Bryonia alba, White Bryony White Vine, ‘Vine’; Alfescera, Psilotrum, Vitis alba Fashra (Unani)

Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485

Ortus Sanitatis, Cube, Johann von, 1491

Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599

Medical Botany, Woodville, 1810

BRYONY ROOT 1. Large transverse section. 2. Longitudinal section. 3, Section showing prominent concentric and radiate ridges. 4. Small transverse section. 5. Wrinkled surface with the cortex curved back from the cut surface. Squibb’s Atlas of the Official Drugs, Mansfield, 1919

Botanical name:

Bryonia dioica

Parts used:

Root

Temperature & Taste:

Very Warm, dry. Pungent. Toxic
“Hot and dry up to the third degree” (Avicenna)

Uses:

1. Purges Cold-Phlegm, Damp and Water:
-strongly purges Phlegm and Watery humors; cures Edema by stool
-full doses purge Phlegm by emesis
-smaller doses clear Damp from the Joints: Arthritis, Rheumatism, Sciatica
-Asthma, shortness of Breath (roots with honey)

2. Opens Obstructions:
-obstructions of the Liver, Spleen and Bowels
-swelling or hardness of the Spleen, taken with vinegar for 30 days (Dioscorides)
-promotes Menstruation, Birth and Afterbirth; used for ‘suffocation’ of the Uterus
-root (traditionally) as a pessary expels a Dead Child

3. Clears Wind-Phlegm, Stops Spasms:
-Epilepsy, Vertigo, Dizziness, Migraine, Paralysis (Dioscorides said to take it daily for a year for these purposes)
-Depression; Madness, Insanity

4. Moves the Blood, Clears Phlegm, Resolves Masses:
–Tumors, Cancers; including those of the Breast, Colon, Stomach, Spleen, Face, Glands, Joints
-it has been used as an abortifacient

5. Resists Poison:
-Intermittent Fever
-Venomous Bites including Snake Bite and Poisonous Insects.
-delirium following a wound (syrup given for some days, Avicenna)

6. Externally:
-Watery swellings, Arthritic pain, Gout, swellings of the Spleen etc.
-Freckles, Sunburn and Morphew
-boiled in oil, it takes away Wrinkles, Spots, Freckles, Birthmarks and Scars (Dioscorides)
-Black eyes, plastered with wine (Dioscorides)
-to break abscesses, plastered with wine (Dioscorides)
-root plastered with salt is applied to Sores that are malignant, gangrenous, cancerous (Dioscorides)
-‘The Root cleanseth the Skin wonderfully from all black and blew Spots, Freckles, Morphew, Leprosie, foul Scars, or other deformity whatsoever: as also all running Scabs, and Manginess are healed by the Powder of the dried Root, or the Juice thereof, but especially by the fine white hardened Juice’. (Culpeper)
–with salt it is applied to cleanse filthy Ulcers, Gangrenes, Leprosy, Eczema, Warts (the leaves, roots and berries are used for these purposes)
–‘The Root bruised and applied of it self to any place where the Bones are broken, helps to draw them forth, as also Splinters and Thorns in the Flesh; and being applied with a little Wine mixed therewith it breaks Boils, and helps Whitlows on the Joints’ (Culpeper). Dioscorides recommended it for drawing broken bones out of Wounds.
-fresh root is irritant and can cause blisters if applied to the skin.

Dose:

Taken with Hydromel to clear Phlegm.
1–2 grams in Powder (traditionally ½ dram); 2–4 grams in infusion (traditionally ½ oz. or more in infusion)

Correctives:

1. Cream of Tartar
2. Ginger
3. Cinnamon
4. Quince

Substitutes:

“Doronicum in its equal weight and common polypody of its two-third act as the substitutes”. (Avicenna)

Main Combinations:

1. To cleanse Cold Phlegm:
i. Bryony root with Turbith, Agaric
ii. for Edema and Arthritis, combine Bryony root with Turbith, Agaric, Ginger, Mastic, Aniseed and Clove
2. Asthma from Cold Phlegm:
i. Bryony root with Arum, Sublimed Sulphur and Licorice
ii. Bryony root with Juniper berry, Elecampane, Orris, Hyssop, Aniseed
3. Old Cough, shortness of Breath, Bryony root with Lohoch of Fox Lungs
4. Epilepsy, Vertigo, Shortness of breath, Bryony root with Oregano, Hyssop, Lovage, Seseli, Cardamon
5. Fractures, Bryony root with Comfrey
6. Inflammation of the Breast or Testicles, Bryony root with Poke root
7. To promote Menstruation, Bryony root with Zedoary, Bay berry, Feverfew, Mugwort, Savin, Camomile (Dispensatorium medico pharmaceuticum Palatinatus, 1764)
8. Freckles, Birthmarks, Facial Eruption and Dark Scars, with Bitter Vetch (Vicis ervillia) and Fenugreek (Dioscorides)

Cautions:

1. Avoid Overdose. Toxic in overdose. The Berries are most toxic.
2. ‘The Roots of the Bryony purge the Belly with great Violence, troubling the Stomach, and hurting the Liver, and therefore not rashly to be taken but being corrected is very profitable’. (Culpeper)
3. Not used during Pregnancy; weakness; the very young or old
4. Dioscorides said it can cause confusion.

Main Preparations used:

Syrup of the Juice, Distilled Water

1. Syrup of Bryony juice:
Bryony juice 1 part, clarified Honey 2 parts; boil to a syrup