SC - Help - Dangerous Herbs

[Stefan li Rous]

Korrin S. DaArdain asked:
> 	Could someone tell me what herbs cause abortions? I know there is
> at least one, but I can't remember the name. I am putting on a small
> medieval feast for some friends and one of them is pregnant and I do not
> want to cause a miscarriage.

I've heard at least a few mentioned. I'm not sure if there is any
medical proof on any of them, though. 

I would check these files in the Florilegium for some more info.
In the PLANTS, HERBS ABD SPICES section:
rue-msg           (29K)  9/ 1/98    Medieval uses of the herb "rue". Cautions.
herbs-msg         (85K) 12/ 7/99    Herbs used in period and how they
were used.
                                       Modern sources.
herb-uses-msg     (32K)  2/15/00    Uses for various herbs. Recipes.

And this one in the PERSONAL CARE section. Today, we draw a much finer
distinction between birth control herbs and aborticificants than they
did.
birth-control-msg (29K)  3/22/00    Period birth-control.

While it is better to err on the side of caution, most herbs in most cases
need to be taken in much larger doses to cause a miscarriage than we
are likely to use in food. Of course herb potency varies from plant to
plant as various growers can attest and sometimes particular compounds
(THC for instance :-) ) can be increased through selective breeding.
- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****