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Spanish Needles
Bidens pilosa Bur marigold, Pitchforks, Stick tight, Beggar’s ticks
Compositae – Sunflower family
Description Spanish needles is a 3-4 foot tall herbaceous annual. The pinnate leaves are composed of 3-5 leaflets and are oppositely arranged along the stem. These large leaflets are lance to oval shaped and have toothed margins. The flowers form at branch ends and arise from the leaf axils on long petioles. They are composed of mostly yellow disk flowers. Less uniform in appearance are the slightly larger white ray flowers. The seeds are linear, 4-sided and have 2-4 awns terminating one end. They stick to clothes and animal fur easily, and are typically transported this way – a rather successful method, considering the extent of Spanish needles’ range.
Distribution The plant is originally native to South America, but now is found throughout the tropical and subtropical world. In the United States, it ranges from southern California to southern Arizona and east to Florida. Look to disturbed lowlands, moist riverbanks, fields, and vacant lots.
Chemistry Coumarins: aesculetin; triterpenes: b-amyrin, friedelan, lupeol, and lupeol acetate; flavonoids: quercetin and others; monoterpenes: borneol and limonene; sesquiterpenes: b-caryophyllene, germacrene d and t-muurolol; phenylpropanoids; steroid: daucosterol; benzenoid: phenylheptatriyne; alkenynes; diterpene: phytylheptanoate
Medicinal Uses Spanish needles tea augments the quantity and quality of gastric mucus. It does this by activating prostaglandin activity at cellular levels within the epithelial lining of the gut wall. This effect increases vascularity of the area and glycoprotein content of gastric mucus. Proper viscosity and quantity of gut mucus is important in maintaining stomach health and in healing gastric and duodenal ulcers. Incidentally, continual emotional anxiety and tension have a diminishing effect on the gut’s protective mucus layer, thereby exposing the stomach’s sensitive mucosal layer to the causticness of hydrochloric acid. This greatly increases the chances of ulcer formation. Spanish needles also has application in pre-ulcerous gastritis.
Spanish needles is useful in lowering elevated blood pressure. Traditionally the plant is used in treating a variety of cardiac ailments by healers in Central America. Research has shown that Spanish needles’ hypotensive effect mainly comes from the plant’s ability to diminish influxes of extracellular calcium within aortic smooth muscle, subsequently reducing tonicity of those muscle fibers, thus lowering blood pressure. Although Spanish needles has little effect on sodium excretion it has been shown to diminish both essential and sodium induced hypertension.
Spanish needles has some affinity with Canadian fleabane as to its effect on the large and small intestines. Both have flavonoid contents that are sedating to inflammatory processes, particularly if they are autoimmune mediated. Specifically, Spanish needles diminishes excessive lymphocyte proliferation, making it of value in ulcerative colitis or crone’s disease. Moreover, the plant tends to lessen diarrhea through its mild astringency.
In some areas of the tropical world where malaria is problematic Spanish needles is used as a treatment. This plant as well as other species, such as Bidens frondosa, B. bipinnatus and B. ferulaefolia has been found to retard the growth of Plasmodium falciparum, one of the main parasites responsible for malaria. Spanish needles is used advantageously as a co-therapy with pharmaceuticals where drug resistance is an issue. Although no research to my knowledge has been conducted there is potential in Spanish needles being of similar use in retarding Babesia growth. The organism is responsible for babesiosis, or various “tick fevers”, particularly of concern throughout the northeast and northwest parts of the country. Both Plasmodium falciparum and Babesia reproduce within red blood cells.
Topically Spanish needles is somewhat antimicrobial and is useful in retarding bacterial growth responsible for infections. Using the tea as a wash, or the oil or salve, tends to be soothing to redness and irritation. Likewise, an eyewash made of the herb is cooling to inflamed conjunctiva. As a urinary tract medicine the plant is mild but worthy of note. Although not a urinary tract disinfectant, the plant is soothing to bladder and urethra irritability, and lessening somewhat to haematuria.
Indications Gastric, duodenal ulcers Gastritis Ulcerative colitis Hypertension, essential and sodium induced Malaria, as a co-therapy with conventional medications Wounds/cuts (external) Conjunctivitis (eyewash) Urinary tract irritability, with passive hemorrhaging
Collection From late spring through summer, collect the herbaceous portions of the plant.
Preparations and Dosage Herb infusion: 4-8 ounces 3 times daily FPT/DPT (50% alcohol): 30-60 drops 3 times daily Wash/oil/salve: as needed
Cautions None known. |