Poke Root - Phytolacca decandra
Pokeweed, Pigeon Berry, Poke Root, Coakum, Pocan is one of the main ingredients in Karma Cleanse, an Eagar Cayce formulation available on EdgarCayceOnline.com and NaturalAlternativePath.com
Background: Poke is a toxic herb which may be eaten after long boiling. Medicinally, poke is used as purgative and anti-inflammatory. Poke grows in shady soil across eastern North America. The green or purple stems bearing simple leaves and white flowers that give way to purple staining berries, was used in small doses by the Indians as a blood purifier. The roots were crushed and roasted. This plant must be properly cooked or it can be toxic.
Constituents: Poke root’s main constituents include triterpenoid saponins, alkaloid, resins, phytolacic acid, tannin, formic acid, fatty oil and sugar.
| Medicinal Action and Uses: A slow emetic and purgative with narcotic properties. As an alterative it is used in chronic rheumatism and granular conjunctivitis. As an ointment, in the proportion of a drachm to the ounce, it is used in psora, tinea capitis, favus and sycosis, and other skin diseases, causing at first smarting and heat. | |
| The slowness of action and the narcotic effects that accompany it render its use as an emetic inadvisable. It is used as a cathartic in paralysis of the bowels. Headaches of many sources are benefited by it, and both lotion and tincture are used in leucorrhoea.
As a poultice it causes rapid suppuration in felons. The extract is said to have been used in chronic rheumatism and hemorrhoids. Authorities differ as to its value in cancer. |
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