Acetosa, Sorrel

Oxalis
Picture Acetosa
Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485

 Picture Acetosa
Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491
Picture Picture
Acetosa
Gerards Herbal, 1636

 Acetosa minor
New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563
Picture Flora von Deutschland (9), Kohler, 1882

Botanical name:


Rumex acetosa (syn. Acetosa vulgaris)
Greater and Lesser types were known; Lesser type appears to be ‘Sheep Sorrel’

Parts used:


Herb, Seed; also the Roots

Temperature & Taste:


Cool, dry. Sour

Classification:


2A APERIENT MEDICINES.    2B ATTENUATERS
3B. FEBRIFUGE & ANTIPYRETIC.   3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS
4c. CARDIAC.   4e. STOMACHIC.   4g. HEPATIC.   4h. NEPHRITIC.   4j. NERVINES

Uses:


1. Clears Heat from the Stomach and Liver:
-Hepatic
-clears Bile (Choler); prepares Bile Humor for Purging
-all Heat diseases of the Stomach or Liver
-roots are good for Jaundice
-Scrofula, Syphilis
-Diarrhea and Dysentery; seed was used for Dysentery

2. Clears Heat, Cools the Blood, Stops Bleeding:
-Blood heat with red skin spots, acne, rashes
-bleeding from the Stomach or Bowels from Heat
-Uterine Bleeding

3. Clears Heat, Refreshes the Spirit:
-clears Heat, internally and externally for all sorts of Fevers; quenches Thirst
-Cordial; supports the Heart
-protects the Heart in Fever

4. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Strangury, Dysuria
-Gravel; roots were given for Stones
-traditionally for Diabetes-like conditions from heat

5. Externally:
–Poultice is good for boils, obstinate sores tumors and cancers from heat and toxins.
-as a plaster to Scrofula (Arnold de Villa Nova)
-wash or compress for heat type skin conditions, scabies, tinea etc.
-root decocted in vinegar applied to Leprosy, Impetigo
-in baths and washes for pruritis from heat


Dose:


Decoction: 3–9 grams;
Powder: 1–3 grams

Substitute:


Plantain seed (Unani)

Corrective:


Fennel seed (Unani

Main Combinations:


1. Clear Heat from the Stomach and Liver, Sorrel with Rose, Myrtle berries, Sandalwood, Gum Arabic (as in Troches of Ramich of Mesue)
2. Blood Heat, Sorrel with Mallow, Plantain, Purslane, Endive, Aniseed, Violet (as in Decoction to Cool the Blood)
3. Fever:
i. Sorrel, Plantain (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
ii. Sorrel with Wood Sorrel, Dandelion, Plantain, Chicory, Fumitory and Violet
iii. Sorrel with Centaury, Blessed Thistle, Chicory, Dandelion, Licorice (Kroeber)
4. Diarrhea or Dysentery with Blood, Sorrel with Rose, Gall, Sandalwood, Gum Arabic, Sumac, Tabasheer, Clove, Nutmeg (as in Troches of Ramich of Mesue)
5. Cool and strengthen the Heart and Lungs, Sorrel with Balm, Borage, Rosemary, Citron seed, Fennel seed (as in Syrup of Balm of Fernelius)
6. Cool the Heart, Sorrel seed with Borage, Balm, Sandalwood, Rose, Citron peel, Aloeswood, Clove, Amber, Pearl, Red Coral (as in Powder to Cool the Heart)
7. Excessive Menstruation from Heat, Sorrel with Tormentil, Comfrey, Gum Arabic, Tragacanth (as in Decoction for Excessive Menstruation)
8. Kidney Ulcers and Hematuria, Sorrel with Melon seed, Winter Cherry, Almond, Tragacanth, Celery seed, Fennel seed, Saffron (Unani)
9. Skin Tumors, thickened Sorrel juice, burnt Alum, applied topically.

Major Formulas:


Decoction to Cool the Blood (Wirtzung)
Cordial Decoction (French Pharmacopoeia)
Troches of Ramich (Mesue)
Troches of Spodium (Trochisci Spodii) (Avicenna)
Plaster of Sheep Sorrel

Cautions:


1. Large doses may irritate the Stomach.
2. Large doses may produce urinary irritation with polyuria.
4. It may cause a mild dermatitis when used externally.
5. ‘Hurtful to Melancholy persons’. (Pemell, Tractus de Facultatibus simplicium, 1653)

Main Preparations used:


Conserves of the leaves; Distilled Water; clarified and thickened Juice; Syrup of the leaf juice

1. Conserve of Sorrel:
i. fresh leaves of Sorrel (1 part), White Sugar (2 parts). Beat.

2. Juice of Sorrel:
i. fresh Sorrel, any quantity. Bruise in a wooden mortar with a wooden pestle, express the juice, set aside to settle, then preserve the clear part in bottles. It is best to add 1 dram of alcohol to each pound of juice to keep.

3. Syrup of Sorrel:
i. depurated juice of Sorrel (10 oz.), White Sugar (16 oz.). Boil to a syrup. (Pharmacopoeia Wirtembergica, 1798)

4. Distilled Water of Sorrel:
i. Sorrel, bruised (1 part), Water (2 parts). Distil two-thirds. (Pharmacopoeia Sardoa, 1773)