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 You can see more information by clicking on the tabs above
vigorously growing Cobblers Pegs - Bidens Pilosa
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aka Farmer’s Friend
[1] ...
Bidens Pilosa
Family: ASTERACEAE
This amazing “weed” is one of the world's greatest natural digestive tract healers and lymphatic and anti-allergy remedies.
Clients with painful ulcers, who felt they would suffer for life or need to have major surgery, have taken our Cobblers Pegs tea or tincture and found that, within 6 months, their ulcer was completely healed.
I have also been impressed with the number of clients taking Cobblers Pegs who told me that their allergies and sensitivity have greatly improved.
This is obviously related to the potent effect Cobblers Pegs have on the lymphatic system, cleansing the body - especially the liver and kidneys - which reduces toxicity and consequently sensitivity to toxins - a major cause of allergies.
Current research is beginning to identify some extraordinary healing properties such as the ability to suppress the growth of isolated adult T-cell leukemia cells[2].
Bidens pilosa has also been used traditionally to treat other conditions including wounds, flu, colds, fever, neuralgia, smallpox, snake bite, pain, aneamia, rectal prolapse, hepatitis, jaundice, and colic[3].
Research on this herb first began to substantiate its traditional uses but it was discovered that it has the potential to treat the early stages of malaria, inflammation, diabetes, hypertension, leukemia, cancer, and allergies; it also has antimicrobial action[3].
A great healer for the digestive tract;
Cobblers Pegs have been used to treat many ailments in many places
They enjoy a long history of use for a long list of illnesses in a long list of cultures around the world
[4].
Traditional Use:
Cobblers Pegs are used to treat many ailments
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B. pilosa is used all over the world to treat various ailments such as allergies, coughs, laryngitis, headache, conjunctivitis, rheumatism, infections, digestive and stomach disorders including peptic ulcers, hepatitis, diabetes, malaria, and inflammation.
It also has a proven record of success with Lymes Disease, Prostate Cancer, Cervical Spondylosis
[5][6] and Mycoplasma infections.
Aqueous extract of the leaf is used in Cameroon for the treatment of jaundice, threatened abortion, conjunctivitis, toothache, intestinal helminthiasis, leg ulcer and for the management of high blood pressure.
The flank pains are treated with the leaves and flowers, while fractures and febrile convulsion are treated with the whole plant.
The flower is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery and stomach upset due to food poisoning.
Conditions which have been successfully treated with Cobblers Pegs include
[7] [8] [9] [10]
- allergies
- angina
- baldness
- biliousness
- blood clots
- boils
- bronchitis
- burns
- breast engorgement
- burns
- cancer
- candida
- catarrh
- cold
- colic
- colitis
- cataracts
- catarrh
- chills
- childbirth
- colitis
- conjunctivitis
- constipation
- cough
- cystitis
- dental pain
- diaper rash
- diabetes
- diarrhea
- dropsy
- dysentery
- earache
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- edema
- eyes
- fever
- flatulence
- food poisoning
- gastroenteritis
- glands
- gout
- gonorrhea
- heat-rash itch
- headache
- hemorrhoids
- hemorrhage
- hepatitis
- hypoglycemia
- infections
- insect bites
- intestinal infections
- jaundice
- kidney problems
- lacerations
- laryngitis
- inflammation
- leucorrhea
- liver problems
- liver obstructions
- low blood pressure
- lungs
- Lymes Disease
- malaria
- mouth blisters
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- Mycoplasma infections
- nephritis
- nervous problems
- nervous shock
- parasites
- pharynx
- pneumonia
- postpartum hemorrhage
- prostate cancer
- obesity
- rage
- respiratory
- rheumatism
- scurvy
- snakebite
- sores
- sore mouth
- sore throat
- stomach pains
- thrush
- thorax
- tonsillitis
- toothache
- tuberculosis
- vaginal infections
- ulcerated colitis
- ulcers
- urinary infections
- venereal diseases
- vomiting
- worms
- wounds
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Cobblers Pegs exhibit the following actions
[4] [7] [8] [9] [11] [12]
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antibacterial
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anticancer
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antidiabetic
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antidotal
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antifungal
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antihypertensive
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anti-inflammatory
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antileukemic
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antimalarial
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antimicrobial
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antioxidant
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antiseptic
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antispasmodic
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antiulcerative
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antiviral
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diuretic
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emmenagogue
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germicidal
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stimulant
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The extraordinarily-efficient barbs of the seeds
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Also heals the environment
an antidote for herbicides?
We had a drive full of Cobblers Pegs when we first arrived here at Middle Path, but found that after a few applications of rock powder on the area where they where growing most densely, they simply disappeared.
It appears that the plants grow where and when they are needed and one condition they address is a chemical imbalance caused by herbicide residues. We believe they do much the same for we humans.
Wherever our neighbours spray herbicides the Cobblers Pegs come up like a lawn, apparently doing their utmost to restore environmental balance again.
A friend of mine sent for some seeds of a particular herb overseas which was known to be excellent for stomach ulcers. When she got the seeds, she laughed, they were Cobblers Pegs seeds.
With a track record like that it is no wonder it has become known as "Farmer's Friend"! And yet there are still far more folk near us who poison it than harvest it.
Cobblers Pegs constituents
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Cobblers Pegs is rich in
flavonoids, terpenes, phenylpropanoids, lipids, polyacetylenes, flavone glycosides, chalcones, aurones, benzenoids and phenylpropanoids.
As long ago as 1979, scientists demonstrated that specific chemicals found in the herb were toxic to bacteria and fungi.
Young Cobblers Pegs plant
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Many of the flavonoids in Cobblers Pegs have been documented with antimalarial activity. In 1991, Swiss scientists isolated several known phytochemicals with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, which led them to infer that the presence of these compounds “may rationalize the use of this plant in traditional medicine in the treatment of wounds, against inflammation and against bacterial infection of the gastrointestinal tract”.
New bioactive phytochemicals, discovered in 1996, showed activity against transformed human cell lines.
Chemical Constituents include
[4]
aesculetin, behenic acid, beta-sitosterol, borneol, butanedioic acid, butoxylinoleates, cadinols, caffeine, caffeoylic acids, capric acid, daucosterol, elaidic acid, erythronic acids, friedelans, friedelins, germacrene D, glucopyranoses, glucopyranosides, inositol, isoquercitrin, lauric acid, limonene, linoleic acids, lupeol, luteolin, muurolol, myristic acid, okanin-glucosides, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, paracoumaric acids, phenylheptatriynes, phytenoic acid, phytol, pilosola A, polyacetylenes, precocene I, pyranoses, quercetin, sandaracopimaradiols, squalene, stigmasterols, tannic acid, tetrahydroxyaurones, tocopherolquinones, tridecapentaynenes, tridecatetrayndienes, and vanillic acid.
Cobblers Pegs history
Cobblers Pegs seeds - unable to get a grip on the leather have totally smothered the laces on these boots after a short walk through a crop
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Of all the wild food available in Australia the Cobblers Peg (Bidens Pilosa), (also known as “Farmers Friend” because the seed sticks to clothes), would have to be amongst the most unpopular with folk who work in gardens.
And yet, in many other parts of the world - mainly the Southern hemisphere interestingly enough, it is a popular and widely-used foodstuff and medicine. It's therapeutic uses are extraordinarily comprehensive (see list on uses tab).
As a foodstuff, it is in daily use as a vegetable in Africa. The leaves can be dried and stored for the future or cooked. Some folks advise draining and refreshing the water often during cooking to purge the bitterness from the taste. We use the leaves straight from the plant in salads or direct to the mouth and experience no bitterness. The taste is a slightly nutty flavour and, like all herbs, our bodies will tell us exactly and unambiguously when we have eaten enough in one session.
This weed is rich in minerals and especially Calcium which is the great healer for stomach ulcers and alkalises the system to support our natural healing abilities.
Cobblers Pegs can be dried and used as a herbal tea as well as a vegetable source.
Some of the other names it is known by (around the world):
- Kinehi / Ko'oko'olau [Hawai'i]
- Xian Feng Cao ("Abundant Weed"), Gui Zhen Cao ("Demon Spike Grass" or "Ghost Needle Weed") [China]
- Aceitilla [Spanish]
- Amor Seco (Desmodium adscendens is also called "Amor Seco") [Peru]
- Beggars Tick / Spanish Needle / Needle Grass [USA]
- Black Jack [South Africa]
- Cobblers Peg, Farmer's Friend [Australia]
- Fisi 'Uli [Tonga]
- Has Kung Chia, Han Feng Cao [Taiwan]
- Muni [Aymara, Quechua]
- Ottrancedi [India]
- Picao preto, Cuamba [Brazil]
- Piripiri [Cook Islands]
- Saetilla, Sillk'iwa [Quechua]
- Sanana Vinillo, Saytilla, Natilluna [Bolivia]
- Spanish Needle, Needle Grass [Barbados, St. Thomas]
- Te de Coral [Mexico]
- Z'Herbe Zedruite [Caribbean]
- Fisi'uli [Tonga]
- Uqadolo [Southern Africa]
- Z'Herbe Zedruite, Z'Herbe Z'Aiguille [Dominica, Martinique]
Other common names include
[4] : Picão preto, carrapicho, amor seco, pirca, aceitilla, cadillo, chilca, pacunga, cuambu, erva-picão, alfiler, clavelito de monte, romerillo, saltillo, yema de huevo, z’aiguille, jarongan, ketul, pau-pau pasir, bident herisse, herbe d’aiguille, zweizahn, bidente piloso, mozote.
Here is some more information from Doris Pozzi's “Edible Weeds and Garden Plants of Melbourne”
[13] :
a young Cobblers Pegs plant
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As a foodstuff, it is in daily use as a vegetable in Africa. It is used as a medicinal plant in many regions of Africa, Asia and tropical America. Roots,
leaves and seed have been reported to possess antibacterial, antidysenteric, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antimalarial, diuretic, hepato-protective and
hypotensive activities.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the fresh or dried tender shoots and young leaves are used as a leaf vegetable especially in times of food scarcity. It is an ingredient of sauces accompanying staple food. The leaves are, fresh or after parboiling, dried in the sun and stored as powder for the dry season.
In Uganda, five different medicinal uses are known: the sap from crushed leaves is used to speed up clotting of blood in fresh wounds; a leaf decoction is used for treating headache; sap from the plant is put in the ear to treat ear infection; a decoction of leaf powder is used to treat kidney problems; and a herbal tea made from the plant decreases flatulence.
The Manyika people in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe retain the first water used for cooking Bidens pilosa foliage for later use as a medicinal drink to cure stomach and mouth ulcers, diarrhea, headaches and hangover. The Zulu in South Africa use a suspension of powdered leaves as an enema for abdominal trouble, whereas in Congo a concoction made from the whole plant is taken as a poison antidote, to ease child delivery and to relieve the pain from hernia. In South Africa, strong decoctions of the leaf taken in large doses have been reported to be helpful in treating arthritis.
The plant sap is applied to burns in Tanzania. In Nigeria, the powder or ash from the seed is used as a local anaesthetic and rubbed into cuts. The Giriama tribe from the coastal areas of Kenya use a leaf extract to treat swollen spleens in children. This tribe also uses a mixture of the dried and ground leaves of Bidens pilosa, soap and hot pepper as an insecticide for the control of leaf miners and other insects. It has been used in traditional medicine systems for infections of all kinds: from such upper respiratory tract infections
as colds and flu to urinary tract infections and venereal diseases-and even infected wounds on the skin.
Is it Safe for me to take Cobblers Pegs Tincture? If you have any concerns or apprehensions please use our free Herbal Tincture enquiry service so that we can make sure that what you want is completely safe for your situation or condition.
We especially encourage you to get in touch if you have any of the following health problems or conditions:
- An enlarged prostate gland
- Are preganant or breast-feeding
- Blood clotting problems
- Cancer
- Diabetes
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- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Immune system problems
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- Liver problems
- Psychiatric problems
- Parkinson's disease
- Stroke
- Thyroid problems
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You have two options when you purchase Cobblers Pegs tincture:
- For external use which you can apply externally to the soles of your feet or topically on an external condition - you can purchase these without a consultation.
- For internal use. If you wish to take it internally because of the potency of these tinctures you need to be sure they will not cause complications with an existing health condition or prescribed drugs you may be taking.
Cobblers Pegs tincture
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If you are in any doubt about the possibility Cobblers Pegs tincture causing complications with prescription drugs or a medical condition you may have please get in touch so that we can advise you on the suitability of a particular tincture.
Especially if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
You can have an online consultation or visit our clinic for a thorough consultation if you wish to purchase our potent tinctures for internal use.
There are fewer concerns when using Cobblers Pegs tincture externally and our many years of experience has shown that the tincture is just as effective being applied into the soles of the feet or applied
topically
on external conditions where they will be absorbed into your system.
Our clients who have come for a consultation use the same tincture internally and we recommend they take half an eyedropper (about 1.5ml) of herbal tincture in a small glass of water three times per day for adults and a quarter of an eyedropper in a small glass of water for children.
Cobblers Pegs tincture is a potent liquid extract made from organic Cobblers Pegs. It is a concentrated way of getting herbal medicine into your body easily especially applying them to the soles of your feet. Once a tincture is prepared, it has an extremely long shelf life. Tinctures should be kept in a cool, dark cupboard to maintain their potency.
If you are on any prescribed medication we strongly advise you to use our free Herbal Tincture enquiry service to make sure that the medication and potent Cobblers Pegs tincture are compatible.
making medicine for internal use
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How to Use Cobblers Pegs Tincture internally
How do I prepare my Cobblers Pegs Tincture?
Just add the recommended dosage - which is usually 1.5ml or one eyedropperfull - to a glass of drinking water or any other cold drink.
Then drink it.
When should I drink my Cobblers Pegs Tincture?
For best absorption, consume herbal tinctures 30 minutes or more before meals or drinking other liquids to avoid diluting it while it is in your digestive tract.
How to Use our Tinctures externally
how to apply a tincture to the soles of your feet
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If you are treating an external condition - such as a skin infection - then simply apply the tincture directly to the site using the eyedropper or a suitable swab.
If you are treating an internal condition then the best way to get the tincture into your body is through the soles of your feet. The skin is a highly absorptive organ and the feet have the reflexology facility which helps get the healing properties of the herbs right to the place inside you where they will do the most good.
If you don't have someone to do it for you, the easiest way we've found is to apply it sitting down. Rest one foot on your other leg's thigh (use a towel to make sure the tincture doesn't drip on your furniture or clothes), squirt a small amount of tincture onto the palm of one hand (about 1.5ml or half an eyedropper), rub it gently into the sole of your foot. In most cases you will find it has been absorbed within 30 seconds or so - you'll know when your foot feels dry. Then do the same to your other foot and the treatment is complete.
Cobblers Pegs cultivation
Cobblers Pegs growing happily on a rock at Middle Path
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Cobblers Pegs are self-cultivating and grow just about anywhere under many conditions.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of this extraordinary plant is its ability to thrive in the most inhospitable of places.
Here a healthy plant is growing vigorously on a rock - a seed lodged in a crack, germinated and this grew.
This quality is possibly one of Cobbler's Pegs greatest gifts - the talent for surviving when the environment becomes harsh and inhospitable, perhaps a quality which we humans may appreciate in the near future?
You can see more information by clicking on the tabs below
middlepath.com.au> Middle Path> Plants> Cobblers Pegs References
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