The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body - Heal Your Body Naturally and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables (71 page)

Pokeweed contains substances referred to collectively as Pokeweed mitogens that are said to affect cell division. They are toxic to many disease-causing organisms, including the water snails that cause schistosomiasis.

Treatments:

Pokeweed is believed to contain potent anti-inflammatory agents that have been used to relieve tracheitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, chronic catarrh, inflamed mucous membranes and many rheumatic complaints.

As a lymphagogue, Pokeweed is thought to be excellent in cases of stagnation and cessation of flow associated with lymphatic and glandular stasis. This activity is important because the lymphatic system transports infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes, is also involved in the removal of foreign matter and cell debris by phagocytes, and is part of the body's immune system. It has been used to relieve swollen glands, enlarged thyroid glands, goiter, lymphadenitis, mumps, lymphedema and many other lymphatic disorders.

Further supporting its importance as a potent immune enhancer, Pokeweed is believed to stimulate macrophage activity. Phytolacca mitogens have demonstrated an immuno-stimulating effect by enhancing hemagglutination, leucagglutination and mitogenicity (proliferation of T and B lymphocytes) and an increase in peripheral blood plasma cells.

Pokeweed is considered a cathartic and emetic. Its purgative actions work to cause copious and rapid evacuation of the bowels, and its emetic properties work to induce vomiting.

Traditional herbalists have been using Pokeweed for years in treatments for certain types of cancers. There are claims that Pokeweed has been effective in cases of uterine, throat and breast cancer. It has been utilized topically in poultices, as well as internally (and is an important ingredient in the controversial Hoxsey formula for cancer care) and other herbal blends. It is important to note that the Hoxsey formula is not sanctioned by the orthodox medical community. Pokeweed is also used to relieve swollen and caked breasts (mastitis).

Used topically in poultices (and internally), Pokeweed is thought to be excellent in cases of scrofula, eczema, psoriasis, lingering infections, itching and other skin diseases.

Precautions:

Pregnant and nursing women should avoid Pokeweed. Great care should be taken with the use of this herb, since it is very potent in its actions. It should be used only in small amounts and under the care of a knowledgeable health care provider. It should not be used by those who have lymphatic cancer.

Taken in large doses Pokeweed has narcotic properties and slows cardiac contraction, reduces the force of the pulse, decreases respiratory activity and acts to paralyze the central nervous system. Gastrointestinal irritation is an indication of toxicity, and usage should be stopped immediately.

Dosages:

Take two (2) capsules, one (1) time each day with water at an early to mid-day mealtime.

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Pomegranate
has been used since time immemorial for
ridding the intestines of tapeworm infestation and other intestinal parasites
.  It is also an astringent that has been used to
ease chronic diarrhea and dysentery,
and recent studies show promise in the area of antioxidant protection for a healthy heart and serious prostate disease.

Plant Description
:

The
Pomegranate
is one of a species of fruit-bearing, deciduous shrubs or trees, and it is believed to have originated in the area from eastern Iran to India; however, its true native range has not accurately been determined because of its extensive cultivation throughout the warm areas of the world. The tree bears slender, oblong, glossy leaves with bright red flowers and fruits (containing edible pulp and seed grains) that range in size from an orange to a grapefruit, and it grows as an ornamental, thriving in well-drained soil in full sun, reaching a possible height of thirty feet.

Pomegranates may grow wild and are drought tolerant, but they fruit most successfully when cultivated in long, hot, summer climates; in wet areas, they are prone to root decay from fungal diseases.

History:

It is said that the Iranian cities of Kashan, Saveh and Yazd cultivate and produce the finest Pomegrantes in the world. Pomegranate's medicinal history may be traced back to antiquity.
  In the Old Testament, it is noted that Pomegranate figures were woven onto the borders of Hebrew priestly robes, and Kings Chapter 7:13-22 describes Pomegrantes depicted in King Solomon's temple in Jerusalem.

The Jewish tradition teaches that the Pomegranate is a symbol for righteousness, and many Jews eat Pomegranates on Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot. Pomegranate was mentioned as a cure for tapeworms in the famed
Ebers Papyri
(circa 1500 B.C.) that was found in Egypt, and was also used for that purpose in ancient Greece (the same use echoed in today's herbal medicine).

Pomegranate was regarded as a medicinal herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine around 470 A.D., and was considered a symbol of fertility in times past and was eaten by childless women. It is said that Europeans largely overlooked the medicinal applications of Pomegranate until 1804, when a practitioner in India cured an Englishman of tapeworm infestation. The fruits are eaten fresh, and the seed grains are used to garnish desserts.
  Pomegranate juice is famous as the cordial called grenadine, an important ingredient in cocktails, as well as an important flavoring for drinks, fruit salads, sorbets, ice creams and natural health fruit juices (in England, Pomegranate juice is endorsed by the cholesterol charity, HEART UK). Preliminary studies have suggested that Pomegranate juice may contain almost three times the total antioxidant ability compared to the same quantity of green tea or red wine. The bark, root, fruit and fruit rind are used in herbal medicine.  Some of the constituents in Pomegranate include fruit acids, sugar, polyphenols, tannins, anthocyanins, alkaloids (pelletierine, etc.), gum, protein, iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium.  One Pomegranate is believed to deliver forty percent of an adult's vitamin C requirement, the antioxidant vitamins A and E, and it is also said to be a rich source of folic acid and niacin.

Medical Uses:

Pomegranate is considered to be an anthelmintic or substance that destroys and expels intestinal worms. Of all types of intestinal worm infestations, Pomegranate is said to be most useful in cases of tapeworm, an incredibly long parasite, which attaches itself to the intestinal walls of its host by means of spined or sucking structures.  Pomegranate is believed to contain an unusual alkaloid content, called pelletierine, which was discovered in 1878, and apparently effective when expelling worms and parasites from the intestinal tract.

Pomegranate is a bittersweet, warming, astringent herb, and its fruit peel contains about thirty percent tannin, which is an active astringent substance.
  As such, it has been used to relieve looseness of bowels, control chronic diarrhea and alleviate amoebic dysentery.

With regard to heart health, the polyphenols in Pomegranate are currently being studied for their abilities as antixodiants that may be responsible for free radical scavenging.
  In several human clinical trials, Pomegranate has been found effective in reducing several heart risk factors, including LDL (low-density lipoproteins or "bad cholesterol") oxidation, macrophage oxidative status and foam cell formation, all of which are steps in arteriosclerosis and heart disease. Israeli scientists claim that Pomegranate may prevent the thickening of arteries.

Researchers at the University Of Wisconsin School Of Medicine claim that Pomegranate shows major promise in the fight against prostate cancer. In vitro studies using human cancer cells, the higher the dose of Pomegranate extract the cells received, the more cells died. In laboratory tests using mice, the results were dramatic: Those receiving the higher concentration of Pomegranate extract showed significant slowing of their cancer progression and a decrease in the levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a marker used to indicate the presence of prostate cancer in humans.
  "Our study - while early - adds to growing evidence that pomegranates contain very powerful agents against cancer, particularly prostate cancer," says lead author, Dr. Hasan Mukhtar, professor of dermatology in the UW Medical School.

Treatment:

According to Dr. Qi Dai, assistant professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, a ten-year study found that the particularly strong antioxidant effects of the polyphenols, which may be found in Pomegranate, act to reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.

Pomegranate is believed to possess antiviral and antiseptic properties, which have been helpful when applied to cuts.
  When used externally, it is said to be beneficial in cases of skin problems, vaginal discharge and as a vaginal douche for leucorrhoea.Pomegranate's antibacterial activities also render it beneficial for oral health, helping to relieve mouth sores, throat infections (as a gargle), mouth irritation, and several studies have indicated that treatment with Pomegranate extract significantly improved clinical signs of chronic periodontitis.  Furthermore, its astringent action results in strengthened gums. 

Precautions:

Pomegranate should not be used by pregnant and nursing women, and overuse (many times the recommended dosage) may cause cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.

* * * * *

The
Prickly Pear Cactus
is often used to
relieve the symptoms of overindulgence in alcohol
, including dry mouth and nausea. The herb is also thought to
lower fats and cholesterol
in the blood, and is becoming increasingly popular as a means to
decrease blood sugar levels
and
control diabetes
.

Plant Description:

Prickly Pear Cactus
is a large cactus with a woody trunk and large top, many oblong joints, small, yellow barbed spines, bright yellow flowers, and red fruit with a juicy, white, sweet flesh and numerous black seeds. 

It is said to be a native of Mexico, where it is considered the symbol of identity of the Mexican people and even included on the Mexican flag.About twenty thousand years ago, Opuntia (or Prickly Pear) began to develop as a food, and the plant's development was said to enable human settlement and cultural development in many parts of the arid lands, where it was considered the lifeblood of those ancient cultures, particularly in times of drought.
 

From about 5,000 to 7,000 B. C., prehistoric indigenous groups began the cultivation of a series of native plants, including beans, opuntia, peppers and agave, etc., and in Pre-Columbian times, Prickly Pear was considered an important staple food (for both humans and livestock), a beverage, a medicine, a source of dye and was included in religious and magical rites.
 

During the Spanish Colonial Period, Prickly Pear gained further importance as forage when cattle was introduced to the semiarid areas and there was a consequent depletion of grasslands. Its beneficial uses as a medicine and beverage were also gaining in reputation.
  In the
De la Cruz-Badiano Codex
of 1552, it was noted that Prickly Pear treated several ailments and was used to cure burns and soothe wounds, and Friar Motolinia said,” these Indians, from a land so sterile that they lack water, drink the juice of these leaves of nopal"  (the genus,
Opuntia,
is still often called Nopal).  Prickly Pear received its botanical name,
Opuntia,
from Tournefot, who thought the plant was similar to a thorny plant that grew in the town of Opus, in Greece. 

After the Spanish conquest, Prickly Pear spread from Mexico to practically all the Americas (from Canada to Patagonia, Argentina) and may now be found in tropical and arid regions throughout the world, including the southwestern United States. Some of the constituents in Prickly Pear Cactus include water, fat, mucopolysaccharide soluble fibers, carbohydrate, protein, saponins, glycosides, a flavonoid (quercetin), minerals and large amounts of B1, B6, niacin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.

Medical Uses:

Prickly Pear is said to be beneficial in diabetes control, because it contains a high percentage of carbohydrate fibers known as mucilage which does not dissolve in water, but it does absorb water, so it swells up to form a bulky paste when exposed to fluids.
  The fiber component is thought to produce hypoglycemic activity by affecting the intestinal uptake of glucose. In double-blind tests, insulin concentrations were favorably affected with the administration of Prickly Pear, and the herb is thought to reach maximum effect about three to four hours after eating a meal.

The pectin component in Prickly Pear does dissolve in water and becomes a thick, syrupy liquid, which is thought to coat and protect the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, thereby helping to relieve digestive problems, relieve stomachache and irritable bowel syndrome.

This coating effect created by the pectin in Prickly Pear may help hyperlipidemia and to lower cholesterol in the blood.  The pectin seems to attach to substances in the stomach or intestines and appears to inhibit the absorption of fats from food.  Consequently, excess levels of fats and cholesterol in the blood may be lowered.  Animal research has indicated that the pectin component may also alter hepatic (liver) cholesterol metabolism.