Club Moss

With its wide native range, the plant has found a wide range of medicinal uses around the world. There has been considerable research into the active constituents of the plant.
The aerial parts contain dihydrocaffeic acid, which has a blood pressure lowering effect, as well as alkaloids such as lycopodine, chinoline, clavatine, clavatoxine and annotinine, which all cause an increase in blood pressure[299
].
Lycopodine also stimulates the peristaltic movements of the intestine and contraction of the uterus[299
].
The aerial parts also contain derivatives of cinnamonic acid and flavonoids[299
].
A methanol extract of the plant showed strong prolyl-endopeptidase-inhibiting activity and is expected to have activity against loss of memory[299
].
The spores contain about 50% greenish yellow acidic oil, 3% sugar, 1 – 4% ash and a trace of a volatile alkaloid[299
].

A decoction of the plant is analgesic, antirheumatic, carminative, mildly diuretic, stomachic and tonic[4
, 9
, 13
, 21
, 46
, 154
, 172
, 176
, 218
, 238
]. It is used internally in the treatment of urinary and kidney disorders, rheumatic arthritis, catarrhal cystitis, gastritis, dysentery, malaria etc[176
, 238
, 299
]. The whole plant is chewed to induce vomiting after food poisoning or acute stomach pain[299
]. The sun-dried, pulverized leaves are mixed with plantain and milk, and the mixture is given in small doses to children to cure diarrhoea and dysentery[299
].
It is applied externally to skin diseases, wounds, ulcers and irritations[238
, 299
]. The whole plant is grilled with sugarcane and banana skins and applied to cracked lips to promote healing[299
].
The plant can be harvested all year round and is used fresh or dried[238
].

The spores of this plant are antipruritic, decongestant, diuretic, stomachic and styptic[4
].
They are applied externally as a dusting powder to various skin diseases, to wounds or inhaled to stop bleeding noses[4
, 7
]. They can also be used to absorb fluids from injured tissues[213
, 218
]. The spores are harvested when ripe in late summer[9
].
The spores can also be used as a dusting powder to prevent pills sticking together[4
, 213
].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the spores[232
]. It has a wide range of applications including dry coughs, mumps and rheumatic pains[232
, 238
].

The plant is one of the ingredients of a remedy to alleviate jet lag[299
].