Folklore/Common Names:Old English Lovage, Chinese Lovage, Italian Lovage, Cornish Lovage, Italian Parsley, Sea Parsley, Lavose, Love Herb, Love Rod, Love Root, Lubestico
Parts Used Root, leaf, stem or seed, depending on purpose
HISTORICAL REFERENCE
A Lovage cordial was a widespread folk medicine used to settle the stomach and ease the digestion. As late as the 1800's, a 'Lovage' could still be found in public houses (pubs), brewed from Lovage, Yarrow or Milfoil, and Tansy. M. Grieve claims in A Modern Herbal, however, that these cordials "owed such virtue as it may have possessed to Tansy".
It is said that even Charlemagne insisted on including Lovage in his landscape.
Beyerl tells us in A compendium of Herbal Magick that a 'custom of Bohemia' was for young maidens to wear Lovage hung from their neck in small bags to attract suitable suitors in their dating years.
According to folklore, chewing on a bit of Lovage will keep one alert.
MEDICINAL USE
Cautions: Do not take Lovage in any form, internally or externally, if pregnant or if you have any form of kidney disease. Otherwise, Lovage is considered perfectly safe. It is a highly effective diuretic, however, so be sure to drink plenty of water when using Lovage in any form.
Constituents: Lovage contains a volatile oil consisting mainly of phthalides, pinene, phellandrene, terpinene, carvacol, terpineol; isovaleric acid, angelic acid, coumarins, gum, and resin.
Lovage was much used as a medicinal plant in the fourteenth century, with herbalists recommending the root of the herb as a diuretic, as well as for rheumatism, jaundice, colic, malaria, sore throat, and kidney stones, and to regulate or promote menstruation, even obesity. Externally, the leaves and roots added to the bath relieve skin problems. Fresh juice from the leaves was said to cure pink eye. An infusion of the seeds was said to cure freckles. It is still widely used in Europe as a folk-cure for minor stomachache, kidney problems and headache.
Today, herbalists primarily recommend Lovage use for:
- Urinary tract infections
- Kidney and bladder stones
- To relieve flatulence and abdominal pains associated with gas
- To promote the onset of, or regulate, menstruation
- In a hot infusion, Lovage can be sweat inducing
