AYURVEDIC PRACTITIONER
| Red Root, ©2008 Todd Caldecott |
Botanical name: Ceanothus americanus, Rhamnaceae Similar species: C. velutinus, C. sanguineus, C. cuneatus, C. integerrimus Common names: Red Root, Buckbrush, Tobacco Brush, Deerbrush, Mahala May, Lilac Bush, Oregon Tea Tree, Sweet Birch Plant description: Red Root is a spreading shrub or bush that attains a height of between 30 and 120 cm, but can have a diameter that is much larger. It has numerous smooth reddish branches, the younger ones hairy, and a large and thick root, the red to brown, the cortex dark red. The leaves are ovate to oblong-ovate, tip acute, margins serrate, with three veins, smooth above and somewhat pubescent below. The fragrant flowers are quite small, white and numerous, contained in clusters that arise from the leaf axils. The petals number 5 and have long spreading claws, stamens 5, ovary 3-celled. The fruit is dry and 3-celled, with papery valves. Habitat, ecology and distribution: The various species of Red Root can be found across temperate North America: C. americanus found primarily in the eastern regions, and species such as C. velutinus found in the west. It occurs in dry to moist sites usually in sunny locations, and is an important pioneer species after fire and clear cuts.
Part used: Fresh or dried root; leaves. History: Wood mentions that Ceanothus was used early in the 19th century by surgeons as an antihemorrhagic, and that its widespread usage in homeopathy is attributed to Dr. Compton Burnett, who reviewed it in a booklet published in 1898 called Diseases of the Spleen (1997, 193-4). Prior to European usage Ceanothus was widely used by First Nation peoples for a variety of complaints. Willard mentions that Ceanothus was in smoking mixtures and as a substitute for black tea (1992, 136). Constituents: There is little constituent information for Ceanothus. Duke mentions betulin and betulinic-acid in the root bark (2003). Moore lists a group of alkaloids called ceanothin, ceanothamine, integerressine, integerrenine, integerrine, and americine, as well as ceanothic acid, ceanothenic acid, methyl salicylate, tannins, resins and various plant acids (Moore 1993, 216). Li et al mention the existence of three triterpenes (ceanothic acid, 27-hydroxy ceanothic acid and ceanothetric acid) and two flavonoids (maesopsin and maesopsin-6-O-glucoside) (1997). Medical Research:
•Antiinflammatory: A methanol extract of Ceanothus americanus demonstrated antimicrobial activity against selected oral pathogens. Through bioassay-guided fractionation and purification, three triterpenes (ceanothic acid, 27-hydroxy ceanothic acid and ceanothetric acid) and two flavonoids (maesopsin and maesopsin-6-O-glucoside) were identified, both ceanothic acid and ceanothetric acid demonstrating inhibitory effects against Streptococcus mutans, Actinomyces viscosus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Prevotella intermedia (Li et al 1997). Toxicity: There is no toxicity data for the various Ceanothus species, but they are generally regarded by herbalists as safe remedies in small to moderate doses. Herbal action: astringent, expectorant, sedative, antispasmodic, and antisyphilitic Indications: gonorrhoea, dysentery, asthma, chronic bronchitis, whooping-cough Contraindications and cautions: Very large doses may over excite lymphatic and splenic structures. Medicinal uses: From a survey of the ethnobotanical literature, Ceanothus has a long and important use in First Nations medicine as a remedy for the blood. This appears to be a link for the more modern usage of it as a remedy for the spleen and lymphatic system. It is a use however, that appears to have escaped the early physiomedicalists. William Cook thinking Red Root to be at best to be a mild stimulating astringent with nervine and expectorant properties (1869). Cook mentions it internally in chronic diarrhea, and as an injection given in chronic gonorrhea and leucorrhea, and as a wash for ulcers and venereal sores. Cook also makes mention of a Dr. J. Overholt that used Ceonathus leaves as a "…tonic expectorant, with some demulcent properties," indicated in respiratory dryness, bronchitis, cough with debility, and pneumonia (Cook 1869). It appears that it was only after the publication of Edwin Hale's New Remedies, a treatise on some commonly used botanicals in First Nations medicine, shortly after the publication of Cook's Physiomedical Dispensatory, did Ceanothus begin to be thought of as a remedy for the spleen (Wood 1997, 193). In 1893 Felter and Lloyd write that Ceanothus is a useful gastric and hepatic stimulant, with a specific activity directed to the spleen, indicated by "…splenic enlargement, with sallow, doughy skin, and [an] expressionless face" (Felter and Lloyd 1893). Felter and Lloyd liken the activity of Ceonathus to Silybum marianum in its ability toovercome hepatic and splenic congestion, although it is made clear that this is not for acute cases, but for subacute and chronic states used over the long term. More recently, herbalists such as Michael Moore have begun to think of Ceonathus as a remedy for subclinical lymphatic congestion, when symptoms have not fully matured or are becoming chronic. Moore's live blood experiments with the tincture have suggested to him that Ceonathus increases the repelling charge of capillary endothelial cells, improving the movement of blood in and out of tissues, as well as the movement of lymph (1993, 217). He suggests that its usage as a spleen remedy really extends to all lymphatic tissues, when there is subacute to chronic inflammation, useful in lingering forms of mononucleosis and hepatitis (1993, 2178). Wood goes a step further calling Ceonathus the "archetypal spleen medicine," not drawing upon a physiological conception but rather the Chinese notion of Spleen, whose function is partly digestive and partly to transport substances through the blood (1997, 194). Wood suggests that Ceonathus is indicated by a swollen tongue with a white coating, a frail pulse, abdominal pains watery stools, symptoms that are more or less synonymous with the Chinese conception of Spleen yang deficiency (1997, 195). Moore mentions Red Root in symptoms of portal congestion, with aching hemorrhoids, varicose veins and prostatic congestion (1993, 218), and Wood in gynecological disorders such as uterine pain, menorrhagia, frequency and leucorrhea (1997, 196). On an energetic level, Wood believes Ceonathus could be useful in "melancholia," or depressive states where the person feels gloomy and ineffectual, lacking purpose or motivation, especially indicated in "…people who seem to be unable to think their way out of a problem" (1997, 197). Pharmacy and dosage: REFERENCESCook, William H. 1869. The Physiomedical Dispensatory. Cincinnati: self-published. Digitized version available from http://medherb.com/cook/home.htm. |