Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Osha

Description

Osha, whose botanical name is Ligusticum porteri, is a plant native to the western United States and Mexico. A member of the Umbelliferae family, osha has been used for centuries by Native Americans and Mexicans as a treatment for sore throats, fevers, and influenza. The plant belongs to the same family as parsley and dill, and it has the same long thin hollow stalk with large divided leaves. These leaves can reach heights of 2 ft (0.6 m). Osha's seeds and flowers are at the top of the plant and spread out in the form of an umbrella, whence its Latin family name. Osha flowers are white and the seeds have a sweet celery-like smell, as does the entire plant. The root is very hairy, brown on the outside and yellow on the inside. The plant has several other...