Meum athamanticum, Spignel

Baldmoney, Spicknel
Meum macedonicum, Meum hispanicum (Pliny)

Meum athamanticum
Flora von Deutschland Österreich und der Schweiz, Otto Wilhelm Thomé, 1885

Botanical name:

Meum athamanticum
Salmon listed several varieties:
1. Common Spignel
2. Bastard or Italian Spignel
3. Mountain or German Spignel

Parts used:

Root only is used, but the seed has the same effects.

Temperature & Taste:

Very Warm, dry. Pungent

Uses:

1. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea
-Uterine Pain; Postpartum Pain
-Hysteria

2. Clears Wind-Damp, Promotes Urine:
-difficult or Painful Urination, Urinary obstruction (root boiled in wine)
-Joint pain, Arthritis, Rheumatism, Back pain

3. Warms the Stomach, Moves Qi, Clears Damp:
-Colic, Griping, Flatulence, Bloating, Belching
-Stomach or Abdominal pain

4. Clears Cold Phlegm, Stops Cough:
-Cough with thick hard-to-clear Phlegm (powder mixed with honey)
-Catarrh

5. Resists Poison:
-resists Poison, used in Antidotes
-Venomous Bites including Vipers, Wasps Scorpions and Rabid Dogs

6. Externally:
-Sitz bath to promote Menstruation (Dioscorides)
-plastered around the pubic region for difficult Urination (Dioscorides)
-Cold Joint pain, aches and pains
-Numbness, Trembling

Dose:

Root in Powder: 1–3 grams
Root in Decoction: 3–6 grams

Main Combinations:

1. Back Pain, Spignel root with Asparagus root, Indian Spikenard, Parsley seed, Frankincense, Myrrh, Costus, Cinnamon, Saffron, Valerian, Asarum (as in Electuary for Back Pain of Galen)
2. Urinary obstruction, Strangury:
i. Decoction of Spignel root, half a pint three times a day. (Salmon)
ii. Spigenl root with Rhubarb, Asarum, Chamepitys, Aniseed, Aloeswood (as in Electuary of Aloeswood [Egyptian])
iii. Spignel, Valerian, Celery seed, Carrot seed, Parsley seed, Asarum, Indian Spikenard, Bitter Almond, Melon seed (as in Pills of Seeds)
3. Postpartum Pain, Spignel, Comfrey, Mace, Saffron, Coriander

Major Formulas:

Powder for After-pains (Lemery)
Athanasia Magnus Nicolai
Electuary for Back Pain (Galen)
Electuary of Aloeswood (Egyptian)
Electuary of Saffron Greater (Diacrocon Majores) (Mesue)
Pills of Seeds (Unani)
Mithridate
Theriac

Cautions:

1. Large doses cause Headaches (Dioscorides)
2. Use cautiously during Pregnancy and avoid large doses.