SPILANTHES

Latin Name: Spilanthes acmella

Alternate Names: Toothache Plant, Paraguay Cress, Paracress

Family: ASTERACEAE

Parts Used: Above ground portion.

Properties: Antibacterial, Antifungal, Sialagogue.

Internal Uses: Candida, Flatulence, Fungal Infection, Gout, Headache, Malaria, Nausea, Rheumatism, Staphylococcus, Urinary Infections, Vomiting, Worms

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture, Capsules.

Spilanthes kills a gnat larvae that is responsible for tropical diseases such as Dengue Fever, elephantitis, jaundice, and malaria.

Topical Uses: Athlete's Foot, Gnat Larvae, Nail Fungus, Ringworm, Snakebites, Staphylococcus, Thrush, Toothache

Topical Applications: Apply as a compress or poultice to toothache, athletes foot, nail fungus, ringworm, staph infections and snake bites. Mouthwash for thrush. Plant is used against the larvae of a disease-causing gnat. In Cameroon it is used as a poultice for snakebite.

Energetics: Pungent, Warm.

Chemical Constituents: Osobutylmine spilanthol.

Contraindications: Avoid during pregnancy. Non-poisonous to humans, though toxic to many cold-blooded organisms that can harm humans.

Comments: Native to Africa, but also grows in South America. This is a good herb to take with you when traveling to foreign countries. Spilanthes contains an oil that is toxic to fish. African natives throw the squashed plant into a slow moving body of water and wait for the dead fish to surface. It is illegal to do this is many parts of the world.

-- Phil in KS (cshomestead@planetkc.com), May 29, 2002

Answers

Does sort of deaden the gums, but doesn't last very long, so I doubt how really appplicable it is, i.e. worth growing for a toothache treatment. Anybody else grow this or tried it?

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), May 29, 2002.

This is one I've never heard of! Sounds interesting. I'm always interested in anti bacterial herbs. Thanks for your printable info from gardening.com

-- (gjmb4@yahoo.com), July 21, 2002.