Medicinal Monday...American Boneset - Handle with Care!

American Boneset has a long medicinal history. Its name, boneset comes from an ancient concept known as the Doctrine of Signatures that believed that God marked everything with a sign (signature). Early herbalists using this concept believed that the way plants grow or taste helps signify the way they could be used. In the case of boneset, its rigid stem appears to grow through its leaves, seeming to support the plant's main stem, and because of this, it was thought boneset would be useful in setting bones. Native American communities using this plant, however, found many other medical uses for it.

About American Boneset

Eupatorium perfoliatum or American Boneset can be identified by its opposite stalkless leaves that are fused together across the stem making them look like a single leaf that has been pierced by the hairy stem. Boneset is a large herbaceous, clump-forming perennial shrub that can grow up to six feet tall. Some thought it looked like broken bones fusing together, hence its use to treat bone breaks. It has flat-topped tubular-shaped white flowers that bloom in clusters of 9 to 23 florets from July through October. The flowers are replaced by seeds small tufts of hair that are dispersed by the wind from September through November. The finely toothed leaves are lance-shaped and taper to a sharply pointed tip and clasp the stem. Boneset prefers moist rich soil and sunny locations. It is a common native plant found in the Eastern United States and Canada. In general, it is widespread from Nova Scotia to Florida and can be found as far west as Texas. 

Medicinal Uses

The most common use of boneset in traditional Native American medicine is to use it as a hot infusion to treat fevers, sore throats, and the common cold. The Abnaki used an infusion of this plant to mend bones, and the Cherokee, Mohegan, Nanticoke, and Delaware made an infusion to treat sore throats, fevers, and colds. They also drank an infusion as a purgative and as an emetic. The Chippewa made a poultice of boiled plant tops and applied it to sore muscles and used it as a treatment for rheumatism. In addition, the Chippewa made a poultice of chewed plants and applied it to rattlesnake bites. In hunting, the Chippewa rubbed roots on whistles and used them as a charm to attract deer. The Mohegans used an infusion of Boneset leaves for stomach trouble and to treat general illnesses. It was also part of a compound infusion that was taken as a spring tonic. The Penobscot made a compound infusion to treat kidney trouble and gonorrhea. The Seminole used a decoction of the plant as a gentle emetic as well as a medicine for colds and fevers. 

The Iroquois made a poultice of smashed plants and applied it to treat headaches. They made an infusion of boneset stems and took it at the onset of a cold and also made an infusion of the entire plant to treat fever. The Iroquois made a compound decoction of the flowers and leaves and took it as a laxative, also, they made a cold compound infusion of leaves and applied it as a poultice to broken bones. The Iroquois used boneset as a poison and would put the plant in an enemy's liquor flask to kill him; they also used it for sorcery and for divination. The Meskwaki used the root for snakebite and an infusion of leaves and flower blossoms to expel worms. The Rappahannock made an infusion of flowers just before they matured and combined them with dried leaves and took this as a tonic for energy.

Did You Know...

Boneset contains volatile oil, tannic acid, and Eupatorin, a bitter glycoside acid. Mature boneset contains toxic alkaloids that lead to many complications in humans. It is said the taste of boneset is slightly bitter and mildly astringent and is poisonous to humans, livestock, and other animals. 

In the 18th century, this plant was prescribed to treat bone rack fever, which was probably Dengue fever.

Another name for boneset is thoroughworts because of the way the leaves appear to go through the stem.

Boneset attracts butterflies, bees, and songbirds. It is deer and rabbit-resistant.

Boneset shares its generic name Eupatorium with about 40 other plant species. The plant is named after Mithridates Eupator, who lived from 135-63 BC and was the ruler of Pontus in Asia Minor.

The species name, perfoliatum is Latin and refers to the stem piercing leaf. 

When taken by mouth it is extremely unsafe and can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting. It has pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can damage the liver.