Sarsaparilla

Description

For centuries, indigenous people around the world used the root of the sarsaparilla plant for treating joint problems like arthritis, and for healing skin problems like psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. The root was also thought to cure Hansen’s disease (leprosy) due to its “blood-purifying” properties. Sarsaparilla was later introduced into European medicine and eventually registered as an herb in the United States Pharmacopoeia to treat syphilis. One study found that sarsaparilla dramatically improved skin lesions in people with psoriasis. The researchers hypothesized that one of the sarsaparilla’s main steroids, called sarsaponin, is able to bind to endotoxins responsible for the lesions in psoriasis patients and remove them from the body. Sarsaparilla is a potent anti-inflammatory.

This factor makes it also a useful treatment for inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and other causes of joint pain and swelling caused by gout. A recent study showed that sarsaparilla had anticancer properties in cell lines of multiple types of cancers and in mice. Preclinical studies in breast cancer tumors and liver cancer have also shown the antitumor properties of sarsaparilla. Sarsaparilla is used in herbal mixes to act as a “synergist.” In other words, it’s thought that the saponins found in sarsaparilla increase the bioavailability and absorption of other herbs. One of the most popular uses of modern-day herbalists is as progesterone replacement and/or stop excessive menstrual bleeding due to estrogen dominance. This is especially useful for women going through menopause.

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.