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~:photo
by
Michael Erlewine:~
(more pics)
New England Aster
Aster novae-angliae
(botanists have changed the genus to
Symphyotrichum)
One
sunny fall day, while walking through a field on our way
into the Michigan Renaissance Festival, my wife and I
stopped at the edge of a small pond. Standing there on a
rotting dock, I was, as is usual, looking around at all
the blossoming flora, which included perhaps 5 different
species of Aster. I thought, "Hmm..there seems to be a
lot of this around these parts... I should figure out
how to use this...".
At the
time
though (2001/2002), almost nobody used Symphyotrichum/Aster
genus plants anymore. There are very few references to
it, but I hadn't met any
contemporary herbalists who had worked with it (though
some were prodded into it at my urging). So, in an attempt to foster an appreciation
and renewed interest in this fine medicinal, here is
what I've gleaned since I began studying various Aster
species...
ethnobotany...
Jim Duke's "Northeastern
Indian Medicinal Plants" and Kelly Kindscher's
"Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie" both cover the
uses of several species of Aster from an ethnobotanical
point of view (Duke's is very brief, Kindscher's is much
more elaborative), and it is clear that aster species
were highly valued and commonly used by the tribes who
shared common land. There seems to have been a universal
reliance by Native American tribes on burning the
flowers and leaves that is interesting, the smoke being
used in Inipi (sweat lodge) Ceremonies, to revive the
unconscious, to treat mental illness, nosebleeds,
headaches, congestion, for smudging and as an additive
to Kinnickkinnick smoking mixtures. The dried blossoms
were also snuffed for similar purposes, or the vapor
inhaled as a steam. Aster tea was used to treat earache,
relieve gas pains, stomach aches, & fevers. The flowers
and roots were both commonly used.
rafinesque's medical flora...
"A fine
prolific genus, we have nearly 100 species. Never before
introduced in Materia Medica. I am indebted to Dr.
Lawrence, of New Lebanon, for the following indications. Aster
novae-angliae is deployed in decoction internally, with
a strong decoction externally, in many eruptive diseases
of the skin; it removes also the poisonous state of the
skin caused by Rhus or Shumach.
A.
Cordifolius is an excellent aromatic nervine in many
cases preferable to Valerian. Many other species must be
equally good, such as A. Puniceus and those with a
strong scent; they ought to be tried as equivalents to
Valerian in epilepsy, spasms, hysterics..."
king's american dispensatory...
Aster
puniceus... "Stimulant and diaphoretic. The warm infusion
may be used freely in colds, rheumatism, nervous
debility, headache, pains in the stomach, dizziness, and
menstrual irregularities. This, together with A. cordifolius, has been compared in value with valerian."
Aster
aestivus...is recommended as an antispasmodic and
alterative. Principally used in the cure of rheumatism
in the form of infusion or tincture; recommended,
however, in hysteria, chorea, epilepsy, spasms,
irregular menstruation, etc., internally; and used both
externally and internally in many cutaneous diseases,
the eruption occasioned by the poison rhus, and in the
bites of venomous snakes. Dose of the infusion, 1 to 4
fluid ounces; of a saturated tincture, 1/2 drachm to 2
drachms. This plant deserves further investigation."
Aster
cordifolius..."an excellent aromatic nervine, in many
cases preferable to valerian." It is also reputed
antispasmodic. The root is the part used. A decoction
has been used in rheumatism."
Aster
Novae-Angliae, Linné. "New England aster. United States.
A beautiful plant, especially when cultivated. It has
rose-purple, occasionally white flowers. Used in skin
eruptions and valuable for poisoning by poison sumach (Rafinesque,
on authority of Dr. Lawrence)."
Aster
cordifolius... "This plant was introduced to the
profession by Prof. Rafinesque; and experience has
confirmed the brief account he gave of it. The root is
relaxant and aromatically stimulant, acting slowly and
rather permanently. Its principal power is expended upon
the nervous system; and it is used in hysteria, nervous
irritability, painful menstruation, rheumatism, and
similar difficulties to which caulophyllum is suited,
but is more slowly relaxing than the latter article, and
more properly in the class of the nervine tonics. It
deserves more attention than it has received from the
profession, and its abundance should secure for it a
trial. It has been compared to valerian; but is less
relaxing, and more aromatic than the latter plant."
"The
Aster puniceus is said to resemble the above. It grows
in moist places; reaches a height of from four to seven
feet, is usually purple-red on the south side of its
stem, with its stalk furrowed, rough-hairy, and not so
much branched as the cordifolius. Leaves oblong,
clasping, slightly eared at the base. Flowers large and
showy, with fifty to eighty rays in two rows–rays,
lilac-blue, and long. I have not found it so agreeable a
medicine; but more relaxing and permanent than the above
species. It is sometimes called cocash and meadow
scabish, though these names are given to other plants."
traditional chinese medicine
Bensky & Gamble's Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica
classifies A. tartaricus (zi wan) as bitter and
slightly warm, and states that it "relieves cough and
expels phlegm: an important herb in stopping coughs of
various etiologies. Primarily used for chronic
cough, especially cold induced cough with copious sputum
that is difficult to expectorate, or coughing of blood
streaked sputum."
Chinese
Medicine uses roots of Aster tartaricus; I much prefer
the flowers of new england aster (the roots are
effective, but less so and far less sustainable
to use). I wonder if the preference for roots is
because the flowers go to seed soon after being picked?
The indications above sound very much like to
what I use New England Aster for... I don't find it
primarily bitter, however, but rather warming, aromatic and relaxant.
my experiences...
When I
first decided to study the potential of Asters, I spent
an entire fall walking around fields picking the
blossoms from various Aster species, rubbing them
between my fingers and smelling them. It became quickly
apparent that (at least around here, in southeast
Michigan) the deeper the hue of the flower, the more
aromatic and
sticky the flowers
were, which suggested these to be the varieties most
worth looking into; Rafinesque also suggested the
potential usefulness of "those with a strong scent". Traditional herbcraft also
links blue/purple hued flowers with a sedative effect,
suggested in the old texts.
Around
these parts, the most abundant and "purplest" species is
the new england aster, Symphyotrichum/Aster novae-angliae. I began
munching on these flowers as I walked, and they produced
a distinct and decided "mellowing" effect: My pace got a bit slower, I
felt like lying down and watching the clouds, and when I
got back to work (I was on my lunch break the first time
I tried this) it became quickly apparent that they were
not going to improve my productivity. The effect
was not overtly sedative, but rather calming, relaxing
and just nice.
Subsequent tastings have reliably produced similar
effects. This sedative action seems most pronounced when the fresh
blossoms are eaten; even a fresh flower tincture is much
milder in action, compared the eating the blossoms.
Looking
back to traditional indigenous use, I then
picked and dried several flowers to burn over coals and
add to some tobacco (when drying, the blossoms will
go to seed). The smoke was somewhat aromatic, did produce a sort of "buzz"... there was a
peculiar quality to it (perhaps one could say it "clears
the head"?). Whether this means it’s psychoactive
or decongestant, I’ll leave up to interpretation.
Not having been congested, or having sinus
problems, I can't vouch for its effectiveness in those
areas. I've ruled out trying to intentionally give
myself a headache to see if the smoke will relieve it,
and haven't yet figured out how to inhale it when I'm
sleeping to see if it wakes me up. I have, however,
noted that the fresh flowers, used as a steam inhalation,
clear the sinuses and dispel congestion quite
effectively. The dried blossoms smooth out the
flavor of Tobacco, though I feel they blend more
harmoniously with a "greener" smoke.
(It's
interesting to note that another species of aster (it
had creamy white flowers but I never keyed it out), when
the fresh blossoms were heated on a hot coal produced a
scent strikingly reminiscent of chocolate cupcakes just
come out of the oven. I mentioned this recently to
a beekeeper, and he said that he's also noted such a
scent emanating from his hives when they bees are
working aster honey, but said that it isn't there when
the honey is finished. Hmm.)
In early
winter of that first year of study, I sought out some
dead new england aster stalks and gathered about a half
dozen roots to tincture, 1:2, in grain alcohol. The
roots are small, and so I made barely two ounces of
extract. After a few months of maceration, I began
working with the plant. Initially, my focus was on
aster's
sedative effects, and I can verify these are present,
though of a more mild, tonic nature than seemed
suggested by its comparison to valerian... more of a
"calmative" than a "sedative"; but
also uplifting and sustaining... herbalist
Olivia Pepper notes its
important virtue of helping folk through periods of
trauma, grief, or seasonal depression. I also believe that
the roots were not as strong in this regard as the
flowers. The following year, I prepared a fresh
flower extract, and verified this... I find the flower
tincture preferable in every
aspect, and have noted the flavor seems "fuller" than
the root tincture. Also, from a practical perspective,
the roots are rather small and the flower tops are more
easily collected, and using the flowers is much more
sustainable as it doesn't take the
plant's life.
A
tincture of the fresh flowering tops (mostly flowers,
few leaves) of new england
aster seemed clearly indicated as a respiratory
remedy, being uniquely clearing, relaxing & decongesting
to the head & lungs. This effect is readily
apparent when taking a bit of the tincture; the effects
aren't subtle and can be easily perceived. It
seems to act very effectively to break up stuffy lung
and (to as lesser extent) sinus congestion, though as it’s not especially
astringent it doesn’t stop a drippy nose as well as,
say, goldenrod. It is, however, uniquely antispasmodic
for the lung tissue; it relaxes and dilates the
respiratory passages. My friend Mary verified this
shortly after I began using the plant,
making a tea of the fresh plant for a friend with
asthma, who noted marked relief which extended into the
next day. In the numerous years that have
followed, I have repeatedly (though of course not
always) seen this... use of aster tincture offers a
lasting (and seemingly cumulative) effect and can often
lessen a person's dependence on their inhaler.
I've on several occasions seen people who used their
inhalers several times a day be able to reduce to once a
day or less (and
sometimes much less). As a respiratory relaxant, I think of
using new england aster when tension is "quivery" and
irritable, whether such a state is acute or chronic.
It's perhaps less valuable in treating severe spasm
states than it is in preventing severe spasm
states. I picture quivery, shivery, shuddery lungs
which, if they shudder just enough, trigger coughing or
asthma or whatever baleful respiratory woe the afflicted
is predisposed to. If intense spasmodic coughing
is occurring, it combines quite well with Lobelia
inflata tincture. This falls in line with the
experience of herbalist
Sean Donahue, who
writes of new england aster, "A tincture made from the
flowering tops can immediately relieve muscle
constriction around the airways. I
tend to use about 15 drops in acute situations - most
effective when the is tightness around the airway that
signals that an attack is imminent but spasms have not
begun."
Another story was shared with me by
Pete Bianco...
My Aunt has asthma
and has been prescribed Advair. She wanted to use a
plant to treat her asthma instead of the inhaler. I gave
her new england aster tincture and told her to fill the
dropper with as much as on squeeze of the bulb produces.
She now is using this twice a day. She said she could
use it three times a day but doesn't. She takes it in
the morning at and it lasts 6-7 hours. She can't take it
as often as she needs it because she is a nurse and her
schedule doesn't allow. She has had no acute attacks
since she has been using the tincture. Before this she
had coughing shortness of breath and had acute attacks
daily. Her asthma is aggravated by talking, cold
weather, & particulate irritants. At work rooms and
hallways are filled with chemicals fumes from hospital
disinfectants. She has only been using the aster a
couple of weeks so far. (time
passes) I
recently called her, it has been a couple months since
she started using the tincture, she told me she is now
only using it once every four days. Her co-workers
noticed she is not suffering as she used to.
Such
results are not limited to asthma; milder conditions
(your run of the mill winter cold with irritable
spasmodic coughing) and more serious states can also be
affected. A friend from Henriette Kress's
herblist posted this
account of its use in emphysema...
"The plant is very
abundant here in Upstate New York and it's blooming like
crazy right now so I spent a couple of hours this
morning walking the back meadows on the land where I
live gathering the flower tops. Because of
emphysema I try never to leave the house without my
trusty rescue inhaler for those unexpected little
seize-ups this condition springs on you. - Anyway about
half way through my walk I started to feel the shortness
of breath and tightness in my chest that always has me
grabbing my inhaler and doing a couple of puffs - I
reach into my collection bag and guess what - No Inhaler
- Damn!
Remembering what you wrote about it being a respiratory
aid I quickly ate about 10 of the flowertops - in less
than a minute the shortness of breath and the tightness
in my chest started to ease up. After another 5 minutes
(spent mostly staring at clouds..:)) I was able to
continue my walk with no further problems...:)
I decided to put it to the test by not doing my morning
puffs on the trusty inhaler. Instead I made up some tea
using 3 tsp of the dried flowers in a large cup of very
hot water. While this was steeping I walked down the
hill to the mailbox and back - as expected this resulted
in the typical shortness of breath and tightness in the
chest that goes with an "attack". I drank down the
tea and, as with eating the fresh flowers, within a very
short time the shortness of breath was better and my
lungs felt very "relaxed". Relieved a headache I had all
morning too...:)."
Let me be clear here:
I'm not at all trying to allude that new england aster is "a
cure for emphysema". This is a complicated and
severe condition that can involve the destruction of
respiratory tissue - such tissue will likely have lost
the ability to respond to herbs (there are always, of
course, inexplicable cases). Let us, however, not
undervalue the immense benefit received in this case...
the results obtained were truly quite remarkable.
Also, please do note that I do not
recommend completely abandoning inhalers; a severe and
uncontrollable asthma attack can present imminent
danger, and it makes sense to have access to something
that could perhaps be seen as a "big gun" if the aster
doesn't offer enough relief. But to be able to
markedly cut down on the use of inhalers use is no small
accomplishment, and worthy of wider exploration.
Not
relegated only to serious conditions, it’s great for a
head cold, and great when a chest cold has your lungs
sort of quivering and that's instigating your cough.
If the top of the lungs seem very tight, hot and dry,
it'd do much good combined with fresh wild lettuce
tincture. Combined with plantain, its quite useful
in addressing irritation right at the windpipe that’s
causing irritating coughing and throat clearing.
It's very nice with mullein, too, especially if you can hear
a bit of hollow wheeze in the cough. Sean Donahue
suggests combining it with solomon's plume (Smilacina
racemosa), which he feels works to relax connective
tissue surrounding the lungs through restoring
pliability. I've found it to work
rather well in relieving that cough
you get when you go outside in the winter (cold/damp) to shovel the
snow or otherwise engage in some vigorous physical
activity and then come back into a warm house (hot/dry).
On a few occasions I've seen a single dose completely
resolve coughs that linger after the acute phase of a
cold has passed. A woman I
worked with had a cough that had been lingering for over a
month after she'd thought she had "gotten over" her
cold. I overheard her say she'd "do anything" to get rid
of it, and offered a squirt of Aster tincture. She trepidatiously agreed, and the cough was gone by the end
of the day, and did not return (that's one dose of about
15-20 drops). On another occasion, my wife had a cough, but no other
symptoms, keeping her (well, us, really) awake at night. Again,
one dose of new england aster completely resolved the cough,
and helped us both fall quickly asleep. I have, I
admit, used it for coughs and had it do no good at all
(albeit rarely, and in such cases I'm inclined to think
that the tension I supposed was actually
stiffness/tightness due to dry tissues),
but believe it certainly works as well as (or better than) many of our more common pulmonary remedies. I have also noted that the flowers, used as a steam
inhalation, clear the sinuses and dispel congestion
quite efficaciously.
I have used the dried flowering tops as an infusion,
though it should be said the plant is a pain in the tail
to dry... the flowers usually start to go to seed immediately
when picked. I've seem those purple flowers turn
into brownish/grey/white fluffy seeds within four hours.
Nevertheless, the seed fluff, especially with some upper
leaves do still seem to work.
New england aster is an effective diaphoretic, and a hot
tea will promote a gentle perspiration that helps
address colds, flus and fevers (Alabama herbalist
Phyllis Light has shared that southern folk herbalists
use many species of aster as diaphoretics). I
generally add a bit of fresh flower tincture to a hot
infusion of the dried flowering tops (this restores some
of the lost aromatics), and use this for
fevers with respiratory tension combined with an
agitated disposition... it's a relaxing diaphoretic.. On one
early occasion when I used it occasion I
had a doosey of a fever, characterized by an unrelenting
agitation; though I knew I needed to lay down and rest,
I was far too restless to do so, and kept jumping up to
do this or that; or to do nothing. I'd get
halfway across the room before it was clear I was far to
sick to be up doing anything, and I'd go back and lay
down (then in a couple minutes I'd get up again...
repeat ad infinitum). A hot infusion not only opened the pores to promote sweating, but
also lowered the agitation several notches, allowing me
to get to sleep (though I did fall asleep with a half
full cup of tea sitting on my chest, which woke me up
when I later rolled over). Curiously, I've noted
on a few occasions that when a sore throat accompanied
the fever, it completely resolved within seconds of
using new england aster (both the tea and the tincture
have yielded these results). This, however, does
not seem to reliably work, so it's worth a try but might
not pan out.
As one
would expect from a plant so high in volatile oils, it
is also an effective carminative. A friend, who wished
to taste it, immediately eliminated gas. Rather than be
embarrassed, she said... "that feels better..."
(but that we could all be so
unabashed...)
The above uses all arise from the aromatics of the
plant, and honestly, for years that was my primary focus
when using this plant. It wasn't till a bunch of
years later that, after getting an inquiry about thick,
slimy new england aster tincture that I realized that
the leaves, though less aromatic than the blossoms, were notably
demulcent. This changes the energetic presentation
of the plant if the leaves are included: the more
leaves, the more we can consider new england aster's
respiratory effects moistening, suitable for drier
coughs.
There is so much potential in this
herb that it's a miracle its escaped widespread use for
so long. I urge you to follow the prompting of Felter & Lloyd, who comment: "This plant deserves
further investigation."
... then let me know what you find
out, k?
©
jim
mcdonald
Ah... in the spirit of that last line:
Kiva Rose Hardin has
been using a local southwest aster called purple sticky
aster (really; that's its common name), Dieteria
bigelovii. Her experiences have pretty much
been spot on with mine; she
writes that she has
"seen a simple of Aster flower tincture both reduce and
eliminate the need for inhalers during allergy and fire
season. I’ve also seen it dramatically reduce chest
tension, wheezing and shortness of breath in those with
mild to moderate asthma during exposure to wildfire
smoke. This often works well both symptomatically and
long term." Kiva covers Dieteria
bigelovii very well, and at length,
here. |
