| Elecampane | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Elecampane (Inula helenium) flower, photographed inOttawa, Ontario in 2019 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Inula |
| Species: | I. helenium |
| Binomial name | |
| Inula helenium | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Elecampane (Inula helenium), pronounced/ˌɛlɪkæmˈpeɪn/[2] and also calledhorse-heal orelfdock, is a widespread plant species in the sunflower familyAsteraceae. It is native to Eurasia from Spain toXinjiang province in western China, and naturalized in parts of North America.[3][4][5][6][7]
Elecampane is a rather rigidherb, thestem of which attains a height of about 90–150 cm (35–59 in). Theleaves are large and toothed, the lower ones stalked, the rest embracing the stem; blades egg-shaped, elliptical, or lance-shaped, as big as 30 cm (12 in) long and 12 cm (4.7 in) wide. Leaves are green on the upper side with light, scattered hairs, but whitish on the underside because of a thick layer of wool. The flower heads up to 5 cm (2 inches) broad, each head containing 50-100 yellow ray flowers and 100-250 yellow disc flowers. The root is thick, branching and mucilaginous, and has a bitter taste and acamphoraceousodour with sweet floral (similar to violet) undertones.[5][7]
The plant's specific name,helenium, derives fromHelen of Troy; elecampane is said to have sprung up from where her tears fell. It was sacred to the ancientCelts, and once had the name "elfwort".[8]The plant traditionally was held to be associated with theelves andfairy folk.[9]
Corrupted variations of the name Elecampane, such asalicompagne,hallecumb pain, andjollup and plain, have been used as miracle cures that can revive the dead inMummers' play in Britain and Ireland.[10][11][12][13]
The 17th-century herbalistNicholas Culpeper considered elecampane to be ruled byMercury and used it to warm a cold and windy stomach, to resist poison, to strengthen sight, and to clear internal blockages.[14]
The herb has been used sinceAncient Greek times.Theophrastus recommended using the plant in oil and wine to treat the bites of vipers, spiders andpine caterpillars in hisHistoria Plantarum.[15]
InRoman times,Apicius, a cookbook from the 1st century AD, describes it as a plant for testing whetherhoney is spoilt or not, the plant is immersed in the honey and then lit, if it burns brightly the honey is considered fine.[16] The root was mentioned byPliny in hisNatural History both as a medicine and as acondiment.
InMedieval Europe, the roots were candied and eaten as confectionery.[17]
InFrance andSwitzerland it has been used in the manufacture ofabsinthe.[18] InEngland it was formerly in great repute as an aromatic tonic and stimulant of the secretoryorgans.[18] It is mentioned in an 1817 New-England almanack as a cure for hydrophobia when the root is bruised and used with a strong decoction of milk.[19] It is used inherbal medicine as anexpectorant and forwater retention.[20]
Besides the storagepolysaccharideinulin (C6H12O6[C6H10O5]n), a polymer offructose, theroot containshelenin (C15H20O2), a phytochemical compound consisting of alantolactone and isoalantolactone. Helenin is astearoptene, which may be prepared in whiteacicular crystals, insoluble in water, but freely soluble inalcohol. When freed from the accompanying inula-camphor by repeated crystallization from alcohol, helenin melts at 110 °C.[18]
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One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Elecampane".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 169.