Herbal Medicine for Preppers: Tung Tree and Zanthoxylum

[00:00:00] Hey y'all welcome to this week's show. We're continuing our series on medicinal trees and this week we have two entries. The first is pretty short but it may surprise you. It's got limited medicinal use but you may if you're a woodworker or whatever you may be familiar with tongue oil. And tongue oil actually comes from the tongue tree which is Vernicea fortii. And Plants for Future States, the medicinal use of tongue tree,

[00:00:29] the oil from the seed is used to treat parasitic skin diseases, burns, scalds, and wounds. The poisonous oil is said to penetrate the skin and into the muscle when it is applied to surgical wounds. It will cause inflammation to subside within four to five days and will leave no scar tissue after suppressing the infection. That's really interesting and really important and you know most people just know about tongue oil that it is poisonous you don't want to take it internally. But,

[00:00:59] I know of only one other oil that penetrates the skin like that and it's castor oil. But with the anti-inflammatory properties and actually both have some anti-inflammatory properties but with the anti-inflammatory properties and the way it will prevent scarring that's pretty important. The plant is a plant. The plant is emetic which means it would make you throw up but you really don't want to take this one internally.

[00:01:28] Antiphlogistic and vermifuge means it gets rid of intestinal parasites essentially. Extracts from the fruit are antibacterial. So, interesting. I just thought you know this is one you may actually have some tongue oil sitting around in your workshop. I'm not saying go try it. Do some research on it. It is fairly toxic but could be quite useful.

[00:01:50] Now, the one that I have a lot more on is Xanthosylum clava. This is often called Hercules club. Really, really interesting plant. It's also called prickly ash. There are a couple plants that are called prickly ash and it's called the toothache bush. All those trees, the plants that belong to this family of plants are fairly aromatic and pungent.

[00:02:20] According to resources of the Southern Fields and Forest, Brahms Horchus Americanus states that the scrape root is applied to ulcers in order to heal them. The plant possesses stimulating powers and is a powerful pseudorific and diaphoretic.

[00:02:39] Remarkably, remarkable according to Barton for its extraordinary property of exciting salivation. In other words, it stimulates salivation whether applied immediately to the gums or taken internally. It is reported to have been used successfully in paralysis of the muscles of the mouth and in rheumatic affections.

[00:02:57] Also, in low forms of fever, the tincture of the berries being sometimes employed as a carminative in doses of 10 to 30 drops, increasing the quantity when its stimulating effect is desired. So that's for digestion and indigestion such as that. Dr. King of Cincinnati states that it was beneficially employed in cholera in teaspoonful doses. And there's some citation from American medical journals of the time.

[00:03:26] Dr. Gillespie asserts that it is a good tonic and febri-fuge. Febri-fuge means it helps lower fever. According to Cam, I guess it's another doctor, the Indians employed a decoction as an injection gonorrhea. In the book Voyage to Canada, it was stated, it has been given in syphilis as a substitute for guacium and for mesorheon.

[00:03:54] It is stimulating, producing when swallowed a sense of heat in the stomach, arterial excitement, and a tendency to diaphoresis. It enjoys considerable reputation in chronic rheumatism. Dose of powder of 10 grains to have a drachome. We're getting into dosing now. It says that similar to the prickly ash of the southern states, he does not get the Latin name.

[00:04:20] Could actually be talking about the same plant, but it's probably two plants called prickly ash. But states TNG Chapman in his flora of the southern states does not include xanthus xylem among our southern plants. And actually, Hercules Club, I don't think it's very commonly found in the south. Occasionally, very, very occasionally, I do run across a plant in the higher elevations of the Appalachians in North Carolina.

[00:04:50] And I think what more than likely happened, there used to be a very big medicinal herb nursery in my county. It was actually the biggest in the eastern United States. And I think they probably brought some in from probably upstate New York, where it grows more commonly, and got some established there. And, you know, eventually the birds made it go kind of feral, I guess you'd say, but got out.

[00:05:17] And so eventually, I do still find one every now and then. But I don't believe it is native to the south. It's more of a northern plant. It's more of a cold weather plant. You might find it at higher elevations in western states. But I don't think you're going to find it a lot where it's hot and damp. It said,

[00:05:43] and excite copious salivation not only when made to act directly in the mouth but when taken internally and have been found highly efficacious in paralysis of the muscles of the mouth. We're just kind of going over the same info there saved from different sources. The botanist wrote this book says, I ascertained in 1868 that a decoction of this plant is extensively used by physicians in South Carolina as a remedy for dropsy, excess fluid retention essentially, you know where the

[00:06:11] tissue gets really baggy, you know, boggy I guess is actually the technical term, really like majorly swollen ankles and such as that. In a letter from a medical friend he reports to me an aggravated case which was recovered under its use, tincture of the berries and root was made with whiskey and was given. King's Medical Dispensatory 1898 says, physiologically prickly ash, they're talking about xanthazylem now, they list the Latin name so I

[00:06:41] know that's what they're talking about, acts upon the secretions of the nervous and circulatory systems. The bark when chewed imports an aromatic sweetish taste followed by bitterness and persistent acridity. You know when they said it made the stomach warm, acrid things can do that. I once took an herb internally that was extremely acrid and my stomach was off for days afterwards. You really do want to

[00:07:07] check if you taste acrid, basically don't swallow it. You know, I was young and stupid and I learned the hard way. Its sylagog properties are remarkable, inducing a copious flow of saliva, that's what sylagog means actually, I think it's actually pronounced syalagog if I remember correctly, but anyway. Copious flow of saliva together with a great quantity of mucus from the buccal glands.

[00:07:33] This is brought about by its local and systemic action. In the stomach it creates a sense of warmth and the flow of both gastric and intestinal juices is augmented. So apparently it's not so acrid that it bothers the stomach, but would be good for digestion in that case. There is increased bilary and pancreatic activity. Under its action the kidneys become more active and an increased urinary product results.

[00:07:58] Cardiac action is increased and the pulse becomes slightly accelerated and the integumentary glands give out an abundant secretion. Therapeutically the bark is sylagog, alternative diaphoretic, and especially stimulant to the mucus surfaces. It is also an amenagogue and carminative. Amenagogue means it can bring on menses. Carminative means it can help sell the stomach essentially. And the berries are

[00:08:23] said to possess antiseptic properties. To increase its diaphragmatic power it should be administered with plenty of hot water at the same time subjecting the patient to a warm foot bath. Professor King cautions us that there is a material difference in the influence on the system between the tincture of bark or that of the berries and their influence on the system which should always be kept in view. The

[00:08:48] power of the bark as given by him are stimulant, tonic, alterative, and sylagog of the berries stimulant, carminative, and antispasmodic acting especially on the mucus tissues. Prickly ash has been deservedly valued in domestic practice as a remedy for chronic rheumatism and was once quite popular as a masticatory for relief of toothache. In other words you chew on it and it would help numb

[00:09:12] the tooth. It undoubtedly has some value in rheumatic complaints and may be combined with phytolaca that's poke root, poke weed, or well actually usually when you're using it for um for arthritis for rheumatic conditions they said you're using a tincture or actually a wine made from the berries. It's something the early Americans learned from the Cherokee especially and it was poke berry wine was

[00:09:39] still by many of the old timers sworn by as a remedy for arthritis. So combined with phytolaca when the indications for that drug are present it's valuable in chronic rheumatism is very likely due to its eliminative power. Okay, eliminative power we're talking okay so poke is a it stimulates the glandular

[00:10:03] system it'll help flush the glands and the doctor here is saying that this one also helps eliminate toxins essentially from your system probably through increased urination. It is best adapted to debilitated patients and cases of transient and fugitive forms of rheumatism particularly lumbago myalgia and muscular rheumatism so swelling of the muscles as well muscle stiffness and soreness.

[00:10:33] It may also be used externally only to its eliminative powers it has been quite extensively used in constitutional syphilis and scrofula scrofula is a glandular condition and as a remedy for the former ranks with guaiac that's a hard one to pronounce g-u-a-i-a-c often called guiaca or guiacic

[00:10:58] and sasparilla and several other herbs it is one of the constituents of the trifolium compound and other alterative mixtures. Alterative is sort of like we might think of a tonic it brings you back to health it will bring on salivation is useful in this account let's see if there's anything else you need to tell us here. Externally it forms a stimulating application to indolent and malignant

[00:11:23] ulcers. Xanthazylem is serviceable in many disorders of the mouth and throat as well as the entire elementary tract it has some reputation as a local stimulant for paralysis of the tongue though its value here is overrated. In like manner it has been employed for neuralgia and paralytic conditions of the vocal apparatus that it will relieve an unpleasant dryness of the mouth

[00:11:46] as well established it is a remedy of value and laryngitis or pharyngitis as they spell it especially in the chronic variety the mucous surfaces presenting a glaze shining dry condition with thin adherent scales of dried mucus in both pharyngitis and nasal catar or congestion and decoction locally and specifically the xanthazylem bark internally will be found to aid a cure in those

[00:12:13] having dryness of the mucous membranes as a distinctive feature. Prickly ash is unmistakably a gastrointestinal tonic it will find a place in the treatment of atonic dyspepsia and gastric cataract. Many chronic affections of the mucous tissues are benefited by it the cases being those of enfeeblement and relaxation with hyper secretion. Constipation due to deficient intestinal secretion

[00:12:38] has been overcome with its use alone. It is more especially indicated when accompanied by flatulent distension of the abdomen as an agent for flatulence the preparation of the berries will give the best results. Lack of secretion in any part of the intestinal tract cause for a preparation of prickly ash bark. Both the bark and the berries may be required in some instances. In spasm of the bowels colic cholera

[00:13:05] and phantom and cholera morbus specific xanthazylem berries will be found valuable in atonic cases. It is useful to restore the bowels to their normal state after severe attacks of dysentery and has been a particular service as a remedy for epidemic dysentery. Professor King introduced a saturated tincture of the berries to the profession in Cincinnati in 1849 as a remedy for asiatic cholera.

[00:13:30] In his article on prickly ash berries in the college journal of 1856 he writes, I have used this tincture for some years and had the pleasure to introduce it to the profession in this city during the year of 1849 both in the treatment of tympanitic distension of the bowels during peritoneal inflammation and in asiatic cholera. In tympanites it may be administered by mouth and by injection. That's essentially an enema as well as by mouth is what he's saying. He's not

[00:13:58] saying use a needle. He said it was much used by physicians during that outbreak of cholera in 1849-50, so much employed by our physicians in Cincinnati with great success, it acted like electricity so sudden and diffusive was its influence over the system. In this disease the tincture was given a teaspoon full doses. Says Professor King likewise valued it in atonic diarrhea and in typhoid conditions requiring a

[00:14:24] stimulant believing it to have advantage over all other drugs for that purpose. In the tympanitic conditions incident to cholera and phantom and other forms of diarrhea, he combined equal parts of olive oil and tincture of prickly ash berries and had the patient's abdomen freely rubbed with it, so used externally as well, in a downward direction for one to two hours until the flatulent state was over, claiming thereby to have saved many a little one who would have otherwise gone to an early grave.

[00:14:53] To prevent the return of the distension, he used the tincture by mouth and per rectum. Combined with diuretics and tonics prickly ash has been employed in dropsy and in malarial manifestations as in good repute as a remedy for dysfunctional dysmenorrhea. For the latter purpose, 20 drops of the specific xanthozylum bark should be administered as a dose and repeated as often as necessary. Both the

[00:15:21] bark and the berries give good results in neuralgic dysmenorrhea with marked pain and hypersensitiveness. Xanthozylum is a valuable nerve stimulant and may be administered for some length of time without effects. It is valuable in all cases of prostration and has been recommended in all depressed conditions of the vital forces. Pains down the anterior portions of the thighs as well as after pains

[00:15:46] accompanied with dorsal and sacral pain are relieved by it. It relieves neuralgic pains in anemic and delicate persons only to its action on blood stasis overcoming capillary engorgement. It has been found useful in determining the rash to the surface and eruptive diseases and especially serviceable in cases of retrocession of the eruption. In other words, it would help bring a rash up and resolve it more quickly.

[00:16:13] That's probably the easiest way to say that. Under specific indications of uses, it says xanthozylum is specifically indicated in smaller doses in hyper secretion from debility and relaxation of the mucous tissues, atonicity of the nervous system in larger doses for capillary engrossment, sluggish circulation, tympanities in the bowel complaints, intestinal and gastric torpor with deficient secretion, dryness of the

[00:16:42] mucous membrane of the mouth, and flatulite colic, asiatic cholera, uterine cramps, and neuralgia. For painful bowel disorders, the preparation of the berries are to be preferred. All right, that's a lot of, you know, complicated medical language. Let's look at what plants of the future says. Probably be a little more simple. Medicinal use of Hercules club. This species is quite widely used in herbal medicine.

[00:17:07] It has the same properties as xanthozylum americanum, but is said to be more active. Well, that resolves that issue we started with. All parts of the plant, but especially the bark and root, contain the bitter oil xanthozylum. This has a number of applications in medicine. The fruit has a similar medicinal action to the bark. The bark and roots are irritant, anti-rheumatic. Along with the fruit, they are diaphoretic stimulant,

[00:17:35] and a useful tonic in debilitated conditions of the stomach and digestive organs. They produce arterial excitement and are of use in the treatment of fevers, ague, ague is fevers that usually comes from like malaria or COVID, for instance, poor circulation, etc. The fruits are considered more active than the bark. They are also antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, and anti-rheumatic. The pulverized root and bark are used to ease the pain of a toothache.

[00:18:01] One report says that it is very efficacious, but the sensation of the acrid bark is fully as unpleasant as the toothache. So, the bark and the root seem to be much more acrid than the berry. Chewing on the bark induces copious salivation. Rubbing the fruit against the skin, especially in the lips or mouth, produces a temporary loss of sensation, a numbing-type quality. A tear tincture of the bark has been used in treatment of rheumatism, dyspepsia, dysentery,

[00:18:30] heart and kidney troubles, etc. And a tea made from the inner bark is used to treat itchy skin. So, very, very useful plant. If you live where Hercules Club or Xanthus Island grows, definitely make use of it. If not, you might want to try growing in a large container. You know, you could probably keep a small one in a big pot or maybe one you just want to order online. It is a fairly

[00:19:00] commonly used plant. And it also has some adaptogenic qualities. It's pretty popular these days, actually. So, y'all, that's going to wrap it up this week. I think we have one more entry in the Medicinal Trees series. And we will have this one wrapped up. I'll have to decide on what to discuss with you after that. Actually, well, you know, I've written 15 books that are currently published.

[00:19:28] And I'm actually working on three at a time right now with inquiries from two publishing companies that want me to write two more books by the end of the year. So, you know, it's a little overwhelming right now, especially with all the hurricane repairs that have to be made on the house and just, you know, all the daily duties of regular life. But I've got a lot more information to share with you. Don't worry that I'm going to run out of stuff to talk about being of Irish descent that

[00:19:56] rarely if ever happens. All right, y'all, have a good one. I'll talk to you next time. The information in this podcast is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing I say or write has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I'm not a doctor. The U.S. government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and there is no governing body regulating herbalists. Therefore, I'm really just a guy who studies herbs. I'm not offering any advice.

[00:20:24] I won't even claim that anything I write or say is accurate or true. I can tell you what herbs have been traditionally used for. I can tell you my own experience and if I believe in herbs help me. I cannot nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use an herb anyone recommends, you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, a sensitivity, an underlying

[00:20:51] condition that no one else even shares and you don't even know about. Be careful with your health. By continuing to listen to my podcast or read my blog, you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to blame me for anything ever.