Carthamus.
Botanical name:
Related entry: Crocus sativus, Saffron
The florets of Carthamus tinctorius, Linné (Nat. Ord. Compositae). Egypt and the Mediterranean countries, but cultivated in Europe and the United States.
Common Names: Safflower, Dyer's Saffron, Bastard Saffron, American Saffron.
Principal Constituents.—Two beautiful coloring principles, Safflor yellow, and a red, carthamin or carthamic acid (C14H16O7). The latter is a valuable dye.
Action and Therapy.—Chiefly employed in domestic medicine in hot infusion as an emmenagogue for amenorrhea due to recent colds; and to determine the eruption in scarlet fever and measles. It is somewhat diaphoretic and laxative, and is little used by physicians.
