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Ague Tree | | Name : | Ague Tree | | Synonyms : | Aguetree
Cinnamonwood
Saloip
Saxifrax
| | 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. | | Description : | Sassafras officinale is a small tree with green twigs and large simpleor lobed leaves. Leaves have spicy odor when crushed. Yellow flowersappear on twigs before leaves and are followed by dark, shiny blueberries. In places it is also grown as an ornamental.
The stem of sassafras albidum, which is usually 10 to 40 feet highbut sometimes reaches 125 feet, is covered with rough, grayish bark.The leaves alternate, downy on the lower side, and variable in shapefrom ovate to elliptic, entire or three-lobed. The small, yellowish-greenflowers grow in racemes, blooming before the leaves appear. The fruitis pea-sized, yellowish-green drupe, turns blue-black with 1 seed. | | Constituents : | Aromatic, stimulant, alterative, diaphoretic, diuretic, antiseptic.
The bark of sassafras root contains a volatile oil, resin, wax, camphor,fatty matter, albumen, starch, gum, lignin, tannic acid, salts, anda decomposition product of tannic acid known as sassafrid. | | Uses : | Hot infusion of dried root bark has been used to treat rheumatism,arthritis, gout,and as a wash for skin irritations, eczema,acne, and ulcers.
Tea of the bark of the root was used by old timers as a spring tonic,to cleanse the blood.
Good to flavor other herbs that have a disagreeable taste. Will relievegas, ague, and colic. Taken warm,it is remedy for spasms. Good wash for inflamedeyes. Oil of sassafras is good for the toothache.Used as a wash, good for varicose ulcers.
The bark of the roots contains a volatile oil that has anodyne andantiseptic properties. | | 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. | | 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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