Oregon Grape Root 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Oregon Grape Root- 100 g ($14.99), 50 g ($9.99), 25 g ($6.99)

Benefits
Oregon grape root has bacterial infection fighting properties, and has been used both internally and externally, to heal the skin and soothe mucous membranes. It may help to purify the blood and liver of wastes and may stimulate the functioning of the gallbladder and liver. As a bitter, it stimulates and improves digestive function.

The best known of the herb’s active constituents is berberine, a chemical that Oregon grape root shares with barberries, coptis, and goldenseal. For additional information about the actions of berberine, see below.

Diarrhea and gastritis. Berberine has been shown to help manage diarrhea in patients infected with E. coli. In cell studies, it is thought to work by inhibiting the ability of bacteria to attach to human cells, which helps prevent infections, particularly in the intestines and urinary tract.

Psoriasis, liver ailments. Oregon grape root has been tested as a treatment for psoriasis in cell studies and has been found to reduce psoriatic lesions. Laboratory research suggests that Oregon grape root has some effects at the cellular level that might be helpful in the treatment of psoriasis, such as slowing abnormal cell growth and reducing inflammation. Also, part of its action is to help the liver function to metabolize wastes and toxins. This was only shown in cell studies, and it is not known how it works in people with liver disorders. Skin problems can be treated both internally and externally.

Berberine
Berberine is a bioactive compound that can be extracted from several plants, including a group of shrubs called Berberis (1). Technically, it belongs to a class of compounds called alkaloids. It’s yellow and is often used as a dye.

Berberine has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine, where it has been used to treat various ailments (1). Now, modern science suggests that it has impressive benefits for many health concerns (2).

How does it work?
Berberine has been tested in hundreds of studies. One of the main actions of berberine is to activate an enzyme inside cells called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), according to some animal studies (3, 4). AMPK plays a key role in regulating metabolism and energy levels and is found in cells throughout your body (5, 6). Berberine also affects other molecules inside cells and may even affect which genes are turned on or off. This could help protect against many chronic health conditions (7).

Recommended Use
Oregon grape root is available in capsules, ointments, tablets, and tinctures. To treat skin problems, topical creams or ointments containing 10 percent Oregon grape extract are generally applied three times daily to the affected skin areas. Oregon grape root can also be used in compresses. More than other herbs containing berberine, Oregon grape root is mildly sedating. You should use it with caution if you take an anti-anxiety drug, such as alprazolam (Xanax) or lorazepam (Ativan).

Oregon grape root has several other relatively uncommon side effects. There is some evidence that the berberine in Oregon grape root can interfere with the absorption of tetracycline antibiotics. It may also lower blood sugar, so you should use it with caution if you have diabetes and have not used the herb before. The tannins in Oregon grape root tinctures may cause stomach irritation, so tinctures of the herb should be avoided in treating diarrhea and by people who have chronic heartburn. People with Raynaud’s disease who use relatively high dosages of Oregon grape root may find that it aggravates numbness and tingling. This effect is minor and temporary.

Oregon grape root has been reported to cause uterine contractions and to increase levels of bilirubin, so oral preparations of Oregon grape root should be avoided during pregnancy. Oregon grape root is not recommended for long-term use (three weeks or more at a time).

Botanical Name: Berberis aquifolium
English: Oregon Grape
Also, known as: Mountain-Grape, Oregon Barberry, Oregon-Grape, Oregon Grape- Holly, Barberry, Berberis aquifolium, Berberis nervosa, Berberis repens, Berberis sonnei, Blue Barberry, Creeping Barberry, Holly Barberry, Holly-Leaved Berberis, Holly Mahonia, Mahonia, Mahonia aquifolium, Mahonia diversifolia, Mahonia Faux Houx, Mahonia à Feuilles de Houx, Mahonia nervosa, Mahonia repens, Mahonie, Mountain-Grape, Oregon Barberry, Oregon-Grape, Oregon Grape-Holly, Scraperoot, Trailing Mahonia, Uva de Oregon, Vigne de l’Oregon, Water- Holly.
Origin: USA
Harvested: Wild
Parts Used: Root

General Information:
There are three species of Oregon grape: the small creeping M. repens, found in dry places such as Ponderosa pine ecosystems; M. nervosa, one to two feet (thirty to sixty centimeters) tall with holly, found in lower elevations in coastal forests and interior cedar-hemlock ecosystems; and M. aquifolium, known as tall Oregon grape, which is three to 5 feet (1–1.5 meters) tall. They are used interchangeably for medicinal purposes. All have bright yellow flowers and green berries that ripen to a blue-purple color. The name Oregon grape comes from its use as a medicine and food along the Oregon Trail. Its popularity as a food and medicine nearly led to its extinction in the late nineteenth century. Both the leaves and root bark are used medicinally.

It is known by a large variety of different common names including Oregon holly grape, Oregon grape holly or Oregon grape. It is noted for its yellow flowers in spring, edible blue-black berries in late summer, pinnately compound evergreen foliage and ability to grow well in shade. Holly leaved Oregon grape is so called for its shiny, leathery leaflets with pointed, toothy margins. Unlike holly, however, its leaves are compound. Each compound leaf, up to 10- inch-long has 5-9 spiny, ovate to oblong-ovate leaflets, dark green and holly shaped, and will often turn to hues of red and purple in the winter. New leaves emerge red-tinted in spring, maturing to glossy dark green by summer. Foliage acquires purplish hues in fall and burgundy-bronze tones by winter, sometimes suffering from winter burn. It produces masses of bright yellow flowers that later mature into blue berries with a velvety sheen, which give rise to the common name “Oregon grape”. Flowers are mildly fragrant. The Oregon grape is not related to true grapes but gets its name from the purple clusters of edible berries whose color and slightly dusted appearance are reminiscent of grapes. Birds and small wildlife are attracted to these berries, but they’ll usually leave enough for you to admire. The contrast between the blue fruits and the glossy green foliage is picture perfect.

The leaves, bark, and roots of this species have been used by many Native American tribes to treat many ailments. Found wild in the western states. The flower is the State Flower of Oregon, hence the common name. An evergreen shrub, this Oregon Grape is good looking all year Wintertime, Oregon Grape will color it’s leaves to bronze, only to green up again when spring comes around.

 

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. So you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.