Baptisia tinctoria, Wild Indigo

Common names

Indigo weed, false indigo, yellow indigo, horsefly weed, American indigo, indigo broom, rattlebush, baptisia

History

The genus name is from the Greek baptizein "to dye." Baptisia has been used assubstitute for true indigo dye.Native Americans used root tea of False blue indigo as an emetic and purgative. A cold tea wasgiven to stop vomiting, a root poultice used as an anti-inflammatory, and bits of the root were held in the mouth to treat toothaches. Baptisia species is being investigated for use as a potential stimulant of the immune system.A decoction of stems has been used for pneumonia, tuberculosis and influenza, tips of stemscombined with twigs of the Utah juniper, Juniperus osteosperma, have been used as a kidneymedicine. Baptisia has also been used as a tea for smallpox and externally as a cleansing wash.Trials using the extract of Baptisia to treat typhoid fever were made in the early 19th century.Current uses for this plant include: infection of upper respiratory tract, common cold, tonsillitis, stomatitis, inflammation of mucous membrane, fever, ointment for painless ulcers, inflamed nipples.Over-medicating will produce vomiting, diarrhea, gastrointestinal complaints, and spasms due toquinolizidine aldaloid content.

Lore and magical use : Wild blue indigo is said to repel flies when kept near farm animals. Hang a bunch ofBaptisia off the tack of a working animal. Use Baptisia in spells or rituals of protection. Keep a leaf in your pocketor add to an amulet for protection.

Medicinal uses

Antimicrobial, antipyretic, antiseptic, mild cardioactive agent, anticatarrhal, febrifuge, circulatory stimulant, alterative, chologogue, laxative, astringent, emetic (please see Glossary).

Benefits

Tonsillitis, pharyngitis, acute catarrhal infections, lymphadenitis, furunculosis, aphthous ulcers, stomatitis, gingivitis, fevers; topically for indolent ulcers, sore nipples, douche for leucorrhoea. Specifically indicated in infection of the upper respiratory tract.

Baptisia is of value in the treatment of infections and catarrh of the ear, nose and throat. It may be used for laryngitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and catarrhal infections of the nose and sinus. Taken both internally and as a mouthwash it will help to heal mouth ulcers and gingivitis. Systemically, it is used to treat enlarged and inflamed lymph glands and also to reduce fevers. Externally an ointment will help infected ulcers and boils, and will ease sore nipples. A douche of the decoction will help leucorrhoea.

Warnings

Large doses have caused poisoning, and have a purgative and emetic effect.

References

Bartram, T. 1995 Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, 1st edn.,Grace Publishers, Bournemouth.

Bremness, L. 1994 Herbs, Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Handbook, London.

BHMA 1983 British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, BHMA, Bournemouth.

Chevallier, A. 1996 The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, Dorling Kindersley, London.

Grieve, M. 1931 A Modern Herbal, (ed. C.F. Leyel 1985), London.

Hoffmann, D. 1990 The New Holistic Herbal, Second Edition, Element, Shaftesbury.

Hyperhealth 1996 Natural Health and Nutrition Databank, v.96.1 CD-ROM, ©In-Tele-Health, available from Healthworks, Leeds. ISBN 0-646-30942-0

Lust, J. 1990 The Herb Book, Bantam, London.

Mabey, R. (ed.) 1991 The Complete New Herbal, Penguin, London.

Mills, S.Y. 1993 The Essential Book of Herbal Medicine, Penguin, London (First published in 1991 as Out of the Earth, Arkana)

Mills, S.Y. 1993 The A-Z of Modern Herbalism, Diamond Books, London.

Ody, P. 1993 The Herb Society's Complete Medicinal Herbal, Dorling Kindersley, London.

Polunin, M. and Robbins, C. 1992 The Natural Pharmacy, Dorling Kindersley, London.

Vickery, R. 1995 A Dictionary of Plant Lore, Oxford University Press.

Weiss, R.F. 1991 Herbal Medicine, Beaconsfield Arcanum, Beaconsfield.

Wren, R.C. 1988 Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations, C.W.Daniel, Saffron Walden.

Special thanks to www.purplesage.org.uk