Lovage is a classic spice for soups. The plant, also known as maggi herb, not only has a spicy taste, but also health-promoting properties. As a medicinal plant, lovage root in particular is effective against bladder and urinary tract infections and also shows antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Table of contents
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- Characteristics
- Lovage – an overview
- Levisticum officinale – ingredients
- Medical effect
- Flavonoids im Maggikraut
- Coumarins: Effects of Umbelliferone
- Lovage Root: Medicinal Uses
- Buy and grow lovage
- Dry lovage
- Maggikraut in the kitchen
Characteristics
- Scientific name: Levisticum officinale
- Common names (selection): Maggikraut, Gichtstock, Luststock, Nutstock
- Familie: Doldenblütler (Apiaceae)
- Distribution: The origin is probably in Iran; since ancient times, lovage has spread to the Mediterranean and from there to Central Europe
- Plant parts used: leaves, roots (rhizome), fruits and seeds (whole plant)
- Ingredients: essential oil with alkyl phthalides such as ligustilide, polyacetylene, coumarins and coumarin derivatives including umbelliferone and furocoumarins (also furanocoumarins), flavonoids such as quercetin, phenolic carboxylic acids such as caffeic acid, soloton (flavoring / odor component)
- Areas of application: against inflammation of the urinary tract and bladder, mild urinary tract problems, to combat microbes, as an antispasmodic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, in folk medicine also for digestive problems, menstrual problems, cardiovascular problems, rheumatism, gout and as an expectorant.
Lovage – an overview
- The name “Maggikraut” probably came about because of the similarity of the plant’s taste to the seasoning sauce known as “Maggi wort”. However, this does not contain any lovage.
- The leaves taste similar to celery, but more bitter and pungent. They are particularly suitable for vegetable soups.
- Maggi herb is not only a popular kitchen spice but also a well-known medicinal plant. While the leaves are primarily used for seasoning, the roots in particular are used as a herbal remedy.
- Lovage contains a number of medicinally effective substances that, among other things, have diuretic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
- Lovage is easy to grow in a sunny location. A single plant is very productive, especially if you pick the leaves regularly and stimulate their growth.
Levisticum officinale – ingredients
Lovage mainly provides essential oil with alkyl phthalides such as ligustilide. Furthermore, polyacetylenes, coumarins and coumarin derivatives include umbelliferone and furocoumarins (also furanocoumarins), flavonoids such as quercetin and phenolic carboxylic acids such as caffeic acid.
The name “Maggikraut” probably came about because of the similarity of the plant’s taste to the seasoning sauce known as “Maggi wort”. However, this does not contain any lovage. The key aromatic and odor component is the Soloton contained in it.
The main medicinal plant used is the lovage root (Levistici radix) – it contains the highest proportion of effective essential oil. But the leaves (Levistici herba), fruits (Levistici fructus) and seeds are also used as medicinal products. The leaves are primarily used as a spice in the kitchen.
Medical effect
Lovage is used medicinally, particularly for flushing therapy for inflammation of the urinary tract and bladder (cystitis) and for mild urinary tract problems. The effect is mainly based on an increase in the amount of urine.
In this regard, lovage root has also been classified as a traditional herbal medicine by the HCMP (Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products). According to the monograph of Commission E (1990), Levistici radix is also suitable for the prevention and treatment of kidney stones (see also kidney stones).
In folk medicine, it is also used for digestive, menstrual and cardiovascular problems, rheumatism and gout, as well as its use as an expectorant for respiratory catarrhs.
Many ingredients in lovage have been scientifically proven to have health effects. They expel urine, relieve cramps and fight microbes such as bacteria and fungi (essential oil) and relieve inflammation and pain (ligustilide).
An Iranian study (2018), for example, examined the effect of the oil from the above-ground parts of lovage against the tuberculosis pathogen Mycobacterium tuberclosis. This showed that bacterial strains that had already developed multi-resistance to existing antibiotics reacted sensitively to substances in lovage oil. Lovage oil acts against an enzyme that is required for the biosynthesis of bacterial cell walls.
A study (2019) also examined and demonstrated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of phenolic extracts from lovage.
Antioxidants prevent oxidation processes in the body and thus slow down free radicals that lead to oxidative stress, in which cells require additional energy to keep their membranes functioning. If oxidized proteins accumulate in cells during this process, it damages the DNA. Therefore, oxidative stress is considered a trigger for premature aging, shortened life expectancy, diseases of the circulatory system and cancer. Antioxidants counteract these health risks.
Flavonoids im Maggikraut
Maggikraut contains medicinally effective flavonoids such as quercetin. Quercetin is also an antioxidant and also has other positive health effects, such as preventing or relieving muscle soreness and being a natural antihistamine, it can help with allergic reactions and histamine intolerance.
Nevertheless, depending on the dosage, quercetin can also be harmful or toxic to humans.
Coumarins: Effects of Umbelliferone
Like many umbelliferous plants, lovage contains umbelliferone, a hydroxy derivative of coumarin (7-hydroxycoumarin, hydrangine). It has an antioxidant effect and absorbs UV light. That's why it is also used to make sunscreens.
In addition, it has anti-inflammatory effects. According to a review (2023), pharmacological studies showed that umbelliferone also has effects against diabetes, cancer, infections, rheumatoid arthritis and has protective effects on nerves, liver, kidneys and heart. However, the most important role is assigned to the inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation and further research is recommended to further investigate the potential of umbelliferone to treat numerous diseases.
Evidence of anti-diabetes effects was provided by an Iranian scientific team, among others, with study results (2020) showing that lovage can help prevent dyslipidemia and could also have other anti-diabetic health benefits. Dyslipidemia is one of the possible lipid metabolism disorders that affect a majority of patients with diabetes mellitus.
Lovage is a popular kitchen spice, and it's not just the taste but also the health-promoting effects that make the plant so effective. (Image: spazer.z.aparatem/stock.adobe.com/own editing heilpraxis.de)
Lovage Root: Medicinal Uses
The best known are dragees or drops as ready-made medicines that contain lovage root, either in powdered form or as an aqueous extract. The dosage should always be strictly according to the package leaflet.
Cut root pieces are also available or can be made at home. These are used to prepare a tea infusion, which is usually drunk two to three times a day. A daily dose of around four to six grams of the root should not be exceeded.
To prepare a tea infusion, take one to three grams of finely chopped or coarsely powdered lovage root, pour it into around 150 milliliters of boiling water and strain it after about ten to fifteen minutes.
Levisticum officinale globules are also used in homeopathy.
Buy and grow lovage
You can buy dried lovage or as a fresh herb in selected supermarkets all year round. Plants to grow in the garden or balcony are available in nurseries and garden centers, in the garden department of hardware stores or in organic stores. Greenhouse plants that you can buy in the supermarket to pluck fresh leaves are often not suitable for long-term cultivation yourself.
Lovage needs sun or partial shade. The soil must contain lime and nutrients, and can also be clayey. It should always remain slightly moist because the plant cannot tolerate constant drought. In spring you can fertilize with comfrey manure and in autumn with garden compost
The plant is hardy and will live for many years if cared for well. Fully grown lovage can grow two meters in height and also expands in width. Nevertheless, it can also be grown well in a bucket or pot.
A single plant is very productive, especially if regular picking of the leaves stimulates their growth.
Dry lovage
Lovage can be harvested from spring to autumn. But you don't have to do without it in the other seasons. You can hang the leaves in bunches upside down in a dry room and let them dry there, or spread them out on a kitchen towel until they no longer contain any moisture. The aroma and nutrients are retained during drying.
Maggikraut in the kitchen
The fresh, chopped or dried leaves are ideal for herb butter and especially for bean, pea and potato soup. You have to pay attention to the dosage. Lovage leaves have an intense flavor, similar to celery, but more bitter and pungent.
The leaves can be cooked without losing their aroma or effect. (Dr Utz Anhalt)