Butterbur

(Petasiteshybridus (L.) G.M.Sch.,= Petasitesvulgaris Desf., Compositae)

Also Called: Bog Rhubarb, Butter- Dock.

Description: Perennial, dioecious plants with large, roundish or reniform, deeply cordate leaves (up to 1 m (3ft) long and 30-60cm (1-2ft) broad).
Lower surface greyish with abundant hairs.
Rhizome stout, short.
Capitula pink or dull-purple, arranged in large spike-like racemes.

Parts Used: Dried rhizome; dried leaves.

Habitat and Collection: In wet meadows, ditches and beside streams in Europe.
Male plants locally common throughout Britain; female plants not uncommon in northern countries of England but rare elsewhere.
The rhizomes are collected in summer and are dried either in the shade or in sunlight.

Constituents and Action: Mucilage, volatile oil, two spasmolytic prin;ciples: petasitine and petasine-S.

Usage: In popular medicine the fresh leaves are used externally as a wound dressing and internally as a diuretic and sudorific.
The roots are used mainly in homeopathy for headache and neck pains.
It is also used for coughs and for irritations of the urinary tract.