Guest guest Posted April 4, 2006 Report Share Posted April 4, 2006 Native American Herbal Remedies > > --Asthma-- > -Skunk Cabbage- > Used by the Winnebago and Dakota tribes to stimulate the removal of > phlegm > in asthma. > The rootstock was official in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1882 when > it was used in respiratory and nervous disorders and in rheumatism and > dropsy. > -Mullein- > Introduced by Europeans. The Menominees smoked the pulverized, dried root > for respiratory complaints while the Forest Potawatomis, the Mohegans, and the > Penobscots smoked the dried leaves to relieve asthma. The Catawba Indians > used a sweetened syrup from the boiled root, which they gave to their children > for coughs. > --Backache-- > -Arnica- > The Catawba Indians used a tea of arnica roots for treating back pains. The > Dispensary of the United States (22nd edition) states this drug can be > dangerous if taken internally and that it has caused severe and even fatal > poisoning. Also used as a wash to treat sprains and bruises. > -Gentian- > The Catawba Indians steeped the roots in hot water and applied the hot > fluid on aching backs. > -Horsemint- > The Catawba tribe crushed and steeped fresh horsemint leaves in cold water > and drank the infusion to allay back pain. Other tribes used horsemint for > fever, inflammation, and chills. > --Bronchitis-- > -Creosote Bush- > A tea of the leaves was used for bronchial and other respiratory problems. > -Pleurisy Root- > The Natchez drank a tea of the boiled roots as a remedy for pneumonia and > was later used to promote the expulsion of phlegm, > -Wormwood- > The Yokia Indians of Mendocino County used a tea of the boiled leaves of a > local species of wormwood to cure bronchitis. > --Burns-- > -Yellow-Spined Thistle- > The Kiowa Indians boiled yellow-spined thistle blossoms and applied the > resulting liquid to burns and skin sores. > --Childbirth-- > To Speed Childbirth > -Partridgeberry- > The Cherokee used a tea of the boiled leaves. Frequent doses of the tea > were taken in the few weeks preceding the expected date of delivery. > -Blue Cohosh- > To promote a rapid delivery, an infusion of the root in warm water was > drunk as a tea for several weeks prior to the expected delivery date. > --To Speed Delivery of the Placenta-- > -American Licorice- > A tea was made from the boiled roots. > -Broom Snakeweed- > Navajo women drank a tea of the whole plant to promote the expulsion of the > placenta. > --To Stop Post-Partum Hemorrhage-- > -Buckwheat- > Hopi women were given an infusion of the entire buckwheat plant to stop > bleeding. > -Black Western Chokecherry- > Arikara women were given a drink of the berry juice to stop bleeding. > -Smooth Upland Sumac- > The Omahas boiled the smooth upland sumac fruits and applied the liquid as > an external wash to stop bleeding. > --To relieve the Pain of Childbirth-- > -Wild Black Cherry- > Cherokee women were given a tea of the inner bark to relieve pain in the > early stages. > -Cotton- > The Alabama and Koasati tribes made a tea of the roots of the plant to > relieve the pains of labor. > --Colds-- > -Boneset- > Boneset tea was one of the most frequently used home remedies during the > last century. The Menominees used it to reduce fever; the Alabamas, to relive > stomachache; the Creeks, for body pain; the Iroquois and the Mohegans, for > fever and colds. > --Colic-- > -Catnip- > The Mohegans made a tea of catnip leaves for infant colic. > --Contraceptives-- > -Ragleaf Bahia- > The Navajos, who called the Ragleaf bahia herb twisted medicine, drank a > tea of the roots boiled in water for thirty minutes for contraception purposes. > > -Indian Paintbrush- > Hopi women drank a tea of the whole Indian paintbrush to "Dry up the > menstrual flow." > -Blue Cohosh- > Chippewa women drank a strong decoction of the powdered blue cohosh root to > promote parturition and menstruation. > -Dogbane- > Generally used by many tribes, a tea from the boiled roots of the plant was > drunk once a week. > -Milkweed- > Navajo women drank a tea prepared of the whole plant after childbirth. > -American Mistletoe- > Indians of Mendocino County drank a tea of the leaves to induce abortion or > to prevent conception. > -Antelope Sage- > To prevent conception, Navajo women drank one cup of a decoction of boiled > antelope sage root during menstruation. > -Stoneseed- > Shoshoni women of Nevada reportedly drank a cold water infusion of > stoneseed roots everyday for six months to ensure permanent sterility. > --Coughs-- > -Aspen- > The Cree Indians used an infusion of the inner bark as a remedy for coughs. > > -Wild Cherry- > The Flambeau Ojibwa prepared a tea of the bark of wild cherry for > coughs > and colds, while other tribes used a bark for diarrhea or for lung troubles. > -White Pine- > The inner bark was used by Indian people as a tea for colds and coughs. > -Sarsaparilla- > The Penobscots pulverized dried sarsaparilla roots and combined them with > sweet flag roots in warm water and used the dark liquid as a cough remedy. > --Diabetes-- > -Wild Carrot- > The Mohegans steeped the blossoms of this wild species in warm water when > they were in full bloom and took the drink for diabetes. > -Devil’s Club- > The Indians of British Columbia utilized a tea of the root bark to offset > the effects of diabetes. > --Diarrhea-- > -Blackcherry- > A tea of blackberry roots was the most frequently used remedy for diarrhea > among Indians of northern California. > -Wild Black Cherr- > The Mohegans allowed the ripe wild black cherry to ferment naturally in a > jar about one year than then drank the juice to cure dysentery. > -Dogwood- > The Menominees boiled the inner bark of the dogwood and passed the warm > solution into the rectum with a rectal syringe made from the bladder of a small > mammal and the hollow bone of a bird. > -Geranium- > Chippewa and Ottawa tribes boiled the entire geranium plant and drank the > tea for diarrhea. > -White Oak- > Iroquois and Penobscots boiled the bark of the white oak and drank the > liquid for bleeding piles and diarrhea. > -Black Raspberry- > The Pawnee, Omaha, and Dakota tribes boiled the root bark of black > raspberry for dysentery. > -Star Grass- > Catawbas drank a tea of star grass leaves for dysentery. > --Digestive Disorders-- > -Dandelion- > A tea of the roots was drunk for heartburn by the Pillager Ojibwas. > Mohegans drank a tea of the leaves for a tonic. > -Yellow Root- > A tea from the root was used by the Catawbas and the Cherokee as a stomach > ache remedy. > --Fevers-- > -Dogwood- > The Delaware Indians, who called the tree Hat-ta-wa-no-min-schi, boiled the > inner bark in water, using the tea to reduce fevers. > -Willow- > The Pomo tribe boiled the inner root bark, then drank strong doses of the > resulting tea to induce sweating in cases of chills and fever. In the south, > the Natchez prepared their fever remedies from the bark of the red willow, > while the Alabama and Creek Indians plunged into willow root baths for the same > purpose. > -Feverwort- > The Cherokees drank a decoction of the coarse, leafy, perennial herb to > cure fevers. > --Headache-- > -Pennyroyal- > The Onondagas steeped pennyroyal leaves and drank the tea to cure > headaches. > --Heart and Circulatory Problems-- > -Green Hellebore- > The Cherokee used the green hellebore to relive body pains. > -American Hemp and Dogbane- > Used by the Prairie Potawatomis as a heart medicine, the fruit was boiled > when it was still green, and the resulting decoction drunk. It was also used > for kidney problems and for dropsy. > --Hemorrhoids-- > -White Oak- > The Menominee tribe treated piles by squirting an infusion of the scraped > inner bark of oak into the rectum with a syringe made from an animal bladder > and the hollow bone of a bird. > --Inflammations and Swellings-- > -Witch Hazel- > The Menominees of Wisconsin boiled the leaves and rubbed the liquid on the > legs of tribesmen who were participating in sporting games. A decoction of > the boiled twigs was used to cure aching backs, while steam derived by placing > the twigs in water with hot rocks was a favorite Potawatomi treatment for > muscle aches. > --Influenza-- > -Native Hemlock- > (as opposed Poison Hemlock of Socrates fame) > The Menominees prepared a tea if the inner bark and drank it to relieve cold > symptoms. A similar tea was used by the Forest Potawatomis to induce > sweating and relieve colds and feverish conditions. > --Insect Bites and Stings-- > -Fendler Bladderpod- > The Navajos made a tea and used it to treat spider bites. > -Purple Coneflower- > The Plains Indians used this as a universal application for the bites and > stings of all crawling, flying, or leaping bugs. Between June and September, > the bristly stemmed plant, which grows in dry, open woods and on prairies, > bears a striking purplish flower. > -Stiff Goldenrod- > The Meskwaki Indians of Minnesota ground the flowers into a lotion and > applied it to bee stings. > -Trumpet Honeysuckle- > The leaves were ground by chewing and then applied to bees stings. > -Wild Onion and Garlic- > The Dakotas and Winnebagos applied the crushed bulbs of wild onions and > garlics. > -Saltbush- > The Navajos chewed the stems and placed the pulpy mash on areas of swelling > caused by ant, bee and wasp bites. The Zunis applied the dried, powdered > roots and flowers mixed with saliva to ant bites > -Broom Snakeweed- > The Navajos chewed the stem and applied the resin to insect bites and > stings of all kinds. > -Tobacco- > A favorite remedy for bee stings was the application of wet tobacco leaves. > > --Insect Repellents and Insecticides-- > -Goldenseal- > The Cherokee pounded the large rootstock with bear fat and smeared it > on > their bodies as an insect repellent. It was also used as a tonic, stimulant, > and astringent. > --Rheumatism-- > -Pokeweed- > Indians of Virginia drank a tea of the boiled berries to cure rheumatism. > The dried root was also used to allay inflammation. > -Bloodroot- > A favorite rheumatism remedy among the Indians of the Mississippi region - > the Rappahannocks of Virginia drank a tea of the root. > --Sedatives-- > -Wild Black Cherry- > The Meskwaki tribe made a sedative tea of the root bark. > -Hops- > The Mohegans prepared a sedative medicine from the conelike strobiles and > sometimes heated the blossoms and applied them for toothache. The Dakota tribe > used a tea of the steeped strobiles to relieve pains of the digestive > organs, and the Menominee tribe regarded a related species of hops as a panacea. > -Wild Lettuce- > Indigenous to North American, it was used for sedative purposes, especially > in nervous complaints. > --Thrush-- > -Geranium- > The Cherokee boiled geranium root together with wild grape, and with the > liquid, rinsed the mouths of children affected with thrush. > -Persimmon- > The Catawba stripped the bark from the tree and boiled it in water, using > the resulting dark liquid as a mouth rinse. > > > Copyright ©1996 The Cherokee Cultural Society of Houston > http://www.powersource.com > > > > The present moment is a powerful goddess. > ~ Goethe The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.~ Albert Einstein ~ Check Out My Groups: Everything Natural http://health./ Everything Magick EverythingMagick/ -- Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.5/300 - Release 4/3/2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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