Lucie Bradley
An investigative study into Lamium album L.
Abstract
White dead nettle (Lamium album L.), a plant native to Europe and Asia has been used historically to alleviate depression and melancholy, whilst presently being indicated by modern herbalists in the treatment of gynaecological conditions. This extended monograph on white dead nettle seeks to explore the differences and similarities between the historical and modern indications, by providing information pertaining to the lineage of information on L.album in western herbal medicine (WHM) and through the western medical paradigm.
The western medical paradigm looks to justify the use of medicinal plants by reducing them to individual constituents that may provide ‘scientific’ evidence to actions and clinical indications. In contrast to this, traditional indications are based upon an energetic understanding of plants, the evidence provided by experiential use and the inheritance of knowledge from a traceable lineage. The research methods used were a literature review of historical information and a systematic review of scientific evidence of constituents.
This study was limited by the choice of methods used. It would have benefited more from either a greater look at the energetic understanding of the plant using Goethean plant observation methodology, or a questionnaire of modern herbalists uses of L.album. In conclusion this paper shows that there is an unbroken lineage of the recorded uses of L.album stretching back to the 1st century AD. That there is a dearth of information on chemical analysis of this plant’s constituents, and that modern clinical indications cannot be ascertained only through the analysis of isolated chemicals.
