source of varnish for their instruments. While the Greeks and Roman's regarded it as having medicinal properties. The warriors in anicent China used to carry it with them when going into battle, if they were wounded they used the resin to stop their wounds bleeding so much. There was also an 18th century recipe for toothpaste that contained Dragon's Blood.

Dragon's Blood was also used in China as a red varnish for wooden furniture, and was used to colour the surface of writing paper for banners and posters, used especially for weddings and for Chinese New Year.

In American Hoodoo, African-American folk magic, and New Orleans voodoo, Dragon's Blood resin is seen as both a lucky curio and an incense for warding off evil and bring food luck in money and love. Powdered Dragon's Blood may be burned on charcoal, and folks claim that this "cleanses the home" and rids the premises of evil. It is said to be particularly good when moving into a new house, and it may be mixed with Camphor resin for this purpose. Dragon's Blood powder is also used by women who wish to receive an offer of marriage. They write their lover's name on a small square of brown paper, cross it with their own name, fold Dragon's Blood powder into the name-paper, and throw the packet onto glowing charcoal.

The resin is also added to red ink to create "Dragon's Blood Ink", which is used to inscribe magical seals and talismans.

In folk medicine, Dragon's Blood is used externally as a wash to promote healing of wounds and to stop bleeding. It is used internally for chest pains, post-partum bleeding, internal traumas and menstrual irregularities.

In neopagan Witchcraft, it is used to increase the potency of spells for protection, love, banishing and sexuality. In New Age shamanism it is used in ceremonies in a similar way as the neopagans used it.

Uses

Dragon's Blood was well-known by the ancient Roman's, and has mention in the 1st Century Periplus as one of the products of Socotra. Socotra had been an important trading centre since, at least, the time of the Ptolemies.

Dragon's Blood was used as a dye and medicine (respiratory and gastrointestinal problems) in the Mediterranean basin, and wass held by the early Greek's, Roman's and Arab's to have medicinal properties. Dioscorides and other early Greek writers described its medicinal uses.

Locals of Moomy city on Socotra island use the Dracaena resin as a sort of cure-all, using it for such things as general wound healing, a coagulant (though this is ill-advised with commercial products, as the Daemonorops species acts as an anti-coagulant and it is usually unknown what species the Dragon's Blood came from), curing diarrhoea, lowering fevers, dysnetery diseases, taken internally for ulcers in the mouth, throat, intestines and stomach, as well as an anti-viral for respiratory viruses, stomach viruses and for such skin disorders as eczema. It was also used in medieval ritual magic and alchemy.

Dragon's Blood is still used as a varnish for violins, in photoengraving, as an incense resin, and as a body oil. The incense is sometimes sold as "red rock opium" to unsuspecting would-be drug buyers. It actually contains no opiates, and has only slight psychoactive effects, if any at all. There was a recent study as to why, in Virginia, Dragon's Blood incense was being used in conjunction with marijuana. After several lab tests it was determined that the abuse potential for Dragon's Blood incense alone or in combination with marijuana is minimal. The reasoning behind Dragon's Blood being sold as a "drug" is not clear, as the resin clearly has very little to no side drug-like effects if smoked or ingested.

Constituents

Several analyses of Dragon's Blood have been made. The active ingredient that most people focus on is the Taspine contained in the sap, however, Dragon's Blood contains a host of other ingredients, with Taspine actually being one of the minor ingredients.

An interesting point to note is that one of the other ingredients, SP-303, is under clinical investigation for its use in herpes lesions and a patent has been filled for this particular compound.

The list of compounds found in Dragon's Blood is rather impressive, it includes the following:

• Alpha-calacorene
• Alpha-copaene
• Alpha-pinene
• Alpha-thujene
• Benzoic
• Benzoyl-acetic acid
• Beta-caryophyllene
• Beta-elemene
• Beta-pinene
• Betaine
• Bincatriol
• Borneol
• Calamenene
• Calcium oxalate
• Calcium phosphate
• Camphene
• Catechins
• Cedrucine
• Crolechinic acid
• Cuparophenol
• D-limonene
• Daucosterol
• Dihydrobenzofuran
• Dimethylcedrusine
• Dipentene
• Dracon alban
• Dracoresene
• Dracoresintotannol
• Eugenol
• Euparophenol
• Gallocatechin
• Gamma-terpinene
• Gamma-terpineol
• Hardwickiic acid
• Isoboldine
• Korberin A & B
• Lignin
• Linalool
• Magnoflorine
• Methylthymol
• Myrcene
• Norisoboldine
• P-cymene
• Proanthocyanidins
• Procyanidins
• Resin
• Tannin
• Taspine
• Terpinen-4-ol
• Vanillin

Dragon's Blood is not acted upon by water, but most of it is soluble in alcohol. It fuses by heat. The solution will stain marble a deep red, penetetrating in proportion to the heat of the stone.

Medicinal Action & Uses

The therapeutic properties of Dragon's Blood include:

• Anesthetic
• Anti-allergic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antibacterial
• Anti-dysenteric
• Antifungal
• Anti-hermorrhagic (reduces bleeding)
• Anti-leukemia
• Antioxidant
• Antiseptic
• Anti-tumor
• Antiviral
• Neurasthenic (reduces nerve pain)
• Wound healing
• Analgesic (pain-reliever)
• Anti-cancerous
• Anti-itch
• Anti-ulcerous
• Astringent

The above proves why Dragon's Blood is seen as a "wonder" ingredient in cosmetic products, especially those for skin problems e.g. acne. It has great anti-inflammatory qualities and has been proben to stimulate human skin fibroblast which in turn helps to heal the skin.

Historically, doses of 10 to 30 grains were formerly given as an astringent in diarrhoea etc, but officially it is never, at present, used internally, being regarded as inert.

The following treatment is said to have cured cases of severe syphilis: Mix 2 drachms (a drachm is a unit of apothecary weight equal to an eighth of an ounce or to 60 grains) of Dragon's Blood, 2 drachms of colocynth (a viny plant native to the Mediterranean Basin and Asia - also known as bitter apple, bitter cucumber, egusi or vine of Sodom), 1/2 oz. of gamboge (a gum resin used as a yellow pigment and a purgative) in a mortar, and add 3 gills (equal to 5 fluid ounces) of boiling water. Stir for an hour, while keeping hot. Allow to cool, and add, while stirring, a mixture of 2 oz. each of sweet spirits of nitre (KNO3 - potassium nitrate) and copaiba balsam (an oleoresin used in varnishes and ointments).

It appears that the usage of Dragon's Blood in remedies has fallen by the way-side over the years, despite being a highly regarded medicinal botanical during the time of the ancient Roman's and Greek's.

References

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon's_blood
2. http://www.leaflimb.com/blog/interesting-facts/dragon-blood-tree/
3. http://herb-magic.com/dragons-blood-resin.html
4. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/11/13
5. http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/d/dragon20.html
6. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jps.3080090207/abstract?systemMessage=Due+to+scheduled+maintenance%2C+access+to+Wiley+Online+Library+will+be+disrupted+on+Saturday%2C+5th+Mar+between+10%3A00-12%3A00+GMT
7. http://www.mdidea.com/products/proper/proper02705.html
8. http://www.ageless.co.za/201002-dragons-blood.htm
9.  http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=drachm
10. http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=gill
11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colocynth
12. http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=gamboge
13. http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=nitre
14. http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=copaiba%20balsam