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Sassafras | | Name : | Sassafras | | Botanical : | Sassafras officinale | | Latin : | Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees | | Synonyms : | Aguetree
Cinnamonwood
Saloip
Saxifrax
| | Family : | Lauraceae | | Parts Used : | Bark of the root | | Habitat : | Sassafras is a native North American deciduous tree which can befound in woods from Ontario to Michigan, and south to Florida andTexas to east Kansas. Grows in poor soils. | | Picture : |  | | Description : | The name 'Sassafras,' applied by the Spanish botanist Monardes in the sixteenth century, is said to be a corruption of the Spanish word for saxifrage. The tree stands from 20 to 40 feet high, with many slender branches, and smooth, orangebrown bark. The leaves are broadly oval, alternate, and 3 to 7 inches long. The flowers are small, and of an inconspicuous, greenishyellow colour. The roots are large and woody, their bark being soft and spongy, rough, and reddish or greyish-brown in colour. The living bark is nearly white, but exposure causes its immediate discoloration. The roots are imported in large, branched pieces, which may or may not be covered with bark, and often have attached to them a portion of the lower part of the trunk. The central market for all parts is Baltimore. The entire root is official in the British Pharmacopoeia, but only the more active bark in the United States, where wood and bark form separate articles of commerce. The bark without its corky layer is brittle, and the presence of small crystals cause its inner surface to glisten. Both bark and wood have a fragrant odour, and an aromatic, somewhat astringent taste.
The tree, which has berries like those of cinnamon, appears to have been cultivated in England some centuries ago, for in 1633 Johnston wrote: 'I have given the figure of a branch taken from a little sassafras tree which grew in the garden of Mr. Wilmot at Bon.' Probably it was discovered by the Spaniards in Florida, for seventy years earlier there is mention of the reputation of its roots in Spain as a cure for syphilis, rheumatism, etc., though its efficacy has sincethen been much disputed.
The fragrant oil distilled from the rootbark is extensively used in the manufacture of the coarser kinds of perfume, and for scenting the cheapest grades of soap. The oil used in perfumes is also extracted from the fruits. The wood and bark of the tree furnish a yellow dye. In Louisiana, the leaves are used as a condiment in sauces, and also for thickening soups; while the young shoots are used in Virginia for making a kind of beer. Mixed with milk and sugar, Sassafras Tea, under the name of 'Saloop,' could, until a few years ago, be bought at London streetcorners in the early mornings.
SASSAFRAS PITH (Sassafras medulla) is only official in the United States. It is usually found in thin, cylindrical pieces, which are light and spongy, white and insipid. Its principal constituent is mucilage, which may be prepared by adding 60 grains of the pith to a pint of boiling water. This remains limpid when alcohol is added. It is used as a demulcent, especially for inflammation of the eyes, and as a soothing drink in catarrhal affection. | | Constituents : | The root-bark contains a heavy and a light volatile oil, camphorous matter, resin, wax a decomposition product of tannic acid called Sassafrid, tannic acid, gum, albumen, starch, lignin and salts. Sassafrid bears some analogy to cinchonic red. The bark yields from 6 to 9 per cent of oil, of which the chief constituent is Safrol (80 per cent). It is one of the heaviest of the volatile oils, and when cold deposits four- or six-sided prisms of Sassafras camphor, which retain the odour. It should be preserved in well-stoppered, amber-coloured bottles, away from the light. Three bushels of the root yield about 1 lb.
Safrol has been found to be one of those bodies which can exist either in a solid or a liquid condition long after freezing or melting-point. Chemically, it has been found to be the methylene ether of allyl-dioxibenene. It is found in many other species, is now commercially extracted from oil of Camphor, and could possibly be obtained from some members of the Cinnamomum family. Physiologically and therapeutically it is equivalent to oil of Sassafras.
Oil of Sassafras is chiefly used for flavouring purposes, particularly to conceal the flavour of opium when given to children. In the United States of America it is employed for flavouring effervescing drinks. | | Uses : | Aromatic, stimulant, diaphoretic, alterative. It is rarely given alone, but is often combined with guaiacum or sarsaparilla in chronic rheumatism, syphilis, and skin diseases.
The oil is said to relieve the pain caused by menstrual obstructions, and pain following parturition, in doses of 5 to 10 drops on sugar, the same dose having been found useful in gleet and gonorrhoea.
Safrol is found to be slowly absorbed from the alimentary canal, escaping through the lungs unaltered, and through the kidneys oxidized into piperonalic acid.
A teaspoonful of the oil produced vomiting, dilated pupils, stupor and collapse in a young man.
It is used as a local application for wens and for rheumatic pains, and it has been praised as a dental disinfectant.
Its use has caused abortion in several cases.
Dr. Shelby of Huntsville stated that it would both prevent and remove the injurious effects of tobacco.
A lotion of rose-water or distilled water, with Sassafras Pith, filtered after standing for four hours, is recommended for the eyes. | | Dosage : | Take no more than a week at a time.
Infusion: steep 1 tsp. bark of root in 1 cup of water. Take1 cup per day.
Tincture: A dose is 15 to 30 drops.
A remedy for skin disorders such as eczema:
Red clover flowers 2 oz. Burdock root 1 oz. Blue flag root 1 oz. Sassafras root bark 1/2 oz.
Place 1/4 of the mixture in 1 pint of cold water, bring to a boil,simmer for 20 minutes, strain when cold. Dose: One wineglassful3 times per day, until improvement is apparent. | | Safety : | Doubt has arisen as to the safety of sassafras since it is thoughtto contain potential carcinogens. Safrole, found in the oil of sassafras,is the carcinogenic property. Banned by FDA. Yet the safrole in a12 oz. can of old-fashioned root beer is not as carcinogenic as thealcohol (ethanol) in one can of beer. | | Antidote : | The oil can produce marked narcotic poisoning, and death by causing widespread fatty degeneration of the heart, liver, and kidneys, or, in a larger dose, by great depression of the circulation, followed by a centric paralysis of respiration. | | Myths : | Columbus is said to have sensed the nearness of land from the strongscent of sassafras. There is an old story that tells of the scentof sassafras carried out to sea by the wind; it helped Columbus toconvince his mutinous crew that land was near. The crew found theNative Americans using the bark of the root for beverage, medicineand flavoring. This new flavor had an appeal and for more than 200years it was exploited in disease-ridden Europe as a panacea for manyills. At one time Sir Walter Raleigh controlled a monopoly of allimports on this new botanical. Later, the Creoles adopted this flavoringfor soups and sauces.
The tree and tales of its values, learned from the Indians by Spanishexplorers in Florida, were carried to Europe. Sassafras became oneof the first commercial exports from the new land. When the Europeansfirst settled North America, sassafras was a major export. The Plymouthcolony was in part founded on speculation of the sassafras exports.
The Encyclopaedia of Arts and Sciences wrote in 1798, 'Some peopleboil sassafras with beer which they are brewing, because they believeit wholesome. For the same reason, the bark is put into brandy eitherwhilst it is distilling or after it is made.'
'Swedes wash and scour the containers in which they intend to keepcider, beer or brandy with water in which sassafras root or its peelhas been boiled; which they think renders all those liquors more wholesome.'This from Travels Into North America, by P. Kalm, 1772.
In making green tea, drop in a piece of sassafras root and see thegood taste it makes. Good iced, too.
The Pennsylvania Dutch place a piece of sassafras root with theirapplesauce or applebutter when they cook it, to enhance the flavorand aroma. Many housewives try to keep dried fruit for winter use,but the worms often got into it. Then they learned to put a pieceof sassafras root in among the dried fruit and the worms never botheredagain. In this way, the dried fruit may be kept for years. A handfulor two of the bark mixed with a bushel of dried fruits to keep outinsects, also will add flavor to the fruit.
American Indians, it is said, used an infusion of sassafras rootto bring down a fever. Also, they smoked, in a pipe, the bark of theroot, which is highly aromatic.
The oil of sassafras is used in the cosmetic and perfume industry.
One old herbalist physician advised, 'those who wish to break themselvesof chewing tobacco, will find the pith of sassafras an agreeable substitute.'Wonder if this would work for smoking tobacco as well.
Buyer beware: sometimes sassafras is sold that is the inner wood,which is worthless. Resembling lumber shavings and is very light incolor. Good sassafras has a deep red color, agreeable odor and a richflavor found only in the peeled outer bark of the root. To get thisouter bark of the root entails considerable labor and expense. Besure you know what to buy. Quality goes much further. | | Sold : | Tincture |
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