Vincetoxicum, Swallow-wort

Hirundinaria, Asclepias (Dioscorides), Silk-wort, German Ipecac, German Contrayerva, White Swallow-wort
Qunna bara (Unani)
 Picture Picture
Picture Swallow-wort
Japanese Herbal, 17th century (Welcome)

Picture Picture
Left: White Swallow-wort; Right: Black Swallow-wort
Salmon, Botanologia, 1710

Picture Vincetoxicum officinale
Die Giftpflanzen Deutschlands, Esser, 1910

Picture Vincetoxicum officinale
(Photo by Olivier Pichard) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Vincetoxicum officinale (syn: V. hirundinaria, Asclepias vincetoxicum, Cynanchum vincetoxicum).
White-flowered, Black-flowered, Cretian, and Virginian types were known.

The related Cynanchum paniculatum Xu Chang Qing of TCM is used similarly for Edema, Dysmenorrhea, Toxin, Snake Bite and Trauma and Injury.

Parts used:


Root and rhizome; less commonly the Seed

Temperature & Taste:


Warm, dry.
“Hot in the first degree” (Avicenna)

Uses:


1. Clears Wind-Cold, Resists Poison:
-preserves from and treats Epidemic and Infectious diseases including Plague and Spotted Fevers
-Colds, Flu
-Snake Bite, Rabid Dog Bite
-especially poison of Dogs-bane (Apocynum) and Aconite
-Antidotes to various Poison and Venom
-also for Worms
    
2. Moves the Blood, Eases Pain:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea, menstrual obstruction
-Bruising and pain caused by Blood stagnation (int. & ext.).
-Palpitations of the Heart.
    
3. Moves the Blood, Resolves Masses:
-Swellings, Scrofula, Tumors and Cancers, including those of the Breast and Uterus (Dioscorides, Duke).
-chronic Breast Ulcers, both topically and internally.
-“dissolves the hardness of the Uterus” (Avicenna)

4. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine:
-obstructed Urine, Edema, Fluid retention
-Jaundice
-useful for Stones.

5. Clears Damp, Warms the Stomach:
-Indigestion, Cold abdominal or colic pain (TCM, West)
-Colic pain (drunk with wine, Dioscorides)
-Hernia

6. Clears Wind-Damp:
-Epilepsy and Melancholy diseases
-the closely related Chinese species, used very similarly in other respects, is also used for Wind-Cold-Damp Arthritic pain.

7. Clears Cold Phlegm:
-Cold Phlegm Cough and Asthma
-Formerly used as an Emetic
    
8. Externally:
-poultice for Bruises, Trauma, Fractures
-Swellings and Tumors
-Ulcers of the Breast; Running Sores; Chronic and Malignant Ulcers (‘beyond any other vegetable’ Salmon)
-Hard Tumors in Women’s Breast (Cataplasm)
-Venomous bites
-“Its oral intake or plaster is the most useful way of treatment for Pityriasis alba” (Avicenna)


Dose

:
Salmon said the Tincture was the most potent dosage form.
Root in Powder: traditionally 1–3 grams (half–1 dram)
Tincture of the Root: 1 spoonful

Comment:


Several other plants are known as Swallow-wort including Celandine, Calotropis, Ascelipas (Orange Swallow-wort)

Main Combinations:


1. Against Poison and Infection, Contrayerva with Carline Thistle root, Angelica, Elecampane, Burnet Saxifrage, Swallow-wort, Fraxinella, Masterowrt, Valerian (equal parts), Alcohol (20 oz.). (Pharmacopoeia Generalis, 1783)
2. Edema:
i. steep beaten Swallow-wort overnight in white wine, then boil gently until one-third has wasted. Give 4 ounces every morning and go to bed to sweat. (Secrets of Alexis)
ii. or Dysuria, Swallow-wort, Madder, Valerian, Betony, Burdock seed, Dodder, seed, Juniper (as in Diuretic Decoction)
iii. Cardiac Edema, Swallow-wort with Lovage root, Juniper berry, Restharrow, Birch leaf (Flämig)
iv. calcined Niter (8 parts), Swallow-wort root (6 parts), Squill (1 part). (Pharmacopoeia medici practici universalis, Bruxelles, 1817)
3. Hernia, Swallow-wort with Comfrey (Salmon)
4. Epilepsy, Swallow-wort with Peony seed (Salmon)
5. Scrofula, Burnt Sponge (9 oz.), Potassium Sulphate (2 oz.), Swallow-wort root (1 oz.), Cinnamon (2 drams). Mix. Dose: 1–2 scruples. (Pharmacopoeia Wirtembergica, 1798)
6. Chronic Breast Ulcers, Swallow-wort with Mandrake root; taken internally and used as a wash.
7. Hectic Fever, Consumption: Dittany of Crete, with Tormentil, Bistort, Swallow-wort, Scorzonera, Viper
8. Melancholy and Worms, Swallow-wort with White Dittany

Major Formulas:


Saxonian Powder
Diuretic Decoction
Electuary of Horehound (Diaprassium) (Nicholas)
Treacle Vinegar of France
Bezoardic Vinegar of Frankfurt

1. Bitter Wine:
i. Madder root, Swallow-wort, Lesser Centaury (1 oz. each), Rhenish Wine, Water (1 ½ pounds each). Boil down to two-thirds, and to the strained liquor add Syrup of Orange peel (2 oz.). Mix. Dose: a glassful morning and evening in Jaundice. (Pharmacopoeia extemporanea, Augustin, 1822)

Cautions:


1. Not used in Pregnancy
2. Toxic in overdose

Main Preparations used:


Distilled Water of the Plant, Extract

1. Extract:
i. Swallow-wort root (1 pound), Spring Water (6 pounds). Digest 4 days in a warm place; then boil for a short while, press, then evaporate in a water bath. (Dispensatorium Pharmaceuticum, 1777)
ii. Swallow-wort root (1 pound), Alcohol (6 pounds). Digest and express. Digest and boil the residue in 3 pounds of water, express. Clarify with egg white. Then mix the 2 liquids together, distil off the alcohol, then evaporate to a thickness. (Pharmacopoeia Wirtembergica, 1798)
iii. Swallow-wort root (1 pound), White Wine (6 pounds). Digest for 3 days, then express. Boil the residue with more wine, strain, filter. Mix the liquids together, evaporate to the thickness of Honey. (Pharmacopoeia Sardoa, 1773)