Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences

Ethno-botanical, Bioactivities and Medicinal Mysteries of Fumaria officinalis (Common Fumitory)

Seyed Sajjad, Babaeimarzangou ., Shahin Aghajanshakeri, Dana Anousheh, Peyman Mikaili

Abstract


Fumaria officinalis (of Fumariaceae family) is a well-known traditional herb rich in biochemically
active components. F. officinalis (common fumitory or earth smoke) is the
most common species of the genus Fumaria in Western and Central Europe. Fumitory
was officially recognised in 1986 by the French Health authorities as an herbal medicine
which was traditionally used in renal and digestive elimination functions. By accurately
looking to the name of fumitory, it is said to be derived either from the fact that its whitish,
blue-green colour gives it the appearance of smoke rising from the ground, or according
to Pliny and Olivier de Serres (XIV century) because the juice of the plant brings on such
a flow of tears that the sight becomes dim as with smoke and hence its reputed use in
affections of the eye. This herb has been known since antiquity and was described in
herbals from the Middle-Ages. It was mainly the Mediterranean genus which was once
used as medicine and wound healing. In a meanwhile traditionally fumarity has been used
as digestive and diuretic.

Keywords


Fumaria officinalis, Fumariaceae, ethno-botanical, herbal medicine, fumarity, pharmacological effects

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