Colchicum autumnale
Liliaceae
Form
-a native to Eurasia and Africa
Culture
-moist soil in sun or semi-shade
-slugs may damage bulbs
-start from seed, may take 18 months to germinate
Foliage
- large, slender basal leaves
Use
-borders, rock gardens, moist grasslands or under trees
Medicinal Uses:
-Antichemotactic, antiphlogistic, and mitotic inhibitor
-Note: This plant can be very posionous when ingested
Conditions Treated in Modern Medicine:
-Gout
-Mediterranean fever
-Derivatives like colchicine can be used in labs to regulate mitosis
Pharmacological Substances and Properties:
-Tropolone alkaloids including N-deacetyl-N-formyl-colchicine
-Trupolone alkaloids including colchicine and colchicoside
-Starch
-Fatty Oil
Medicinal Parts Used :
-fresh flowers, dried tubers, and dried ripe seeds all can create the effects of the compounds
Banner Photo by Mathew J. Wilson