Safflower
|
Botanical Name |
Carthamus tinctorius |
|
Family |
Asteraceae |
|
Other Names |
Dryer’s saffron, false saffron, honghua, saffron thistle |
|
Description |
Annual up to 90cm/3ft Flower Yellow thistle like set in spiny bracts June |
|
Native to |
Asia |
|
Introduced to |
Britain in 1551 |
|
Parts Used |
Flowers, seed oil |
|
Cultivation |
Light well drained soil, tolerates dry conditions |
|
Actions |
Diuretic, laxative |
|
Constituents |
Flowers: Carthamone Dihydroflavones and chalcones: carthamine, neocarthamine, tinctormine Lignans: tetracheloside, matairesinoside and 2-hydroxyarctin Triterpene alcohols A polysaccharide composed of xylose, fructose, galactose, glucose, arabinose, rhamnose, and uronic acid residues Cartorime, serotonin Seed oil: Polyunsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid. Oleic acid traces of alpha linolenic acid |