Blackroot - Treatment and Medical Uses of Blackroot herb

Latin description: Veronicastrum virginicum syn Leptandra virginica syn Veronica virginica

Common Name: Black Root, Bowman's root, Culver's physic, Culver's root, Hini, Leptandra

Parts Used: Dried and powdered rhizome with roots.

Medcinal Uses and Benefits of Blackroot

• Has been used for enteritis and dysentery (combined with Rhubarb root (Rheum palmatum) and given in small doses of decoction every 3 hours).
• Has a long history of Native America usage to induce vomiting.
• Has been used internally for chronic constipation (often combined with Sweet flag and Goldenseal when accompanied by bloating and flatulence), indigestion related to liver disorders (often combined with dandelion and barberry), and for gall bladder inflammation (for gall bladder pain a poultice is applied over the affected area; also duodenal indigestion and chronic indigestion as a result of bile deficiency. Another combination which has been used for nonspecific liver problems is 1 oz Blackroot, 2 oz Goldenseal, 2 oz Senna, and 2 pints boiling water, combined and simmered until reduced to 1 pint; 2 tbsp were taken 3 or 4 times daily.
• Powerful purgative and emetic (fresh root!); also bitter, alterative, antiseptic, laxative, digestive system tonic, diaphoretic, antispasmodic, stimulates production of bile from gall bladder, liver relaxant.
• Has been used to cleanse intestines and liver of excessive mucous (small doses are taken gradually as large doses are purgative).
• Has been combined with Quinine and Fringe tree to assist recovery from post-viral syndrome (1 tsp compound tincture taken 3 times daily). Has also been used in the past for pleurisy.