Although cyclamen is currently not used much as a medicinal herb, it is known that it was used quite extensively in the past.
The root of cyclamen has a very powerful effect, and when it was used it had to be done with great care.
Despite the dangerous side effects, cyclamen was once recommended as a remedy for a variety of ailments, including eye diseases, gout, snakebites, tinnitus, menstrual pains and as a powerful laxative.
The herb has also been used against skin rash.
Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) stated in his writings that the plant was used as poison applied to arrows in ancient Rome.
Pedanius Dioscorides (1st century AD) suggested that the herb could act as a powerful laxative (purgative), as a remedy for poisoning, as skin cleanser agent and to promote a birth. He also mentioned the use of the herb as an aphrodisiac.
Furthermore, Nicholas Culpeper (1616 – 1654), an English botanist and herbalist, disclosed in his writing that cyclamen could be used to accelerate birth, promote expulsion of the afterbirth and to induce menstruation.
When the herb was used as a laxative, the plant juice from the fresh tubers was applied externally, either over the lower abdomen, bladder or rectal area.
Maud Grieve (1858-1941) wrote that when the herb was used externally as a liniment over the lower abdomen, it provoked an acute diarrhea.
Once, an ointment was made from the fresh rhizomes in order to remove intestinal worms in children. It was also rubbed onto the belly area of adults to induce vomiting and applied over the lower abdomen to increase the flow of urine.
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