CND-0079Liver and jaundice
Old claims, quoted verbatim: not medical advice. A warning sits above the claims and never hides them; no warning does not mean safe, only that no source here has flagged the plant.
It opens and cleanses the liver, helps the jaundice, and is very beneficial to the bowels, healing all inward wounds, bruises, hurts, and other distempers.
helps the yellow jaundice, by opening the stoppings of the gall and liver, and melancholy, by opening the stoppings of the spleen;
It is an herb of Jupiter, and therefore friendly to nature, for it warms a cold stomach, and opens a stoppage of the liver and spleen;
It helps all cold griefs of the head, the vertigo, falling-sickness, the lethargy, the wind cholic, obstructions of the liver and spleen, stone in the kidneys and bladder.
and let it infuse hot over a gentle fire twelve hours, then strain it out, so have you a most excellent drink to open obstructions of the liver and spleen, to help difficulty of breath, bruises and falls, and congealed blood in any part of the body, it helps the yellow jaundice, the dropsy, and black jaundice, and to cleanse women newly brought to bed.
It helps pains of the cholic, the stranguary and stoppage of the urine, procureth womens’ courses, and expelleth the after-birth, openeth the stoppings of the liver and spleen, and briefly easeth and discusseth all windiness and inward swellings.
being boiled in whey, it wonderfully helps the obstructions of the liver and spleen, and therefore profitable for the dropsy and jaundice;
The decoction also being drank, comforts the heart, and strengthens the stomach and a cold brain, and therefore is good in the spring times to open obstructions of the liver, and helps the wind cholic;
It is good for the liver and spleen.
It is excellent for hot agues, burnings, scaldings, heat of the blood, heat of the liver, bloody-flux;
The juice of it opens obstructions both of the liver and spleen, and is good for the head-ache and swimmings therein, and turnings of the brain;
The black Bilberries are good in hot agues and to cool the heat of the liver and stomach;
and it is an especial help in all wound-drinks, and for those that are liver-grown (as they call it.) It is wonderful in curing all manner of ulcers and sores, whether new and fresh, or old and inveterate;
It is a friend to the heart, liver, and other principal parts of a man’s body.
Being boiled twice, an old cock boiled in the broth and drank, it helps the pains and the obstructions of the liver and spleen, and the stone in the kidneys.
The leaves boiled in wine, and drank, provoke sweat, and open obstructions of the liver and spleen.
and there is nothing more profitable to the sides and region of the liver and spleen than it.
The herb or root boiled in white Wine and drank, a few Anniseeds being boiled therewith, opens obstructions of the liver and gall, helps the yellow jaundice;
The herb bruised, or the juice applied (with cloths or sponges dipped therein) to the region of the liver, and as they dry, to have it fresh applied, doth wonderfully temperate the heat of the liver, and is effectual for all imposthumes and swellings whatsoever, for all redness in the face, wheals, pushes, itch, scabs;
It is a good remedy in the Spring, eaten (being first chopped small, and boiled well) in water-gruel, to cleanse the blood, and strengthen the liver, thereby to keep the body in health, and fitting it for that change of season that is coming.
Tragus saith, that a dram of the seed taken in wine with a little saffron, opens obstructions of the liver, and is good for the yellow jaundice, if the party after the taking thereof be laid to sweat well in bed.
It is astringent to the stomach, and strengthens the liver, and all the other inward parts;
The seed hereof being drank, cleanses the belly from tough phlegmatic matter therein, eases them that are liver-grown, women’s passions of the mother, as well being drank as the smoke thereof received, and likewise raises such as are fallen into a deep sleep, or have the lethargy, by burning it under their nose.
They are excellently good for a hot stomach, and hot liver;
The juice or distilled water of these, or the small Daisy, doth much temper the heat of choler, and refresh the liver, and the other inward parts.
It is of an opening and cleansing quality, and therefore very effectual for the obstructions of the liver, gall and spleen, and the diseases that arise from them, as the jaundice and hypocondriac;
All Docks are under Jupiter, of which the Red Dock, which is commonly called Bloodwort, cleanses the blood, and strengthens the liver;
Being boiled and drank, it opens obstructions of the liver and gall, and the stopping of urine, and eases the griping pains of the belly and inflammations;
The decoction of the leaves, or the juice, or the distilled water of Endive, serve well to cool the excessive heat of the liver and stomach, and in the hot fits of agues, and all other inflammations in any part of the body;
The decoction of the root hereof in wine, is very effectual to open obstructions of the spleen and liver, and helps yellow jaundice, dropsy, pains of the loins, and wind cholic, provokes urine, and expels the stone, procures women’s courses.
The seed and the roots much more, help to open obstructions of the liver, spleen, and gall, and thereby help the painful and windy swellings of the spleen, and the yellow jaundice;
The decoction of the herb, both leaves and flowers, in wine, taken and drank, doth somewhat move the belly downwards, opens obstructions of the liver, and helps the yellow jaundice;
The same being drank, doth ease the pains and torments of the belly and sides, the shaking of agues, the diseases of the liver and spleen, the worms of the belly, the stone in the reins, convulsions and cramps that come of old humours;
The decoction hereof made up with some sugar or honey, is available to cleanse and purge the body both upwards and downwards, sometimes of tough phlegm and clammy humours, and to open obstructions of the liver and spleen.
The juice or syrup made thereof, or the decoction made in whey by itself, with some other purging or opening herbs and roots to cause it to work the better (itself being but weak) is very effectual for the liver and spleen, opening the obstructions thereof, and clarifying the blood from saltish, choleric, and adust humours, which cause leprosy, scabs, tetters, and itches, and such like breakings-out of the skin, and after the purgings doth strengthen all the inwards parts.
of the liver by obstructions;
The powder of the dry roots helps the biting of mad dogs and venomous beasts, opens obstructions of the liver, and restores an appetite for their meat to such as have lost it.
The ripe Gooseberries being eaten, are an excellent remedy to allay the violent heat both of the stomach and liver.
The roots of this Bastard Rhubarb are used in opening and purging diet-drinks, with other things, to open the liver, and to cleanse and cool the blood.
The decoction of Ground Pine drank, doth wonderfully prevail against the stranguary, or any inward pains arising from the diseases of the reins and urine, and is especially good for all obstructions of the liver and spleen, and gently opens the body;
It helps also the sciatica, griping of the belly, the cholic, defects of the liver, and provokes women’s courses.
Jupiter claims dominion over this herb, therefore it is a singular remedy for the liver, both to strengthen it when weak, and ease it when afflicted, you shall do well to keep it in a syrup all the year;
This, in physical operations, is to open obstructions of the liver and spleen, to cleanse the blood, to loosen the belly, to cleanse the reins from gravel, and provoke urine.
Galen saith, it opens obstructions both of the liver and spleen, and purges the breast and lungs of phlegm:
The juice or the distilled water being drank, is very effectual for all inflammations and unnatural heats, to cool a fainting hot stomach, a hot liver, or the bowels:
It strengthens the stomach, and frees the liver and spleen from obstructions, provokes women’s courses, and expels the dead child and after-birth.
Applied outwardly to the region of the heart, liver or reins, or by bathing the said places with the juice of distilled water, wherein some white Sanders, or red Roses are put;
It is a singularly good herb for all the diseases of the liver, both to cool and cleanse it, and helps the inflammations in any part, and the yellow jaundice likewise.
It is a sure remedy for the yellow jaundice, by opening the obstructions of the liver and gall, and cleansing those parts;
as also against the hardness of the liver or spleen, being applied to the places.
The decoction either of the leaves or bark, must needs strengthen the liver much, and so you shall find it to do, if you use it.
Simeon Sethi saith, it helps a cold liver, strengthens the belly, causes digestion, stays vomits and hiccough;
Orpine is seldom used in inward medicines with us, although Tragus saith from experience in Germany, that the distilled water thereof is profitable for gnawings or excoriations in the stomach or bowels, or for ulcers in the lungs, liver, or other inward parts, as also in the matrix, and helps all those diseases, being drank for certain days together.
as also to open the obstructions of the liver and spleen, and thereby is good against the jaundice.
It opens obstructions both of liver and spleen, and is therefore accounted one of the five opening roots.
It also eases those griefs that arise from obstructions of the liver, spleen, and reins.
The same also opens obstructions of the liver, and is very available against the infirmities of the reins:
The herb (but especially the seed) is held to be profitable against the dropsy, the falling-sickness, the yellow jaundice, and stoppings of the liver and reins.
It is good to cool any heat in the liver, blood, reins, and stomach, and in hot agues nothing better:
The root bruised and laid to the place grieved with the sciatica, joint-ache, or the hard swellings of the liver and spleen, doth wonderfully help them all.
and the said decoction is very powerful to open obstructions of the liver and spleen, and other parts.
The physical use of it (being my present task) is very much used both for inward and outward diseases, for by the warming and comforting heat thereof it helps all cold diseases, both of the head, stomach, liver, and belly.
Red Roses do strengthen the heart, the stomach and the liver, and the retentive faculty:
The same also helps stitches in the sides, griping pains of the stomach or belly, the obstructions of the liver, and cures the yellow jaundice;
Jupiter claims this, and bids me tell you, it is good for the liver, and to breed blood.
It is a safe herb, very pleasant both to taste and stomach, helps digestion, and in some sort opening obstructions of the liver and spleen:
Being boiled in wine, and drank, it helps the indisposition of the liver, and freeth the gall from obstructions;
but the Dutch Scurvygrass is of better effect, and chiefly used (if it may be had) by those that have the scurvy, and is of singular good effect to cleanse the blood, liver, and spleen, taking the juice in the Spring every morning fasting in a cup of drink.
Smallage is hotter, drier, and much more medicinal than parsley, for it much more opens obstructions of the liver and spleen, rarefies thick phlegm, and cleanses it and the blood withal.
Baptista Sardas doth much commend the distilled water thereof, being drank, to help the French disease, to open the obstructions of the liver, and cleanse the blood from corrupted humours, and is profitable against the quotidian or tertian ague.
The berries are excellently good to cool the liver, the blood, and the spleen, or an hot choleric stomach;
An handful of the leaves, or roots boiled in wine or water, and a draught thereof drank fasting, drives forth choleric and phlegmatic humours, opens obstructions of the liver, gall and spleen;
The decoction thereof being drank, helps all diseases of the chest which hinder the freeness of breathing, and is also profitable for the obstructions of the liver and spleen.
the bark of the root is less sharp and hot, but more bitter, and hath some astriction withal whereby it is effectual to break the stone, and good to open obstructions of the liver, spleen, and other inward parts, which bring the jaundice, dropsy, &c.
It purges and strengthens the liver and spleen, cleansing them from such evil humours and hardness as they are afflicted with.
They are hot and dry, and open obstructions of the liver and spleen.
It cools the heat of the liver, breaking the stone in the kidneys, and stays women’s courses.
it opens obstructions of the liver, gall, and spleen, helps the jaundice, and eases the pains in the sides and hardness of the spleen, used outwardly, and is given with very good effect in agues.
some spices being added, comforts and strengthens the decaying and fainting spirits, and helps the liver oppressed, that it cannot perfect the digestion, or corrects choler and phlegm.
and the juice wonderfully opens obstructions of the liver and lungs, and thereby helps the yellow jaundice.
it kills and expels worms in the belly, and causes a good colour in the face and body, strengthens as well as corrects the diseases of the stomach, liver, and spleen;
It is good also for the liver and the jaundice, and all hot agues, to cool the heat, and quench the thirst;
It cleanses the blood, and fretteth the liver and reins from obstructions, provokes women’s courses, expels the secundine, and the dead child;
for being green, it loosens the belly, and voids choler and phlegm from the stomach and liver;
It opens obstructions of the liver, mollifies the hardness of the spleen, being applied outwardly.
It provokes urine and the terms, and eases the griping pain of the belly, cramps, ruptures, and inflamation of the liver.
and among other virtues saith of it, that it preserves the liver and bodies of men from the danger of epidemical diseases, and from witchcraft also;
Nicholas Culpeper, The Complete Herbal, a new edition (London: Thomas Kelly, 1850). Project Gutenberg eBook #49513. SRC-CUL-1850