What is "ononis spinosa"

Onocerin \On`o*ce"rin\, n. [NL. Ononis, the generic name of the plant + L. cera wax.] (Chem.) A white crystalline waxy substance extracted from the root of the leguminous plant Ononis spinosa.

Cammock \Cam"mock\, n. [AS. cammoc.] (Bot.) A plant having long hard, crooked roots, the Ononis spinosa; -- called also rest-harrow. The Scandix Pecten-Veneris is also called cammock.

Ononis spinosa is a plant belonging to the family Fabaceae, that is commonly known as spiny restharrow or just restharrow. It is found throughout much of Europe but seldom as far north as Scotland.

In medieval Russia, it used to be used for manufacturing Bulat steel. Though the original process is now lost, it is known it involved dipping the finished weapon into a vat containing a special liquid of which spiny restharrow extract was a part (the plant's name in Russian, stalnik, reflects its historical role), then holding the sword aloft while galloping on a horse, allowing it to dry and harden against the wind.

In traditional Russian herbal medicine, it is used as an anodyne, antiphlogistic, aperient, coagulant and diuretic. It is considered helpful in treating urinary catarrh, kidney inflammation, and rheumatism, as well as aiding those who accumulate uric acid and are susceptible to kidney stones. A decoction of restharrow is used to treat eczema and other skin problems. It is used over an average course of six weeks to treat hemorrhoids, chronic constipation and infections of the anus.