Corncockle

December 24th, 2007

Botanical Name: Agrostemna Githago
Lychnis Githago
Family: N.O. Caryophyllaceae

Synonyms: Corn Pink. Corn Campion. Ray. Nigella. Zizany. Darnel. Tare. Gith. Lychnis.Agrostemma githago - also Corn cockle and Corn-cockle, Githage. Agrostemma. Pseudo-melanthium. Lolium.

Part Used: Seeds.

Description: A well-known Corn weed, with large entire purple petals.
‘An annual herb of the Pink family; one of the Campions. The tall, slender stem, 2 to 4 feet high, has a dense coat of white hairs. The narrow, lance-shaped leaves, 4 to 5 inches in length, are produced in pairs and their stalkless bases meet around the stem. The large solitary flowers have very long stalks which issue from the axils of the leaves. They are 1 1/2 and 2 inches broad, with purple petals which have pale streaks (”honey guides”), showing the way to the mouth of the tube. There are no scales round the mouth. But the striking feature of the flower which distinguishes it from the Campions is the woolly calyx with its five strong ridges and five long green teeth that far exceed the length of the petals; in the open flower they take their place between the petals, and seem to serve as preliminary alighting perches for the butterflies and moths by which the flowers are pollinated. Nectar is secreted at the bottom of the tube, whose depth makes the flower unsuitable for bees. The flower is at first male, the anthers shedding their pollen before the stigmas are mature; they are so disposed at the mouth of the tube that the nectar-seekers push their faces among them and pick up pollen. On visiting a flower that is a day or two older and has become female, the stigmas occupying the mouth are in the way to receive it by a similar process. Sometimes, smaller flowers are produced in addition, which are entirely female, for the stamens are not developed. The flowers bloom from June to August, and are succeeded by a large, oval capsule, opening by five teeth, and containing about 2 dozen large black seeds. The seeds contain an irritant poison, and sometimes cause trouble through being eaten by domestic animals, and by getting into milling corn and thence into the family loaf.’ - (Trees and Flowers of the Countryside.)

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It is is a slender pink flower of European corn fields. In the 19th century, it was reported as a very common weed of wheat fields and its seeds were inadvertently included in harvested wheat seed and then re-sown the following season. It is very likely that until the 20th century, most wheat contained some corncockle seed.

It is now present in many parts of the temperate world as an alien species, probably introduced with imported European wheat. It is known to occur throughout much of the USA and parts of Canada, parts of Australia and New Zealand.

In parts of Europe such as the UK, intensive mechanised farming has put the plant at risk and it is now uncommon or local. This is partly due to increased use of herbicides but probably much more to do with changing patterns of agriculture with most wheat now sown in the autumn as winter wheat and then harvested before any corncockle would have flowered or set seed.

It is a stiffly erect plant up to 1 metre tall and covered with fine hairs. Its few branches are each tipped with a single deep pink to purple flower. The flowers are scentless, are 25 mm to 50 mm across and are produced in the summer months - May to September in the northern hemisphere, November to March in the southern hemisphere.

Each petal bears 2 or 3 discontinous black lines. The five narrow pointed sepals exceed the petals and are joined at the base to form a rigid tube with 10 ribs. Leaves are pale green, opposite, narrowly lanceolate, held nearly erect against stem and are 45 mm to 145 mm long. Seeds are produced in a many-seeded capsule.

All parts of the plant are reported to be poisonous.

It can be found in fields, roadsides, railway lines, waste places, and other disturbed areas.

How to Grow Corncockle

Uses of Corn Cockle
Corn cockle has been used in folk medicine to treat a range of ills, from parasites to cancer.

Corn Cockle Interactions
None well documented.

Chemistry
At least two saponins, githagin and agrostemmic acid, are contained in corn cockle. 3 The saponin, sapotoxin A, with the prosapogenin githagin, the aglycone githagenin, and agrostemmic acid have also been reported. 4 The ripe seeds contain a number of aromatic amino acids, including 2,4â€“dihydroxy-6â€“methylphenylalanine, L(+)-citrullin, sugar, oil, fat and starch. The seedlings, like others, possess allantoin and allantoic acid. The roots are reported to contain up to 2% starch labeled â€œlactosin.â€ The oil contains 41% unsaturated fatty acids and a high portion (3.4%) of unsaponifiable lipids. 5 These, in turn yield 8.3% mixed alkanes from C19 to C33. The unsaponifiable lipids were found to have 45% crystalline alpha-spinasterol as well as small quantities of a triterpene ester and a di- or tri-terpene-like unsaturated acyclic ketone.

Corn Cockle Uses and Pharmacology
Corn cockle has been used historically as a diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, poison and vermifuge. It has been used to treat cancer, dropsy (edema) and jaundice. Corn cockle roots have been used for exanthemata and hemorrhoids. The seeds have been used homeopathically in treating gastritis and paralysis.

Dosage
There are no recent clinical studies of corn cockle which provide a basis for dosage recommendations, however, it has been recommended to be used at 2 to 3 g of seeds. Doses higher that 3 g are considered toxic

Pregnancy/Lactation
Documented adverse effects. Avoid use.
Interactions
None well documented.

Adverse Reactions
Adverse reactions lead to toxicities

Toxicology
The saponins githagin and agrostemmic acid are reported to be absorbable from the alimentary canal and may produce systemic poisoning, including gastrointestinal irritation, severe muscle pain and twitching, followed by depression and coma. In veterinary experiences, poultry and livestock have been poisoned by the seeds of corn cockle. As a seed, it commonly contaminates wheat seed. Hogs that have ingested the roots have died. Consumption of 0.2% to 0.5% of the body weight of seed is lethal to young birds. Cows have also died from this seed. The repeated ingestion and chronic poisoning by small doses of corn cockle is referred to as githagism. Acute poisoning by large doses is manifested by vertigo, respiratory depression, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation and paralysis. Gastric lavage or emesis are recommended for poison treatment.

Medicinal Uses:

Corn Cockle is not used in alopathic medicine to-day, but according to Hill, if used long enough, it was considered a cure for dropsy and jaundice.

In homoeopathy a trituration of the seeds has been found useful in paralysis and gastritis.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/cornc101.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corncockle
http://www.drugs.com/npp/corn-cockle.html#ref4