The bloodroot plant grows wild in the northern and eastern portions of North America. The plant gets its name from the red liquid that oozes from the stem when it is broken off, according to Medicinal Herb Info. When used medicinally, the plant is harvested in the early spring, the rootstock is dried and then is ground into a powder. Before beginning to use bloodroot, consult your health care provider for instructions.
Moles Explained
MayoClinic.com describes moles as small areas of pigmented skin cells that appear as brown spots on the skin. The moles can be anywhere on the body and are usually harmless. In rare cases, moles can become cancerous. When they do, it's the most dangerous form of skin cancer, melanoma. If you have a mole that shows changes in size, shape or color, you should have it evaluated by a health care professional immediately. Otherwise, moles pose no harm, except cosmetically. The site says that moles, especially cancerous ones, are usually removed surgically.
Bloodroot History
Drugs.com reports that traditional American Indian uses for bloodroot were as a red dye and for the treatment of skin conditions such as moles, and as a tonic for coughs, sore throats and ulcers. In the early 19th century, folk medicine began to use bloodroot to treat skin cancers, warts and skin polyps. The site warns that none of these uses have been clinically tested for safety.
Bloodroot Uses
The website for the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center lists the current medicinal uses for bloodroot as a treatment for migraines, cancer, chronic cough, infection, inflammation and oral plaque. The site states that few clinical studies of bloodroot's effects for these conditions have been conducted, and the results so far show that it is less effective than prescription treatments.
Research
An article on the website for the U.S. National Library of Medicine or PubMed.gov, describes a clinical study done at Penn State University on the effects of using bloodroot paste to remove moles. The results were less than favorable. The bloodroot paste was able to effectively remove the moles a lot of the time, but left unsightly and disfiguring scarring when it was done. The results when attempting to remove cancerous moles were even worse, because much of the time the bloodroot paste did not remove all of the cancerous tissue. The article discourages the use of bloodroot paste to remove moles.
Possible Side Effects
The MSKCC website warns that pregnant or breast-feeding women should not use bloodroot because of a lack of evidence of its safety to the unborn or nursing baby. The site also says that people with glaucoma should not use bloodroot because of possible harmful complications. The common side effects for taking bloodroot internally are dizziness, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, and burning of the gums or of the esophagus. This site also does not recommend the use of bloodroot for moles.
