Tanacetum vulgare

Tanacetum vulgare

Tansy, (Tanacetum vulgare L., 1753) is a yellow herbaceous plant, belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is a perennial plant by means of gems placed at the level of the ground and with an elongated flowering axis, often without leaves.

Systematic –
The Tanacetum vulgare belongs to the Eukaryota Domain, the Kingdom Plantae, the Tracheobionta Subordination, the Spermatophyta Superdivision, the Magnoliophyta Division, the Magnoliopsida Class, the Asteridae Subclass, the Asterales Order, the Asteraceae Family, the Asteroideae Subfamily, the Anthemideae Tribes, the Tanacetinae Subtribution, the Tanacetum Genus and the T. vulgare Species.
It should be said that the family of “Tanaceto” (Asteraceae) is the largest in the vegetable world, organized in 1530 species for a total of about 22,750 species. In older classifications, the Asteraceae family is also called Compositae.

Etymology –
The generic name (Tanacetum), derived from the medieval Latin “tanazita” which in turn comes from Greek “athanasia” (= immortal, long-lasting) is likely to indicate the longevity of the inflorescence of this plant; The term “athanasia” refers to an ancient belief that the drinks made with the leaves of this plant gave eternal life. The specific name (vulgar) indicates that this is a very common species.
The currently accepted scientific combination (Tanacetum vulgare) was proposed by Carl von Linné (Rashult, May 23, 1707 – Uppsala, January 10, 1778), a Swedish biologist and writer, considered the father of the modern scientific classification of living organisms in the Species Plantarum publication 1753.
In German this plant is called Rainfarn; In French it is called Tanaisie vulgaire; In English it’s called Tansy.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Tanacetum vulgare is a common plant in Italy. It is often found on pristine terraces and meadows, on the edge of the roads, along the courses of ditches and torrents.
Eurasian plant; You still think that this species is not indigenous to Europe. Its spread is high: in Italy it is a common plant all over the territory (missing in some southern area and Sardinia while it is present in Sicily). Europe is everywhere, even on the reliefs (excluding the Dinaric Alps). While in Asia it is common especially in western areas. This plant is also found in North America.
The habitat typical for this pittance is the uninhabited mountains and the mountainous slopes, the roads or along the banks of the watercourses. The preferred substrate is both calcareous and silica; So the soil must have a neutral pH with average nutritional values ​​and with medium dry soil. Its altitude diffusion is up to 1600 m s.l.m .; The Tanacetum vulgare therefore frequents the vegetation planes from hill to mountain.

Description –
Tansy is a perennial herbaceous plant 60 to 120 cm tall, strongly aromatic, with a creeping and branched rhizome, woody, with erect, leafy, streaked, branched branches at the top.
The leaves come with a 5-15 cm petiole, alternate, glabrous, with 15-23 pennatopartiti segments, serrated on the edge; The leaves of the cobwebs are on the back of the small glands.
The inflorescences are compact corimids, dense and flattened terminals with tubular flowers of a yellow-gold color of approximately 1 cm Ø, long-pedunculated discoid shape. The peripheral flosculi, around the margin of the inflorescence, are females with trident corolla, while the centers are hermaphrodites with a 5-teeth corolla. The involucre brattees are lanceolate-dull and scary at the margin, very well-known.
The fruits are long branches ca 2 mm with 4-5 longitudinal shingles dotted with glands. Poppy with a small crochet unruly cropped.

Cultivation –
For the cultivation technique, read the following sheet.

Uses and Traditions –
In the common language in the various countries Tansy, is called: bitter grass, Atanasia, fragrant Santolina, fringe grass, vermicelli grass, yellow chamomile, wild Cresporinna, Common tansy, Tanaise.
Tangerine is used as an ancient natural remedy for the treatment of many inflammations and especially for preventing headache due to the high content of partenolids present above all in the Tanacetum partenium species.
The tanaceto for the strong aroma of camphor emanated from the leaves and especially from the flowers, is widely used as: organic pesticide for the care of the vegetable garden; Is effective for nightworms, roaches and raspberry worms. Its infusion mixed in equal parts with the macerate of equiseto is excellent against rust and oidio; Is also used as a natural repellent for flies and other flying insects and as a remedy against cockroaches.
One curiosity is that some insects have become resistant to tanacetus and live almost exclusively on it.
Tangerine is very used in the kitchen to decorate and flavor first and second dishes; For the preparation of digestive herbs; For the preparation of biscuits; For the production of Arquebuse liquor, vermouth and Alpestri candy.
Herbicide is used with hydroalcoholic solutions or mother dyes, such as anti-meningitis and intestinal parasites and flatulence.
This plant contains tanacetin, tanacetone, tujone, glucosides, gallic acid, essential oils, camphor and borneol, flavonoids, tartrates, citrates, tannins and mucilages.
Specifically, there are gums in the flowers and a bitter substance called “tanacetine”; In the leaves, there are glucosides, gallic acid, essential oils rich in camphor and various ethers. It also contains flavonoids.
Let’s see what the healing properties are: For many years the tanacetus was used as a medicinal herb. An Irishman of the mid-nineteenth century suggests a bath in a tanacetate solution and salt as a cure for joint pains. The bitter tea made with the flowers of T. vulgare has been used with efficacy for centuries as antielmintico (vermifugo). Taconic biscuits were served during Lent to prevent intestinal worms, in fact, it was wrong to believe that fish consumption during this period would cause worms to emerge. It should be noted that only Tanacetum vulgare is used in medical preparations; All other species of tanacetus are toxic, and overdose can be fatal. In alternative medicine, the dried leaves of tanacetus are used to treat migraine, neuralgia and rheumatism, and as an anti-meningitis, upon prescribing a competent herbalist to avoid possible toxicity.
In particular, the following properties are associated with this plant: love, tonic (strengthens the organism in general), digestive, vermifug (eliminates intestinal worms), astringent (limits liquid secretion), febrile (lowers body temperature) and Vulnerable (heals wounds).
Some medical research indicates that this plant has good antisefalalgic actions.
Used parts are the leaves harvested before flowering or the peaks taken in the late summer.
Tanacetus is considered to be toxic plant due to the presence of tujone. Leaves and flowers are poisonous if consumed in large quantities. Tuyon (volatile oil, or terpene, a major component of some resins) that is also found in some alcoholic beverages and absenteeism has various effects: aphrodisiac, increased brain activity, hallucinations, spasms, convulsions, and even death.
Taconic acid is used in Piedmont and in the South of France for the production of Arquebuse (or Alpestre) liqueur, vermouth, and candy production at the Arquebuse. In Piedmont it appears in the list of traditional agri-food products approved by the Regional Council. Tangerine can be used as a flavor for omelettes and salads. In Piedmontese tradition it was used as for the preparation of bitter housewives to facilitate digestion. In England, particularly in the northern regions, it was used to flavor puddings, but it is almost unknown now. In Yorkshire, the tanaceto and carvus seeds were traditionally used in biscuits served at funerals.
In the industry, from various parts of this plant, it obtains insecticides, repellents and dyes (the green color from the young sprouts and the yellow color from the flowers).
The typical strong smell of tanacetus is due to an essential oil rich in camphor. It contains a certain amount of flavonoids even though the most important active ingredients are molecular complexes called sesquiterpenic lactones, partenolids.
Taconic acid is used as an ancient natural remedy against the headache due to the high content of partenolids. A study conducted in 73 patients with recurrent headache has shown that tacetacle can reduce the frequency and intensity of headache, but the same study did not indicate any significant side effects. The action of the tanacetus would be of a preventative type while it looks rather modest when the headache crisis is already in place.
In addition to preventing headache, tanacet is used for its antiallergic action: the dry extract titrated with tanaceto causes inhibition of histamine secretion, one of the substances involved in the onset of allergic reactions. Paradoxically, however, tanacetus can trigger allergic skin reactions.
Among contraindications, it is advisable not to use tanacet for pregnant women as there are no studies that can reassure us about its effects on the extract of this plant on the fetus.
The peasants used the tanacet in the composition of the bins to keep away from their animals fleas, ticks and other parasites.
According to ancient beliefs, the powder of dried leaves laid in shoes was used to prevent fever while dried flowers, to keep insects away from lingerie.
In the language of flowers, Tanaceto is a symbol of negativity, but also of sweetness.
It is a very aromatic plant, once used to perfume the lingerie and the environments.
It was a plant used in place of Hops to make beer.
Always in remote times this plant was used as an aromatic herb.
It was used as a natural remedy from popular medicine against anorexia, painful menstrual periods, gastric dystonia, liver cirrhosis, lymphadenitis, flatulence.
In New England colonies it was used as a vermifuge.
In England, tangerine branches were traditionally placed at the window to keep flies away. Ramts were put in the sheets and the linen to drive the insects out. Tanacetus was also used in Melbourne gardens and homes to keep the ants away.

Methods of Preparation –
Considering that Tanacetum vulgare has digestive, bitter-tonic, vermifuge, astringent, febrile, and vulnerable properties, you can understand how many and what are its uses. They use leaves and flowers: the first, dried, cure migraine and rheumatism, while bitter tea, made with flowers, is used as a vermifuge. From the plant, the industry obtains insecticides, repellents and dyes.
In the kitchen the use of Tanacetum has decreased over time or almost disappeared. It can be used as a flavoring for salads, omelettes, pudding and to flavor game dishes. Today it is still used for the preparation of an aromatic digestive called Arquebuse.
Young leaves were used as a seasoning and to decorate desserts and snacks.
Tanacetal is therefore used primarily to prevent headaches and headaches that accompany the menstrual cycle to prevent vomiting manifestations that are sometimes caused by strong headaches, and also help relieve muscle wasting by attenuating Abdominal pain often associated with the menstrual cycle.
In principle, tacetacle is effective on a preventive basis, so it is advisable to take it before it is on or follow a treatment period of 20-30 days to interrupt with a rest period and then resume another treatment phase.
The correct doses of dry extract are about 200 mg per day to be taken away from meals.
Let’s look at how to easily prepare a tangerine with tanaceto using 10 grams of flowered sumo dried with tanaceto and 1 liter of water;
Water is boiled, poured on the flowers and left in infusion for about 10 minutes. It filters and then drinks in the day.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– Treben M., 2000. The Health of the Lord’s Pharmacy, Tips and Experiences with Medicinal Herbs, Ennsthaler Publisher
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora d’Italia, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (eds.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.

Attention: Pharmaceutical applications and surgical uses are indicated for information purposes only; they do not represent any prescription of a medical type; Therefore, no responsibility for their use for any curative, aesthetic or food use is considered.