Bugleweed
Lycopaeus Europea
1:5 Ethanol/Distilled H2O Spagyric tincture of bugleweed aerial parts – with plant salts added.
Planetary ruler: Mercury.

Physical Effects*:
Buglweed is a nervine and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) herb that can decrease tension in the body, and regulate stress response through its effect on the endocrine system. Whilst it is a sedative that has been used for insomnia and ‘morbid wakefulness’, bugleweed can still be used during waking hours to promote clarity and focus – where a lack of focus is being caused by nervousness/excitability. This is herb is widely used for controlling hyperthyroid, having been shown to reduces the weight of the thyroid, decrease thyroid hormone activity (T3, T4, TSH and LH hormones),  increase iodine absorption and storage, reduce elevated heartrates. In these models goiter formation was also retarded and metabolism was slowed. Other effects this plant has been shown to have include: Reducing heartrate and blood pressure; antibacterial against a number of gram positive and negative bacteria and fungi; analgesic (pain killing); anti-inflammatory; hypnotic (sleep inducing), and; anti-diarrheal. The herb has also been proven as an effective antitussive, meaning that it will ease coughing. These antitussive properties, along with its antibacterial, endocrine regulating, nervine and analgesic properties make it valuable in treating asthma, fever, bronchitis and tickly or easily aggravated coughs that are causing the body pain and tension – it may also staunch bleeding throughout the respiratory system (nose, lungs, sinuses, throat etc). Bugleweed has also been used to control excessive menstrual bleeding.

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Emotional/Spiritual Effects*:
Buglweed encourages a playful mind. Oftentimes various modalities of health attainment encourage us to ‘get out of our mind,’ however, with Bugleweed we can remain in our mind in enjoyment because this plant bestows an ability to see beyond the cobwebs and restraints we have allowed to build-up there. There is a keenness to this plant, as it grows rapidly into the skies with serrated leaves, set in sharp symmetry about a stem that looks as if it were having a race with those leaves to see who could grow fastest… this plant will rocket you up into the skies, just as it does so with itself. A way to be able to enjoy the mind and make good use of it, is to find the birds-eye view – Bugleweed affords us such a view. Free from the shackles of our fears, anxieties and lower nature we can enter into a larrikin like state where we may weave in and out of those thoughts with playful inquisitiveness. This dance woven between the birds eye-view and the larrikin weaving allows us to expediently get a handle on our inner challenges and thus begin approaching our outer challenges with a whole lot more resolve, clarity and cheerfulness.

Cautions/contraindications:
-Pregnancy: May disrupt hormones required for a safe pregnancy.
-Hypothyroidism/enlarged thyroid: lowers thyroid function, which is deleterious with these conditions.
-Diabetes: Those with medically lowered blood sugar should avoid bugleweed – one may need to decrease diabetic medications when beginning to take bugleweed.
-Endocrine disorders: Those with conditions such as hypopituitarism, pituitary adenoma, hypogonadism or other endocrine disorders should avoid taking bugleweed.
-Allergy to plant: If one is allergic to bugleweed then cease use. Symptoms of allergy include welts, hives, tingling tongue, swelling of face, mouth and eyes, headaches, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
-Medications: Bugleweed should not be taken in combination with certain medications such as: Chemotherapy (may interact with radioactive isotopes causing sever symptoms), sedatives (can increase effects), hormone supplements (oral e.g estrogen, and/or topical e.g progesterone cream), oral hypoglycemic medication, insulin, thyroid medication, oral contraceptives.