Piscidia erythrina
Part Used: Dried root bark (Jamaica)
Jamaican Dogwood (Piscidia erythrina) is a tree with very valuable wood and with the foliage and habit of Lonchocarpus. It is a shrub found in tropical America and the West Indies. It is best known as a traditional remedy for treating neuralgia (severe, stabbing nerve pain), migraine, insomnia, anxiety, fear, and nervous tension. As early as 1844, Western scientists discovered that Jamaica Dogwood had pain-relieving and sweat-promoting properties. It contains resins (piscidin, jamaicin, ichthynone), amorphous alkaloid, an isoflavonoid (sumatrol), rotenones (lisetin, piscerythrone and piscidone), organic acids (piscidic, fukiic, methylfukiic), beta-sitosterol, and around 2% tannins. It has medicinal properties like sedative, anodyne, analgesic, antitussive, spasmolytic, and anti-inflammatory; due to which it has been used in the conditions like neuralgia, migraine, toothache, insomnia, spasmodic dysmenorrhoea. It is specifically indicated in insomnia due to neuralgia or nervous tension.
Jamaica Dogwood is a powerful sedative, used in the treatment of painful conditions such as neuralgia and migraine. It may also be used for the relief of ovarian and uterine pain. Its main use is in insomnia where this is due to nervous tension or pain. Recent research has demonstrated that the bark can calm the cough reflex and reduce fevers. It can also be used in the relief of ovarian and uterine pain. Its main use is perhaps in insomnia where this is due to nervous tension or pain. In some subjects it cures violent toothache, neuralgia and whooping-cough and promotes sleep, and acts as an antispasmodic in asthma. It also dilates the pupil and is useful in dysmenorrhoea and nervous debility. In other subjects it only causes gastric distress and nausea; over doses produce toxic effects. The studies on animals have shown that Jamaica Dogwood may promote sleep, relieve pain, reduce smooth muscle spasms, relieve cough, and reduce fever and inflammation. A professional herbalist may recommend Jamaica Dogwood for the following health problems: Anxiety, Cough, Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), Insomnia, Headache, Nerve pain, Toothache.
References:
University of Maryland Medical Center. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/jamaica-dogwood-000258.htm
Holistic Online. http://www.holisticonline.com/Herbal-Med/_Herbs/h253.htm
Purple Sage Botanicals. http://www.purplesage.org.uk/profiles/jamaicadogwood.htm
