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Burning Bush | | Name : | Burning Bush | | Botanical : | Dictamnus albus | | Synonyms : | Arrow-wood
Bitterash
Burningbush
Euonymus
Indianarrow
Indianarrowroot
Indianarrow wood
Indianroot
Pegwood
Spindletree
Strawberrytree
Wauhoo
Whahow
| | Family : | Rutaceae | | Parts Used : | Bark and root bark | | Habitat : | Found in moist woods and along riverbanks in the eastern United States;as far west as Montana and Texas. Ontario to Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas,Oklahoma to North Dakota. | | Description : | The members of this small genus are plants about 2 feet high, bearing flowers in a long, pyramidal, loose spike, varying in colour from pale purple to white. It prefers to grow in woods in warm places. The whole plant, especially when rubbed, gives out an odour like lemon-peel, and when bruised this grows more like that of a fine balsam, strongest in the pedicels of the flowers. It is due to an essential oil, which gives off an inflammable vapour in heat or in dry, cloudy weather, which also congeals as resinous wax, exuding from rusty-red glands in the flowers. This accounts for the fact that the atmosphere surrounding it will often take fire if approached by a lighted candle, without injuring the plant.
The fragrant leaves and handsome flowers cause it to be frequently cultivated in gardens.
The prepared root-bark is whitish, almost odourless, and rolled in pieces from 1 to 2 inches long. | | Constituents : | The acrid and resinous principles have not been analysed. | | Uses : | The drug is very little used to-day, though it is an ingredient in 'Orvieton' 'Solomon's Opiate,' 'Guttète Powder,' 'Balm of Fioraventi,' 'Eau generale,' 'Hyacinth Mixture,' etc. It is recommended in nervous complaints and intermittent fevers, and used to be given in scrofulous and scorbutic diseases. It is a cordial and stomachic. The distilled water is used as a cosmetic. An infusion of the leaves is regarded as a substitute for tea. The powder is combined with that of peppermint for use in epilepsy. | | Dosage : | Infusion: steep 1 level tsp. bark in 1 cup water for 30 minutes.Take 1/2 to 1 cup an hour before meals for indigestion.
Decoction: 1 oz. bark boiled slowly in a pint of water. Whencooled, the decoction is served 2 to 3 times per day in wineglassfuldoses.
The bark may also be steeped in grain alcohol (not rubbing alcohol)to make a tincture, given in 5-10 drop doses (3-9 gms), usually mixedwith water or on sugar. | | Safety : | The leaves, bark, and fruit of wahoo are considered poisonous andcan cause various symptoms of poisoning, such as nausea, cold sweats,and prostration.
The fruits may be attractive but they are considered poisonous andshould not be used.
Using too much wahoo bark or root bark may result in a severe purgativeaction.
Should be used under medical supervision. | | Myths : | The name 'Wahoo' is a Native American name, most commonly appliedto a large shrub or small tree. The name wahoo is also given to anElm (Ulmus alata) and another variety, Euonymus americanus.
The European settlers didn't take long to pick up the Native Americanapplications of wahoo bark, using it for laxative, diuretic, and toniceffects. Something of a nineteenth century fad developed, and thebark went into various patent medicines and was extremely popularfor a time in England. It was listed as an official drug plant. In1912, a report was published showing the plant produced digitalis-likeeffect on the heart, boosting the herb's popularity as a heart medicine.But 4 years later wahoo was dropped as an official drug plant, thoughit continued to be included in the National Formulary until 1947. |
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