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Flower Power

Flower Power The flower Tanacetum cinerariifolium (Figure) is one of about 30 species in the genus Chrysanthemum. Also known as the Dalmatian chrysanthemum, the dried flower heads of this particular species is useful as a source of pyrethrum extracts. The natural pyrethrum has been used to make several different insecticides, most notably permethrin. While physicians have used permethrin to treat pediculosis capitis and scabies for decades, tales of the chrysanthemum and its uses dates back much further. Figure. View LargeDownload Tanacetum cinerariifolium Photograph by Kenpei, distributed under a Creative Commons by ShareAlike 3.0 license. Public domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tanacetum_cinerariifolium1.jpg. Accessed November 11, 2015. In China during the East Han Dynasty, there was said to have lived a monster in the Ruhe River. Whenever the monster appeared, a plague would ravage the people nearby and they would fall ill and die. One of these outbreaks claimed the lives of the parents of a man named Huan Jing. After the deaths of his parents, Huan gained the resolve to kill the monster and sought help from a famous Taoist priest named Fei Changfang. He became a disciple of Fei and learned the skills necessary to defeat the demon. One day, Huan was climbing a mountain with his master when Fei had a premonition. He told Huan, “On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, disaster will come to your hometown.” Before leaving to protect his village, Fei gave Huan a bottle of chrysanthemum wine and a bag of zhuyu leaves. Huan arrived at his hometown on the predicted day of disaster and gave each villager a zhuyu leaf and a cup of chrysanthemum wine. He told all the villagers to climb a nearby mountain to get away from the approaching danger. At midday, the monster arose from the Ruhe River and entered the village. The monster became dizzy on encountering the smell of the zhuyu leaves and chrysanthemum wine. It was then that Huan was able to kill the monster and rid the land of the plague that had devastated them for so long. The people of the village were so grateful to have survived the disaster that they set aside the day for celebration.1 The Double Ninth Festival, celebrated in China and Japan, may have originated as a day to drive away danger, but over time has become a day of celebration. Today it is customary for people to climb mountains, drink chrysanthemum wine and tea, eat double-ninth cakes, and appreciate chrysanthemum flowers.2 Mountain climbing races are held with the winners being awarded wreaths made of zhuyu. Women use chrysanthemums to decorate their hair, and the flowers are hung on doors to ward off evil and misfortune. The flower has a long history in helping us to combat disease, in both legend and real life. Everything from mites and lice to monsters and evil spirits is no match for the mighty chrysanthemum. Back to top Article Information Corresponding Author: Jorge Roman, BS, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555 (joroman@utmb.edu). References 1. People’s Daily Online. Legend of Double Ninth Festival. http://en.people.cn/features/festivals/doublelegend1.htm. Accessed December 2015. 2. Travel Guide China. Chongyang Festival (Double Ninth Festival). https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/chongyang.htm. Accessed December 2015. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png JAMA Dermatology American Medical Association

Flower Power

Roman, Jorge
JAMA Dermatology , Volume 152 (8) – Aug 1, 2016
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Flower Power

Abstract

The flower Tanacetum cinerariifolium (Figure) is one of about 30 species in the genus Chrysanthemum. Also known as the Dalmatian chrysanthemum, the dried flower heads of this particular species is useful as a source of pyrethrum extracts. The natural pyrethrum has been used to make several different insecticides, most notably permethrin. While physicians have used permethrin to treat pediculosis capitis and scabies for decades, tales of the chrysanthemum and its uses dates back much further....
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Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
2168-6068
eISSN
2168-6084
DOI
10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.5636
pmid
27532351
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The flower Tanacetum cinerariifolium (Figure) is one of about 30 species in the genus Chrysanthemum. Also known as the Dalmatian chrysanthemum, the dried flower heads of this particular species is useful as a source of pyrethrum extracts. The natural pyrethrum has been used to make several different insecticides, most notably permethrin. While physicians have used permethrin to treat pediculosis capitis and scabies for decades, tales of the chrysanthemum and its uses dates back much further. Figure. View LargeDownload Tanacetum cinerariifolium Photograph by Kenpei, distributed under a Creative Commons by ShareAlike 3.0 license. Public domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tanacetum_cinerariifolium1.jpg. Accessed November 11, 2015. In China during the East Han Dynasty, there was said to have lived a monster in the Ruhe River. Whenever the monster appeared, a plague would ravage the people nearby and they would fall ill and die. One of these outbreaks claimed the lives of the parents of a man named Huan Jing. After the deaths of his parents, Huan gained the resolve to kill the monster and sought help from a famous Taoist priest named Fei Changfang. He became a disciple of Fei and learned the skills necessary to defeat the demon. One day, Huan was climbing a mountain with his master when Fei had a premonition. He told Huan, “On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, disaster will come to your hometown.” Before leaving to protect his village, Fei gave Huan a bottle of chrysanthemum wine and a bag of zhuyu leaves. Huan arrived at his hometown on the predicted day of disaster and gave each villager a zhuyu leaf and a cup of chrysanthemum wine. He told all the villagers to climb a nearby mountain to get away from the approaching danger. At midday, the monster arose from the Ruhe River and entered the village. The monster became dizzy on encountering the smell of the zhuyu leaves and chrysanthemum wine. It was then that Huan was able to kill the monster and rid the land of the plague that had devastated them for so long. The people of the village were so grateful to have survived the disaster that they set aside the day for celebration.1 The Double Ninth Festival, celebrated in China and Japan, may have originated as a day to drive away danger, but over time has become a day of celebration. Today it is customary for people to climb mountains, drink chrysanthemum wine and tea, eat double-ninth cakes, and appreciate chrysanthemum flowers.2 Mountain climbing races are held with the winners being awarded wreaths made of zhuyu. Women use chrysanthemums to decorate their hair, and the flowers are hung on doors to ward off evil and misfortune. The flower has a long history in helping us to combat disease, in both legend and real life. Everything from mites and lice to monsters and evil spirits is no match for the mighty chrysanthemum. Back to top Article Information Corresponding Author: Jorge Roman, BS, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555 (joroman@utmb.edu). References 1. People’s Daily Online. Legend of Double Ninth Festival. http://en.people.cn/features/festivals/doublelegend1.htm. Accessed December 2015. 2. Travel Guide China. Chongyang Festival (Double Ninth Festival). https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/chongyang.htm. Accessed December 2015.

Journal

JAMA Dermatology – American Medical Association

Published: Aug 1, 2016

References