Medicinal Monday...Pleurisy Root

Pleurisy Root has been used medicinally by Native American communities living in the Eastern, Midwestern, and Southwestern areas of North America. Pleurisy Root became popular in the 19th century as an expectorant and to moisten tissue. Its historical use during pleuritic chest pain continues today.

About Pleurisy Root

This perennial herb is native to North America with the genus name Asclepias tuberosa L.  It has fleshy white tuber-like roots that produce stout, erect, round, hairy stems without milky juice that can grow up to three feet high. The leaves are lance-shaped and darker green above than beneath. The leaves can emit a watery sap. Pleurisy Root can be found in dry fields, woods, meadows, prairies, and sandy soil along the east coast and westward as far as northern New Mexico. The bright orange flowers bloom from July through September and have five petals that are bent downward and topped by a crown of five hoods. The seeds are elongated hairy shaped spindle-shaped pods with fine silky fibers that help transport them in the wind. This plant is primarily pollinated by bees and wasps.

Medicinal Uses of Pleurisy Root

Generally, Native Americans chewed the dried root or made tea by boiling the root as a remedy for bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, and dysentery. A poultice of the root was made and applied to bruises, swellings, and to relieve rheumatism. Some of the documented uses of this plant by various Native American communities include the following unique uses. 

The Cherokee used the roots for breast, stomach, and intestinal pains and use the stems of this plant to make belts. The Delaware made tea from the root that was given to women after childbirth. The Iroquois use a poultice of smashed roots as sports medicine and would apply it to legs and running shoes to increase running strength. The Navajo make the roots into a lotion and use it ceremonially. The Navajo Ramah make a decoction of the roots to treat dog or coyote bites and, the Rappahannock use a poultice of leaves to treat snakebites.

Did You Know...

In addition to being called Butterfly Weed and Pleurisy Root, this plant is also called Asclepias, Canada Root, Flux Root, Chigger Flower, Orange Swallow Wort, Swallow Wort, Tuber Root, White Root, and Wind Root.

One species of this plant in the Far East was used as a hallucinogen which is known in the Hindu religion as "Soma." 

The genus name Asclepias is named after the Greek God of medicine, Asklepios. The species name tuberose refers to its knobby roots.