Bitter
Wood, also called Bitter Ash, Bitter Bark, and Quassia, comes from a tree
that is native to Northern Brazil, the West Indies, and Jamaica. The Jamaican
variety can grow up to a hundred feet in height and has often been used in the
lumber trade. The wood of the Bitter Wood is odorless, but has a very bitter
taste. The resin of the Bitter Wood, called quassin, is a natural insecticide,
making the Quassia tree virtually impervious to insects. It was for this reason
that the native peoples used Bitter Wood to rid their children of lice and also
as a treatment for intestinal parasites. Bitter Wood was also used by the
indigenous tribes to treat dysentery, snakebite, venereal disease, and malaria.
Bitter Wood is now used primarily as a bitter tonic to aid in digestion and has
been used in combination with
Meadowsweet,
Marshmallow Root,
and
Hops
in the treatment of dyspepsia. Bitter Wood has also been used in combination
with
Ginger
to improve stomach function and with
Mandrake Root to cleanse
the bowels. It is also an appetite stimulant, and has been used by some to treat
anorexia. Bitter Wood is sometimes used to treat sinus infections and to lower
fevers. Bitter Wood has also been said to reduce one’s taste for alcohol.
