Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis)
Sanguinaria canadensis, native to eastern North America, is a herbaceous perennial and, with its white flowers, one of the first plants to cover woodland areas in the spring (Croaker, King, Pyne, Anoopkumar-Dukie, & Liu, 2016). Native Americans used bloodroot in blood tonification and purification, wound healing and pain and fever relief (Borchers, Keen, Stern, & Gershwin, 2000). Today it is used as an antiplaque additive in toothpaste and mouthwash (Wang & Warshaw, 2012).
Historical information on the use of bloodroot can be found in William Barton’s Vegetable materia medica written in 1818. In large doses, this plant is used as a purgative (laxative) and as an emetic to induce vomiting. In smaller doses it is used as a stimulant, an expectorant (medicine to treat coughs) and a diaphoretic (induce perspiration). The root of this plant when used as an emetic has been found to dislodge worms from the stomach.
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Borchers, A. T., Keen, C. L., Stern, J. S., & Gershwin, M. E. (2000). Inflammation and Native American medicine: the role of botanicals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 72(2), 339-347. Retrieved from http://proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=jlh&AN=107140158
Croaker, A., King, G. J., Pyne, J. H., Anoopkumar-Dukie, S., & Liu, L. (2016). Sanguinaria canadensis: Traditional Medicine, Phytochemical Composition, Biological Activities and Current Uses. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 17(9). doi:10.3390/ijms17091414
Wang, M. Z., & Warshaw, E. M. (2012). Bloodroot. Dermatitis, 23(6), 281-283. doi:10.1097/DER.0b013e318273a4dd
Natural Medicines record for Bloodroot.(available only to UI affiliates