Bloodroot Facts

Bloodroot, or Sanguinaria canadensis, also is known as Indian paint or red paint root and has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. Bloodroot's common name derives from the sap that flows throughout the entire plant, but is most concentrated in the roots. When pierced, they ooze what looks like blood from a wound. First discovered by Native Americans, the plant still enjoys fame today for its healing properties and dangers when used incorrectly.

Description

An herbaceous perennial, bloodroot produces blood-red sap from its fresh roots. When the roots are dry, the sap changes to yellow or orange. The plant's dainty white flowers appear in whorls on the end of naked stems that rise from a bud at the base of the rhizome. Heart-shaped, deeply lobed leaves also form from a bud on the rootstock and feature smooth, yellowish-green upper surfaces with paler color on the undersides. The entire bloodroot plant reaches about 6 inches in height.

History

Native Americans first used bloodroot to paint their skin, a tactic meant to frighten potential enemies. They also used the plant to dye cloth and for several medicinal purposes. A tea made from the plant's roots treated sore throats, fevers and rheumatism. Some tribes were known to chew the root and spit the juice on burns to heal them. Native Americans living near Lake Superior used the plant's sap to heal skin cancers and growths. Early settlers to the United States also found medicinal uses for bloodroot, and the plant was included as an official botanical drug in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1926.

Location

Native to the United States and Canada, bloodroot grows wild in cool, moist deciduous woods and on woodland slopes throughout North America. The plant thrives in shady areas with rich soils, such as forest floors, where it is protected from the sun by a canopy of trees. Commonly found growing in New England, the plant tolerates temperatures as low as -30 degrees F and grows well into USDA hardiness zone 3.

Uses

Bloodroot's traditional uses include treating inflammation, cough, colds, bronchitis, asthma, laryngitis, infections, warts, migraines, oral plaque and even cancer. Bloodroot contains an alkaloid known as sanguinarine that exhibits antimicrobial, tumoricidal, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. One study, published in the April 2002 edition of "Biochemical Pharmacology," found that the sanguinarine alkaloid caused cell death in multi-drug-resistant human cervical cells. Often used as a home remedy for skin cancers in humans and animals, bloodroot provides the main ingredient for homemade "black salves," which can cause dangerous side effects when used incorrectly.

Warnings

Although bloodroot has potential benefits, the herb should be administered only by a qualified medical practitioner. Self-treating with bloodroot can cause dangerous side effects. According to a study published in "Dermatologic Surgery" in 2009, a man with a history of basal cell carcinomas self-treated with a mixture of bloodroot and zinc chloride, also known as a black salve, which resulted in a complete loss of external nose tissue. Common side effects experienced after ingestion include dizziness, vertigo, tunnel vision, nausea, burning of the gums and esophagus, vomiting and skin irritation. Large doses might be fatal. Do not take with blood-thinning medications or if you're pregnant or nursing.