BONESET
Botanical: Eupatorium perfoliatum Family: Compositae (daisy) - Asteraceae (aster) Other common names: Feverwort, Sweating Plant, Agueweed, Vegetable Antimony, Thoroughwort, Indian Sage, Crosswort, Teasel, Wood Boneset

Long before there was aspirin, there was  Boneset!  In the nineteenth century, Boneset was the standard household remedy in North America for coughs and colds. Today the herb is still considered a valuable treatment for coughs, flu symptoms, bronchitis and upper respiratory congestion. It has also been used to reduce fever and ease the bodily aches and pains accompanying it.

History:
Boneset is a hardy perennial with long, erect stems and lanceolate leaves and flowers that grow up to five feet in height. This particular species of Eupatoria (perfoliatum) is a native of eastern North America and is a common and familiar plant that grows in low, damp meadows, swampy areas and along stream banks from Nova Scotia to Florida. Boneset was a favorite of the North American tribes who introduced its medicinal benefits to the settlers. The Menominees used Boneset to reduce fever; the Iroquois and Mohegans liked it for fever and colds; the Alabamas believed it eased upset stomachs; and the Creeks used it to relieve body pain. Its use became legendary among both Native Americans and settlers alike for its capacity to cause profuse perspiration, reduce fever, relieve colds and flu, loosen the bowels and treat malaria. Its botanical name, Eupatorium, may be traced to the ancient king, Mithridates Eupator, who first used another species of this genus as a medicine. The plant's common name is derived from its use in treating a kind of influenza prevalent in the United States during the nineteenth century, known as "break-bone fever," which was characterized by pains that felt as if all the bones in the body were broken. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Boneset was said to have no equal as a cough, cold and fever remedy, and in the nineteenth century, it was used extensively in American medical practice.  In 1887, Dr. Millspaugh wrote: "There is probably no plant in American domestic practice that has more extensive or frequent use than this (boneset)," and it was even listed in the United States Pharmacopeia. Some of Boneset's constituents include astragalin, eupatorin (a bitter glucosidal), volatile oil, some tannic acid, gallic acid, rutin, quercetin, resin, gum, sugar, essential fatty acids and sesquiterpene lactones.

Beneficial Uses:
Boneset is a decongestant that loosens phlegm and clears excess mucus. Catarrhal conditions due to colds yield quickly to the healing effects of this wonderful plant, and it is a famous remedy for influenza (and its symptoms), acute bronchitis, and it is also a highly recommended cold preventive.

As a mild laxative, Boneset is used to relieve constipation.

It is also considered a diuretic that promotes urine flow, which helps to release toxins from the body.

Boneset's sweat-inducing properties make this plant one of the most valuable items in herbal medicine. By increasing perspiration, it reduces fever and further helps to clear the body of toxins through the skin. Boneset not only reduces intermittent fever, but it also helps to relieve fever-induced aches and pains.

The sesquiterpene lactones in Boneset are thought to be an appetite stimulant, and in large enough doses, these substances were said to expel worms. Boneset is a mild, overall tonic that is said to have a calming effect on the body and has been useful for alleviating indigestion in older people.

Boneset is said to have anti-inflammatory properties when taken internally, and when used topically, it is said to relieve skin diseases.

*Provided itself beneficial in research that did not involve people. Shed some positive therapeutic health effect, the study could have been done in a test tube, petri dish or on animals for the Immune System’s White Blood Cells Against Viruses And Other Microorganisms, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Cancer, Colds, Dermatitis, Flu, Gout, Inflammation, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sore Throat, Tumors.

Infusion Hot: 1 tsp dried herb to 1 C boiling water; steep 10 minutes; taken 3 x’s daily, a mouthful at a time, wineglass full doses. (Taken hot while in bed as a diaphoretic. Also every 1/2 hour to relieve flu and fever symptoms.) Total of dried 1 to 2 grams /Total of fresh 2 to 4 tsp
Infusion Cold: 1 tsp 3 to 6 times daily.
Old Remedy: A popular remedy during the influenza epidemic of 1891 = 1½ oz. each of Boneset and False Boneset, 1 oz. each of Vervain, Culver's root, and Agrimony; 1 oz of combined herbs added to 1 pint of boiling water and infused; 2 to 4 tbsp was taken every 2 to 3 hours as need.
Tincture:1 to 2 ml (10-40 drops) (1/5 tsp), 3 x’s daily
Salve: Powder equal portions with petroleum gel or by mixing the powder with enough water to make a paste and applying directly to the external problem.

Contraindications:
Safety for pregnant women, nursing mothers, children under the age of 6, has not been established.


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Disclaimer: The information presented herein by Organic Herbs Medicine Cabinet is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider