Bloodroot paste, also known as Black Salve, is a thick concoction that a number of alternative medicine practitioners believe has the capability to cure a wide variety of skin problems, including cancerous tumors and warts. The paste is made from a basic set of natural ingredients, but should be used only with caution: the FDA has not tested or approved bloodroot paste and MSNBC.com reports that the Georgia State Medical Board has accused an herbal practitioner of harming his patients with bloodroot paste. Consult your doctor before using any bloodroot paste products.
Bloodroot
According to Herbs2000.com, bloodroot--known by the scientific name Sanguinaria canadensis--is a native eastern North American wildflower whose reddish sap was used by local Native Americans as both a fabric dye and a decorative body paint during war dance rituals. The bloodroot herb is often called the Indian Paint, Red Puccoon or Loodroot plant. In modern bloodroot pastes, the rhizome, or stem, of the plant is grated, ground up or powdered to form the base of a mixture that, as many Native Americans discovered, could destroy skin tissue. Bloodroot became a common Native American treatment for skin problems ranging from ringworm to skin polyps and tumors.
Red Clay
Red clay is another name for red desert clay or calcium montmorillonite, a type of natural clay mineral deposit. According to Cosmeticsinfo.org, red clay is used in personal care or medicinal products such as bloodroot paste as an emulsifying and thickening agent. As an emulsifying agent, the red clay binds with the paste's other ingredients and allows them to become one smooth solution; as a thickening agent, it provides enough bulk to make the solution of ingredients easily spreadable.
Pine Tar
Pine tar is a product of the carbonization of pine wood after it has been exposed to extreme heat. Bella Online reports that pine tar has been used for decades as a treatment for skin problems such as psoriasis, and for bacterial and fungal skin conditions.
Zinc Chloride
According to Cosmeticsinfo.org, zinc chloride is a white solid in crystal form that is responsible for both killing and preventing the further reproduction of bacteria and other microorganisms in personal care products.
Distilled Water
Distilled water is water that has been purified of all toxic substances and microorganisms, according to Cosmeticsinfo.org. In bloodroot paste, it serves as both a solvent and an emulsifying agent, ensuring that the paste's different ingredients blend together into a smooth concoction.
Member Comments