Blackcurrant - Treatment and Medical uses of Blackcurrant

Latin description: Ribes nigrum

Common Name: Currant, European Black Currant, Quincy Berry

Parts Used: Leaves, fruit, oil.

Medcinal Uses and Benefits of Blackcurrant

• Leaves have been used to treat urinary retention and bladder stones. The berries and their juice to treat kidney problems and colic pain.
• Has been used internally for colds, capillary fragility, mouth and throat infections (as a gargle, and also drunk cold for hoarseness and throat problems); also anemia, malnutrition, and general debility (1 pint water to 1 oz leaves). Leaf tea has been used to treat gout, rheumatism, and arteriosclerosis.
• Sweet-sour, astringent, diaphoretic, tonic, anti-inflammatory, strengthens capillaries, antibacterial and tonic; leaves are diuretic, refrigerant and detergent (cleans wounds and ulcers); juice of the berries is said to be antiseptic and has been used to 'purify' blood. Healing to the nervous sytem.
• Fruit has been used to treat quincy (severe inflammation of the throat). An infusion of the dried berries was also used as a mouthwash for bleeding gums.
• Both leaf tea and the juice of the berries has been used to treat whooping cough in children.
• Due to its GLA content (anti-inflammatory), black currant oil is currently used as a dietary supplement for auto-immune diseases. Thought to be useful in treating Multiple Sclerosis (500 mg taken 2 times daily); GLA can also be found in Evening Primrose oil. Also said to be beneficial in a number of conditions relating to run-down physical states.