Description
Climbing annual growing to 1 ft (30 cm). Has compound leaves and maroon-tipped pink tubular flowers.
Habitat & Cultivation
Native to Europe and North Africa, fumitory also grows in Asia, North America, and Australia.
Parts Used
Flowering aerial parts.
Constituents
Fumitory contains isoquinoline alkaloids and flavonoids.
Medicinal Actions & Uses
A notably bitter-tasting herb, fumitory has a stimulant and cleansing action on the liver and gallbladder, and is principally used to treat chronic itchy skin problems such as eczema. It is also diuretic and mildly laxative.
Related Species
Fumitory is related to corydalis (Corydalis yanhusuo), and F. parviflora from central Asia. The latter, like fumitory, is used as a detoxifying, laxative, and diuretic herb.
Caution
Fumitory is toxic in excessive doses. Use only with professional advice.