The allgood plant should not be confused with shepherd’s purse, which belongs to the botanical family of Cruciferae. The leaves of allgood are valued by mountain peasants, who eat them like spinach.
Allgood Scientific Facts
- Other names: Good King Henry, mercury.
- French: Bon Henri, sarron.
- Spanish: Zurron.
- Environment: Common along roadsides and near populated places of mountainous European areas.
- Description: Vivacious plant of the Chenopodiaceae family, with an herbaceous stem growing up to 60 cm high. It has large, triangle-shaped, undulated leaves and small flowers growing in terminal spikes.
- Parts of plant used medicinally: The leaves.
Healing Properties and Indications
The plant is extremely rich in saponins, mineral salts, especially iron salts, and vitamin C. It has depurative, mild laxative, and anti-anemic properties. Like wormseed, a species of the same botanical family that grows in America, allgood have intestinal parasite elimination properties.
Its most important properties are emollient and vulnerary when externally applied. Its leaves are used mashed as poultices and even directly on abscesses (it accelerates their healing), furuncles, and ulcers or sores that are hard to heal.
How to use Allgood
- Vegetable: It is eaten both raw and cooked.
- Poultices: The leaves can be applied directly on the affected skin or mashed, in the form of an application, wrapped in gauze, and renewed every two hours.
REFERENCES
George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. “Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants.” George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Ed. Francesc X. Gelabert. vols. 2 San Fernando de Henares: Editorial Safeliz, 2000. 702. Print. [allgood plant]
