Materia Medica: Oregon Grape Rootfeatured
Mahonia aquifolium, also known as Berberis aquifolium or Oregon Grape Root, is a potent purifier growing abundantly in western North America. Oregon Grape Root is treasured for
their cleansing properties and healing benefits to the skin.
Appearance:
M. aquifolium is an evergreen shrub that can grow between 3 to 10 feet tall. The plant stands upright and can sometimes look thin and tall. Leaves are arranged alternately and are made up of 7 to 9 leaflets. The leaves are tough and stiff, with spiky edges and a shiny dark green color.
During winter, they might turn reddish-purple,
especially if the plant is in a cold, sunny spot.
In early spring, the shrub produces bright yellow flowers in clusters at the ends of its branches.
Later in the summer, or early autumn, small blue-black berries grow. They have a dusty appearance and are about 8 millimeters wide [1].
Energetics: Cooling and drying
Properties: Blood purifier, antiseptic, cholagogue, lymphatic
Dosage: Tincture of the dried root, made at a 1:5 ratio using 45% alcohol, 5 drops to 0.8 tsp up to 3x daily.
Glycerite of the dried root, made at a 1:5 ratio, 0.4 – 1 tsp up to 3x daily. [2]
Habitat:
Oregon Grape Root is native to western North America. This plant lays their roots from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast, occurring most frequently in Oregon and northern California. They prefer to grow in partial or full shade and they thrive in moist, well-drained, acidic soil [1].
In some places outside the native range, such as North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, M. aquifolium is classified as an invasive species and poses a threat to native vegetation [3].
Ethnobotany:
The Nlaka’pamux, formerly known as the Thompson or Couteau, have heavily utilized Oregon Grape Root as an antirheumatic, blood tonic, eyewash, laxative, syphilis treatment, dye, and food. The root is decocted for syphilis; the rootbark is peeled and chopped as a blood tonic and treatment for arthritis, taken internally or externally; an infusion of the stems and bark is prepared as an eyewash for itchy, red eyes; the outer bark is boiled to create bright yellow dye; and the fruit is considered an excellent laxative and overall tonic. The fruit is dried or used to make jelly when no other fruit is available [4].
The Syilx, referred to as Colville-Okanagan by the settlers, also discovered M. aquifolium’s properties as a blood cleanser, eye medicine, and dye source. An infusion of the branches is taken as a blood tonic; a decoction of oregon grape root branches and chokecherry branches are taken for “changing of the blood”; an infusion of the plant is used to wash out blurry or bloodshot eyes; a decoction of the root is taken as a kidney tonic; and the stem and inner bark are used to make yellow dye. The predecessors to modern-day Syilx often ate the berries raw [4].
The Nitinaht, Makah, Skagit, Snohomish, and Chehalis nations have also used Oregon Grape Root to make yellow dye [4].
The Niitsitapi, commonly known as the Blackfoot Confederacy, discovered M. aquifolium to be useful as an antihemorrhagic and gastrointestinal aid [4].
Research:
A research study conducted in 1994 discovered Oregon Grape Root to be an effective remedy for psoriasis.
433 patients with subacute and chronic forms of psoriasis were treated with Mahonia aquifolium ointment. Of the 433 patients entered into the study, 375 were treated over the planned period of 12 weeks, or dropped out of the study early because of healing.
According to an overall evaluation by dermatologists, symptoms improved or disappeared in 81.1% of patients. According to a subjective evaluation by the patients, 79.7% improved or healed completely.
The tolerability of the ointment was evaluated as good or very good by 82.4% of patients. There was a significant improvement in the quality of life. While 30.1% of patients had significant or severe symptoms at the start, this was the case for only 5.6% after 12 weeks [5].
In a 2004 study, a M. aquifolium stem bark crude extract revealed antimicrobial activity against twenty strains of bacteria from the Staphylococcus genus and P. acnes isolated from skin lesions of acne patients [6]. The results showed a rational basis for the use of Oregon Grape Root in the treatment of skin and mucosal infections.
A 2015 Chinese study confirmed that the isolated compounds and crude extracts of Mahonia aquifolium exhibit a wide spectrum of effects, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antimutagenic and analgesic. Preparations containing Mahonia species have been proven effective for the clinical treatment of dysentery, internal and external hemorrhage, acne vulgaris and chronic pharyngitis, among other diseases [7].
Sources:
[1] https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/mahonia-aquifolium
[2]Thomas Easley, Steven Horne. (2016). The Modern Herbal Dispensatory.
[3] https://web.archive.org/web/20111019032828/http://ncbg.unc.edu/pages/74/
[4] http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=mahonia aquifolium&page=1
[5] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09546639509080587
[6] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.1517
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