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A small tree (8-12 feet) with prickly leaves, blackish berries and umbels of white flowers in August. The bark is thin and ash colored and is the official part used although other parts have medicinal uses as well. The fresh bark causes vomiting and purging but the dried bark is a stimulating alterative.
CONTAINS: Araliin (glucoside)
RELATED SPECIES:: Used in Chinese medicine as a warming, pain-killing herb for rheumatoid arthritis.
MEDICINAL USES:
Stimulating alterative; powerful sialogogue (increases salivation and useful where mouth and throat get dry).Has been used for sore throat, to relieve breathing difficulty, and to produce moisture when given in very small dosages of the powder (bark, berries and roots all used).Berries have been used in an infusion in wine to relieve violent colic and for pain of rheumatism.Tincture has been used for rheumatism, skin diseases and (formerly) for syphilis.Has been used in cases of cholera when a violent cathartic is desired. The bark is infused in 1/2 pint boiling water and, when cold, taken in tablespoonful doses every 1/2 hour. Or else the following compounded recipe was used: 1 drachm compound powdered Jalap, 1 drachm Aralia spinosa, 2 drachms compound rhubarb powder. The berries in tincture form have been used to ease pain in decayed teeth and in other parts of the body. Also used for violent colic and rheumatism.Native Americans used a decoction of the bark and root as a purifier of blood and as a fever remedy.Early African Americans used it for snakebite: the bark of the fresh root was taken in decoction and the powdered root was applied to the bite externally.A decoction has been used for the same purposes as Sarsaparilla.A. spinosa was included in the US Pharmacopeia 1820-82 as official for use as a stimulant and diuretic.