herb
Elecampane Root
Inula helenium
common names
Horse-heal, Horse-Elder, Marchalan, Velvet Dock, Yellow Starwort, Scabwort, Wild Sunflower, Alant, Elfdock, Elfwort
flavor profile
The entire plant has a bitter, pungent taste.
availability/processing
Conventionally grown and organic elecampane root is available cut and sifted and also in powdered form.
uses
Elecampane makes an attractive ornamental plant in the garden and the dried flowerheads are used in floral crafts.
The herb has a long history of use in the preparation of cough syrups and lozenges, usually in combination with other herbs to improve flavor.
The dried leaf is used in tea and the roots can be candied.
culinary companions
Various other herb and flower combinations for tea.
parts used
Leaf and fresh or dried rhizome.
storage tips
Store in a cabinet, cupboard or other cool, dark place, ideally in a sealed glass jar.
habitat/range
Native to southern Europe and temperate Asia and introduced to China and the U.S.
a bit of botany
Elecampane is a perennial member of the daisy and sunflower family of composite plants. Thick stems support yellow flowers and the large leaves are toothed and oblong. The tuberous root has a strong, camphor-like aroma and a pungent taste.
history and folklore
According to Greek legend, Helen held a sprig of elecampane in her grasp as Paris, the son of the King of Troy, made off with her from Sparta, where she lived with her husband, King Menelaus. Later known as Helen of Troy, she left with Paris willingly, an act of her infidelity that set all of Greece against the city of Troy and sparked the Trojan War. Some etymologists suspect that Helen is also the reason elecampane was given helenium as its species name.
Pliny the Elder recommended elecampane to promote mirth, a prescription supported by Galen, the Roman physician and surgeon who wrote that the root of the plant is "good for the passions of the hucklebone." Pliny also praised the herb's ability to combat the effects of poor digestion with "Let no day pass without eating some of the roots of elecampane...to help digestion, to expel melancholy..."
chemical composition
The primary active principles are the volatile oils, especially alantolacton and isoalantolacton. Several polysaccharides are also present, including fructosan, helinin and inulin.
side effects
Be aware that larger amounts of this herb may cause vomiting, diarrhea and intestinal paralysis, which requires immediate medical attention. People with a known sensitivity to inulin should avoid this herb. Do not use elecampane root during pregnancy or while nursing.
This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.