Endivae, Endive

Also called Intybus
Picture Parkinson, Theatrum Botanicum, 1640

Picture Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599

Picture Left: Endive; Right: Crisp Endive
Kreutterbuch, Matthiolus, 1586

Botanical name:


Chicorium endiva
Several varieties were known including Garden, Wild and Crisp-leaved

Parts used:


Seed; Leaf; sometimes the Root or whole plant

Temperature & Taste:


Cool, dry. slightly Bitter
opens, cleanses

Classifications:


2A APERIENT.    2N. REPELLENT
3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS
4c. CARDIAC.    4e. STOMACHIC.    4f. SPLENETIC.    4h. NEPHRITIC.    4i. UTERINE

Uses:


1. Clears Liver Heat:
-A noble Liver herb; used as Chicory and Dandelion
-Biliousness
-Liver heat headache, restlessness
-chiefly used in Choleric [Bile] Fevers; diseases of Bile; heat of the Blood

2. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Promotes Urine in strangury, dysuria (mainly seed)


Dose:


Seed in Powder: 1–3 grams
Herb in Decoction: 10–30 grams (1–2 oz. fresh)

Substitute::
Chicory

Main Combinations:


1. Liver Heat:
i. often combined with Chicory
ii. with Rose, Sandalwood, Wormwood, Indian Spikenard
iii. Chicory herb with root, with Dandelion, Asparagus root, 4 Cold Seeds, Licorice (as in Hepatic Decoction of Hoffman)
2. Liver Inflammation, Endive juice (3 oz.), Liverwort juice (2 oz.), Tamarind (6 drams), Sandalwood powder (1 ½ drams), Sugar sufficient to form an Electury. Dose: 1 ounce daily. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)
3. Liver obstruction, Edema, with Celery root, Fennel root, Licorice, Dodder, Wormwood, Aniseed, Fennel seed, Agrimony (as in Syrup of Agrimony of Mesue)
4. Blood Heat, with Sorrel, Mallow, Plantain, Purslane, Aniseed, Violet (as in Decoction to Cool the Blood)
5. Skin disease from Heat or Heat and Toxin:
i. with Fumitory, Bugloss, Hops, Chicory, Licorice (as in Decoction of Fumitory of Andernacus)
ii. acne, boils, eczema, with Barley, Fennel root, Asparagus root, Chicory, Dandelion, Fumitory, Hops, Licorice, Dodder (as in Syrup of Chicory and Rhubarb)
6. Strangury, Dysuria, Gravel, Endive seed with the 4 Cold Seeds, Chicory Seed, Parsley seed, Winter Cherry, Licorice, Cinnamon (as in Electuary of Seeds)
7. Heat, Fever, Inflammation, Tumors, with Black Nightshade, Celery, Hops, Violet, Agaric, Rhubarb, Senna, Triphala and Black Myrobalan (as in Triphera Persica of Mesue)

Major Formulas


Decoction of Fumitory of Andernacus
Decoction to Cool the Blood (Wirtzung)
Decoction to Expel Bile (Andernacus)
Decoction of Fumitory of Mesue
Cordial Decoction (French Pharmacopoeia)
Byzantine Syrup-Simple & Compound (Mesue)
Syrup of Fumitory Compound (Augustana)
Syrup of Senna Comp.
Syrup of Agrimony Mesue
Syrup of Marshmallow (Fernel)
Triphera Persica (Mesue)

Cautions:


Generally safe. Cooling, so not suited to Cold and Weak digestion.

Main Preparations used:


Distilled Water of the Whole Plant, Juice, Simple Syrup of the Juice, Salt from the Ashes.