Aralia racemosa is a plant. The root is used to make medicine.
Contents
Uses
Aralia racemosa is a sweet pungent tonic herb that is often used in modern herbalism where it acts as an alterative. It had a wide range of traditional uses amongst the North American Indians and was at one time widely used as a substitute for the tropical medicinal herb sarsaparilla. The root is alterative, diaphoretic, diuretic, pectoral and stimulant. The herb encourages sweating, is stimulating and detoxifying and so is used internally in the treatment of pulmonary diseases, asthma, rheumatism etc. Externally it is used as a poultice in treating rheumatism and skin problems such as eczema. The root is collected in late summer and the autumn and dried for later use. A drink made from the pulverised roots is used as a cough treatment. A poultice made from the roots and/or the fruit is applied to sores, burns, itchy skin, ulcers, swellings etc
Benefits
People take Aralia racemosa for colds, chronic coughs, asthma, and arthritis. It is also used to loosen chest congestion, boost tissue regrowth, and promote sweating.
Some people apply Aralia racemosa directly to the skin as an alternative to sarsaparilla for treating skin diseases.
Cautions
There isn’t enough information to know if American spikenard is safe. If applied directly to the skin, it might be irritating.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It’s UNSAFE to use American spikenard if you are pregnant. It’s also best to avoid using it if you are breast-feeding, since there isn’t enough information to know whether or not it is safe for a nursing infant.
Interactions
- None are recorded. Please consult your doctor.
Other names
Anis Sauvage, Aralia à Grappes, Aralie Épineuse, Aralie à Grappes, Espinardo Americano, Grande Salsepareille, Indian Root, Life-of-Man, Life of Man, Old Man’s Root, Pettymorell, Salsepareille d’Amérique, Spignet, Small Spikenard, Spikenard
References
Naturalmedicinalherbs, http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/a/aralia-racemosa=american-spikenard.php