MEDICINAL USES:
Devil's
Club is hypoglycaemic, cathartic, emetic (in large doses), stomachic, analgesic,
and diaphoretic. It is an excellent
expectorant and respiratory stimulant, increasing mucous secretions that soften
congestion. Rheumatoid arthritis
and other autoimmune disorders often respond well to treatment with Devil’s
Club, possibly because it, like Ginseng, helps to bring the whole system into
balance.
It
is a close cousin of Ginseng, containing many of the same and similar compounds,
especially saponin glycosides known as ginsenosides or panaxosides.
The First Nations, who valued it highly, both as a medicine and for its
‘strong magical powers’, used it in a similar fashion to Ginseng.
Large amounts are reportedly intoxicating and often used in vision
quests. Athletes have used Devil’s Club to promote endurance and some of these
have noted intoxicating effects with the ingestion of larger amounts.
I myself have taken about 25ml of the tincture without observing any
noticeable psychedelic or intoxicating effects.
Devil’s
Club is very nourishing to the pancreas and can stimulate healing of damaged
tissue, as well as promoting better production and utilization of insulin.
It can be very helpful in treating of pancreatitis or general pancreatic
insufficiency. Devil’s Club has a strong empirical and anecdotal history of
use for treating adult onset, insulin resistant diabetes and, in some cases, has
eliminated the need for insulin. Modern
practitioners have also used it to curb sugar cravings because it contains many
glycosides or sugar-based chemicals. It
helps to balance blood sugar levels and can be used to treat both hyper and
hypoglycaemia. It also increases
the capacity of skeletal muscle to oxidize free fatty acids in preference to
glucose to produce cellular energy.
It has been recommended by some herbalists to help normalize
menses after childbirth, and to help relieve hot flashes.
It is also a good long-term therapy for arthritis and rheumatism.