Traditional Herbal Aids in
Health Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Ask The Herbalist
Herb Articles
Teeter Creek Tales
|
| | |
|
Featured Herb: Solomon's Seal
Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum spp.). Part Used: Root.
Solomon's Seal Root is an attractive perennial woodland plant in the Lily family found in moist woods of the northern and eastern U.S. Related species have been used in herbal medicine in Europe and Asia. It is a plant whose uses would seem to relate very well to the ancient "Doctrine of Signatures", in which a plant's uses are suggsested by the appearance of the plant itself. In the case of the Solomon's Seal, the knobby roots are very suggestive of joints or vertebrae. John Gerard, famous herbalist of the 16th century wrote: "The root stamped and applied in manner of a pultesse, and layd upon members that have been out of joint, and newly restored to their places, driveth away the pain and taketh away the inflammation...".
This time-honored herb had been neglected for many years in herbalism, but has now found a resurgence as a remedy for musculo-skeletal problems. Matthew Wood, a well-studied and very inutitive herbalist from Minnesota is largely responsible, through his writings on case studies, for bringing it back into the herbal limelight.
The uses being found for Solomon's Seal, used internally and externally in tandem, are the healing of broken bones. Matthew discusses its ability to adjust the tension of misplaced or injured tendons, ligaments, and joints. Repetitive sports conditions and old injuries: tennis elbow, jogger's knee, carpal tunnal syndrome. Tendonitis. Arthritis of the joints, in which its lubricating properties come into play. Arthritis in the hip and or shoulder.
In conditions where there is breakdown of cartilage it is used along with Horsetail herb. It helps in the breakdown of bone spurs, while aiding in re-calcifying when needed for bones. It is a long-used remedy for bruises and for hemmorhoids, internally and externally.
Solomon's Seal's other uses are related to it's properties of being a moistening, nutritive tonic: in Chinese parlance, a Yin tonic. Hence, its use in conditions characterized by dryness, as in chronic thirst and dehydration. Constipation with dryness and small, hard stool. Dry lung cough.
Its use as a nutritive tonic give it a place in debility and weakness from chronic illness, and in malabsorption and chronic weight loss. A wonderful herb that is making a comeback. It can easily be grown from root divisions in a woodland or shaded setting.
The dosage of the extract is 20 to 40 drops 2 to 3 x a day in a little water. the extract can also be well-rubbed on externally over areas where needed.
| |
| | |
|
|
|