Sarsaparilla as an Herb

(Smilax spp.)

Also known as Hemidesmus indicus (Indian), Smilax medica (Mexican), Smilax ornata (Jamaican), Sarsaparilla, and Beer Root.

Sarsaparilla is the root of several South and Central American and Caribbean species of Smilax, a genus in the lily family. Most of the commercial supply is harvested from the wild.

Medicinal Uses for Sarsaparilla

In Victorian era England, sarsaparilla was popular as a 'spring tonic', believed to help detoxify the body from poisons and toxins accumulated over the course of winter. When the root was first introduced in Europe by the Spanish conquistadors, it was marketed as a specific remedy for syphilis and leprosy, but over the years it took on more and more qualities of healing until some enthusiasts claimed it could cure everything short of a gunshot wound.

Mexican sarsaparilla was exported to Europe before 1530. In sixteenth-century Europe, sarsaparilla was used to treat syphilis and rheumatism. It was official treatment for syphilis in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia in 1850. Often an ingredient in patent medicines with extravagant claims in late nineteenth-century America, sarsaparilla products were promoted as blood purifiers, tonics, and diuretics, to induce sweating, and for a myriad of other questionable applications.

By 1911, Sarsaparilla had fallen into disuse and became thought of as nothing more than a beverage.

In the 1950s, scientists documented the antibiotic properties of sarsaparilla preparations, pointing to its ability to attack microbial contamination in the bloodstream. Its diuretic and detoxification actions have been documented, as has its beneficial effects on both digestion and skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

In recent years sarsaparilla has been touted as a male sexual rejuvenator with claims implying it contains testosterone. It has also been used as an anabolic steroid replacement in natural body-building formulas.

In Germany, although it has been traditionally used to treat skin diseases including psoriasis, as well as rheumatism and kidney ailments, products may not carry therapeutic claims because their effectiveness has not been demonstrated.

Culinary

Sarsaparilla extract is approved as a food flavoring ingredient in the United States.

Cautions

According to German health authorities, sarsaparilla preparations have caused stomach irritation and temporary kidney problems. Sarsaparilla should not be taken by anyone on prescription medications. Not recommended for use while pregnant or while on blood thinning medications and its long term use is not recommended.

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DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Some plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals. Some plants used for illness in the past have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied.