Botanical: Phytolacca americana (also known as Phytolacca decandra)
Family: Phytolaccaceae (pokeweed)
Other common names: Pokeweed, Garget, Score, Coakum, Cocum, Pigeon Berry, Red Plant, Virginia Poke, Skokeweed, Cancer Root, Red Nightshade, American Nightshade, Redweed, Ink Berry, Red Ink Plant
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Poke Root has a wide range of uses and is a valuable addition to many holistic treatments. The root has a very favorable influence on the glandular system, inciting and increasing its actions. It regulates the liver and bowels, cleanses the blood and is highly valued in conditions due to impurities in the blood.
Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Viable Herbal Solutions is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
History and Uses:
Poke Root is an American perennial shrub which grows in damp woodlands, hedges and waste places, especially in the South. The parts of this plant used medicinally are the roots and the berries. The genus name, Phytolacca, is derived from the Greek word, phyton, meaning "plant." The English name, Poke, is said to be derived from an Indian word, pocan, a name for any plant that yields a red dye, and from pak, meaning "blood." A dye from the berries has been used as ink and paint and for basket coloring. In fact, the United States Constitution was written in Pokeberry ink. During the presidential campaign of James Polk, his supporters wore a sprig of Poke in their lapels. At one time, Poke was even used to treat syphilis. In Africa, the plant is being investigated for its ability to control bilharzia, a parasitic disease contracted by bathing in water containing certain snails. The primary chemical constituents of Poke Root include triterpenoid saponins, alkaloids (phytolaccine), phytolaccic acid, formic acid, lectins, tannin, antiviral protein (PAP), fatty oil, resin and sugars. The alkaloid constituents are fundamentally nitrogen-containing molecules that are thought to have a marked effect on both animal and human physiology in varying roles - from pain suppression to poisoning. Moreover, the tannins have the effect of precipitating protein molecules, producing a sort of "leather coat" on the surface of tissues. Little documented evidence exists as to the specific beneficial role of the phytolaccic acid. Poke Root is broadly described as an alterative, purgative and emetic. An alterative is any herb which will gradually restore the proper function of the body and increase health and vitality. It acts to alter the body's processes of metabolism, so that tissues can best deal with the range of functions from nutrition to elimination. Emetics are herbs that cause vomiting through irritation of the stomach or nervous system. A purgative is an herb which has the effect of causing rapid and violent diarrhea. In large doses, Poke Root may produce gastro-enteritis with concomitant vomiting and diarrhea and may act as a depressant on the respiratory and cardiac centers, as well as depressing the visual and auditory senses (see warnings below). Known topical applications of this herb have included its use as a poultice for boils, fungal infections, skin and breast malignancies and as a compress for mastitis. A poultice of the berries has been used on boils, ringworm, scabies and wounds, as well as a salve for bedsores, carbuncles, chickenpox, eczema, fungal infection, hemorrhoids, herpes, measles, psoriasis and shingles.
Recommended Dosage:
UNDER CONSIDERATION AT PRESENT.
Contraindications:
Pregnant and nursing women should avoid Pokeweed. Great care should be taken with the use of this herb, since it is very potent in its actions. It should be used only in small amounts and under the care of a knowledgeable health care provider. It should not be used by those who have lymphatic cancer. Taken in large doses Pokeweed has narcotic properties and slows cardiac contraction, reduces the force of the pulse, decreases respiratory activity and acts to paralyze the central nervous system. It can cause prolonged vomiting, muscle spasms, convulsions, and gastrointestinal irritation is an indication of toxicity, and usage should be stopped immediately.
Capsule Information:
Our Poke Root supplements are encapsulated in 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose, Certified Kosher, size "00" Capsules. (click here for size comparison) Each capsule contains approximately 600 mgs. |
