{"id":15212,"date":"2024-12-09T09:37:42","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T09:37:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/?post_type=herb&p=15212"},"modified":"2025-11-15T10:14:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T10:14:04","slug":"poke-root","status":"publish","type":"herb","link":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/herb\/poke-root\/","title":{"rendered":"Poke root"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":15219,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","beyondwords_generate_audio":"1","beyondwords_project_id":"47224","beyondwords_content_id":"fc0eaa6e-6a3c-4444-a742-f17a5b8aac76","beyondwords_preview_token":"25aeb021-2290-48a1-a438-e58f5f496551","beyondwords_player_content":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_code":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_delete_content":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_status":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"tags":[],"conditions":[701,699,695,700],"sustainability":[1576],"sense":[31,18,786,30],"western_action":[989,990,992,993,996,1001,1006,1008,1015,1826,1252],"chinese_action":[],"ayurvedic_action":[],"energetics_action":[],"region":[1893],"class_list":["post-15212","herb","type-herb","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","conditions-immune-system","conditions-musculoskeletal-system","conditions-respiratory-system","conditions-skin","sustainability-green-sustainability-status","sense-astringent-taste","sense-bitter","sense-cooling","sense-sharp","western_action-alterative","western_action-analgesic","western_action-anti-inflammatory","western_action-antimicrobial","western_action-antirheumatic","western_action-bitter","western_action-depurative","western_action-diuretic","western_action-immunomodulant","western_action-lymphatic","western_action-vermifuge","region-western-herbs"],"acf":{"last_reviewed":"20241209","herb_author":1235,"banner_text":"Poke root is a practitioner-only herb with a long history","latin_name":"Phytolacca americana<\/span><\/i>","pseudonym_name":"","family_name":"Phytolaccaceae","herb_summary":"Pokeroot is a valuable medicine used to support the body\u2019s eliminatory functions through its action on the lymphatic system. It is a restricted herb with limitations on dosage and duration of use.","key_benefits":"Alterative\r\nLymphatic\r\nAntirheumatic","how_does_it_feel":"Poke root is a herb restricted under Schedule 20 restrictions, so it may only be used under the guidance of medical herbalist<\/span>","hdif_image_1":15222,"hdif_image_2":15220,"hdif_image_3":15218,"hdif_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/yoXuR6DDv44","sense":[31,18,786,30],"what_can_i_use_it_for":"Poke root is not suited to beginner or home herbalists. Its uses are largely for ongoing, chronic conditions connected to the lymphatic system. It is known to produce purgative effects if taken incorrectly. Consequently, poke root is a herb restricted under Schedule 20 restrictions, so it may only be used under the guidance of medical herbalist<\/a>. See \u2018what practitioners say\u2019 to learn about how professional herbalists use it in practice.<\/span>","into_the_heart_of":"Poke root is one of the best herbs for lymphatic afflictions. It is used in herbal medicine to support movement of lymph, thus supporting cellular and systemic detoxification and enhancing the function of the immune system. It is often used in cases of swollen lymph nodes, tonsillitis, mastitis, swollen breasts and mumps\u00a0 (1,2).\r\n\r\nIn the principles of traditional Western herbal medicine where the focus is on identifying the health status of tissues, poke root is specifically useful for damp stagnation. This is most accurately described as a state of torpidity. There will be a build up of fluid or phlegm which may be stuck. This may be linked to the lymphatic system, or anywhere in the body.\r\n\r\nThis stagnation can cause pain in the muscles. There may be a wider picture of weakness and flaccidity that is not linked to poor nutrition. Digestion and liver function are also backed up. Poke root is able to promote movement where it is needed to release this stagnation in the tissues (3).","tradtional_uses":"[caption id=\"attachment_15219\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"600\"]\"Poke Poke root (Phytolacca americana<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nPoke root is regarded as one of the most medicinally important plants of the Native Americans . It has long been regarded as a powerful cleansing remedy, used to help in cases when the lymphatic system has become sluggish and congested.\r\n\r\nThis may show up in the early stages as being chronically tired with slightly swollen glands. It is specific where deep congestion in the lymphatic system is an associated symptom in advanced rheumatism, respiratory disease or auto-immune disorders. All of which are conditions that poke root has traditionally been used to treat (1).\r\n\r\nGrieves writes that \u201cheadaches of many sources are benefited by it\u201d. It has long been used for treating chronic rheumatism and it is also stated to be of value as an internal remedy in cancer \u2014 particularly of the breast. As with all herbal authors on poke root, Grieve emphasises the need for caution describing its potential action in higher doses as a slow emetic and purgative with narcotic properties (4).\r\n\r\nIn the King's Dispensatory 1898<\/i>, it is written that \u201cphysiologically, poke root acts upon the skin, the glandular structures, especially those of the buccal cavity, throat, sexual system, and very markedly upon the mammary glands. It further acts upon the fibrous and serous tissues, and mucous membranes of the digestive and urinary tracts. In certain conditions of the system which might come under the head of dyscrasia (bad blood), it proves a most valuable alterative\u201d (5).","what_practioners_say":"[caption id=\"attachment_15223\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"600\"]\"Poke Poke root (Phytolacca americana<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nPoke root is a slow-acting emetic, a purgative, and a mild narcotic. It has a long history of use in herbal medicine for a number of chronic health conditions. The use of this herb should only be attempted by qualified medical herbalists.\r\n

Immune system<\/h3>\r\nPoke root has a specific action on the lymphatic system and is used to increase lymphatic drainage. It is most indicated in cases of hard lymph nodes with pale congested mucous membranes.\r\n\r\nIs indicated in mastitis, sore nipples, cystic breast tissue or mammary abscesses. It can be applied topically as a lotion and\/or taken internally for swollen glands and lymph nodes (1,5,6).\r\n\r\nPoke root is sometimes used by herbalists to treat serious conditions such as lymphoedema, testicular inflammation, or as an adjunct treatment for cancer.\r\n\r\nSeveral immune properties of poke root have been identified as a result of its polysaccharides. The actions of these compounds are mitogenic, immuno-stimulant and enhancing to B and T lymphocytes.. These compounds are also anti-inflammatory. Proteins called isoamericanin A (neo-lignan) found in poke root as well as alkaloid compounds called phytolaccines have also been shown to exhibit antiviral and antibacterial effects. The latter has been shown to be effective against gram positive organisms(9,10).\r\n\r\nThe immune supportive effects of poke root may also be partly caused by the presence of substances called mitogenic lectins, which may interact with gut associated lymphoid tissue and may be absorbed in small quantities. These lectins are used pharmacologically to stimulate cell division and increase the production of antibodies within white blood cells (7,11,).\r\n

Respiratory system<\/h3>\r\nPoke may also be occasionally used for inflammatory conditions of the upper respiratory tract. Compounds called triterpene saponins (phytolaccosides) found in poke root are anti-inflammatory and anticatarrhal (7,12,13).\r\n

Musculoskeletal system<\/h3>\r\nPoke root is often used in chronic rheumatism to support the removal of waste products from systemic circulation and reduce inflammation in the muscular tissue (1,7,13).\r\n

Other<\/h3>\r\nSome additional indications for poke root include tonsillitis, laryngitis, adenitis and mumps. It can also be used as part of an integrated approach to treat skin infections such as scabies, tinea, sycosis and acne (1,7).","research":"Unsurprisingly, given its potential for toxicity, there are no clinical studies on human subjects using poke root. There were a number of laboratory studies carried out between the 1970s and 1990s which have not been included in this monograph (12).","did_you_know":"","additional_information_right":{"illustration":242868},"additional_information_left":{"botany":"Poke root is a large and fleshy perennial with a hollow stem. The leaves are alternate and ovate-lanceolate. The flowers appear in racemes and consist of a white calyx with no corolla. The fruit is a beautiful deep purple berry, covering the stem in clusters (14).","common_names":"