Asarabacca

About

Asarum europaeum, known as asarabacca, European wild ginger, hazelwort, and wild spikenard, historically cabarick, is a species of flowering plant in the birthwort family Aristolochiaceae, native to parts of temperate Europe, and also cultivated in gardens. It is a creeping evergreen perennial with glossy green, kidney shaped leaves and solitary dull purple flowers hidden by the leaves. Though its roots have a ginger aroma, it is not closely related to the true culinary ginger Zingiber officinale. European wild ginger is sometimes harvested for use as a spice or a flavoring. In former days, it was used in snuff and also medicinally as an emetic and cathartic. The FDA warns against consuming Asarum, as it is nephrotoxic and contains the potent carcinogen aristolochic acid.

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