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Botanical  Name: Linum catharticum (LINN.)
Family: N.O. Linaceae
Synonyms: Purging Flax. Dwarf Flax. Fairy Flax. Mill Mountain..
Other Names warf Flax, Fairy Flax, Linum catharticum, Mill Mountain, Purging Flax.
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malpighiales
Genus: Linum
Species: L. catharticum

Part Used: The whole herb is used mediinally, both fresh and dried, collected in July, when in flower, in the wild state.

Habitat: Mountain Flax is a pretty little herb, which grows profusely in hilly pastures., Native to central Europe and western Asia.

Description:Mountain Flax is an herbaceous flowering plant in the genus Linum.  It is an annual, with a small, thready root, which sends up several slender, smooth, straight stems, which rise to a height of 6 to 8 inches, and are sometimes branched towards the upper part. It  blooms in July and August. The leaves are small, linear-oblong and obtuse, the lower ones opposite, and the upper alternate. The flowers, 1/3 to 1/4 of an inch in diameter, are white. The plant at first glance much resembles chickweed, being glaucous and glabrous.

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Constituents: A green, bitter resin and a neutral, colourless, crystalline principle of a persistently bitter taste, called Linin, to which the herb owes its activity.

Medicinal Action and Uses: This herb was highly extolled by Gerard as a purgative. It operates chiefly as a gentle cathartic, and is useful in all cases where a brisk purgative is required. As a laxative, it is preferred to senna, though the action is very similar. It is generally taken combined with a carminative, such as peppermint.

The dried herb has been found very useful in muscular rheumatism and catarrhal affections, the infusion of 1 oz. in a pint of boiling water being taken in wineglassful doses. In liver complaints and jaundice, it has been employed with benefit.

In Catarrhal maladies, Dr. Lane states that he found the Purging Flax exceedingly effectual; and also in those sub-acute rheumatic complaints, which are often alike troublesome and intractable. In the cure of affections of the Throat and Air-passages, he considers the counteracting effects to depend on the peculiar stimulation of the mucous and muscular structures of the alimentary canal, and the sympathetic influence extended to the glandular organs connected therewith. Where the morbid action is of a rheumatic character, the curative agency is manifested more slowly, and in apparent dependence on the diuretic action. In Chronic Rheumatism, especially when affecting the muscular structure, such as Lumbago, the use of Linum Catharticum is remarkably beneficial. In cases of Ascites connected with hepatic disease, he also found it very efficient.

Safety concerns:
Mountain flax might be unsafe for some people, especially with long-term use. It can cause some side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach and intestinal inflammation.

Do not take mountain flax if:   You are pregnant or breast-feeding.

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/f/flamou24.html

http://www.rxlist.com/mountain_flax/supplements.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linum_catharticum

http://www.plant-identification.co.uk/skye/linaceae/linum-catharticum.htm

http://chestofbooks.com/health/materia-medica-drugs/Practical-Therapeutics/1722-Linum-Catharticum.html

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