What Is Orris Root Powder?

Sometimes called by its scientific name Iris germanica, orris is a type of flower similar to the common iris. The roots of the orris plant are often dried and ground into a powder for a number of uses, including medicine.

Function

• Herbalists credit orris root powder with having the ability to reduce inflammation and relieve nasal and chest congestion, reports RxList.

Medicinal Uses

• Reported medicinal uses for orris root powder include the treatment of skin diseases, bronchitis, cancer, inflammation of the spleen or liver, kidney problems, vomiting, constipation, bad breath and teething pain, explains RxList. The powder is also used to promote digestion and increase the appetite.

Clinical Evidence

• A 2003 study at the Research Institute of Chemistry at the University of Karachi in Karachi, Pakistan, and published in the Journal of Entopharmacology, isolated nine chemicals in orris root that have the potential to reduce inflammation. More research is necessary to determine what medicinal applications these chemicals may have.

Other Uses

• Orris root powder is also used as a fixative when making potpourri in order to preserve the dried flowers and herbs to make their scents last longer.

Warning

• When used orally as a medicine, there are no known side effects of dried orris root powder, however, the raw juice from the orris plant can cause severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, stomach pain, and mouth irritation and ulceration, warns RxList.