| Habitat
: North Africa, India,
cultivated worldwide.
Part Used :
Seeds.
Red Clover contains Flavonoids
(phytoestrogens), whose action in
regulating the hormonal production
facilitates the development of the
mammary glands which 'feed' on estrogens.
The seeds have recently obtained some
interest as a source of Diosgenin, which
is used in the synthesis of steroid
hormones.
It has been known since ancient times for
its galactogogue property, since
it stimulates mammary glands to produce
milk (as a consequence to the stimulation
of the secretion of prolactin) in nursing
mothers - in all other women the
stimulating - or rather, balancing -
action on hormones notably contributes to
the development of the breast, the
main receptor for estrogens in the female
body.
Components: high nutritional
value due to the richness in glucids,
protids, nuceloprotids,
fosfatilicone and lecitine. Also
contains: enzymes, saponins
(based mainly on the sapogenins diosgenin
and its isomer yamogenin, gitogenin and
tigogenin), flavonoids - a group of
phytoestrogens (including vitexin and
its glycosides and esters, isovitexin,
orientin, vicenins 1 and 2, quercetin and
luteolin), and minerals (calcium,
magnesium, phosphorus,
easily and fast absorbed iron, potassium,
sulphur, silicium).
Also contains steroidal compounds:
fenugreekine, a peptidic ester of a
steroidal sapogenin with a
antihyperglycemic action (it lowers blood
sugars) and cardiotonic (strengthens the
heart) antiphlogistic (anti-inflammatory)
property. The aqueous extract of seeds
has been proven to stimulate the uterus
and the intestine with a positive
chronotropic effect on the heart (chronotropic:
affecting the time or rate, as the rate
of contraction of the heart).
High content in essential aminoacids
not easily available in nature, such as
Lisine and Triptophane (the quantity of
lisine - as high as that in soy - makes
it a highly nutritional food).
Contraindications:
not to be used during pregnancy as it
stimulates uterine contractions.
History and
Curiosities:
Mostly renowned for its galactogogue
property, it was used for this purpose of
stimulating mother's milk in the 19th
century in France and was also widely
used at the School of Medicine in
Salerno. It is also used in the kitchen
and as aromatic.
It is native of the plateau of
Erithrea and Ethiopia, in Africa,
and has been traditionally used since
ancient times, and considered a sacred
plant. It was cultivated in Egypt
with the name Hilba, in Southern Yemen, India
and China wiht the name Huluba. It
is used as food and medicine, as a drink,
and in some regions it is used as a
beauty cream together with other plants,
and also to flavor tobacco or coffee
extracts and vanilla.
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