Pokeberry has long been used as a natural remedy for arthritis, mumps, and other skin conditions. Earth Clinic readers report using pokeberries to treat arthritis, gout, joint pains and scabies.
Although pokeweed is considered poisonous and unsafe, the berry and root from the pokeweed have been used as medicine for hundreds of years to treat rheumatoid arthritis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, swollen lymph glands, mastitis (swollen and tender breasts), skin infections like scabies, ringworm. It has also been used for edema (fluid retention), skin cancer, menstrual cramping, and syphilis.
Pokeweed berry is frequently used as a red food coloring and also as a red wine coloring agent.
It is also known as red ink, inkberry, crowberry, Phytolacca Americana, cancer root, cancer jalap, American nightshade, coakum, chongras, crowberry, and garget pigeonberry, scoke, red ink plant, Poke is an herbaceous plant with berry-like fruit. It is native to the Eastern United States, where it proliferates in damp soils.
Small, dark purple fruit develop on the stems of the plant, maturing from August through November.
Pokeberry should not be consumed raw as it is highly toxic. The cooked berries are safe to make pies. The juice extracted from the Pokeberries is used to enhance the color of wine.
The roots of pokeberry plants are anti-inflammatory, expectorant, narcotic, hypnotic, cathartic, and purgative.
Historically, the root has been used to treat chronic skin conditions like acne, hemorrhoids, diabetic skin ulcers, and boils. Poke is also used for swollen glands, chronic sinusitis, bronchitis, and inflammatory diseases.
Additional health conditions that are treated with pokeberries include:
One cup (160 grams) of pokeberry shoots raw contains the following:
It has been reported that all parts of the pokeweed plant are poisonous. Poisoning has been reported from drinking tea brewed from pokeweed root and leaves.
Poisoning also has resulted from drinking pokeberry wine and eating pokeberry pancakes. Eating just ten berries can be toxic to an adult. Green pokeberries are thought to be more poisonous than the fully mature red berries.
Side effects from pokeweed can include the following:
Avoid pokeweed if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Children should also not take pokeberry.
Continue reading below to learn how Earth Clinic readers have used Pokeberries to treat various conditions. Do you eat pokeberries or pokeroot? Please send us your feedback!
