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.