Watch for Signs of Toxicity Specific to Angelica: Stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, dilated pupils, labored breathing, weak and rapid pulse, and frothing at the mouth and convulsions.
Abortifacient Angelica Decoction (root): Simmer ¼ cup (60 g) cut root to 1 qt (1 L) water three hours, drink throughout the day, and take no longer than six days.
Arbor Vitae
It is asserted that thuja has brought on abortion, acting not so much as a direct abortivant, but as a gastro-intestinal irritant, producing violent intestinal disturbances, giving rise, indirectly to miscarriage.
-King’s American Dispensatory, 1905
AKA: Arbor vitae, tree of life, hack-ma-tack, eastern white cedar, swamp cedar, Atlantic red cedar, and feather leaf cedar.
Parts Used: Dried branch tips and leaves.
Medicinal Properties: Anthelmintic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, irritant, laxative, purgative, and muscle stimulant.
Effects on the Body: Stimulating to circulatory, eliminatory, and reproductive organs.
Abortifacient Action: Contains uterine contracting thujone.
Contains: Camphor-like essential oil (abortifacient), fenchone, thujone, carvone, and Vitamin C.
Description: Arbor vitae, often reaching heights of 60 ft. (18 m) with a 3 – 6 ft. (1 – 2 m) diameter trunk, is a member of the great cypress family. Fragrant scale-like yellow-green leaves cover the flat twigs. Arbor vitae cones are 4 – 6 in. (10 – 15 cm) long, with broad winged seeds. Arbor vitae’s bark is deep reddish brown. This attractive cedar, one of the most widely distributed of all conifers, is grown in temperate climates around the world. In North America, arbor vitae is found growing in swampy areas and along stream banks from Eastern Quebec to Manitoba, south to New Jersey, and along the Allegheny mountains to North Carolina and Tennessee, and stretching westward through to Minnesota. In the Adirondack Mountains, arbor vitae can be found as high as 3500 ft. (1067 m).
The use of arbor vitae in ceremonial ritual dates back to the beginning of recorded history. Over two thousand years ago, the Sumerians of Mesopotamia believed cedar was the cosmic tree or the tree of life and was held to have magical properties. In ancient Greece, cedar wood was burned at ancient sacrifice altars. The genus name Thuja ‘to fumigate’ is rooted in the Latin thuo, meaning ‘to sacrifice’. The ancient surname of the moon-goddess Artemis (protector of women and alleviator of suffering in childbirth) was Artemis Cedreatis, cedar was symbolic of the womb of the Great Mother, and images of Artemis were hung in tall cedars.
In Chinese mythology, cedars were known as ‘the trees of faithful loves,’ named after a couple who were divided by a king who wished to have the woman for himself. The husband died in grief after being imprisoned, while the woman jumped to her death to escape the hateful attentions of the monarch. The king ordered the two to be buried separately, however a cedar tree sprung from each grave rising to such immense height that the roots and branches of the two trees interlaced at last.
Hippocrates recommended cedar as a vaginal fumigation for uterine prolapse in ancient times. Aristotle, in Historia Animalium, mentions oil of cedar used as a contraceptive when combined with olive oil and applied to the vagina. The essential oil of cedar made from the leaves and twigs contains thujone and is known to be a muscular stimulant of the uterus and heart muscle.
Wherever arbor vitae grew the Native Americans used it. The use of arbor vitae in the creation of bows, baskets, canoes, cording, hats, and roofing by Native Americans is documented in The Original Journal of Lewis and Clark. Aromatic arbor vitae twigs were ritually placed on hot rocks during a sweat bath as ceremonial incense. Arbor vitae’s branches were used by many tribes to make medicinal teas for women’s menstrual complaints, male prostate disorders, and to promote perspiration in fevers. Menominee women used an infusion of the dried inner bark of arbor vitae to promote menstruation.[135] To induce abortion, some Native American women used decoctions of arbor vitae branches.[136] The oil, a potent antiviral, was taken both internally and externally for warts. Several Native American tribes used arbor vitae for cancer of the uterus.[137]
Gathering: Leafy young arbor vitae twigs are gathered in the spring. Bark is generally collected off branches that are at least two years old in early spring or late fall when the bark peels easiest. Preparation: Purgative arbor vitae is thought to produce abortion by reflex action on the uterus from gastrointestinal irritation. Carminatives combined with arbor vitae may be helpful in alleviating excessive gastrointestinal pain. Arbor vitae is usually used by itself as a simple up to the eighth week of pregnancy.
Words to the Wise: Do not use arbor vitae’s essential oil, commonly called oil of cedar, internally. As with all essential oils, arbor vitae’s essential oil is highly concentrated. Sixteen drops of the oil has caused unconsciousness, spasms, and convulsions[138] People with heart conditions or history of heart attack should not use arbor vitae in any form. Arbor vitae contain both fenchone and thujone, which stimulate the heart muscle.
Watch for Signs of Toxicity Specific to Thuja occidentalis: Arbor vitae’s essential oil has been known to cause heart stimulation, flatulence, and distortion of the stomach, spasms, convulsions, and unconsciousness.
Abortifacient Arbor Vitae Decoction: 1 oz. (28 g) fresh leaf twigs to 2 cups (500 ml) of water. Simmer until the water begins to turn brown. Then, take 1 tsp. - 1 Tbs. (5 - 15 ml), three to six times a day.
Emmenagogual Arbor Vitae Steam Fumigation: Decoction of fresh leaves and twigs and/or 2 - 5 drops of the essential oil, use daily for four to five days prior to expected menses.
Arum
Arum dracunculus
These are all plants that grow, all flowers in God's Land, which were found by his majesty when he proceeded to Upper Retenu to subdue the country there according to the command of his father, Amun, who put them beneath his sandals from the year one to myriads of years.
- Inscription on the botanical room of Tuthmosis III in the Temple of Amun at Karnak in ancient Thebes, 1500 BC.
(Arum dracunculus is depicted there.)
AKA: Adderwort, dragon flower, snake plant, dragon arum, voodoo lily, viagra lily, stink lily, lords and ladies, and cuckoo pint.
Parts Used: seeds, and fragrance of flower.
Medicinal Properties: Abortifacient.
Effects on the Body: Irritating and acrid.
Abortifacient Action: Possibly embryo toxic.
Contains: Dimethyl oligosulphides.
Description: Arum dracunculus attains a height of approximately 2 – 3 ft. (1 m). The leaves are large, and the stalks and the stems are pink with black mottling. The midsummer carrion flowers are composed of a burgundy red spathe with wavy edges and a very dark red spadix.
135
Daniel E. Moerman,
136
Christian Ratsch,