Herbal Medicine for Preppers: Honey Locust, Kentucky Coffee Tree and Silverbell

[00:00:00] Hey y'all, welcome to this week's show. We're continuing our series of course on the medicinal uses of trees and

[00:00:08] This is actually one of my absolute favorites, okay?

[00:00:12] It is honey locust now if you've ever been around honey locust

[00:00:17] You may know that it is covered with huge thorns if you have the the natural variety

[00:00:23] I mean these thorns are actually so big and strong. They've actually been used by as nails in the past

[00:00:29] You may know that it drops pods everywhere what you may not know is those pods are

[00:00:36] Full of a sweet nutritious pulp that is sort of like caramel. You can make sugar from them

[00:00:43] They're very closely related to carob. Carob is the chocolate substitute

[00:00:47] But the honey locust is really more like honey or caramel

[00:00:51] You can make a very good beer out of it. So a tree that makes beer I'm all for it

[00:00:56] Okay, it's also really good wood

[00:01:01] Those pods are also very nutritious

[00:01:03] It's a nice tall as a pretty tree as long as you avoid the thorns and they're tough enough to rip

[00:01:09] Tractor tibers open. I mean so seriously they can be very thorny. I think it makes a wonderful

[00:01:15] Boundary plant if you're planting boundaries both the honey and black locust

[00:01:20] Which there's some?

[00:01:23] Controversy over whether they're actually related the black locust is a different tree

[00:01:29] Has a completely different Latin name used to be thought there were two varieties of the same tree both are very thorny

[00:01:35] Both may are excellent wood. I mean locust is one of the finest woods there is

[00:01:40] the

[00:01:42] Black locust pods however are not edible. Well the flowers are as we've discussed the honey locust are

[00:01:49] A food that's been used by man for forever

[00:01:53] In fact, there's so there's a little bit of controversy, you know in the Bible where it says that John the Baptist

[00:01:59] fed on wild locusts

[00:02:02] Some people think it should have been translated as the pods from the honey locust tree wild carap essentially

[00:02:08] We do know that the prodigal son ate the pods from the tree that were supposed to be fed to the hogs

[00:02:14] And they were they were locust pods

[00:02:17] Very very useful food tree whether or not John the Baptist was eating

[00:02:22] Insects or the pods from the locust tree doesn't really matter

[00:02:26] The locust has been used as food by people in the Middle East and

[00:02:32] such for

[00:02:34] Millions of years. I mean millions of years and it wonderful animal feed great

[00:02:40] I think incredibly great useful tree

[00:02:43] Like I said

[00:02:45] Related to the the carob tree and I don't know

[00:02:49] No one really knows if the ancient Greeks such as deus corides were writing about the honey locust or the carob

[00:02:55] They used the same name for both Karachiya

[00:02:59] And deus corides wrote, you know some 2500 years ago

[00:03:03] The pods taken while fresh are bad for the stomach and loosen the intestines

[00:03:07] in other words, they had a lot of fiber and they could cause diarrhea and

[00:03:10] People did not used to really appreciate

[00:03:14] Fibrous foods. Let's just put it that way, but when dried they stopped the discharge of the bowel

[00:03:19] So the dried pods which could be used against diarrhea

[00:03:22] He said they are also better for the stomach and a diuretic which means removing excess fluids

[00:03:27] especially when combined

[00:03:30] With the remains left ever after pressing out grapes. So

[00:03:34] The skins and everything the seeds which are very important

[00:03:38] The seeds which are highly astringent

[00:03:42] When you press grapes to make wine the leftovers

[00:03:46] Even like the little you know stems the skins the seeds. They're very very good for you actually very high in antioxidants

[00:03:53] But also very astringent very high in tannic acid so they would combine these two to stop diarrhea which makes tons of sense

[00:04:01] and plants for a future in modern use says that

[00:04:04] medicinal use of honey locust

[00:04:06] The pods have been made into a tea for the treatment of indigestion

[00:04:10] Metazoles cataract which is congestion mucus congestion

[00:04:14] The juice of the pods is antiseptic. The pods have been seen as a good anecdote for children's complaints

[00:04:20] The alcoholic extract of the fruit or tincture of the fruits of the honey locusts the pods after the elimination of tannin

[00:04:28] considerably retard the growth of up to 63 percent of

[00:04:34] Carcinoma in mice, so I mean, I'm not you know, I never give her into remedies for cancer

[00:04:40] But it has been found

[00:04:43] In laboratories where they can remove the tannins as a potential

[00:04:48] Way to slow down the growth of carcinoma

[00:04:52] However, the cytotoxicity of the extract was quite high and the animals besides losing weight

[00:04:58] Showed dystrophic charges in the liver and spleen so it has cytotoxins when processed that way and was bad for the liver and spleen

[00:05:07] The alcoholic extract of the fruit exerted

[00:05:10] moderate on costatic activity against sarcoma and

[00:05:16] The total dose of well, we don't need to get into that but the weight loss was considerable

[00:05:21] So, you know probably not something you can really replicate at home and probably not something you'd necessarily want to

[00:05:27] Unless it was a desperate situation and infusion of the bark has been drunk and used in a wash and the treatment of dyspepsia

[00:05:36] It is also well dyspepsia is an ingestion I'm not sure how you would use as a wash for

[00:05:43] Dyspepsia, huh?

[00:05:45] Not getting that but yeah drunk. I can see an infusion. This is a tea of the bark

[00:05:49] It has also been used to the treatment of whooping cough measles smallpox, etc

[00:05:54] The twigs and leaves contain the alkaloids

[00:05:58] Glech-tish-in and steno-carpeene

[00:06:01] Cannot pronounce the first one for anything

[00:06:04] Steno-carpeene has been used as a local anesthetic whilst

[00:06:09] Glech-tish-in causes stupor and loss of reflex activity. So you probably want to avoid that

[00:06:15] Current research examined the leaves as a potential source of anti-cancer compounds

[00:06:20] And so that makes sense leaves would probably be a better way to use it

[00:06:25] Peterson Field Guide for Eastern Central Medicinal Plants says the seeds

[00:06:31] Chinese species

[00:06:34] Gisenensis

[00:06:35] That's the Chinese version of honey locusts are used in Chinese medicine for sore throats, asthmatic cough, swelling and stroke

[00:06:42] Experimentally seed seed pods cause the breakdown of red blood cells. Wow. It is strongly antibacterial

[00:06:50] Antifungal and acts as expectant aiding and expelling phlegm and secretions from the respiratory tract

[00:06:56] Minute amount of the seeds are taken in powder for constipation

[00:06:59] the spines actually the

[00:07:02] the thorns

[00:07:04] constitute another drug used in traditional Chinese medicine they are used as

[00:07:09] a wash to reduce swelling and to disperse toxic matter

[00:07:14] In treatment of carbuncles and in lesions early reports of cocaine in the plant have been discredited

[00:07:21] Well, I never even heard of that before

[00:07:24] Warning all parts of the plants of both species contain potentially toxic compounds as we just discussed

[00:07:31] Now another I'm going to go ahead and do another tree

[00:07:35] This one was much used in early America as a

[00:07:41] Tea substitute or coffee substitute when the British were restricting imports and on the frontier where you couldn't get stuff

[00:07:50] It it was important tree and it was called American coffee

[00:07:55] I mean literally it was used as a pure substitute for morning coffee and

[00:08:00] It's often come. It looks a lot. Well, it has similar character. I won't say it looks a lot

[00:08:05] It doesn't look a lot but the pods and such it has similar

[00:08:09] Characteristics to locust so I think it's a good time to discuss

[00:08:13] gymno Claudius

[00:08:15] Diocia or the Kentucky coffee tree. It's an it's a native plant to America and

[00:08:23] You may well have one growing in your yard and you just don't know what it is

[00:08:26] Okay, I mean it's fairly widespread but especially in the Appalachians

[00:08:31] Kings but it grows well up into New York and New Jersey

[00:08:34] It's all over the place but it grows more abundantly I think in more mountainous hilly regions where it doesn't get super hot

[00:08:42] But there's actually has a relative that grows in hotter areas. So we're just going to get a jump into this

[00:08:47] Kings American dispensatory

[00:08:49] 1898 says

[00:08:50] The tincture of the pulp and pods and in some instances the bark also has been used

[00:08:57] With benefit in intermittent fever fevers usually called by malaria

[00:09:01] Also the fevers that come along with things like kovat and such like quinine good to know

[00:09:06] more recently it has been tried with it managed in cases of abnormal states of the nervous centers and is as

[00:09:13] indicated among other symptoms by impaired sense of touch and vision

[00:09:18] numbness dull headache apathy and

[00:09:22] Fornication now, I I don't think that words being used as we would think of it today. I

[00:09:29] Think they're really talking more a dull numbness stupor headache

[00:09:35] Low energy so that's interesting. It says in one case of

[00:09:41] locomotor atoxia

[00:09:42] It proved decidedly beneficial and is valuable in some cases of more serious symptoms

[00:09:49] resulting from excessive masturbation

[00:09:52] Hmm

[00:09:54] So maybe they did actually mean it that way

[00:09:58] But I think hmm. I think they're saying it could be good for

[00:10:05] hmm

[00:10:07] What would come from excess? Well, you know what? I'm just gonna leave that to your imagination

[00:10:12] Because it's go up to my imagination. I have no idea what they mean

[00:10:17] Hmm

[00:10:19] anyway recent reports by dr. Vassar confirm its valuable for

[00:10:25] Confirming is a valuable remedy for sperm atria. So

[00:10:29] Professor Professor Robert Bartholomew MD

[00:10:33] investigated

[00:10:34] Physiologically the purified tincture of the leaves as prepared for him by a pharmacist and found it to be very marked in its

[00:10:42] quantities it has likewise been recommended in laryngeal cough with chronic irritation and

[00:10:49] of the mucous lining of the membrane of the air passages and

[00:10:53] Erysipelus in all fevers presenting of a typhoid condition and perpetual parent parotinitis and

[00:11:02] It is certainly deserving of the attention of our practitioners

[00:11:06] The tincture is best made by taking two ounces of the bruise seed and one ounce of the pulp

[00:11:12] Adding them to eight fluid ounces each of water and alcohol and letting it macerate or just kind of steep

[00:11:18] For 12 to 14 days with frequent agitation and then filtered

[00:11:23] Really? I you know, I honestly I can't explain everything that was just said in that paragraph

[00:11:32] Hmm worth a lot of thought and

[00:11:36] Who knows who knows anyway?

[00:11:38] But getting into more common use plants for future says the pulverized root bark is used effective is used and is

[00:11:46] effective in anemia

[00:11:49] a tea made from the bark is diuretic it

[00:11:52] The pulverized root bark is used as an effective enema a

[00:11:58] Tea made from the bark is diuretic. That's really it's more most common folk uses diuretic tea

[00:12:07] yeah, I'm kind of say if it kind of tightens up tissue and

[00:12:12] And again, I'm kind of getting an idea of what they meant in some of those cases

[00:12:16] Anyway, it is used in the treatment of cough due to inflame mucous membranes and also to help speed up

[00:12:22] Protracted labor believe it or not

[00:12:24] Remember we never recommend that a snuff made from the pulverized root bark is used to cause sneezing and comatose patients

[00:12:35] Anyway a tea made from the leaves and pulp of the pods is laxative and has been used in the treatment of reflex troubles

[00:12:42] Had a coxure the fresh green pulp of the unripe fruit is used in homeopathic practice

[00:12:48] And Peterson field guide to Eastern and Central medicinal plant says the caramel like pod pulp was used by American

[00:12:56] Indians to treat lunacy. I

[00:12:58] Have no idea. I cannot imagine how the caramel like pulp of the pod

[00:13:04] Which is somewhat like the honey locust pulp would help treat lunacy. No idea. No idea whatsoever

[00:13:11] Leaf and pulp tea formerly employed for reflex troubles and as a laxative root bark tea used for coughs due to inflame mucous membranes

[00:13:20] diuretic given to a

[00:13:23] given

[00:13:24] In-child birth in protracted labor stops bleeding

[00:13:28] Used in enemas for constipation

[00:13:30] Warning it is toxic to grazing animals. The seed contains toxic saponins. So

[00:13:36] Amazingly this tree which is one of the most used in early America not used much now in

[00:13:43] herbal medicine

[00:13:45] May have some really interesting properties

[00:13:48] but definitely good for coughs and inflamed mucous membranes and as a

[00:13:55] diuretic and for diarrhea and all that

[00:13:59] Good as a coffee substitute

[00:14:01] But as far as all the other, you know, I can't say one way or the other if

[00:14:07] If it has

[00:14:08] Some means of helping in terms of sexual dysfunction

[00:14:12] Could be a very valuable plant

[00:14:15] Someone should definitely look more into it and try to find out what the heck they were talking about in 1898

[00:14:21] And that comes from an official pharmacy manual in 1898. So there's probably something to it

[00:14:27] I'm just saying

[00:14:30] Anyway, y'all I do know that honey locust is one of my favorites

[00:14:33] I mean any tree that you can get like a sweet caramel like pulp from its pods and

[00:14:42] Uses a sugar substitute make beer out of I'm pretty good. I mean be a big fan of that tree

[00:14:47] I just gotta say but also, you know thinking of it

[00:14:51] I mean it's not only good wood for carving and lumber and all that

[00:14:54] But as I said those thorns in certain varieties, especially the ones I've seen well people have talked about I've never been to Australia

[00:15:02] But I got a lot of friends from Australia

[00:15:04] And they talk about how?

[00:15:06] in colonial times

[00:15:08] Those thorns were used as nails. They are that

[00:15:12] hard

[00:15:13] And strong and in a you know grid down situation

[00:15:17] Hey, what if you couldn't get to the hardware store to buy nails? You're gonna need nails. That's another thing to think about

[00:15:24] Other uses for them have been sewing needles

[00:15:27] You can take them and trim them down put an eye through them and use them as sewing needles. They've been used as

[00:15:33] What it harrows? I guess you call it for a carding wool. That's another use for honey locusts orange any where

[00:15:41] You could use a spike of some sort

[00:15:44] The honey locust has been employed by native peoples or primitive peoples wherever they grow. So really

[00:15:52] Useful plant really fat. I think it's a very pretty tree as well and

[00:15:57] Yeah, I mean good for herbal medicine to both of these

[00:16:02] Just really interesting very very interesting trees two of the most interesting trees I've run across so y'all

[00:16:09] Let's see

[00:16:11] Could our spit in one more? I think I got a short one

[00:16:13] I will try the next next week coming to kick off with a long one

[00:16:17] So I was trying to get a couple of short entries in here

[00:16:20] The other one I guess I'll cover is

[00:16:22] silverbell

[00:16:24] Latin is Halycia and there are actually two that are native to my region and they're very pretty

[00:16:30] And then it's it's fairly rare and that's actually more than most folks have our two

[00:16:34] we have mountain silver bear at Bell and we have common silver silver Bell and

[00:16:42] Really the only thing I know about its medicinal properties comes from the fruit. It's acidic. It's astringent

[00:16:48] it's high in vitamin C and

[00:16:51] Used to be popular pickled the old-timers in the mountains used to pickle the fruit not really used as a fresh eating fruit

[00:16:58] But during the wintertime when they were worried about scurvy and other issues from not having a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables

[00:17:06] the pickled fruit of the silver Bell Halycia was very important and

[00:17:13] real survival food, but also said to be quite tasty and

[00:17:17] You know, this is one that doesn't grow in your area

[00:17:20] It's a pretty plant and you might want to start growing them ornamentally. So we will go ahead and wrap it up there

[00:17:25] Y'all have a great week and I'll talk to you next time

[00:17:30] The information this podcast is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition

[00:17:36] Nothing I say or write has been evaluated or approved by the FDA

[00:17:39] I'm not a doctor

[00:17:41] The US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and there is no governing body regulating herbalists

[00:17:47] Therefore I'm really just a guy who studies herbs. I'm not offering any advice

[00:17:51] I won't even claim that anything I write or say is accurate or true

[00:17:55] I can tell you what earths have been traditionally used for I can tell you my own experience

[00:17:59] And if I believe in herbs help me I cannot nor would I tell you to do the same

[00:18:04] If you use an herb anyone recommends you are treating yourself

[00:18:08] You take full responsibility for your health humans are individuals and no two are identical

[00:18:13] What works for me may not work for you

[00:18:15] You may have an allergy a sensitivity and underlying condition that no one else even shares and you don't even know about

[00:18:22] Be careful with your health

[00:18:24] By continuing to listen my podcast or read my blog you agree to be responsible for yourself

[00:18:29] Your own research make your own choices and not to blame me for anything ever