Culpeper: ‘Of Asarabacca: the roots are a safer purge than the leaves, and not so violent, I do not much fancy any of them both, ignorant people had best let them alone than be too busy in what they have no skill in: they purge by vomit, stool and urine, they are profitable for such as have agues, dropsies, stopping of the liver, or spleen, green sickness [= anaemia].’

Culpeper, Nicholas. (1650). A Physical Directory . London, Peter Cole.

'Asarum, Asarabacca,; hot and dry; provokes vomiting, and urine and are good for dropsies; they are corrected with Mace and Cinnamon.'

Culpeper, N. (1649). A Physicall Directory, or, a translation of the London Dispensatory made by the Colledge of Physicians.... London, Peter Cole/EEBO Proquest facsimile. p.20

Contains beta-asarone which is carcinogenic, and possibly genotoxic. Leiomyosarcomas formed in the small intestines of rats fed beta-asarone for 2 years. Hepatomas formed in pre-weaning mice. Some genotoxicity studies have been positive and others have been reported as negative but the recommendation by the EU Scientific Committee on Food is that it should be regarded as genotoxic. A number of aristolochic acids and close derivatives are also present which are proven genotoxicants and carcinogens in HUMANS as well as in animal experiments.

van den Berg, S.J.P.L., Restani, et al., P.. (2011). Levels of Genotoxic and Carcinogenic Compounds in Plant Food Supplements and Associated Risk Assessment. Food and Nutrition Science 2: 989-1010. Link

Allergenic asarones.

Professor Anthony Dayan, 2021

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