The bowl flower sometimes contains ingredients that are not completely harmless, which is why it may only be used in small quantities. However, it is far more dangerous to confuse them with poisonous relatives.
ingredients
The species native here is, among other things, the meadow primrose (Primula veris). It is protected in some areas and may only be picked in very small quantities, if at all. Plants from specialist shops therefore have a lot in their garden, where use is of course permitted. Because of its ingredients, it is a traditional medicinal plant, but in high doses it can also be dangerous.
The ingredients of Primula veris:
- Saponins
- Flavonoids
- Volatile oil
- Triterpene saponins
- Sugars
Note: The content of ingredients varies depending on the part of the plant. There is a large amount of triterpene saponins, especially in the roots.
effect
The triterpene saponins are used in folk medicine to irritate the gastric mucosa, which in turn causes the bronchial mucosa
To stimulate mucus production. The meadow primrose is advertised as a cold remedy for bronchial infections, but is not entirely without side effects.In particular, irritation of the gastric mucosa can lead to the following side effects in humans:
- stomach pain
- nausea
- diarrhea
- Overstimulation of the mucous membranes
- dermatitis
In rare cases, vomiting and significant allergic reactions of the skin can occur. The reactions of the skin can even be seen when the affected persons have only used extracts from the plants internally.
Danger to people
For healthy adults, the bowl flower is safe to eat in small quantities. The herb is used for this and the root of the primrose is a traditional medicinal plant in folk medicine. In children or However, you should avoid the bowl flower for small children. For example, coughing up the mucus can become problematic without additional help and the stomachs can become very irritated.
Use of the cowslip:
- Blossoms: edible decoration, coloring matter, tea
- Leaves: Cut into small pieces for salads
- Root: Tea for bronchial problems
As a coloring plant is suitable Primula veris only to a limited extent, because in order to obtain a noticeable color scheme, larger quantities of flowers must be available. Usually, however, only small quantities are available, which are enough to dye a few Easter eggs. However, you can use the flowers as a decorative drug in teas, with the pleasant side effect that they even have an effect, albeit a much weaker one, than the roots.
Note: Serious poisoning by cowslips in adults or children is not yet known, which is why the meadow primrose is considered edible. Symptoms such as stomach problems usually subside on their own as soon as cowslip is no longer consumed.
The cowslip can be problematic for people who have stomach problems. This group of people should completely refrain from using the plant, regardless of its form.
No pet food
Dogs or cats rarely come into contact with appreciable amounts of cucumber herb. Even if you nibble on the plant or eat whole leaves, you will not endanger yourself. It looks a little different when large amounts of it are fed to small animals such as rabbits or guinea pigs. The meadow primrose alongside other cowslips like the widespread one Primula elatior It is not uncommon for the small animals to end up in a fresh bouquet of food, and often even deliberately, as the plants show up in spring. Since most of the questionable ingredients are in the roots, a few leaves are not dangerous for the animals, larger ones
However, crowd can cause severe poisoning.
The symptoms are similar to those in humans, but are often recognized too late. So that house resp. Small animals show symptoms, but must have consumed large amounts.
Crossing hazard
Primroses are among popular plants, of which exotic species like the Primula obconica can be cultivated as a houseplant. Exotics, for example, can trigger an allergy, which manifests itself in the form of itching on contact. Primroses are popular plants for a reason, as they are easy to grow. It is also easy to create new breeds by crossing them. The crossbreeding happens not only during breeding, but also between cultivated and wild forms.
The increasing number of cultivated varieties increases the risk that wild forms will cross with cultivated varieties that have a higher content of problematic ingredients. This often results in plants that cannot be clearly identified, as they have neither unambiguous characteristics of the wild form nor the cultivated form. You should therefore refrain from using primroses that cannot be clearly identified.
Sources:
https://praxistipps.focus.de/primeln-giftig-fuer-mensch-und-haustier-einfach-erklaert_116519
https://botanikus.de/informatives/giftpflanzen/alle-giftpflanzen/becher-primel/
https://hundeinfoportal.de/hundewissen/hundegesundheit/vergiftungen-hund/fuer-hunde-giftige-pflanzen/
https://www.katzen-leben.de/katzen-pflanzen/sind-primeln-fuer-katzen-giftig/
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echte_Schl%C3%BCsselblume