Botanical Name: Carthamus tinctorius Common name: False saff Read More
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Botanical Name: |
Carthamus tinctorius |
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Common name: |
False saffron, Kusum |
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Plant
family: |
Asteraceae |
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Genus: |
Carthamus |
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Appearance/Color: |
Pale yellow |
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Origin |
Mexico |
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Source |
Flower |
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Method
of Extraction |
Cold Pressed |
Safflower is an annual plant
native to the Mediterranean countries and cultivated in Europe and the U.S. Its
glabrous, branching stem grows from 1 to 3 feet high and bears alternate,
sessile, oblong, or ovate-lanceolate leaves armed with small, spiny teeth. The
orange-yellow flowers grow in flower heads about 1 to 11/2 inches across. This
thistle is valued for its orange-yellow flowers in summer and for the oil
contained in its seeds. The orange-red flowers of safflower sometimes serve as a
substitute for saffron, since they give a (rather pale) colour to the food.
They are frequently sold as “saffron” to tourists in Hungary or Northern Africa
(and probably many other parts of the world) Their value as spice is nearly
nil, but their staining capability justifies usage in the kitchen.
Carthamus tinctorius L., known as Kafesheh (Persian) and
safflower (English) is vastly utilized in Traditional Medicine for various
medical conditions, namely dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, postpartum abdominal pain and
mass, trauma and pain of joints. It is largely used for flavoring and coloring
purposes among the local population. Safflower oil protects and nourishes the
scalp as well as hair, promoting faster hair growth and reducing hair loss. It
also helps unclog the pores and reduce rashes and acne, while facilitating the
new growth of cells.
Essential oils are distilled from
the aromatic leaves, bark, and roots of plants. If applied to the skin
directly, they can cause reactions, such as severe irritation, redness or
burning.
Carrier oils and essential oils
are made from plants. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils and
“carry” them to skin. That’s because essential oils are potent and can cause
irritation when applied directly to skin. Most carrier oils are unscented or
lightly scented and don’t interfere with an essential oil’s therapeutic
properties. They may be used alone or with other oils to nourish skin.
Carrier oils are used to dilute
the essential oils and help “carry” them into the skin. Aloe vera gels and
unscented body lotion are also sometimes used as carriers.
To be used in aromatherapy, it is
recommended that the oil is obtained through cold pressing. In this process,
the oil is extracted by crushing the plants. Users claim that the fragile
nutrients in the oil can be damaged if they are extracted with heat.
Venkatramna’s carrier Oils are extracted from the Cold Pressed method to retain
their properties.
Common Usage: Aromatherapy
TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Safety Summary
·
Hazards Not Known
·
Contraindications: Not Known
Organ Specific Effects
·
Adverse skin reaction: No Information Found
·
Reproductive Toxicity: No Information
Found
Systemic Effects
·
Acute
Toxicity: Non-Toxic
Product.
·
Antioxidant/pro-oxidant activity: No Data Available
·
Carcinogenic/anti carcinogenic potential: No Data Available
ECOLOGICAL
INFORMATION
Toxicity
·
Acute fish toxicity: LC50 / 96 HOUR – No
data available
·
Toxicity to aquatic plants – No data
available
·
Toxicity to microorganisms – No data
available
·
Toxicity threshold – No data available
·
Persistence and degradability:
Biodegradation is expected
·
Bio-accumulative potential:
Bioaccumulation is unlikely
·
Mobility in soil: Unknown
Avoid exposure to marine environments and waterways
