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Health Benefits and Potential Side Effects of Pleurisy Root
Botanical Name: Asclepias tuberosa.
Other Common Names for Pleurisy Root: Butterfly milkweed, butterfly weed, Canada root, chiggerflower, fluxroot, Indian paintbrush, Indian posy, orange milkweed, silkweed, silky swallow-wort, tuber roor, yellow milkweed, white-root, windroot.
Habitat:Butterfly weed or pleurisy root is native to North America and is found in Ontario, Canada and throughout continental United States except for the Pacific Northwest. It is principally found in the Southwestern and Midwestern region of the United States. It prefers full sun, and gravelly and sandy soils of open, dry fields, along roadsides and grassy areas. Gardeners love this plant for its showy reddish-orange flowers which are very attractive to butterflies. Butterfly weed is also the larval food plant of the Queen and Monarch butterflies.
Description: The pleurisy root is a large, fleshy, white, spindle-shaped, and branching with a knotted crown. The plant grows in several sturdy, erect, round and hairy stems that grow to a height of 1-3 feet. The leaves are hairy, smooth-edged and lance shaped, growing alternately all the way up the stem. Unlike the other members of the milkweed family, Asclepias tuberosa has little or no milky sap. The stems branch near the upper parts with flat topped umbels of many deep yellow to dark orange or red-orange flowers. The flowers are hermaphrodite (having both male and female organs) and are pollinated by bees, insects, moths and butterflies. The flowers bloom from June through September. In the fall the 4-5 inch seed pods contain the ovate seeds which terminate in fine silky fibers. These silky fibers act as wind sails for the wind-dispersed seeds.
Plant Parts Used: The root is the medicinal part of the pleurisy root plant.
 Pleurisy Root Flower ( Asclepias tuberosa) (Click on image to enlarge)
Attribution: Sage Ross
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Therapeutic Uses, Benefits and Claims of Pleurisy root
- Pleurisy root, or butterfly weed as it is also commonly known, is edible and medicinal, with a long history of use as a valuable medicinal herb. It is one of the most important of the Native American medicinal plants, having been used for over a thousand years before the herb was entered in the European pharmacopoeias of the eighteenth century, or listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia in the nineteenth century (1820-1920).
 The Medicinal Herb Pleurisy Root ( Asclepias tuberosa) Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 3 - The Latin name for pleurisy root, asclepias (sometimes spelled Aesclepias), is derived from the Greek god of healing, Aeslepius because of its value as a medicinal plant.
- Pleurisy root was considered as a heal-all herb by early European settlers on the North American continent, who would have learned of its uses from the Native Americans.
- Pleurisy root, or butterfly weed, is antispasmodic, carminative, mildly cathartic, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, tonic and a vasodilator. It contains cardenolides, the flavonoids rutin and quercetin, and is estrogenic. Constituents include alpha- and beta-amyrin, resins, amino acids, volatile oil, glucosidal principal (asclepiadin), kaempferol and lupeol.
- It is a bitter, nutty-flavored tonic herb that increases perspiration, acts as an expectorant, and relieves spasms and it is highly valued as a traditional herbal treatment for asthma and bronchitis.
- It is used by contemporary herbalists to relieve the pain and inflammation of pleurisy. Its diaphoretic and antispasmodic properties are thought to be beneficial in the treatment of pleurisy and pneumnia.
- Pleurisy Root, or butterfly weed, is a natural remedy used in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, and chronic rheumatism and its antispasmodic and carminative properties are thought to provide a natural treatment for colic, muscle tension and spasm.
- Pleurisy root is traditionally used to relieve the symptoms of respiratory congestion; for this condition it combines well with cayenne, lobelia and grindelia. Additionally pleurisy root may be combined with zingiber or lobelia as a treatment for pulmonary congestion.
- It is widely used as an herbal treatment for colds, and may be used as a natural treatment for the relief of symptoms of influenza and for fever management, pleurisy root combines well with sassafras and angelica to promote perspiration.
- A poultice of the roots is used topically as a natural treatment for swellings, bruises, lameness, wounds and skin ulcers.
- Some Native American traditions used a body wash made of the root to enhance lifting and running strength. In some cultures, it was used as a ceremonial emetic, with ceremonious collection and distribution of the highly valued root.
- The bark is used to make a quality fiber used for twine or woven into cloth. The silky seed fibers are used for stuffing in pillows, life-jackets, candle wicks and fiber for cloth.
Dosage and Administration
Twenty to sixty grains of the powdered form may be taken three times a day. 1-2 ml of the tincture may be taken three times a day. An infusion may be made by pouring a cup of boiling water over ½-1 teaspoonful of the herb, steeping for 10-15 minutes. This may be drunk three times a day.
Potential Side Effects of Pleurisy Root
It is always important to inform your health care professional of any medications, vitamins or herbs that you are taking. Pleurisy root has a long history of use as food, medicine and clothing; used in the recommended amounts, pleurisy root generally has no adverse effects. Excessive intake can cause intestinal cramping, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Pleurisy root should be avoided by pregnant women as it may stimulate uterine contractions. It is contraindicated during lactation or for infants due to the small amount of cardiac glycosides. It should be used cautiously in patients with cardiovascular conditions or who are taking cardiac glycosides. Always carefully research and select a reputable source for your herbs, and carefully read the label for ingredients, instructions and warnings.
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"Physical ills are the taxes laid upon this wretched life; some are taxed higher, and some lower, but all pay something."
Lord Chesterfield
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