Sunday, November 22, 2020

Materia Medica Lesson 10-6: Smilax, Sarsaparilla

 Good long term tonic for people who are catabolic dominant and a little deficient. Has a weaker but broader effect than ginseng. Best as part of formula. May have some steroidal effects and be good for libido.... may just be folk lore. Subtle stimulus to anabolic energy. Good for dry gut and dry lungs. Not quite strong enough to be considered adaptogen, but subtly strengthening.

MM says that all smilax can be used interchangeably! So, the green briers I've been fighting for years can be used as sarsaparilla!

SMILAX (Sarsaparilla) ROOT and RHIZOME. Cold Infusion or Strong Decoction, 1-4 ounces, to 3X a day. Tincture [Fresh Root, 1:2, Dry Root, 1:5, 60% alcohol] 30-90 drops to 3X a day. STATUS : W/A

ALTERATIVE SYRUP

Aralia Root .... .......................3

ounces Oplopanax...... .......................2 ounces

Xanthoxylum Bark ................2 ounces

Smilax (Sarsaparilla) .............2 ounces

Burdock Root. .......................2 ounces

Guaiacum or Stillingia...........1 ounce

Sassafras or Sweet Root ........1 ounce

Pipsissewa...... .......................1 ounce

Blue Flag Root.......................1 ounce

Tincture 1:3 with 65% alcohol, add 1 part water (15 oz.) & 1 part simple syrup or honey (15 oz.) to bring to a final 1:5 strength


MENOPAUSE: EARLY FORMULA

Vitex agnus-castus Tinct .......3 parts

Yellow Dock Tinct ................2 parts

Sarsaparilla Tinct...................2 parts

Peony Tinct.... .......................2 parts

Nuphar Tinc... ......................1 part

American Ginseng Tinct........1 part

Mix using tinctures, since some are best fresh, some best dry Use 30-60 drops (1 or 2 squirts) 2 or 3 times a day For women in earlier stages of menopause when erratic cycles and flooding result from increasingly disorganized corpus luteal progesterone production.


ALTERATIVE TEA

Sassafrass Bark...................... ...........2 parts

Sarsaparilla Root.................... ...........2 parts

Burdock Root. ....................... ...........1 part

Echinacea Root...................... ...........1 part

A simple drinkable tea for low-level chronic liver, metabolic and immuno-depressed states...a couple of cups a day, made from a rounded teaspoon in 8 oz. water, brought to a boil and removed from the heat and allowed to cool.

ROOT TEA

Sassafras ........ ....................... ...........2 parts

Sarsaparilla .... ....................... ...........2 parts

Licorice Root . ....................... ...........2 parts

(Chinese Cinnamon).............. ...........1 part

(Sweet Root).. ....................... ...........1 part


Here is the link to the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine Course

https://www.swsbm.com/school/

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