Spilanthes - Or 'What If I Have A Toothache?'

Spilanthes

(Brought to the August, 2023 Meeting by member Naomi Paul)

Botanical Name:     Amelia Oeracea, Spilanthes Acmella or Spilanthes Oleracea

Common Name:    Toothache Plant, Electric Daisy, Buzz Button, Sichuan/Szechuan Buttons (in Asian cooking), paracress, Jambu, Tingflowers

Spilanthes is a member of the Asteraceae family which includes daisies, sunflowers, asters and others. The flowers are yellow (Lemon Drop) or yellow with a burgundy center (Bullseye).

It is a native of Brazil and is a cold sensitive tropical perennial in zones 10-12. Everywhere else it is grown as an annual.

From the NCSU Plant Toolbox:

"The attractive colorful heads attract fireflies when in bloom. The leaves add a pungent flavor to salads and soups. While the leaves smell similar to any leafy vegetable, when eaten a strong, spicy warmth spreads across your tongue, becoming a prickling sensation that activates the salivary glands. The prickling subsides into an acidic (slightly metallic) sharpness, then tingling, and then numbness. The numbness fades after two to twenty minutes (depending on the person and amount eaten), but the pungent aftertaste lingers for an hour or more. An extract of the plant, sometimes called jambu, is used as a flavoring agent in foods, chewing gum, and chewing tobacco."

(We were generously given seeds for spilanthes saved by Naomi for our own gardens.)

Care:    Start indoors as early as March, scattering seed on top of soil. Seeds germinate in 7 days and blooms in 90-100 days. Dead head flowers or allow to go to seed on plant. It can be grown in beds, containers and pots also.

            Plant in full sun in moist, well-draining soil. 

            Row spacing: - 12 to 18 inches apart

            Plant spacing: - 6 to 12 inches apart

            Planting depth: - 1/4 inch

Medicinal Use: (Note: we are not doctors. So please check with your doctor before use.)

        Spilanthes is considered anti-aging, analgesic, anesthetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-parasitic, an aphrodisiac, and a diuretic. Please note - daily use may reduce the entire load of intestinal beneficial bacteria.

        All parts of the plant have medicinal properties. It has an immune enhancing effect which is useful in the beginning phase of infections (viral and bacterial), including earaches and colds. 

        The most common use is to bite into a bud, which stimulates salivation, which is useful for treating dryness of mouth and poor appetite. 

        Can also be used for treat the following:

• Gum infections
• Inflammation
• Sore Throat
• Stomatits
• Toothache
• Wound Healing

        DO NOT TAKE IF:

• Using diuretics (water pills) for blood pressure or swelling. 
• If you have prostate cancer
• If you are pregnant

Extraction:    In a glass mason jar for 6-8 weeks in a dark place

• Tincture: Vodka (90-100 proof)
• Glycerite: Pharmaceutical Grade Vegetable Glycerine
• Elixir: Sweet Almond or Castor Oil

Tea:    1 tablespoon of the dried herb in one cup of hot water and let it steep for 25 minutes.