|
|
|
 Tansy Essential
Oil ProfileThe Tansy or Common Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant of the aster family that is native to temperate Europe and Asia. It has also become established as an invasive wild plant in other parts of the world. In at least four states of the United States (Colorado, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming) it has been declared a noxious weed and made illegal to cultivate. It is a flower herb with finely divided compound leaves and yellow, buttonlike flowers. It has a stout, somewhat reddish, erect stem, usually smooth, 50-150 cm tall, and branching near the top. The leaves are alternate, 10-15 cm long and are pinnately lobed, divided almost to the center into about seven pairs of segments or lobes which are again divided into smaller lobes having saw-toothed edges, thus giving the leaf a somewhat fernlike appearance. The roundish, flat-topped, buttonlike, yellow flower heads are produced in terminal clusters from mid to late summer. The scent is similar to that of camphor with hints of rosemary. The leaves and flowers are said to be poisonous if consumed in large quantities. The plant's volatile oil is high in thujone, a substance found in absinthe that can cause convulsions. |
| Botanical Name: | Tanacetum vulgare L. |
 | |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| |
| Synonyms: | Chrysanthemum vulgare, chyrsanthemum tanactum buttons, bitter buttons, bachelor's buttons, scented fern, cheese |
| |
| See Also: | |
| |
| Parts Used: | Herb |
|
| Extraction Method: | Steam Distillation. |
|
| Colour: | Yellow/olive to orange |
|
| Consistency: | Thin |
|
| Aroma Description: | Warm spicy, herbaceous |
|
| Historical Uses: | Used to flavour eggs and onelettes, medicinally for colds and fevers, dyspepsia and to prevent miscarriages. |
|
| Modern Uses: | Some use in perfumes, not used in aromatherapy. |
|
| Cautions: | Oral toxin, aborifactient. Avoid with endocrine imbalance. |
|
|
|
| Physical Actions |
| Anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, carminitative, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, febrifuge, nervine, stimulant, tonic, vermifuge. |
|
| Toxicity |
LD50 - (oral) rat 1.15g/kg; (dermal) rabbit >not known.
Irritation/Sensitisation - Not available
Phototoxicity - Not available
|
|
|
|
|
|
