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Indigo

Botanical: Indigofera tinctoria
Family: N.O. Leguminosae

---Synonyms---Pigmentum Indicum
---Part Used---The plant.
---Habitat---India; cultivated in sub-tropical countries.


---Description---A blue dyestuff is obtained from the various species of Indigofera. It does not exist ready formed, but is produced during fermentation from another agent existing in the plant. This is called Indocan, and is yellow, amorphous, of a nauseous bitter taste with an acid reaction; readily soluble in water, alcohol and ether.

---Medicinal Action and Uses---Indigo was at one time much used in medicine, but now is rarely employed. It is said to produce nausea and vomiting.

It is a very well-known and highly important dye, millions of pounds being exported from India annually.

An artificial product, Indigotine, is manufactured chemically and used as a substitute.

Purchase from Richters Seeds
Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria) Seeds
False Indigo (Baptisia australis) Seeds

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Bear in mind "A Modern Herbal" was written with the conventional wisdom of the early 1900's. This should be taken into account as some of the information may now be considered inaccurate, or not in accordance with modern medicine.

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