C
Extracts (Couchgrass) — EO antimicrobial (KOM). Agropyrene broadly antibiotic (PNC). With
antibiotic and diuretic activity proven in animals at least, the plant may be considered potentially
useful in ‘-itises’, at least of the urinary tract. Commission E, sensu Blumenthal et al. (1998),
approves 6–9 g dry quackgrass a day for “irrigation therapy for inflammatory diseases of the
urinary tract and for the prevention (not treatment, JAD) of kidney gravel” (KOM). Commission
E, sensu Gruenwald et al. (1998), approves 3–10 g quackgrass for bronchosis, cold, cough, fever,
infection, pharyngosis, stomatosis, and UTI. Extracts diuretic and sedative in rats and mice,
respectively. Ethanol extract weekly is antiedemic and antiinflammatory. Flavonoids possibly
phytotoxic (CAN).COWITCH, COWHAGE, VELVETBEAN
(Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.) ++Activities (Cowitch) — Alexeteric (f; DEP); Analgesic (f; DAV); Anthelminthic (1; KAB; MPI;
PH2; SUW); Antidotal (f; DAV; DEP); Antiinflammatory (f; KAB); Antispasmodic (1; HHB; MPI;
PH2); Aphrodisiac (1; DEP; HHB; SUW); Astringent (f; WOI); Cardiodepressant (1; PH2); Car-
minative (f; PH2); Depurative (f; DEP); Diuretic (f; HHB; WOI); Emmenagogue (f; HHB; WOI);
Fungicide (1; MPI); Hemostat (f; UPW); Histaminic (1; MPI; PH2); Hyperkinetic (1; MPI);
Hypocholesterolemic (f; HHB); Hypoglycemic (1; MPI; PH2); Hypotensive (1; HHB; MPI; PH2);
Insecticide (1; MPI; WOI); Laxative (f; KAB; SUW; WOI); Nervine (f; DAV; SUW); Neurotonic
(1; HHB); Peristaltic (1; PH2); Proteolytic (1; HHB); Rubefacient (1; PH2); Spasmogenic (1; MPI);
Stimulant (f; DEP; HHB); Tonic (f; DEP; HHB; KAB; SUW); Uterotonic (f; HHB); Vasodilator
(1; WOI); Vermifuge (f; DAV; DEP; SUW).
Indications (Cowitch) — Amenorrhea (f; WOI); Anasarca (f; DAV); Arthrosis (f; UPW); Asthma
(f; DAV); Biliousness (f; KAB); Bite (f; DAV); Bleeding (f; UPW); Cancer (1; ABS; JLH);
Cancer, abdomen (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, colon (1; FNF; JLH); Cholecystosis (f; HHB; WOI);
Cholera (f; DEP; HHB; SUW); Colic (f; UPW); Cough (f; MAD); Cramp (1; HHB; MPI; PH2);
Debility (f; PH2); Delirium (f; DEP; KAB; SUW); Dention (f; MAD); Dermatosis (f; MAD);
Diabetes (f; PH2); Dropsy (f; DEP; HHB; SUW; WOI); Dysentery (f; HHB); Dysuria (f; DAV);
Eczema (f; MAD); Elephantiasis (f; KAB; UPW; WOI); Enterosis (f; JLH); Epilepsy (1; ABS;
HAD); Erysipelas (f; UPW); Fever (f; DEP; KAB; SUW; UPW); Fungus (1; DAV; MPI); Gas
(f; PH2); Gonorrhea (f; KAB; PH2); Gout (f; HHB; UPW); Headache (f; KAB; UPW); Hemi-
plegia (f; DEP); Hemorrhoid (f; UPW); Hepatosis (f; MAD); Herpes (f; MAD); High Blood
Pressure (1; HHB; MPI; PH2); High Cholesterol (f; HHB; PH2); Hives (f; MAD); Hyperglycemia
(1; MPI; PH2); Impotence (1; HHB; UPW); Infection (1; MPI); Infertility (f; PH2); Inflammation
(f; KAB); Insanity (f; DAV); Itch (f; HHB; MAD); Jaundice (f; MAD); Leprosy (f; UPW);
Leukorrhea (f; DEP); Miscarriage (f; UPW); Myalgia (f; PH2); Mycosis (1; MPI); Nephrosis (f;
WOI); Neuralgia (f; HHB); Neurosis (f; WOI); Pain (f; DAV; KAB; PH2; UPW); Paralysis (f;
DEP); Parkinson’s Disease (1; FAD; PR2:419); Parotosis (f; DAV); Pleurosis (f; DAV); Rheu-
matism (f; PH2); Ringworm (f; DAV); Snakebite (f; DAV; KAB); Sore (f; KAB; WOI); Sper-
matorrhea (f; DEP); Sterility (f; PH2); Sting (f; HHB; KAB); Swelling (f; MAD); Syphilis (f;
UPW); Toothache (f; UPW); Tuberculosis (f; KAB; UPW); Ulcus cruris (f; MAD); Urethrosis
(f; UPW); Uterosis (f; KAB); VD (f; PH2); Water Retention (f; HHB; WOI); Worm (f; DAV;
DEP; PH2; SUW).
Dosages (Cowitch) — 0.5 drachm–40 grains for leukorrhea or spermatorrhea (DEP); 0.6–4 g honey
or syrup with stinging hairs for worms, for 2–3 days in the a.m. (HHB); 1.5–2.5 g powdered seed
(KAP); 0.625–1.25 g stinging hairs (KAP).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Cowitch) — Not covered (AHP). Beware
of stinging hairs. The potent antiparkinsonian effect is not entirely due to L-dopa. A seed