Sentry Page Protection
Guaiaci, GuaiacumPock Wood, Lignum Sancti, Lignum Vitae
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Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1800
Atlas der officinellen pflanzen, Felix, 1899
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LEFT: GUAIACUM WOOD; RIGHT: GUAIACUM GUM
1. Mass of chips showing white non-official pieces. 2. Portion of
a boring from a bowling ball. 3, Projecting fibers of the wood.
Squibb's Atlas of the Official Drugs, Mansfield, 1919
1. Mass of chips showing white non-official pieces. 2. Portion of
a boring from a bowling ball. 3, Projecting fibers of the wood.
Squibb's Atlas of the Official Drugs, Mansfield, 1919
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Botanical name:
Guaiacum officinale Parts used: Wood; Gum Temperature & Taste: Warm, dry. Bitter, Pungent Classifications: 2B ATTENUATERS 3A. SUDORIFICS & DIAPHORETICS. 3M. ARTHRITICS 4k. ARTHRITIC |
Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
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Uses:
1. Promotes Sweat, Resists Poison:
-Tonsillitis
-‘Resists Poison and Venom, and cleansing the Flesh, Blood and humors of all manner of Putrefaction’. (Salmon)
-a specific for Syphilis (especially with Sarsaparilla)
-chronic skin diseases, Ulcers, Scabs, Leprosy
-Syphilis and other venereal diseases
2. Clears Wind-Damp, Moves the Blood, Resolves Swellings:
-Scrofula, Lymphadenitis
-chronic Rheumatism, Rheumatoid Arthritis, sub-acute and chronic Rheumatic pains of all types, Gout
-‘all chronic diseases proceeding from Cold and Moist causes’. (Gerard)
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea
3. Clears Damp, Promote Urine:
-Edema, fluid retention
4. Settles Wind, Stops Spasms:
-chronic Vertigo and Epilepsy
-Tonsillitis
-‘Resists Poison and Venom, and cleansing the Flesh, Blood and humors of all manner of Putrefaction’. (Salmon)
-a specific for Syphilis (especially with Sarsaparilla)
-chronic skin diseases, Ulcers, Scabs, Leprosy
-Syphilis and other venereal diseases
2. Clears Wind-Damp, Moves the Blood, Resolves Swellings:
-Scrofula, Lymphadenitis
-chronic Rheumatism, Rheumatoid Arthritis, sub-acute and chronic Rheumatic pains of all types, Gout
-‘all chronic diseases proceeding from Cold and Moist causes’. (Gerard)
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea
3. Clears Damp, Promote Urine:
-Edema, fluid retention
4. Settles Wind, Stops Spasms:
-chronic Vertigo and Epilepsy
Dose:
Infusion of the Wood: 250mg–2 grams;
Decoction of the Wood: 2–4 oz. of the wood in a pint of water, boiled, and taken in wineglassful doses throughout the day;
Tincture of the Wood (1:5): 10–30 drops, up to 40 or 50 drops, 2–3 times daily;
Fluid Extract of the Wood: 5–30 drops, up to 60 drops has been given;
Powdered Wood: 30–60 grains;
Powdered Resin: 5–15, or 20 grains.
Preparation of the Resin:
Guaiacum Wood may be boiled in a salt solution or Sea water which will more or less totally liberate the resin from the wood. Alternatively, the wood chips may be extracted with alcohol, and the resin then precipitated by pouring into water. It is then collected, and dried.
Infusion of the Wood: 250mg–2 grams;
Decoction of the Wood: 2–4 oz. of the wood in a pint of water, boiled, and taken in wineglassful doses throughout the day;
Tincture of the Wood (1:5): 10–30 drops, up to 40 or 50 drops, 2–3 times daily;
Fluid Extract of the Wood: 5–30 drops, up to 60 drops has been given;
Powdered Wood: 30–60 grains;
Powdered Resin: 5–15, or 20 grains.
Preparation of the Resin:
Guaiacum Wood may be boiled in a salt solution or Sea water which will more or less totally liberate the resin from the wood. Alternatively, the wood chips may be extracted with alcohol, and the resin then precipitated by pouring into water. It is then collected, and dried.
Main Combinations:
Guaiacum & Sarsaparilla
1. Syphilis, chronic Skin disorders (and other Blood-Toxin conditions):
i. Guaiacum with Sarsaparilla
ii. Guaiacum with China root
iii. Guaiacum with China root, Bittersweet
iv. Guaiacum with Sassafras, Sandalwood
v. Guaiacum with Sassafras, Licorice
vi. Guaiacum with Couch Grass root, Licorice
vii. Guaiacum with Burdock, Dandelion
viii. Guaiacum with Burdock, Juniper
ix. Guaiacum with Burdock root, Box Wood, Juniper berries
x. Guaiacum with Bittersweet, Madder, Marshmallow root, Burdock root, Fennel seed
xi. Guaiacum with Sarsaparilla, Senna, Rhubarb, Sassafras, Aniseed (Dispensatorium Pharmaceuticum, 1777)
xii. Guaiacum with Sarsaparilla, China root, Burdock root, Dandelion, Rhubarb, Licorice
2. Syphilis, Apoplexy, Paralysis, Edema, Asthma, with Sarsaparilla, China root, Blessed Thistle, Juniper berries, Ginger (as in Compound Guaiacum Water)
3. Chronic Rheumatism:
i. Guaiacum with Celery seed, Licorice
ii. Guaiacum with Salts of Hartshorn (Deer horn)
iii. Guaiacum with Senna, Turbith, Colchicum (A Treatise on Foreign Drugs, Geoffroy and Thicknesse, 1749)
4. Arthritis and Rheumatism:
i. Guaiacum with Cream of Tartar
ii. Guaiacum with Bittersweet
iii. Guaiacum with Rhubarb, Flowers of Sulphur (equal parts)
iv. Guaiacum with Aconite (Dispensatorium Fuldense, 1791)
v. Guaiacum with Polypody, Sarsaparilla, China root, Colchicum (Pharmacopoeia Wirtembergica, 1798)
vi. Guaiacum with Mustard, sublimed Sulphur, Saltpeter, Rhubarb (as in Compound Guaiacum Confection, 'Chelsea Pensioner')
5. Chronic Gout and Arthritic complaints, Guaiacum has been combined with Colchicum
6. Chronic Gout, Syphilis, Guaiacum (1 oz.), Burdock root (2 oz.), Sassafras (1 oz.), Licorice (½ oz.). Decoct. (Sobernheim, 1840))
7. Catarrh, Gout, Rheumatism, Guaiacum with Raisins, China root, Licorice root, Cinnamon, Lesser Galangal (Decoction for Gout)
8. To promote Urine, Guaiacum with Sassfras, Licorice, Coriander seed
9. Diet Drink: Guaiacum with Sassafras, Sarsaparilla, China root, Licorice. This was decocted and taken throughout the day as 'common drink' for chronic diseases such as Venereal Disease, Epilepsy, Migraines and chronic Headaches, Gout, Tumors, Cancer etc.
10. Chronic Mercury poisoning, Mercurialism: Guaiacum, China root, Sassafras, Mezereon bark, Licorice; decoct. (Sobernheim, 1840)
11. Scrofula and Cancer, Guaiacum with Sassafras, Sarsaparilla, Dead Nettle, Ground Ivy, Herb Robert and Pill Millipedes
12. Tinea, Guaiacum, Bittersweet, Coriander, Calendula, St. Johns wort, Pansy leaf, Magnesium Sulphate, Senna (Memorial Pharmaceutique, 1824)
Major Formulas:
Decoction of Guaiacum and Sarsaparilla
Decoction of Guaiacum Compound
Decoction of Woods
Decoction for Arthritis (Mynsichts)
Compound Guaiacum Confection (Chelsea Pensioner)
Wine for Arthritis
Elixir Salutis, Elixir of Health
1. Anti-Arthritic Powder:
i. Guaiacum resin, Cream of Tartar (15 grains each). Take as a dose 3 or 4 times daily. (Pharmacopoeia extemporanea, Augustin, 1822)
i. Guaiacum resin (2 drams), Cream of Tartar (half oz.), Licorice (1 dram), Tartarized Antimony (2 grains) (Pharmacopoeia Pauperum Hamburgensis, 1804)
2. Sudorific Pills:
i. Guaiacum resin Camphor (1 dram each), Tartarized Antimony (4 grains), Extract of Bittersweet (sufficient). Make pills of 4 grains each. (Memorial Pharmaceutique, 1824)
3. Compound Tincture of Guaiacum Wood:
i. Guaiacum wood shavings (3 oz.), Sassafras wood (2 oz.), Rhodium wood (half oz.), Red Sandalwood, Yellow Sandalwood (1 oz. each), Alcohol (2 lbs.). Digest for 2 days, express, filter. Stimulant, diaphoretic, alterative; used for Gonorrhea, Syphilis and Rheumatic disorders. (Dispensatorium Pharmaceuticum, 1777)
Cautions:
1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Nausea and stomach disturbance may accompany use of Guaiacum. Reduction of dose, a break in treatment of cessation of treatment is sometimes necessary.
3. It can rarely cause allergic reactions and skin rashes in some people.
4. Large doses cause vomiting, purging and congestive headaches.
Main Preparations used:
Decoction, Extract, Tincture, Spirit and Salt of the Ashes (rarely)
1. Water Extract of Guaiacum:
i. Guaiacum shavings (1 pound), Spring Water (6 pounds). Digest for 4 days in a warm place, then boil briefly; press and evaporate to the proper consistency.
ii. most exhausted it with several boilings, added the decoctions, then evaporated.
2. Alcohol Extract of Guaiacum:
i. Cover Guaiacum shavings with alcohol, enough to cover by 4 finger-breadths. Digest in a warm place, strain; boil the residue in water for 1 hour and press hard. Evaporate the decoction to the thickness of honey, gradually adding the tincture towards the end, stirring continually to an extract. (Pharmacopoeia Herbipolitania, 1796)
3. Tincture of Guaiacum Wood:
i. Guaiacum shavings (5 oz.), Rectified Alcohol (2 lbs.). Digest and filter. (Pharmacopoeia Oldenburgica, 1801)
1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Nausea and stomach disturbance may accompany use of Guaiacum. Reduction of dose, a break in treatment of cessation of treatment is sometimes necessary.
3. It can rarely cause allergic reactions and skin rashes in some people.
4. Large doses cause vomiting, purging and congestive headaches.
Main Preparations used:
Decoction, Extract, Tincture, Spirit and Salt of the Ashes (rarely)
1. Water Extract of Guaiacum:
i. Guaiacum shavings (1 pound), Spring Water (6 pounds). Digest for 4 days in a warm place, then boil briefly; press and evaporate to the proper consistency.
ii. most exhausted it with several boilings, added the decoctions, then evaporated.
2. Alcohol Extract of Guaiacum:
i. Cover Guaiacum shavings with alcohol, enough to cover by 4 finger-breadths. Digest in a warm place, strain; boil the residue in water for 1 hour and press hard. Evaporate the decoction to the thickness of honey, gradually adding the tincture towards the end, stirring continually to an extract. (Pharmacopoeia Herbipolitania, 1796)
3. Tincture of Guaiacum Wood:
i. Guaiacum shavings (5 oz.), Rectified Alcohol (2 lbs.). Digest and filter. (Pharmacopoeia Oldenburgica, 1801)