The best way to do that is to make a tincture (alcohol extract):
- Wash the root, chop it into small pieces, and fill a jar with the plant material.
- Add enough 100-proof alcohol to cover the roots.
- Leave the medicine brewing on your counter for six weeks, then strain out the roots.
Full Answer
What is poke root tincture?
Poke root tincture is used by some for Lyme disease, a DROP at a time. (Not a dropperful.) Poke root oil is used for breast tumors.
How to make a tincture?
How to Make a Tincture 1 Remove the fresh or dried herbs off of the stalks. 2 Chop fresh herbs and grind dried herbs to increase the surface area for the maceration. 3 Pour high proof alcohol (vodka or brandy) over the herbs until they are completely covered. 4 Cover tightly with a lid and place the jar in a dark cupboard...
What are the best herbs for tincture making?
Choosing Herbs for Tincture Making. For the folk method of tincturing, good herbs to try are gentle ones like chamomile, calendula, dandelion (unless you have gall bladder issues), burdock, echinacea root, black elderberry flowers, fennel, hawthorn (unless you are on heart meds), lavender, meadowsweet, mullein, passionflower,...
What can I do with the leaves of a poke plant?
The leaves are sometimes used in a dish called poke salad which was popularized in an Elvis song called ‘Polk Salad Annie’. However before the leaves are eaten, or used internally by herbalists, they must be prepared properly. Herbalists and locals boil the leaves three times in fresh water making sure they discard the old water between each boil.
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How do you make a pokeweed tincture?
The sight of pokeweed can strike fear into the hearts of mama....Making root tincture of pokeweedWash the root, chop it into small pieces, and fill a jar with the plant material.Add enough 100-proof alcohol to cover the roots.Leave the medicine brewing on your counter for six weeks, then strain out the roots.
Does pokeweed have any medicinal properties?
In homeopathic medicine, pokeweed is used to treat tonsillitis. It is also used to treat psoriasis and eczema and suppress inflammatory immune responses. Pokeweed is also rumored to prevent or treat cancer and boost immunity in people with HIV.
What part of the poke plant is poisonous?
All parts of the pokeweed plant are poisonous, especially roots and seeds, but its toxicity is generally considered to be low. Pokeweed can reach up to 10 feet tall and has distinctly red stems and berries that change from green to dark purple when ripe.
What do you do with poke root?
The root has a very specific role in good breast health. It is known, when applied topically as a poultice or a salve, to be helpful in dissolving fibrous or cystic areas in the breast. It is anti-inflammatory so may relieve congestion and swelling. It has been used in this way for millennia.
How did Native Americans use pokeweed?
Indians of the Rocky Mountain region used pokeweed to treat epilepsy, anxiety and neurological disorders. The Pah-Utes fermented berries in water to make a narcotic tea (Scully, 217). Today, pokeweed proteins have shown promise in treating certain types of cancer and inhibiting HIV cell replication (Mitich, 889).
Is pokeweed psychoactive?
The typical infructescence of pokeweed (Phytolacca acinosa), the root of which was used in ancient China for psychoactive purposes. The flower of American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), a plant that Indians used for many purposes, including as a narcotic.
Is pokeweed root edible?
Cooked berries and leaves (cooked twice in separate water) can technically be eaten. However, this is not recommended because there is no guarantee that they are safe. The roots should never be eaten. Symptoms most often appear within 6 hours of ingestion.
What happens if you eat raw pokeweed?
Eating just 10 berries can be toxic to an adult. Green berries seem to be more poisonous than mature, red berries. Pokeweed can cause nausea, vomiting, cramping, stomach pain, diarrhea, low blood pressure, difficulty controlling urination (incontinence), thirst, and other serious side effects.
What should I do if I touched pokeweed?
How to Treat Pokeweed Poisoning After Touching. If a mild rash occurs, it can most likely be cared for at home. In a similar fashion to how you would ease the itching of poison ivy, oak, or chickenpox. However difficult, try to avoid scratching.
Is pokeweed an antiviral?
Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) is a plant-derived N-glycosidase that exhibits antiviral activity against several viruses. The enzyme removes purine bases from the messenger RNAs of the retroviruses Human immunodeficiency virus-1 and Human T-cell leukemia virus-1.
Is poke root an antiviral?
Used as an anti-tumor remedy, to clear the lymphatic system, antiviral, and immune stimulant (Easley, 2016). Poke root oil is used for swollen lymph noes, mastitis, or breast cancer (Easley, 2016).
What happens if you eat pokeberry?
Pokeberries are found in grape-like clusters on tall perennials with purple-red stems. Eating several berries can cause pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Adults have eaten the roots, mistaking them for medicinal plants.
Why do people eat pokeweed?
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center cites research showing that raw pokeweed has medicinal properties that can help cure herpes and HIV. That said, there are no clinical trials that support the use of the cooked dish as such, or as any kind of medicine, but its devotees swear by its curative qualities.
What happens if you smoke pokeweed?
The pokeweed plant contains poisonous sap that causes a skin rash. If you burn pokeweed, the smoke from the fire will contain these toxins. Breathing in even a small amount of this smoke will bring the toxins into your lungs and airways. This can cause a severe allergic reaction that may result in trouble breathing.
What is pokeberry good for?
Today, pokeberry is being researched as a possible treatment for cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, a chemical found in pokeberry juice has been used to successfully treat cancerous tumors in laboratory mice. The chemical is also being tested to determine if it can protect cells from HIV and AIDS.
Is pokeweed and elderberry the same thing?
No, pokeweed is not the same as elderberry. Elderberry is a delicious fruit (when cooked) that can be used in recipes. It also safely provides health benefits such as antiviral and immune-boosting effects. Pokeweed, on the other hand, is poisonous!
Colon cancer
According to a 2014 study, poke root extract may work against colon cancer cells by altering gene expression. Another 2015 study found that poke root seeds have antitumor activity against human colon cancer cells.
Oral diseases
Poke root may also have antibacterial properties. In a 2014 lab study, poke root extracts destroyed bacteria responsible for periodontal disease and cavities. The researchers speculated that poke root works by inhibiting important enzymes in the bacteria.
Poke root tincture
A poke root tincture is made by infusing alcohol with poke root. It’s taken directly by mouth or mixed with liquid, like water.
Poke root oil
Poke root oil is an herbal oil that’s infused with poke root. It can be made with various carrier oils, such as olive oil. It’s applied topically.
Poke root salve
The herb is also used as a salve, which is a medicated ointment that’s applied on the skin. It’s made by infusing beeswax and oils with poke root.
Poke root tea
Some people use poke root as a tea. This remedy is made by steeping dried poke root in hot water for several minutes.
Poke root sallet
Poke sallet, also called poke salat, is a traditional dish in the Southern United States. It’s made by boiling young poke root leaves, which is said to make it safe.
Medicinal Benefits of Poke Root
Poke salve and oil have traditionally be used for lymphatic support when applied externally or on lymph glands, lumps, bumps, growths and tumors.
How to Make Poke Root Oil and Salve
2) Chop it into small pieces (Important: wear gloves to protect skin from absorbing the medicine.)
What is Poke Root?
If you live in the USA, pretty much anywhere from Maine down to Texas, you might well be familiar with poke root.
The Medicinal Uses of Poke Root
One of the most popular uses of pokeweed is to keep the lymphatic system working effectively. The importance of the lymphatic system is often overlooked when it comes to the value of certain herbs but it plays a crucial role in our health.
How to Use Poke Root
Poke root is usually taken medicinally in the form of a tincture but can be applied topically in the form of a compress.
Side Effect and Precautions
Poke root is considered unsafe for internal use. If you are considering using the herb, it is very important to consult an expert before going ahead with it. All parts of this plant are poisonous to humans especially its root.
What is a Tincture?
Before learning how to make a tincture, it is important to learn what a tincture is! Tinctures are herbal preparations that use something beyond water as a solvent. Using a solvent like alcohol, vinegar, or glycerin, you can extract a greater spectrum of the whole plant and preserve the medicine much longer than an infusion or a decoction.
Choosing Herbs for Tincture Making
You may want to first think about the actions or energetics of the herb that you are using, in addition to any precautions or contraindications. If you have a medical condition, are taking pharmaceutical drugs, or are pregnant, please consult your physician prior to taking herbs.
How to Make a Tincture
1. Remove the fresh or dried herbs off of the stalks. If using freshly dug roots, wash and scrub them of dirt.
About Pokeberries
It is also known as red ink, inkberry, crowberry, Phytolacca Americana, cancer root, cancer jalap, American nightshade, coakum, chongras, crowberry, and garget pigeonberry, scoke, red ink plant, Poke is an herbaceous plant with berry-like fruit. It is native to the Eastern United States, where it proliferates in damp soils.
Health Benefits of Pokeberries
The roots of pokeberry plants are anti-inflammatory, expectorant, narcotic, hypnotic, cathartic, and purgative.
Pokeberry Side Effects
It has been reported that all parts of the pokeweed plant are poisonous. Poisoning has been reported from drinking tea brewed from pokeweed root and leaves.
