Bloodroot
sanguinaria canadensis L.
Papaveraceae
Poppy family
AKAs
Coon root
Indian
paint
Indian plant
Indian red paint
Pauson
Red paint root
Red puccoon
Red root
Sanguinaria
Tetterwort
Bloodroot
is endangered
and should be cultivated.
Do not harvest from the wild.
Do not use
without
medical supervision.
An overdose can be fatal.
Use internally with caution,
it contains toxic opium-like
alkaloids and can cause mucous
membrane irritation, an over dose
can be fatal,
do not use
when pregnant or lactating,
Bloodroot is not edible.
An overdose can be fatal.
Parts
Usually Used
Rootstock collected early in the spring,
carefully dried, then ground into powder.
Legends,
Myths and Stories
Bloodroot
was used
as a medicinal herb extensively
by the Indian Medicine Men and Women
in some North American tribes.
It was a ritual skin paint,
or war paint, and used
as dye by others.
Bloodroot
was used
by the American Indians
as a body paint and as a dye.
A bachelor of the Ponca tribe
would rub a piece of the root
s a love charm on the palm
of his hand, then scheme
to shake hands with the woman
he desired to marry.
After shaking hands,
the girl would be found
willing to marry him in 5-6 days.
One Indian
folk medicine guide
recommended a tincture made
by filling a pint bottle half-full
with finely mashed root and adding
equal parts of alcohol and wart until full.
The recommended dosage ranged
from 1-7 drops every 3-4 hours.
A recommended
ointment
was made by mixing an ounce
of the powdered root
in 3 oz. of lard,
bringing the mixture to a boil,
simmering briefly, then straining.
Cultivation
Description
of Plant and Culture
Dye
External
Formulas
or Dosages
Internal
Legends, Myths and Stories
Medicinal
Properties
Edain McCoy
Jude's
Home Remedies,
by Jude C. Williams, M.H.
Ritchason,
Jack
The Little Herb Encyclopdedia
©1995 Woodland Health Books
P.O. Box 160
Pleasant Grove, Utah 86462
Daily Herbal
Tips
Medicinal
Herbs Online
