CALUMBA (Jateorhiza palmata; J. calumba; Cocculus palmatus)

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=3 height=90 BGCOLOR="#996600" TEXT="#080000" background="04e785a3.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><IMG SRC="ccb4c550.png" border=0 width="76" height="85" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The Complete Writings of</I></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Times New Roman" > Dr. John R. Christopher.</FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. John R. 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Walteri; F. canadensis)</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_golden_seal.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GOLDEN SEAL (Hydrastis canadensis)">GOLDEN SEAL (Hydrastis canadensis)</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_peruvian_bark.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PERUVIAN BARK (Cinchona calisaya: C. led">PERUVIAN BARK (Cinchona calisaya: C. ledgerana; C. officinalis, C. succirubra)</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_white_poplar.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WHITE POPLAR (Populus tremuloides)">WHITE POPLAR (Populus tremuloides)</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_european_centaury.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EUROPEAN CENTAURY (Erythraea centaurium)">EUROPEAN CENTAURY (Erythraea centaurium)</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_blessed_thistle21d.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BLESSED THISTLE or HOLY THISTLE Carbenia">BLESSED THISTLE or HOLY THISTLE Carbenia benedicta; Centaurea benedicta; Carduus benedictus; Cnicus benedictus; COMPOSITAE)</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_myrrh.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MYRRH or GUM MYRRH Commiphora myrrha C. ">MYRRH or GUM MYRRH Commiphora myrrha; C. molmol; Balsamodendron myrrha; BURSERACEAE)</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_balmony21b.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BALMONY (Chelone glabra SCROPHULARIACEAE">BALMONY (Chelone glabra; SCROPHULARIACEAE)</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_gentian.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GENTIAN (Gentiana lutea GENTIANACEAE)">GENTIAN (Gentiana lutea; GENTIANACEAE)</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_false_unicorn_root.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FALSE UNICORN ROOT or HELONIAS (Chamaeli">FALSE UNICORN ROOT or HELONIAS (Chamaelirium luteum; Helonias dioica; H. lutea; C. carolinianum; LILIACEAE)</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=366 width="100%" colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="102" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <head> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">  </script> </head> <A HREF="javascript:myprint()" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="javascript:myprint()">Print this Page</A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <I><B>CALUMBA (Jateorhiza palmata; J. calumba; Cocculus palmatus)</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Common names:</B></I></div> <div> Calumba, calumb, colombo, colombo root, foreign colombo, kalumb, jateorhiza; Calumbae Radix (Br.); Colombo, Racine de Colombo, Racine de Valumbe (Fr.); Radix Colombo, Kolombowurzel (Ger.).</div> <div> <I><B>Identifying characteristics:</B></I></div> <div> This is a climbing vine strongly resembling yellow parilla (Menispermum canadense); the rhizome is short, thick, irregular, and branching. The extending roots have a thin, grayish-brown skin that is marked with transverse warts. The male plant has a single stem of about one-inch thickness proceeding from the root, while the female has two. The leaves are large (10 inches long, 14 inches wide), petiolate (stalked), hairy and palmately-lobed (3-7 lobes); and the flowers are small and inconspicuous (borne in pendulous maxillary panicles). The roots coming from the rhizome are many, fleshy, fusiform (tapering at each end, spindle-shaped), and resemble parsnips (but they are larger, more cylindrical, and grow in clusters). These are sold commercially in oval disks 1 '/2 to 4 inches wide and 1/4 - 4/5 inch thick, with biconcave centers, which are roughly wrinkled and internally yellowish (grayish-yellow or yellowish-brown), and the external bark is grayish-brown. These sections show vascular bundles in radiating lines, are mealy and fracture short; they have a slight odor, and an aromatic, mucilaginous and very bitter taste.</div> <div> <I><B>Part used:</B></I></div> <div> Root.</div> <div> <I><B>Therapeutic action:</B></I></div> <div> Tonic, febrifuge, stomachic, antiemetic, digestive stimulant (stimulates the gustatory nerves which dilate the gastric vessels and augment secretion), sialagogue, antiseptic, disinfectant, anthelmintic, cathartic (large doses), mild laxative (small doses), demulcent (slightly).</div> <div> This is a bitter tonic without astringency or aroma and is one of the best, most effective, and purest tonic strengtheners for indolent (lazy) and enervated conditions (especially in hot, swampy climates), promoting digestion, toxic elimination, and thereby toning up and nourishing the whole body system. Calumba is a good substitute for Peruvian bark when it is unavailable. It is excellent to use before confinement (during convalescence). It resembles golden seal as a gastric tonic, but it is not a positive tonic to the nervous system.</div> <div> <I><B>Medicinal uses:</B></I></div> <div> Bedwetting, cholera infantum, cholera morbus, colon trouble, constipation, convalescence from fevers, debility, diarrhea (chronic), dysentery, dyspepsia (atonic), fevers (remittent and intermittent), flatulence (bowel), indigestion, liver torpor (inactivity), mucus colitis, pinworms (children), prolapsed uterus, phthisis (fever), pulmonary consumption, rheumatism, sea-sickness, stomach problems, vomiting in pregnancy.</div> <div> <I><B>Preparation:</B></I></div> <div> Decoction     See "<A HREF="#formulas" TITLE="CALUMBA (Jateorhiza palmata J. calumba C">Formulas</A>."</div> <div> Infusion         Infuse 1 ounce of the herb in 1 pint of cold water for one hour or more.</div> <div> <I><B>Dosage:</B></I></div> <div> Concentrate      1 /2 - 1 teaspoon.</div> <div> Decoction         1 tablespoonful 3-4 times daily between meals. Children: 1-2 teaspoonfuls in honey water 2 times daily.</div> <div> Fluid extract      10-30 drops.</div> <div> Infusion             2 tablespoonfuls 3-4 times daily.</div> <div> Powder            (root) 1/2 - 2 grams.</div> <div> Solid extract     100-300 milligrams.</div> <div> Tincture            1-10 drops.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <A NAME="page_433"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>Page 433</div> <div> <I><B>Administration:</B></I></div> <div> This herb is given orally, or by anal injection in extreme cases.</div> <div> <I><B> <A NAME="formulas"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></I><I><B>Formulas:</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Decoction:</B></I></div> <div> 1 ounce       (2 tablespoonfuls) Calumba root, cut (Jateorhiza palmata)</div> <div> 1 pint          Water</div> <div> 2 ounces     Glycerine</div> <div> <I>Preparation:</I></div> <div> Boil the water and pour this over the root; place this on very low heat (not boiling) for 30 minutes; strain and add the glycerine; cool, bottle and keep in a cool place.</div> <div> <I><B>Flatulence:</B></I></div> <div> 1/2 ounce       (1 tablespoon)  Calumba, powder (Jateorhiza palmata)</div> <div> 1/2 ounce       Ginger, powder  (Zingiber officinale)</div> <div> 1 teaspoon     Senna, powder  (Cassia angustifolia)</div> <div> <I>Preparation:</I></div> <div> Infuse in one pint of boiling water.</div> <div> <I>Dosage:</I></div> <div> 2 fluid ounces three times daily.</div> <div> <I><B>Intestinal Flatulence:</B></I></div> <div> 1/2 ounce       Calumba root, powdered (Jateorhiza palmata)</div> <div> 1/2 ounce       Ginger (Zingiber officinale)</div> <div> 1 teaspoon      Senna (Cassia angustifolia)</div> <div> <I>Preparation:</I></div> <div> Make an infusion by pouring 1 pint of boiling water over the above ingredients; cover tightly and steep for one hour. Strain and sweeten to taste.</div> <div> <I>Dosage:</I></div> <div> 2 fluid ounces 3 times daily.</div> <div> <I><B>Weak and Impaired digestion:</B></I></div> <div> 1 ounce       Calumba root (Jateorhiza palmata)</div> <div> 1 ounce       White poplar or Quaking aspen bark (Populus tremuloides)</div> <div> 1 ounce        Raspberry leaves (Rubus idaeus)</div> <div> 1/2 ounce     Horehound herb (Marrubium vulgare)</div> <div> 1/2 tsp         Cayenne (Capsicum minimum; C. fastigiatum)</div> <div> <I>Preparation:</I></div> <div> Simmer the first four herbs about 15 minutes in one quart of water; strain while hot over the cayenne.</div> <div> <I>Dosage:</I></div> <div> 1 fluid ounce 3-4 times daily.</div> <div> <I><B>Growth characteristics:</B></I></div> <div> Perennial root; this plant is a native of the southeastern forests of Africa in and near Mozambique (lower Zambezi River), and is cultivated in Africa and the East India Islands.</div> <div> <I><B>Beware of adulterated calumba</B></I></div> <div> Adulterations of calumba are sometimes made with white bryony root (Bryonia alba) which is a hydragogue cathartic and large doses are dangerous; and with American colombo (Frasera carolinensis) which changes the therapeutic action of calumba. These adulterations are dyed yellow with turmeric or safflower and made bitter with colombo or quassia (giving a near physical resemblance to the African calumba root). These adulterations can be recognized by the following simple tests: (1) the color will be slightly lighter, (2) they are not mucilaginous, (3) they lack the dark cambium zone and radiating lines, and (4) they redden litmus paper. Other more technical tests can be made, such as the adulterations precipitate with iron salts, evolve ammonia with fixed alkalies, and contain no starch.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Page 434</div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=24 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="cc203181eearkz.gif"> <div>  <A HREF="snh_barberry218.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BARBERRY (Berberis vulgaris Berberis dum">SNH Barberry</A> < Previous  |  Next > <A HREF="snh_american_colombo.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AMERICAN COLOMBO (Frasera caroliniensis ">SNH American Colombo</A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>