MEDICINAL PLANTS

It is a perennial plant that usually measures one meter in height, although in good soil and plenty of water can reach two meters. It has no hair on all parts and is full of leaves which are distributed throughout the plant, these are quite large and its shape is rather oval, but just spear-shaped and are attached to the stem by a corner . The stem is quite thick at the base, branched at the ends. Pokeweed is native to North America and can be found in the maritime regions of the peninsula. One grows in hedgerows and near wet places, mostly in shady places and fresh.

FLOWERING

This plant flowers during the summer months. Its flowers are white, are made up of five petals with a rounded shape. You can find branches with many flowers distributed throughout the plant. The fruits ripen in autumn, disc-shaped and consist of ten gajitos. Before maturity are light green and then darken into black. They are very juicy. The most widely used parts of this plant are the roots and fruits, and therefore the only ones collected. The fruit is picked when ripe, which often coincides with the late summer and early fall.

APPLICATIONS

It contains, among other substances, saponin glycoside, formic acid and acetic acid. This plant, which in small doses does not cause problems, can become highly toxic if doses are high, therefore, not recommended its use in the home without the advice of a doctor. The fruits of pokeweed are used as purgatives or emetics, depending on the amount that is administered. The most common way of using this plant-and in turn, is recommended only externally. Usually applied in ointment form against rashes, rashes and the like. The juice obtained from the fruit was formerly used to dye clothes for the reddish color given off, from which derives its name. In many parts of Spain are used as decorative plants for their great beauty.

ADMINISTRATION

This plant can not be used as a ready home due to its toxicity in quantities somewhat high, so the only way to externally administration is advisable.
Ointment. It takes 200 grams of the root, which is the most active, and reduced to dust. It is prepared with a cream that can be applied to skin rashes three times a day.
Dye. We get the juice of ripe fruit and is used for dyeing.

SUMMARY

FAMILY: Fitolacaceas
HABITAT: North America
FLOWERING: Summer
PART USED: Root and fruit
CASTILIAN: Fitolaca
CATALAN: Raïm de moro
GALICIAN: Erva dos cachos da india

USES

Strong Laxative, Moderate Emetic, Toxic Strong.