|
Range:
Eastern and Central United States.
Habitat:
Wooded areas, along streams and moist hillsides.
Part
Used: The entire plant, especially the leaves.
Description:
Evergreen. Woodland Creeper. This vine flowers in
Spring with fragrant white trumpet-shaped flowers. The vine grows
about 6 to 12" high, creeping through moss around old tree
stumps. The leaves are thick, very shiny, and heart-shaped.
In the Fall, bright scarlet berries form that last all winter,
unless they are eaten by birds and deer. They are tasteless,
but can serve as a survival food.
Medicine:
Used widely used as a women's medicine among Eastern tribes.
Where it is used to promote easy childbirth, a tea of the leaves
is taken only during the last few weeks. It should be noted that
one of the Iroquois medical uses for this vine was as an
abortifacient. Used as an astringent diuretic in most
urinary disorders. A decoction of the entire plant can be used
with raspberry leaves, to bring about easy labor in confinement
cases. For many Penobscot, Montagnais, and Iroquois peoples, partridge berry
is either steeped into a herbal tea, or the berries are consumed,
sometimes in a jelly that is used for fever and often for reducing
severe labor pains.
Partridge Berry is among the
best remedies for preparing the uterus and whole body for child
birth. Take for some weeks before the child is due, thus ensuring
a safe and wonderful birth for both of you. Used also for the
relief of painful periods. As an astringent it has been used in
the treatment of colitis, especially if there is much mucus.
Useful for all forms of nervous feebleness and irritability of a
chronic character. Exerts a highly favorable influence over
spermatorrhea, especially in combination with the flowers of
Althea, Celastrus, and Uva ursi. On the mucous membranes it exerts
a mild tonic influence, which slowly abates excessive mucous
discharges, and has led most herbalists to pronounce it an
astringent; but this action is wholly tonic, and may be used for
catarrhal and leucorrheal discharges, as well as for chronic
dysentery.
Combinations: As parturient to
prepare for childbirth it may be used with Raspberry Leaves. For
dysmenorrhoea it could be combined with Cramp Bark and Pasque
Flower.
Partridge
Berry Tea: Pour one cup of boiling water onto one
teaspoonful of the Partridge Berry. Let steep for 10 to 15
minutes. As medicine, this should be drunk three times a day.
If being used to ease childbirth, this tea should only be drunk in
the final weeks of pregnancy.
Historical
Reference:
"Mild diuretic, tea used in New England to cure dropsy and gout.
Red berries mild astringent, a popular remedy for diarrhea in the north,
and for disury in Carolina." 1830
Rafinesque
"The whole plant is medicinal, but principally the vine only is
used. It is diuretic, astringent, and parturient. A decoction of it used
freely, it is said, will cure the dropsy. It is also highly valued by
some as a remedy for diarrhea, dysentery, and the suppression or
retention or urine. A tea or decoction of the berries is also said to be
a sovereign cure for diarrhea. In females, it seems to have a peculiar
and special action on the uterus, and is highly recommended in the
various affections of that organ. Among some tribes of Indians it seems
to be regarded as a most valuable parturient (childbirth aid). Dr. Smith
, in his 'Botanic Physician', says, in speaking of it: 'This is an
invaluable plant for child-bearing women. I first obtained knowledge of
its use form a tribe of Indians in the West part of New York. The squaws
drank it in decoction for two or three weeks previous to, and during
delivery, and it was the use of it that rendered that generally dreaded
event so remarkable safe and easy with them." 1859-61
Gunn
"Mitchella is one of the many plants used by the American
Aborigines as a parturient, frequent doses of a decoction being taken
during the few weeks just preceding confinement. It has also been found
to be a valuable diuretic and astringent, and to have an especial
affinity to various forms of uterine difficulties." 1892
Millspaugh
"Much used by the (Chippewa) Indians...Formerly he smoked
kinnikinnik, which he obtained as the pulverized inner bark (or leaves)
of several plants. Among these were the partridge berry." 1928
Reagan
Among the Menomini.."The leaves of this plant are steeped to
make a tea to cure insomnia." 1923
H. Smith
|
Littleflower
Publications
Submit URL