Hedysarum alpinum vs Encephalartos altensteinii

Side-by-side comparison of medicinal herbs

Herb

Hedysarum alpinum

Nutritive

Nutritive

Hedysarum alpinum

✅ Generally safe in pregnancy

✅ Generally safe while nursing

Encephalartos altensteinii

❌ Not recommended in pregnancy

❌ Not recommended while nursing

Description

Arctic and alpine legume used as food by indigenous Siberian and North American peoples.

An African cycad used by Zulu and Xhosa peoples as food with elaborate detoxification processing.

Active Compounds

proteins, starch, saponins, flavonoids

cycasin, starch, flavonoids

Traditional Uses

Food root in Arctic indigenous cuisine, Mild medicine, Ceremonial use

Processed food source, Traditional use, Ceremonial use

Modern Uses

Nutritive starch, Adaptogenic food

Ethnobotanical documentation

Adult Dosage

Roots cooked as food

Processed only as traditional food

Contraindications

None significant

Raw plant highly toxic, Critically endangered — protected

Side Effects

None documented

Neurotoxicity from raw plant

Drug Interactions

0 known interactions

Reviewed by: HerbAlly Editorial Team, Medical herbalists and healthcare professionals

Sources: WHO Monographs · NCCIH · PubMed · Commission E