Page 230 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

Place the jars in a boiling water bath, completely cov- place on a towel to cool. Allow the jars to cool undis-
ered with water and boil for 15 minutes at sea level to turbed. When cool, check the jar seals. Re-process any
1000 feet (300 meters) in elevation, 20 minutes at jar that did not seal or refrigerate it for immediate use.
higher elevations. Remove the jars from the water and Label.

Burning Bush, Western, on the end of a long peduncle with one to five flowers.
Each flower has five rounded brownish purple petals,
Euonymus occidentalis

Western burning bush grows in Western North Amer-
ica. It is also called spindle tree, western wahoo and
strawberry bush. It is found in shaded streambanks,
moist woods, canyons, and high in the mountains. It is
in the Celastraceae (Bittersweet) Family. E. alatus is
used in Asia.

Identification: Western burning bush is a decidu-
ous straggly shrub, growing to 6 to 15 feet (1.8 m to 4.5
meters) when mature. It has slender branches, often Fruit of Burning Bush, Franz Xaver, GFDL, CC by SA
climbing, and twigs are usually 4-angled. It has oppo- sometimes dotted. Flowers bloom April to June. The
site finely-toothed leaves that are 2 to 4 inches 5 cm to fruit is a rounded capsule with three lobes. Each of the
10 cm) long, sometimes with rolled edges, with pointed three lobes opens to reveal a brown seed surrounded
tips and rounded or tapered bases. The flowers form by red pulp.

Medicinal Use: The root bark and the leaves are
used for medicine.

Stomach Tonic and Liver: Root bark infusions,
syrup, and tinctures are all useful as a stomach tonic
for indigestion and constipation. It also stimulates the
flow of bile and improves the appetite.

Irregular Menstruation: For suppressed or ir-
regular menstruation, the leaves of burning bush were
traditionally used. Do not use if pregnant as it may in-
duce miscarriage.

Warning. Do not use during pregnancy. Do not in-
Western Burning Bush, Dean Wm. Taylor, Ph.D. University of Califor- gest the fruits of burning bush.
nia, Berkeley, CC by SA 3.0

cultivated in other parts of North America. It prefers
Cascara Sagrada, moist, acidic soils and is usually found on the edges of

Rhamnus or Frangula clearings and forests. It is in the Rhamnaceae (Buck-
thorn) Family.
purshiana Identification: Cascara grows up to 30 feet (9.1 me-
ters) tall. It has finely toothed ovate leaves, each 3 to 5
Also called sacred bark and chittam stick, cascara sa- inches (7.5 cm to 12.5 cm) long, with prominent paral-
grada is well known for its use as a laxative. It is very lel veins leading off the central vein. Leaves are shiny
effective, but carries risks when used long-term, espe- green on top and a lighter, dull green on the bottom.
cially if a person’s health is already compromised. Cas- The smooth bark is reddish-brown to silver-grey. In
cara is native to the Pacific Northwest, but it is early to mid-spring, the tree produces tiny flowers with
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