Aletris is a plant. Its root is used to make medicine. Aletris is native toNorth America and to eastern and southeastern Asia, especially China.
Contents
Uses
- People use aletris for digestion problems including colic, constipation, diarrhea, gas, and upset stomach. They also use it for joint and muscle pain (rheumatism), muscle spasms, fluid retention, and infertility.
- Women use aletris to relieve menstrual disorders and prevent miscarriage.
- Some people use it as a general tonic or as a sedative to promote relaxation
Benefits
-
The native Americans used the aletris root based remedies in the treatment of stomachaches, to treat digestive colic, in the treatment of dysentery, and to treat all kinds of menstrual disorders, the roots of the plant were also used in the preparation of a bitter tasting herbal tea – which was made from the roots or the leaves and drunk by patients.
-
Problems such as anorexia – or long term appetite loss are often relived using the colic root as its bitter nature revives and increases the effectiveness of the digestive process in the affected individual. As a mark of its effectiveness and value in the treatment of digestive colic, the colic root is often known by another name, and called the true unicorn root.
-
The colic root is also sometimes called a nervine, due to the fact that most of the disorders which are treatable through it use have an underlying nervous system involvement. As a treatment for nervous disorders such as anxiety, the value of the herb is not based on directly effecting nerve relaxation, but rather on easing the physical aspects of the condition – for this reason, its action as a nervine is disputed by some. Though the false unicorn root is to be preferred in the treatment of a threatened miscarriage in women, there is some evidence that the colic root may also be of some value in this regard.
-
As Europeans settled in the continent, colonist in the Appalachian region adopted some of these herbal uses of the colic root, in addition, they made a few of their own uses for the herb in homemade remedies. To relieve aches in the back and for sore breast, these early colonist used to apply an herbal poultice made from the leaves of the colic root. The pain in the body was reduced in some cases by drinking a very potent drink made from the dried and powdered colic root along with whiskey or strong brandy.
Cautions
- Aletris is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth appropriately. It can cause colic,dizziness, or confusion.
- A related remedy called the false unicorn root which is also used in herbal medicine must not be confused with the colic root. As a herbal remedy, problems such as a sluggish digestion can be effectively corrected using the colic root alone. Such sluggishness in the digestive process typically leads to other disorders like dyspepsia, abdominal flatulence and debility in the individual; prompt treatment using the colic root will preclude all these disorders and enable the person to quickly regain digestive functions.
Interactions
- Antacids interacts with ALETRIS
Antacids are used to decrease stomach acid. Aletris may increase stomach acid. By increasing stomach acid, aletris might decrease the effectiveness of antacids.
Some antacids include calcium carbonate (Tums, others), dihydroxyaluminum sodium carbonate (Rolaids, others), magaldrate (Riopan), magnesium sulfate (Bilagog), aluminum hydroxide (Amphojel), and others. - Medications that decrease stomach acid (H2-Blockers) interacts with ALETRIS
Aletris might increase stomach acid. By increasing stomach acid, aletris might decrease the effectiveness of some medications that decrease stomach acid, called H2-Blockers.
Some medications that decrease stomach acid include cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), nizatidine (Axid), and famotidine (Pepcid). - Medications that decrease stomach acid (Proton pump inhibitors) interacts with ALETRIS
Aletris might increase stomach acid. By increasing stomach acid, aletris might decrease the effectiveness of medications that are used to decrease stomach acid, called proton pump inhibitors.
Some medications that decrease stomach acid include omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex), pantoprazole (Protonix), and esomeprazole (Nexium).
Other names
Ague Grass, Ague Root, Alétris, Alétris Farineux, Aletris farinosa, Aloerot, Blazing Star, Colic Root, Crow Corn, Devil’s-bit, Licorne Vraie, Maïs des Corbeaux, Stargrass, Starwort, True Unicorn Root, Unicorn Root, Whitetube Stargrass
References
Source: WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-605-aletris.aspx?activeingredientid=605&activeingredientname=aletris
Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aletris
TipDisease, http://www.tipdisease.com/2014/11/benefits-of-colic-root-aletris-farinosa.html