Chinese: 茜草根

English: Madder

Scientific Name: Rubia tinctorum

Part: Root

Category: Plant

 

Madder is a plant that belongs to the Rubiaceae family. Its scientific name is Rubia tinctorum, and it is also known by other names such as dyer's madder, common madder, or just madder. The plant is native to many regions like Asia and has been cultivated for thousands of years for its red dye, which is extracted from its roots.

 

Madder has been used as a dye for textiles and other materials since ancient times. The dye obtained from madder roots produces a range of colors, from pale pink to deep red, depending on the process used to extract the dye and the type of mordant (a substance used to fix the dye to the fabric) used. The dye is known for its color fastness and has been used to dye fabrics for clothing, carpets, and tapestries.

 

In addition to its use as a dye, madder has also been used in traditional medicine for various purposes, including as a diuretic, a treatment for jaundice, and a remedy for menstrual problems. Some research has also suggested that madder may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

 

Today, madder is still cultivated for its dye, although synthetic dyes have largely replaced natural dyes in the textile industry. Madder is also used as an ornamental plant in gardens due to its attractive foliage and flowers.

 

茜草是茜草科植物，又名血茜草。在亞洲、歐洲和非洲的許多地區，人們從其根部提取紅色染料，已種植茜草數千年。

 

自古以來，茜草就被用作紡織品和其他材料的染料。從茜草根中提取的染料，可產生從淡粉色到深紅色的一系列顏色，具體取決於提取染料的工藝和所用媒染劑(用於將染料固定在織物上的物質)的類型。這種染料以其色牢度著稱，已被用於為服裝、地毯和掛毯的織物染色。

 

除了用作染料外，茜草還用於傳統醫學，包括利尿劑、治療黃疸病和治療月經問題。 一些研究還表明茜草可能具有抗炎和抗氧化特性。

 

時至今日，儘管合成染料已在很大程度上取代了紡織工業中的天然染料，但茜草仍因染料用途而種植。其葉子和花朵迷人，所以也是花園中的觀賞植物。