Coltsfoot Constituents Day 3

The image above is from the lesson I attended.

This is the last day of coltsfoot.  The next one is cramp bark.  I'll try to get that one researched today so it will be ready to post tomorrow.    Love and Light!

On to coltsfoot.

Glucose (Monosaccharide, Mucilage, Carbohydrate) is highly water-soluble and what human blood sugar is called. This is also the first product of photosynthesis. As a result, this sugar is a building block of the rest of the cells in the plant. It helps form sucrose which the human bod then breaks it back down into fructose and glucose. This, of course, is the primary energy source for the body, especially the brain. As a monosaccharide, it is a simple sugar. Glucose is also called dextrose on food labels. Too much of this can result in hypoglydemia, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type II diabetes. Another important nutrient for this plant that glucose builds is ascorbate which is Vitamin C and provides that antioxidant ability to combat free radicals within the plant and consequently in humans.  (Ganora, 2009, p. 28, 44, 63, 73, 74, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 122, 167).

Quercetin Glycosides (Flavonoids) can be antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.  Some are also antidepressant (Ganora, 2009, p. 120).

Senkirkine (Pyrrolozidine Alkaloid (PA), Unsaturated PA, Macrocyclic PA) is found in the Senecio spp. This species is responsible for livestock poisonings.  Ganora lists 16 PAs here in order of mutagenicity and senkirkine is the highest in this list. She does say the results vary with humans. The amount found in the plant was .015%. In studies with rats, small amounts had no ill effect but doubling the amount caused tumors in the rats (Ganora, 2009, p. 72, 158, 159).

Tannic Acid contains gallotannins (trigalloylglucose and pentagalloylglucose), and oak galls. This is added to wine and mead for astringency (Ganora, 2009, p. 122). (Coltsfoot)

Tussilagine (Pyrrolozidine Alkaloid) is a non-toxic saturated compound (Ganora, 2009, p. 71, 159). (Coltsfoot)

Have a Great Day!