Ocotillo & pelvic fluid congestion

[Guest guest]

Ocotillo, aka Fouquieria splendens, aka Candlewood, aka Couchwhip.

 

Ocotillo is not a part of the Chinese Materia Medica, and I do not have its

TCM stats. But it has a number of properties which TCM researchers may wish

to investigate further.

 

This plant is native to the U.S. desert southwest and Mexico. It also has

the advantage of being easy to recognize. For pictures of Ocotillo, go to

the following link:

 

http://www.desertusa.com/nov96/du_ocotillo.html

 

Note: There are different deserts in the U.S., and each has different flora

and fauna. But Ocotillo is found from Texas through New Mexico through

Arizona into California and the southern tip of Nevada (as well as in

Mexico). Its range stretches across at least 3 deserts. The plant is

protected in Arizona.

 

The following information is taken from Medicinal Plants of the Desert and

Canyon West by Michael Moore (ISBN 0-89013-182-1):

 

" Medicinal Uses: The tincture is taken in a little warm water every three

or four hours, usually in doses of 25-35 drops. It is useful for those

symptoms that arise from pelvic fluid congestion, both lymphatic and

veinous. It is absorbed from the intestines into the mesenteric lymph

system by way of the lacteals of the small-intestinal lining; this

stimulates better visceral lymph drainage into the thoracic duct and

improves dietary fat absorption into the lymph system. With fewer dietary

lipids going into the liver by the portal blood, there is less tendency for

the intestinal blood to back up (portal hypertension) and less stagnation in

the pelvis and upper thighs. Most hemorrhoids are helped by Ocotillo, as

are cervical varicosities and benign prostate enlargements. The same is

true of a frequent need to urinate, with dull ache but no inflammation of

the urethra, and the kinds of varicose veins and piles worsened by

constipation or poor digestion. These are a variety of problems, often with

other, more primary causes, but all of them are aggravated (or begun) by

poor fluid movement and congestion in the lower viscera and pelvis.

 

" The Cahuilla indians of California used a strong tea of the root for

painful, moist coughing in the aged; Apaches took baths in and drank the tea

of the root for fatigue and swollen, tired limbs. The flowers, gathered in

the spring, make a pleasant and elegant sweet/ tart tea, either steeped

fresh in the sun or dried, crushed, in hot water. The only problem is how

to coax them off a twelve-foot-high, well-armed Ocotillo plant. " (pp. 81-83)

 

The bark is the part of the plant that is used. Moore says you'll need good

gloves to gather it and that the larger plants will have " older, thicker

stems in the center with bark so deep that the thorns will be nearly or

totally overgrown. " He says these are the easiest to work with and " a four-

to six-foot section should be cut from one stem (more than enough medicine

for a family) with limb shears and further cut into 6-inch sections. Work

the outer bark off of the center wood core and discard the latter or use it

for fire kindling. " (p. 81)

 

" Preparation: A fresh bark tincture is the only practical way to prepare

Ocotillo. Chop or snip the freshly removed bark into 1/2-inch pieces,

prepare tincture, Method A " (p. 81) Method A consists of " Take 1 part (by

weight) of the fresh plant, just gathered and rinsed, chop it up into small

pieces, place in a clean glass jar with a good lid, cover the chopped herb

with 2 parts of 95% ethanol (grain alcohol like Everclear), screw the lid on

after making sure the herbs are compressed enough in the jar that the

alcohol comes up to the top of the chopped herb, and set it aside,

untouched, for 7 to 10 days. The alcohol dehydrates the cells of the fresh

plant, drawing out all the plant's substances into the fluid until, by the

time you drain off the finished tincture, it has a deep, radiant color and

the herb is yellowish, dusty white, and exhausted of its constituents,

color, and essence. Pure grain alcohol is available from liquor stores in

all the western states except California. This tincturing method needs 190

proof to work properly; 80 or 100 proof (40% or 50% alcohol) is much

inferior in the extraction capabilities, so Californians are urged to go to

ARizona, Nevada, or Oregon to make fresh plant tinctures. " (pp. 6-7)

 

" Constituents: At least 12 iridoid glucosides (most are galioside

derivatives), monotropein methylester, adoxoside, loganin, and various

polymerizing waxes and resins. " (p. 81)

 

If anyone has any additional info on Ocotillo, I would appreciate seeing it.

 

Victoria

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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