Osha
Osha (Tie Da Yin Chen)
Botanical Name: Ligusticum porteri
Osha is a seriously threatened plant in many areas due to over-harvesting, as it has consistently defied cultivation outside its natural habitat. It is an ideal pungent, warm, and sedating herb. Osha has long been used to treat colds, coughs, and respiratory ailments. NOTE: This is not to be confused with Ligusticum sinense or Ligusticum chaunxiong (A.K.A. L. wallichii), all plants in the same genus but with different attributes.
Watch a short video, from Ann Christensen, Founder and Creator of White Rabbit Institute of Healing™ – Osha, Mycorrhizal Fungi, and Your Lungs...
Below is an overview of osha, combining the best of Western Science, Oriental Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Shamanism, Folklore, and a wide range of healing modalities. Gain a balanced and thorough understanding of the healing properties of osha.
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Western
Name: Osha
Also Known As: Osha, Porter’s Lovage, Porter’s Licorice-root, Loveroot, Bear Root, Indian Parsley, Wild Parsley, Mountain Carrot, Empress of the Dark Forest
Organs/Systems: Respiratory, Digestive, Intestines, Uterus, Skin
Key Actions: Antimicrobial, Expectorant, Antispasmodic, Anti-inflammatory, Sedative, Antioxidant, Expectorant, Analgesic, Aphrodisiac, Emmenagogue
Key Medicinal Uses: Sore throat, early-stage tonsillitis, congestion, colds, flu, acute influenza, fevers, lung infections, pneumonia, bronchial pneumonia, cuts and bruises, dry skin, anxiety, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, stomach aches, heartburn, and insect bites.
Eastern
Pin Yin: Tie Da Yin Chen
Also Known As: N/A
Meridians: Lung, Stomach, Spleen
Key Actions: Promotes Sweating, Releases Exterior, Dispels Wind Cold, Stimulates Lungs, Expels Phlegm, Supports Stomach, Relieves Spasms, Moves Blood Stasis, Promotes Urination
Key Medicinal Uses: Infections with chills, fatigue, aches, asthma, nasal congestion, sore throat, tuberculosis, vomiting, stomach pain, colitis, distention, gas, toothache, delayed or stopped menses, constant lower abdominal pain.
Basic Habitat / Botany:
Osha is a perennial herb with the typical appearance of any other member of the Apiaceae family of plants that includes parsley, carrots, and celery. It has hollow stems, taproots, and flat-topped flower clusters, called umbels. The root has a very strong, pleasant “spicy celery” fragrance that resembles lovage. (Levisticium officinale).. It is strictly a mountain plant, common to the upper limits of the subalpine zone. It depends on mycorrhizal fungi, making cultivation outside its habitat less than successful.
Found in the Rocky Mountains, Northern Mexico, and especially the Southwestern US.
Parts Most Frequently Used: Root. Seed, Leaf (all edible)
Flavors/Temps: Pungent, Slightly Bitter, Warm, Dry
Caution: Considered safe; however, hemlock is often confused with osha. Hemlock is poisonous, and the poison can be absorbed through the skin. Be careful when harvesting Osha, and be sure of your plant identification.
Key Constituents: Essential Oil, Furanocoumarins, Mucilage
History/Folklore: Taos and Pueblo Indians plant Osha in irrigation ditches to inhibit cutworms and other larvae. It has a long-standing history of use by Native American and Hispanic cultures to treat colds, sore throats, bronchitis, influenza, pneumonia, and other respiratory infections and ailments. It is known for its lung-supporting and lung-cleansing abilities.
Osha has been added to tobacco blends by Native Americans for its flavor and as an incense for smudging in sacred ceremonies. It has powerful cleansing and protective properties. It is also used as an incense in meditation practices to boost concentration and well-being.
Osha is superior at moving stagnation and stimulating the organs it passes through. It is especially stimulating to the excretory system, which includes the skin, kidneys, lungs, and intestines.
Osha increases blood circulation to the lungs, increasing dilation and making breathing easier for those with asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, and allergies. The herbs’ bronchodilating effects aid the process of breathing deeply.
Osha also helps numb the pain associated with sore throats, coughing, and congestion in the sinuses and chest. Some find it more effective in this respect than echinacea. However, unlike Chinese Lovage Root (Gao Ben/Ligusticum Sinense), Osha does not cure headaches.
It is also used to treat ailments associated with the heart.
The leaves can be boiled and eaten like greens or added raw to salads. They also make tea, decoctions, ointments, liniments, pastes, and extracts. The seeds have also been used as food. The leaves can also be chewed or burnt to clear sinuses, and the roots can be chewed for endurance, respiratory problems, and to counter altitude sickness. The roots can be simmered for twenty minutes and up to three hours, making a lovely, dark, aromatic tea.
Two of Osha’s common names, love root and bear medicine, derive from Native peoples observing bears eating the root and then becoming amorous and playful with each other. Many of the herb’s healing properties were said to be learned from watching the bears making use of the herb to heal themselves.
The herb is being studied for its possible anticancer and antioxidant properties. Its powerful healing compounds are known to be able to cross the blood-brain barrier.
Harvest in the Afternoon
The plant is best harvested in the afternoon as it is relished by bears, which visit the plants in the morning. Navajos credit the bear with teaching them about Osha.
Soothe Body Aches
The Zuni, Aztec, Tarahumara, and Chiricahua used an herbal infusion for body aches. Medicine men and patients chewed osha during healing ceremonies to protect against dangerous spirits.
Shield Against Rattlesnakes
Many Native Americans tied the plant around their ankles as a shield against rattlesnakes and chewed the leaves to increase stamina.
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