Know your Herbs: Bloodroot (Red Paint Root)

Historical Medicinal Uses: Native Americans and American Colonists have used bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) to treat syphilic troubles, skin cancers, sore throats, and skin conditions such as ringworm, warts, polyps and fungal growths. An extract has been used in toothpaste to combat plaque and gingivitis. In small doses, bloodroot has been used to stimulate the digestive tract, the heart and as an emetic.

Bloodroot is also known as bloodwort, red puccoon root, and sometimes pauson.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

Folklore: The juice of the root was used by Native Americans as a war and ritual body paint and to prepare a yellow orange colored dye for fabrics. It has also been used as a charm. In the Ponca tribe, young men would rub the juice on the palm of their hand and attempt to shake hands with the maiden they wished to marry.

Canada puccoon
by Sydenham Edwards
The Botanical Magazine (1791)

Warnings: The FDA considers Bloodroot "unsafe" as it is a known escharotic (a substance that kills skin cells) and urges it not be used by herbal healers. Self medication should be avoided as the plant can be toxic.

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