Sempervium, Sedum, Houseleek

Crassula major; Herba Sempervivi, Sedi majoris
Wall Stone crop: Sedum acre
Picture Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485

Picture Sempervivum majus
Della Materia Medicinale Andrea Valuassori, 1562

 Picture Lesser and Middle Houseleek
Dioscorides Materia Medica, Ruellio 1549
Picture Wall or Lesser Stonecrop (Sedum acre)
Medical Botany, Woodville, Vol III, 1810
Picture Sempervivum tectorum
Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1806

Picture Sempervivum tectorum
(Photo by Consultaplantas) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Sempervivum tectorum
Lesser, Middle and Greater types were known and used. Lesser types include Sedum such as S. acre (syn. Sempervivum minus)

Parts used:


Herb

Temperature & Taste:


Cold, dry. Sour, salty.

Classifications:


2N. REPELLENTS
4i. UTERINE.    4k. ARTHRITIC

Uses:


1. Clears Heat and Fire:
-chiefly used in Choleric (Bilious) and Malignant Fevers, to quench Thirst and allay Heat
-Bock (Krauterbuch, 1565) said it should only be used internally in the most extreme Fevers

2. Clears Heat and Poison, Resolves Masses:
-Swellings, Tumors, Cancer

3. Externally:
-in gargles for sore Throat, Tonsillitis, severe inflammations of the Mouth and Throat
-loose teeth and Scurvy of the Gums
-inflammations and ulcers of the eye
-discharge of the ears
-pain in liver and kidney inflammation
-hot inflammations and swellings
-Tumors and Cancer, including Breast Cancer
-limb pain from heat and inflammation, Gout
-topically to Burns
-corroding Ulcers
-juice is applied to Freckles and skin spots


Dose:


Of the Juice: 2 oz., often given with Sugar or Syrup

Substitutes:


1. Plantain (Galen)
2. In some cases, Aloe gel can be used in place of Houseleek.

Main Combinations:


1. Hot inflammatory tumors and swellings, Houseleek with Purslane, Nightshade, Rose and Willow leaf
2. Cancer: ‘the famous empirical Antii-Cancerous Nostrum of Count Mattaei is said to have consisted of Sedum acre (Betony stone-crop), the Sempervivium tectorum (House Leek), Sedun telephium (Livelong), the Matricaria (Feverfew), and Nasturtium Sisymbrium (Watercress).’ (Herbal Simples, Fernie, 1897)
3. Chronic Internal Bleeding, Houseleek with Horsetail, Gentian, Calamus (Hüttner)
4. Heat and Inflammation of the eye, Houseleek with Plantain, applied topically
5. Plaster for Breast Tumors and Cancer:
i. Houseleek juice, Nightshade juice, egg white and oil of Rose, equal parts
ii. Fenugreek, Barley meal, Mallow, Greater and Lesser Houseleek, Black Nightshade, Oil of Roses (Wirtzung)

Cautions:


Cold, so not suitable for Cold and Weak digestion.

Main Preparations used:


Syrup of the Juice, Distilled Water of the Herb

1. Syrup of Houseleek.
i. Houseleek juice, reduced to half by evaporation (10 oz.), White Sugar (16 oz.). Boil a few minutes, strain. (Pharmacopoeia Wirtembergica, 1798)

2. Demulcent Liniment:
i. Houseleek juice, Olive oil (equal parts). Shake together. (Nouveau Formulaire Medicale et Pharmaceutique, 1820)