Sarsaparilla root - cut

Excerpts from the book The How to Herb Book

Alterative, Diuretic, Hormonal, Relaxant, Stimulant, Tonic

• Excellent in balancing hormones in both males and females. Contains the male hormones testosterone (an important hair growing hormone), progesterone, and cortin; stimulates the action of estrogen in females.
• Has been used in rheumatism and gout.
• Increases flow of urine.
• Used in blood purifier combinations.
• Promotes perspiration when taken hot.

Has been used in the following:

Excerpts from the book The ABC Herbal

My favorite blood purifier for children is sarsaparilla. We have used sarsaparilla as a single herb in TincTract form and in combination with other herbs to “clean” the blood. Sarsaparilla was one of the herbs used to flavor old-fashioned root beer, so we have called the sarsaparilla liquid our “root beer extract.” I’ve often given it to my children as a reward for taking something less pleasant such as goldenseal.

Excerpts from the book Nutritional Herbology

Sarsaparilla is essentially a blood purifier that acts mainly in the colon. It controls the balance of colonic flora and binds the toxins produced by the resident yeasts and bacteria. Most of the bitter principles in the root are not absorbed appreciably into the blood. They are activated only in alkaline solutions like the environment of the colon. This prevents them from interfering with the processes of digestion and absorption in the upper digestive tract. In the lower bowel, they react with the alkaline media and bind to a variety of toxins.

Toxin in this sense means allergen. It is any compound that elicits an immune response. For example, some people are very sensitive (allergic) to the metabolic waste of years such as candida. In some individuals even a minute quantity of these compounds produces a syndrome of symptoms. Individuals with these sensitivities go to great lengths to eliminate the yeasts through antibiotics and dietary control. Others have an apparent immunity to these toxins and suffer no ill effects. Sarsaparilla, like yucca, binds to these toxins and causes them to be eliminated from the bowel.

Many of these allergic reactions to colonic flora metabolites are manifested as inflammations. This probably accounts for the popular history of sarsaparilla in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, inflammatory bowel conditions, and skin inflammations including psoriasis.

Sarsaparilla has shown some antibiotic activity. A Chinese study showed the root to be 90% effective in treating acute cases and 50% effective in treating chronic cases. Its action is due to its content of steroidal saponins.

Sarsaparilla root contains bitter compounds that increase the production of urine and promote sweating. These compounds also relieve inflammation, muscle spasms and are antiseptic. Sarsaparilla is an excellent herbal source of chromium, cobalt, iron and selenium. It has been used to treat rheumatism, gout, fevers, inflammatory skin conditions, prostatitis and impotence.

Sarsaparilla is high or very high in: