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Description:
Erect, perennial herb; leaves alternate, broad
and strap-like, clasping at the base and with
conspicuous parallel veins; flowers greenish
yellow, in a large terminal cluster; fruit a
capsule.
Medicine:
Indian poke is a highly
toxic plant that was widely employed
medicinally by several native North American
Indian tribes who used it mainly externally in
the treatment of wounds and pain. It
is rarely used today even though it contains
steroidal and other alkaloids and chelidonic
acid. Some of these alkaloids lower blood
pressure and dilate the peripheral vessels -
they have, for example, been used in
conventional medicine to treat high blood
pressure and rapid heart beat.
The root is
analgesic, diaphoretic, emetic. expectorant,
febrifuge, narcotic and sedative. It has been
used in the treatment of acute cases of
pneumonia, peritonitis and threatened apoplexy.
A decoction of the root has been used in the
treatment of chronic coughs and constipation. A
portion of the root has been chewed, or a
decoction used, in the treatment of stomach
pain. The roots are harvested in the autumn and
can be dried for later use.
The root has been used to make a skin wash and
compresses for bruises, sprains and fractures.
The powdered root has been applied as a healing
agent to wounds and as a delousing agent.
Historic
Reference:
Young Indian
in May..."He must then go out again every
morning with the person who is ordered to take
him in hand; he must go into the forest to seek
wild herbs and roots, which they know to be the
most poisonous and bitter; these they bruise in
water and press the juice out of them, which he
must drink and immediately have ready such herbs
as will preserve him from death or vomiting; and
if he cannot retain it, he must repeat the dose
until he can support it, and until his
constitution becomes accustomed to it so that he
can retain it." 1628
De Rasieres New Netherlands
Josselyn in
his New England rarities informs us that the
young Indians had a custom of electing their
chiefs by a sort of ordeal using the root of
white hellebore; "he whose stomach
withstood its action the longest was decided to
be the strongest of the party, and entitled to
command the rest." [New
Engl. Rar. 1672 cited Millspaugh 1892].
"The
Indians cure their wounds with it; annointing
the wound first with raccoon's grease or
wildcat's grease, and strewing upon it the
powder of the root: and, for aches, they scarify
the grieved part, and annoint it with one of the
foresaid oyls; then strew upon it the powder.
The powder of the root, put into a hollow tooth,
is good for the toothach. The root sliced
then and boyled in vinegar, is very good against
herbes millliaris." 1672
Josselyn New England
...very
common in the marshes and in low places over all
North America...the roots are boiled in water,
into which the corn is put as soon as the water
is cool; the corn must lie all night in it, and
is then planted as usual. Then when the
starlings, crows or other birds, pickup or pluck
out the grains of corn, their heads grow
delirious, and they fall, which so frightens the
rest that they never venture on the field again.
When those which have tasted the grains recover,
they leave the field, and are not more tempted
to visit it again. By thus preparing the
corn, one must be careful that no other
creatures touch it; for when ducks or fowls eat
a grain or two of the corn which is thus
stepped, they become very sick, and if they
swallow a considerable quantity they die.
When the root is thrown away raw, no animal eats
it; but when it is put out boiled, its sweet
taste tempts the beasts. Dogs have been
seen to eat a little of it and have become very
sick; however they recover after a vomit...Some
people boil the root for medicinal purposes,
washing scorbutic parts with the water or
decoction. This is said to cause some
pain, and even a plentiful discharge of urine,
but the patient is said to be thereby.
When children are plagued with vermin, the women
boil this root, put the comb into the decoction,
and comb the head withit, and this kills the
lice most effectually." 1749
Kalm Philadelphia March 13th.
"Here
is a rather handsome plant; do you know its
name? it is called Poke, and its root is
considered by the common people to be
poisonous...it dies to the root every year, and
in the spring sends up a large bulb of brad,
lance-oval leaves sheathing each other...The
plant is most common in the black swampy earth
of the evergreen woods, and does not often grow
in clearings except by the side of pools or
water in low ground...The flowers have no
beauty, but the large leaves give it rather a
noble appearance."
1840
Gosse Quebec
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