Source: Scotsman (UK) Contact: http://www.scotsman.com/ Pubdate: 5 Sep 1998 Author: Jennifer Trueland HIGHLAND'S MAGIC POTION REVEALED Humble heath pea could be Scotland's equivalent of cocaine, botanist claims IN THE books of Goscinny and Uderzo, Asterix and Obelix thwarted the might of.the Roman empire thanks to a magic potion that gave them super-human strength. But while the pharmaceutically-enhanced struggles of that Gaulish village were fictitious, an ethnobotanist from the Borders believes that the Highlanders of the 17th century had a tonic that gave them superhuman powers. Its secret ingredient? A pea. Dr Brian Moffat. director of the Soutra medieval hospital study, reckons an indigenous plant with properties similar to the coca plant - the source of cocaine - put the fire in Scottish bellies. "The claims made for this plant quite simply mean that it falls into the superhuman category," said Dr Moffat. "Its properties are unmatched in any plant I have heard of and it has parallels with coca." The plant in question could barely look more humble. Variously called the heath pea, karemyle, carrameille, and, technically, Lathyras macrorhizas or inifolius, it is a type of pea that tastes and smells much like liquorice, and its roots used to he eaten raw, boiled or roasted, or used to make a kind of drink. Dr Moffat said it appeared that when dried the tubers enabled people to carry out enormous acts of endurance, such as working hard for days on end without the need for food and drink. The ethnohotanist, who will deliver a paper on the properties of the plant at the Orkney Science Festival next week, believes that travellers' tales describing a plant with super-energising powers might reveal an a centuries-old culture of Highland drug-taking. He quotes from a variety of 17th and 18th century texts - including writings by Sir Robert Sibbald, who was a co-founder of the Royal Botanic Garden and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, - suggesting that it could be the source of tales of exceptional derring do and energy. Though the accounts post-date William Wallace and Robert the Bruce by some centuries, they could also throw light on their incredible heroism - and could explain why strength sports like tossing the caber became a peculiarly Highland custom. "The accounts are mostly second-hand, but they are quite detailed and authoritative. According to travellers' tales, the tubers would be hung up to dry in much the same way as onions. Whenever some particularly superhuman effort was recquired, they popped two or three in their mouths." According to Dr Moffat, the claims made for this plant are so lavish that a detalled study should be carried out. His own preliminary findings - he denies having sampled it - show that the plant is incredibly sweet, with an anise-like aroma. This suggests, he says, that it contains transethanol, a substance 300 times sweeter than sugar, which could account for its energising properties. Dr Moffat believes the word of such an eminent scholar as Sir Robert means that the plant should be taken seriously. But more recent accounts do not back his claims that it could be the Scottish equivalent of the coca plant. The most recent scholarly work on the subject, Tess Darwin's The Scots Herbal, The Plant Lore of Scotland, lists much more modest properties for what she calls bitter vetch - although it had its benefits. "Islanders on Mull were inclined to drink a great deal of whisky in wet weather - a pleasant enough way to pass a dreich day when no outdoorwork could be done - - and used to chew the root of this plant afterwards, to sweeten their breath and to prevent drunkenness." If it is, however, the answer to coca, then Dr Moffat is confident that it won't send drug dealers and thrill-seekers to the north of Scotland and Hebridean islands to dig up the roots. "With so many synthetic substances available, I don't really think ravers will be rushing to take up field botany." - --- Checked-by: Pat Dolan