Botanical Index No. 808

Poke Root

phytolacca americana

Medicinal Actions

Alterative, Analgesic, Antialzheimeran, Antiarthritic, Anticancer, Anticatarrhal, Antiedemic, Antiexudative, Antigranuloma, Anti-HIV, Antiinflammatory, Antileukemic, Antimelanomic, Antirheumatic, Antiviral, Depurative, Digestive, Emetic, Expectorant, Fungicide, Hematinic, Hepatoprotective, Immunostimulant, Laxative, Lymphatic, Mitogenic, Molluscicide, Narcotic, Parasiticide, Sedative, Stimulant, Thymolytic

Primary Conditions Treated

Abortifacient Nervine Poison Sternutator Taenifuge Acne Adenopathy Alzheimer’s Angina Aphtha Arthrosis Blackhead Bleeding Boil Bruise Bunion Burn Cancer breast face lip nose skin uterus Carbuncle Cardiopathy Catarrh Conjunctivosis Constipation Dermatosis Diphtheria Dyscrasia Dysentery Dyslactea Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Eczema Edema Fever Fibroid Flu Fungus Headache Hemorrhoid Hepatosis Herpes HIV Immunodepression Infection Inflammation Insomnia Ischiosis Itch Laryngosis Leukemia Lumbago Lymphadenosis Marasmus Mastosis Melanoma Metastasis Mucososis Mumps Mycosis Nephrosis Nervousness Neuralgia Obesity Oliguria Ophthalmia Orchosis Otosis Ovarosis Ozoena Pain Parasite Parotosis Pharyngosis Poison Ivy Polio Psoriasis Pulmonosis Respirosis Rheumatism Rhinosis Ringworm Scabies Scrofula Snakebite Sore Sore Throat Splenosis Sprain Stomatosis Swelling Sycosis Syphilis Tapeworm Tinea Tonsilosis Tracheosis Tuberculosis Tumor Ulcer Uterosis VD Virus Wart Worm Wound

General Dosage

Do not use; 0.2–1 g dry root/day; 60–300 mg root; 0.06–0.3 g powdered root; 0.1–0.5 ml liquid root extract; 0.1–0.5 ml liquid root extract 3 ×/day; 0.2–0.6 ml root tincture; saturated gin berry tincture for arthrosis; 2–4 dry berries/day for arthrosis; 0.15–0.7 ml tincture/day; 60–100 mg. Do not use; 0.2–1 g dry root/day; 60–300 mg root; 0.06–0.3 g powdered root; 0.1–0.5 ml liquid root extract; 0.1–0.5 ml liquid root extract 3 ×/day; 0.2–0.6 ml root tincture; saturated gin berry tincture for arthrosis; 2–4 dry berries/day for arthrosis; 0.15–0.7 ml tincture/day; 60–100 mg.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 3. CAN reports lectins to be mitogenic and toxic, and to cause cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Because of toxic Class 3. CAN reports lectins to be mitogenic and toxic, and to cause cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Because of toxic constituents, uterine stimulation, and reputed affect on the menstrual cycle, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. Ingestion or application of mitogenic berries to broken skin may induce hematologic changes and eosinophilia. Overdose of tea may cause abdominal cramps, diplopia, drowsiness, hematachezia, hematemesis, hypotension, tachycardia, vertigo, watery diarrhea, and weakness. Poke root may also induce convulsions, dyspnea, spasms, and death.

!