Uses for Bloodroot

Bloodroot gets its name from the red-orange sap that oozes out of the plant when a piece of the plant is cut. This herbaceous perennial grows single flowers with white petals in a slight cup shape. The leaves are yellowish-green and heart-shaped with pale undersides covered with orange veins. Bloodroot flowers appear during the early spring, when the snow starts to thaw. Its native habitat is the cool, moist woodlands of North America.

Dental

• Bloodroot contains sanguinarine alkaloid, which is used in toothpaste and other dental products. Sanguinarine is antibacterial and useful in retarding bacterial growth in the mouth. The anti-inflammatory property in bloodroot reduces inflammation and bleeding caused by gingivitis.

Medicinal

• Bloodroot is taken in small doses to relax and soothe bronchial muscles for relief from asthma, emphysema, laryngitis, bronchitis and sore throat. Larger doses can work as an expectorant to clear the respiratory system of mucus. Warts, benign skin tumors, skin ulcers, eczema and ringworm are treated externally by bloodroot sap. Bloodroot has been found to contain anti-tumor properties.

Warning

• Alkaloid sanguinarine stimulates the respiratory system and causes an increase in blood pressure. Bloodroot is connected with leukoplakia, which is a pre-cancerous condition that creates white patches on the soft tissues of the mouth. When taken internally, bloodroot can cause nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, headaches and vomiting.

Pesticide

• When added to animal feed, bloodroot is used as a worming medicine for cattle and sheep. It also is used as a natural pesticide. It is toxic to mosquito larvae and other insects due to the insecticidal properties of the sanguinarine alkaloids.

History

• Native Americans used bloodroot to paint their skin for rituals. Dye was also made from bloodroot to decorate cloth. They also drank bloodroot tea to treat sore throats, fevers and burns. Tribes living near Lake Superior used bloodroot as a treatment for skin cancer.