Ok, point #1) would the Pansies I buy at the Nursery be a natural Pansy with cyclotides? (tri-colored, from yellow center, white to purple?)
A-Yes
When
I use a medicinal herb I try to buy the oldest form-One that has not been hybridised too much eg., original pansy is Heartsease. But that is just a peccadillo? of mine. It probably does not matter
or would they be genetically engineered?
A- no one has bothered yet
Would that matter?
A-probably not. If they are 'GM-ed' it would be to harvest more cyclotides
point #2) African Violets I grow some too, But they are
not actually from the pansy family , correct??
A-Yes you are correct. They are not REAL violets. Not in Viola family to my knowledge. Useless things/(I am mainly interested in plants that can be used for something!)
I know more about Medicinal Herbs than I do Medicinal Flowers
A um. . . same thing just some are prettier
#3) The type of pansy I want, and the type of Pansy I can buy/grow here should be
viola hederacea, the Australian native?
A- More of a Violet than Viola(Don't ask!)
OZ native spreads with runners. Nice in a hanging basket. Always in flower
Aren't Pansies pretty damn common and easy to grow??
YES! heartsease self-seeds
I've been planting pansies for my grandma for years now in her garden...
It just seems too easy a plant/flower...
Never realizing that what she thought was just pretty, had these Cyclotides in it!
Yep it is amazing
What I find especially great ( or spooky ) is when modern science supports an old traditional medicinal use of a plant. I love to see that.
How did they know 100-10,000 years ago??
m
PS
STILL MORE! from
http://botanical.com/site/column_pou...ournal&next=77
Traditional medicinal knowledge about common herbs in Chhattisgarh, India. : Interactions with the Female Traditional healers of Rajnandgaon region.
The healers showed me the herb Viola betonicifolia and informed that they use the whole herb in treatment of liver related troubles. The whole herb is boiled in water and decoction is prepared. This decoction is given twice a day, internally to the patients. It is also considered as promising blood purifier. The healers further informed me that in many cases this decoction cause side effects. In such cases to nullify the harmful effects they add more herbs in it. In treatment of Tonsilitis, the healers suggest the patients to gargle with the same decoction. In treatment of fever, the Female Traditional Healers suggest the patients to take the decoction of Pippali (Piper longum) in combination with Gud (Jaggery).
(I often use Violet(odorata) leaf Tea for sore throats!)
