Botanical name: Iris ,veris color, Iris carliniana

Family: Iridaceae (Iris Family)

Medicinal use of Blue Flag: 

Blue flag was one of the most widely used medicinal plants amongst various native North American Indian tribes used in their native medicines. Blue flag was used as a powerful cathartic and employed internally to treat the common cold and lung issues in Chinese medicine it would be used to treat spleen enlargement causes by windy conditions which would stop digestion and create cold and flu conditions. In modern day herbalism it is mainly used to treat and detoxify the body m it increases urination and bile production and has a mild laxative effect. The fresh root is quite acrid and when taken internally causes nausea, vomiting, colic and purging. The dried root is much less acrid. This remedy should not be prescribed for pregnant women. The root is alterative, anti-inflammatory, cathartic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic and sialagogue. Taken internally as a tea, the root has been used as a strong laxative or emetic that also acts strongly on the liver and promotes the excretion of excess body fluids. It is also stimulant for the circulatory and lymphatic system. Its detoxifying effect make it useful in the treatment of psoriasis, acne, obesity, shingles, herpes, arthritis, enlarged lymph nodes, pelvic inflammatory disease and enlarged thyroid glands known as Goiter. Externally, it is applied to skin diseases, wounds and rheumatic joints. The roots are harvested in late summer and early autumn and are usually dried for later use. The roots were boiled in water and then mashed to make a poultice mixed with comfrey and carrier oil such as castor oil which was used to relieve the pain and swelling associated with sores and bruises. Or used in a wash to the same effect.

Toxicity:  Fresh root can cause symptoms such as burning sensation in the mouth and throat, N/V, violent diarrhea, abdominal burning, difficult breathing, colic and rectal heat, and gastroenteritis resulting in death. Large doses will evacuate and exhaust the system, acting on the liver, and the alimentary canal throughout.  

Herbal actions:

• Depurative – A substance that improves detoxification and aids elimination to reduce the accumulation of metabolic wastes products within the body.
• Laxative- Substance that facilitates evacuation of bowel movements
• Cholagogue- Substance that increases the release of stored bile from the gallbladder
• Lymphatic- Substance that assists detoxification by its effect on Lymphatic tissue and often also improves immune function.
• Diuretic- Substance that increases urinary input.

Herbal benefits:

Skin diseases

Biliousness with constipation and liver dysfunction to include jaundice poor gallbladder function, chronic liver disorders, including hepatitis, constipation, nausea, vomiting, headaches, or digestive issues associated to poor liver function.

Reflex muscular pains resulting from gastric irritation.

Enlarged lymph nodes, enlarged thyroid, enlarged spleen, chronic pancreatic, splenic, or renal disorders.

Syphilis scrofula (tuberculous infection of cervical lymph nodes).

Enlarged uterus or ovary: Leukorrhea, dysmenorrhea, prostatic discharges, nocturnal emissions.

Vomiting with pregnancy, regarded as emetic but with antiemetic activity in smaller doses.

Rosemarie

Naturopath, Herbalist, Iridologist, Equine Herbalist, Naturopath and Iridologist.