Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca Minor L.)
Common name: Lesser Periwinkle
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae (Dogbane)
Genus: Vinca, L.
Species: Vinca Minor
Description
A popular perennial ornamental garden plant. Resistant against
herbicides. Periwinkle grows close to the ground and stems making
contact with the ground will often sprout roots. In cooler climates,
periwinkles rarely produce seeds. Produces purple five-petaled flowers,
whose petals join together at the base.
Leaves grow in pairs along the ground-hugging stems, and are thin and
bi-symmetrical,
Vinca Minor is said to be more resistant to cold than it’s cousin
Vinca Major.
Also Known As
Common Periwinkle
Parwynke
Ground Ivy
Pucellage
Sorcerer's Violet/Violette des Sorciers
Flower of Death
Magical Uses (from various sources)
- Psychic Shielding
- Protection from malicious or mischievous influences or spirits.
- Protection against witchcraft
- Love Potions
- Funeral Rites
- Psychic Ability
Effects on Bloodflow (from personal notes)
Temporarily increases blood-flow to the brain and to a minor degree, the
extremities. May also cause blood to flush to the face, on the cheeks near
either side of the nose, and under and to the outside of the eyes.
Parts Used
Both the stems and leaves can be used in an infusion or taken directly as
dietary supplements. I’ve also heard the seeds are of some use.
Certain alkaloids have also been isolated from the root by various
pharmaceutical companies (as far as I know, for research only).
Chemical Components
from various sources:
a major component:
vincamine - an indole alkaloid - C21H26N2O3, specifically a tryptamine,
which acts as a cerebral vasodilator. May also have an impact as a
neuromodulator and neurotransmitter.
contains many other alkaloids (vincine, vincaminine; apparently over 100
have been isolated) in various concentrations
from the National Institute of Health (US Government)
(http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htd ... camine.pdf):
- apparently, vincamine makes up 25-65% of the indole alkaloids found in
Vinca Minor by weight.
- vincamine is rapidly absorbed and has a half-life of about 30-60 minutes
(when given as a solution of vincamine salts)
General Medicinal Use
verified by personal experience:
- slightly diaphoretic
- slightly diuretic
- slightly hypotensive
- cerebral and peripheral vasodilator
from various sources:
- astringent
- mildly purgative (never noticed this, must have to take an aweful lot)
Effects (from my personal notes):
positive short-term effects:
After Consuming a Periwinkle Containing Infusion:
- Increased mental focus
- Increased calmness of mind (when not engaged in conversation)
- Improved concentration and creativity of reason (when in a non-stress
situation/environment)
- Generally improved cognitive function
- Memory improvement but stress may counteract; see negative effects
- Facilitates communication in a conversation (for all parties)
- Lowers blood sugar level, I suspect this is due to increased cognitive
activity (can be seen as a positive effect)
- Can relieve headaches
- Some increased blood flow to hands and feet
- Does not cause thinking to become ‘cold’ or ‘abstract'
negative short-term effects:
After Consuming a Periwinkle Containing Infusion:
- Possible for the mind to race when under pressure (although not
aimlessly) which can inhibit recollection.
- Tendency to ramble and over-talk (could also be seen as a benefit for
facilitating communication)
- Increases perspiration
- Slightly diuretic
- Lowers blood sugar level, I suspect this is due to increased cognitive
activity (can be seen as a positive effect)
positive long-term effects:
- Improvement in memory and general cognitive function
- Strong motivation to pursue abstract mental pursuits (could be
considered a negative effect).
negative long-term effects:
- Gradually suppresses immune system with regular use (I find that after
two weeks of continued use, these effects become noticeable)
- May possibly cause undue strain on the kidneys with prolonged use
Contraindications:
- Not recommended for anyone with a compromised immune system.
- Not recommended for long-term use without regular periods of
cessation.
Personal Notes/Perspective
The comments I’ve made about Vinca Minor’s short and long term positive
and negative effects don’t do proper justice to it’s ability to aid cognition
and mental clarity. Vinca Minor, in my most humble opinion, is utterly
peerless in it’s ability to enhance mental function. It is great for learning,
creativity, problem solving and contemplating mystical topics. It also, (at
least for me), holds a role as a ‘great protector’ of the mind, cleverly
fending off all manner of negative influences without resorting to force or
even needing to offer direct resistance.
I would call Vinca Minor one of the great sages of the plant kingdom. This
plant’s spirit is playful, intelligent, creative and benevolent. Even the fact
that you must cease it’s use periodically doesn’t occur to you as an
exhaustion or rude interruption. It’s as if you get the message:
“sorry, we can work together only for so long, until next timeâ€.
Unfortunately, I have not yet met this plant’s spirit face-to-face, at least to
my knowledge. I hope this meeting will come to be some day, so I can
properly express my gratitude to this excellent spirit.
Other Notes
- Due to its effects on blood sugar levels, it was once thought that
Periwinkle might be used as a cure or treatment for diabetes. However, it
has subsequently been found that it has no effect on this disease (apart
from a short-term drop in blood sugar levels).
- The FDA (USA) has listed Vinca Minor as ‘unsafe’. Ironically, you could
probably relabel their list of ‘unsafe’ herbs as ‘pharmacologically useful’
herbs without anyone noticing
- Vincamine and a synthetic derivative vinpocetine are being researched
as possible treatments to various forms of cognitive impairment,
particularly vascular dementia:
(http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scrip ... mentID=161).
Links
http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htd ... camine.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincamine
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/periwinkle.php
http://www.drugs.com/npp/periwinkle.html
http://www.gardensablaze.com/HerbPeriwinkleMed.htm
http://hcs.osu.edu/pocketgardener/sourc ... minor.html
http://www.missouriplants.com/Blueopp/V ... _page.html
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/p/periwi27.html
Tissane Recipes
- all plant materials are to be ground into a powder just prior to mixing (I use a suribachi)
- all proportions are by volume of ground, dried plant material.
- Periwinkle stems are very tough, but you must grind them to a powder
in order to benefit
TG's 'Sage' Contemplation
1x Sage (Leaves)
1x Lesser Periwinkle (Leaves and stems)
1x Ginkgo Biloba (Leaves)
1x Peppermint (Leaves)
Notes:
Great for focussed contemplation and creativity. Tastes very good; the
sage does an excellent job balancing out the 'rubber balloon'-like flavour
of ginkgo leaves).
TG's 'Mental' Infusion
2x Lesser Periwinkle (Leaves and stems)
1x Spearmint (Leaves)
Notes:
One of my staple tisanes, in my opinion, the absolute best way to
experience the raw spirit of periwinkle. The spearmint shows excellent
synergy, in fact, periwinkle guided me to include it in this proportion.
(Please remember to thank the plants for giving of their lives so that
yours may be enriched)
-
That's all for now, thank-you for reading about one of my favourite herbs.
cheers,
T. Guy.
