- Petasites japonicus
Taxobox
name = Giant Butterbur
image_width = 240px
regnum =Plant ae
divisio =Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Asterales
familia =Asteraceae
genus = "Petasites "
species = "P. japonicus"
binomial = "Petasites japonicus"
binomial_authority = (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim."Petasites japonicus", 菜蕗 also known as Fuki, bog rhubarb, or giant butterbur, is an herbaceous perennial plant in the family
Asteraceae . It is native toJapan , where the spring growth is relished as a vegetable.The traditional preparation method for this vegetable involves pre-treating with salt and soaking in water, a technique known as itazuri, or removing harshness.
Like other
Petasites , fuki containspyrrolizidine alkaloid s, which have been associated with cumulative damage to the liver.External links
* [http://www.nsknet.or.jp/~tomi-yasu/recipe/index_vegetable_e.html Recipes from Yasuko-san's Home Cooking]
* [http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/dailyjc/hints/aku/aku.html Traditional itazuri technique]
* Journal of the National Cancer Institute [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=191625&dopt=Abstract abstract] on the P. japonicus alkaloid, petasitenine
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