Alisma plantago-aquatica, also known as European water-plantain, common water-plantain or mad-dog weed, is a perennialfloweringaquatic plant widespread across most of Europe and Asia, and apparently spread elsewhere in both the Old and New World.
Description
Flower
Alisma plantago-aquatica is a hairless plant that grows in shallow water, consists of a fibrous root, several basal long stemmed leaves 15–30 centimetres (6–12 inches) long, and a triangular stem up to 1 metre (3+1⁄2 feet) tall. It has branched inflorescence bearing numerous small flowers, 1 cm (1⁄2 in) across, with three round or slightly jagged, white or pale purple petals. The flowers open in the afternoon. There are three blunt green sepals and 6 stamens per flower. The carpels often exist as a flat single whorl.[2] It flowers from June until August.[3] The fruits appear as a ring of seeds inside each flower.[3]
Chemistry
Chemical constituents of Rhizoma Alismatis—rhizomes of Alisma orientale (syn. Alisma plantago-aquatica var. orientale) as a traditional Chinese medicine—include alisol A 24-acetate and alisol B 23-acetate.[4] The content of these two compounds are significantly different in Rhizoma Alismatis of different areas.
The word alisma is said to be a word of Celtic origin meaning "water", a reference to the habitat in which it grows. Early botanists named it after the Plantago because of the similarity of their leaves.[5]
The rootstocks contain starch and can be boiled or soaked to remove bitterness before eating. Aquatic plants in general should be cooked before consumption to kill parasites.[11]
According to Flora of the U.S.S.R. (1934), "A powder prepared from dried roots is used in popular medicine as a cure for rabies and crushed leaves are used against mammary congestion; fresh leaves are employed in homeopathy.... Since this species is often confounded or identified with others of the genus, the reported data may also refer to [A. orientale or A. lanceolatum]."[12]A. plantago-aquatica is also known as mad-dog weed,[13] as if it could be used to cure rabies, but should not be confused with Scutellaria lateriflora (mad-dog skullcap), which is also sometimes called mad-dog weed.
Alisma orientale is sometimes treated as a variety of this species (A. plantago-aquatica var. orientale).[14][15] The rhizomes of A. orientale have been used as a traditional Chinese medicine, ze xie.[16] However, it may have serious side effects or even toxic effects such as hepatotoxicity in patients with chronic hepatitisB.[17]
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