Bloodroot aka Sanguinaria canadensis...Native peoples in eastern n. america all used it and taught it to settlers. It has a wide range of uses. In many parts of Appalachia it is still considered a "love tonic", known by names such as Pucoon by native americans. African americans in the south shortened it to "coon root" and drank bloodroot infused whiskey to "build a nature" (T.Bass). I'm sure it still goes on.
It’s one of the best known indigenous remedies for treating skin cancer and various growths. It was mixed with other herbs in a paste that burned the growth off in 24hrs. If you have a wart that needs to go, it's your plant.
However, it was most often used for treating some symptoms of flu and pneumonia. Again, not alone but as an ingredient in a more complex remedy. It does things like relax bronchial muscles and at the same time act as an stimulating expectorant to clear lung congestion.
In early spring the root is collected while the plant is in bloom. It can be made into a tincture or salve, standard rules apply.
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For some heavy reading at NIH…
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037693/
Sanguinaria canadensis: Traditional Medicine, Phytochemical Composition, Biological Activities and Current Uses
...S. canadensis contains eight isoquinoline alkaloids at biologically relevant concentrations including six quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloids (QBAs) sanguinarine, chelerythrine, sanguilutine, chelilutine, sanguirubine, chelirubine and two protopin alkaloids protopine and allocryptopine (Figure 1) [7]. Most reports regarding these alkaloids discuss their anticancer effects, especially for sanguinarine and chelerythrine [8], although antimicrobial [9], cardiovascular [10], neuroreceptor [11] and anti-inflammatory activities [12] of these alkaloids have also been identified...
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This weird little plant is barely 3 inches tall, sort of like a wide deformed clover. It pokes up from the leaf litter in old hardwood forests. Usually on northern facing slopes. I looked for this plant for years but didn’t see it anywhere around here (200sqmi). I finally saw last week on Lookout Mtn. The leaves are actually a lot bigger than I’ve read, easier to see.
I saw it mixed with other medicinals, the forest floor was a green carpet, dozens of species. I like seeing a forest floor come alive this time of year.
It’s one of the best known indigenous remedies for treating skin cancer and various growths. It was mixed with other herbs in a paste that burned the growth off in 24hrs. If you have a wart that needs to go, it's your plant.
However, it was most often used for treating some symptoms of flu and pneumonia. Again, not alone but as an ingredient in a more complex remedy. It does things like relax bronchial muscles and at the same time act as an stimulating expectorant to clear lung congestion.
In early spring the root is collected while the plant is in bloom. It can be made into a tincture or salve, standard rules apply.
--------------------
For some heavy reading at NIH…
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037693/
Sanguinaria canadensis: Traditional Medicine, Phytochemical Composition, Biological Activities and Current Uses
...S. canadensis contains eight isoquinoline alkaloids at biologically relevant concentrations including six quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloids (QBAs) sanguinarine, chelerythrine, sanguilutine, chelilutine, sanguirubine, chelirubine and two protopin alkaloids protopine and allocryptopine (Figure 1) [7]. Most reports regarding these alkaloids discuss their anticancer effects, especially for sanguinarine and chelerythrine [8], although antimicrobial [9], cardiovascular [10], neuroreceptor [11] and anti-inflammatory activities [12] of these alkaloids have also been identified...
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This weird little plant is barely 3 inches tall, sort of like a wide deformed clover. It pokes up from the leaf litter in old hardwood forests. Usually on northern facing slopes. I looked for this plant for years but didn’t see it anywhere around here (200sqmi). I finally saw last week on Lookout Mtn. The leaves are actually a lot bigger than I’ve read, easier to see.
I saw it mixed with other medicinals, the forest floor was a green carpet, dozens of species. I like seeing a forest floor come alive this time of year.
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