Shepherd's Purse: Capsella bursa-pastoris

               

Shepherd's Purse is not really a vegetable plant as such. More like a medicinal one, as it was used a lot as a remedy for bleeding problems, internal and external, due to it's styptic effect. The tea is also used for menstrual problems, like heavy bleeding. Pregnant women should avoid using this as it promotes uterine contractions. In the far east the seeds are and plant are used in various local traditional dishes.

Supposedly, if you burn this plant (presumably, dried first), the ashes can be used as salt substitute. Maybe if I can find a patch not so close to the roads, I'll try it out to see if it's true.

It also has antiseptic properties, acts effectively against gram positive bacteria, and has been used as a quinine substitute. With the advent of modern, industrially produced medicines, the usage of this plant has dropped, and what was once a valuable medicinal plant has now been relegated to "weeds" to most people in the western world. Good thing it is still a popular traditional food in Asia. Maybe it will make a come back, maybe as an antibiotic substitute, as the numbers of antibiotic resistant pathogens seems to be on the rise. I wonder if this humble plant can work on MRSA?