“This perennial plant is cherished for its beautiful flowers, which come with upswept petals in varying shades of white, pink, red and purple. Even its foliage is attractive, with patterned dark-green leaves that are usually heart-shaped or round. Aside from being a colorful addition to gardens, cyclamen has been traditionally used as an herbal medicine for a wide variety of ailments. However, its therapeutic uses are no longer as popular today as they were in the past.
Health Benefits of Cyclamen
Triterpene glycosides known as saponins, which can be extracted from cyclamen’s tuber, are the active compounds that give this plant its medicinal properties.9 The extract of this plant has been used in the treatment of the following health problems:10,11
•Menstrual disorders
•Digestion problems
•Nervous emotional states
Some of the commonly used cyclamen species for homeopathic remedies are the ivy-leaved cyclamen (C. hederifolium), sowbread (C. europaeum) and purple cyclamen (C. purpurascens),12,13 although other species have shown promising medicinal effects too.
For instance, a study published in the Carbohydrate Research journal involved in vitro tests to measure the anti-inflammatory properties of the Cyclamen repandum extract. Results show that the saponins from this plant’s extract may indeed help regulate inflammatory response by influencing the behavior of human macrophages.14,15
Moreover, the C. europaeum species is found to be useful in the treatment of acute rhinosinusitis (ARS). According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Rhinology, cyclamen may help reduce facial pain and ease mucosal obstruction in patients with mild to severe ARS if used as a nasal spray for seven days.16
Take a Look at Some of the Traditional Uses of Cyclamen
Cyclamen has been used in the past to help ease the following conditions:17,18
Dropsy (an old term for edema19) Colds Ringworm Flatulence Intestinal worms Infected wounds Migraines and headaches
Click to read the original article by Dr. Mercola
Sources:
“Cyclamen: This Vibrant-Looking Plant Has Homeopathic Uses” by Dr. Mercola
