Melilotus suaveolens
StarMelilotus suaveolens
Synonyms: Melilotus officinalis subsp. suaveolens, Sertula suaveolens, Melilotus graveolens, Trigonella suaveolens, Melilotus officinalis f. suaveolens
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Chinese folk medicine, Melilotus suaveolens is distributed in the Far East and used as a herbal remedy to treat inflammation and infection of the throat and the alimentary system; pharmacological studies of its extracts confirm anti-inflammatory activity through suppression of pro-inflammatory mediators (Liu et al., 2008).
Botanical Description
Melilotus suaveolens is an annual or biennial herb of the legume family (Fabaceae), closely allied to the white and yellow sweet clovers and treated by some authors within the M. albus/officinalis complex. It grows erect to about 0.4 to 1 metre tall with branching, ribbed stems and trifoliate leaves, the obovate to oblong leaflets finely toothed along the margins and bearing narrow stipules at the petiole base. Numerous small papilionaceous flowers, usually white to pale yellow, are borne in slender axillary and terminal racemes and exhale the characteristic sweet, hay-like coumarin fragrance for which the genus is named. The fruit is a small, ovoid, few-seeded indehiscent pod. Native across temperate eastern Asia and adjacent Eurasia, it occupies disturbed ground, roadsides, grassland and field margins, and like other Melilotus species accumulates coumarin, which on spoilage may convert to anticoagulant dicoumarol.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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