Tormentillae, Tormentil

Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485

Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599

Flora von Deutschland (25), Kohler, 1886

Tormentil root with cross-section
(A Manual of Organic Materia Medica)

Uses:

1. Clears Heat and Damp, Stops Leakages:

-‘Tormentil is most excellent to stay all kinds of fluxes of blood or humours in man or woman, whether at nose, mouth or belly’ (Culpeper)
-Diarrhea, Dysentery, Gastroenteritis and Cholera etc.
-acute and chronic Enteritis and Colitis
-adjunct in Jaundice.
-Leukorrhea from Damp
-Heat-Incontinence and as an aid in the treatment of Diabetes.
-chronic Internal Ulcers
-“No herb is more excellent for restricting the blood flowing from the nose or wounds, for controlling excessive dysentery and excessive menstruation, if the powder is taken in wine and it is very strong”. (Dorsetn, 1540)

2. Clears Heat, Resists Poison:

-expels all Venom and Poison;
-‘it is much used against Pestilent diseases: for it strongly resisteth putrefaction, and procureth Sweat’ (Gerard)
-Plague, Epidemic Fevers and Infectious diseases including Pox and Measles
-‘brings forth’ the eruption of Measles and Pox, thereby promoting quicker recovery.
-acute infections of the mouth or throat, as well as for hot and sore Eyes.
-‘Andreas Valesius is of the opinion that the decoction of this root is no less effectual to cure the French Pox than Guaiacum or China [root]’.
-‘especially beneficial in the Small Pox if there be a flux in the belly’.
-Likewise a celebrated English Doctor Thornton claimed remarkable cures of Small Pox, Ague, and Whooping Cough.
-“crushed into powder and taken in wine, is beneficial against all Poisons … The root or the herb itself, decocted in wine, expels all poison”,. (Dorsetn, 1540)

3. Stops Leakage, Prevents Miscarriage:

-Threatened Miscarriage
-“an assured remedy against Abortion if it proceed from the over flexibility or weakness of the inward Retentive Faculty”.
-“It has the power of strengthening Conception in women, decocted in wine”. (Dorsetn, 1540)

4. Kills Worms:

-powder was taken in Plantain juice for Worms in children.

5. Benefits Qi:

-regarded by older writers as a strengthening tonic.
-“All the internal members are comforted and strengthened by this root”. (Dorsetn, 1540)

6. Externally:

-Bruising, Wounds, Sores, Ulcers, Running Sores, Itches, Eruptions, Herpes
-“Tormentil is also a wound-healing herb, and is adapted to all wound-healing potions, for it cleanses and heals all putrid wounds and ulcers in wine or water, if they are washed with it”. (Dorsetn, 1540)
-“The Juice of the Leaves and Roots used with a little Vinegar, is also a special Remedy against the running Sores of the Head or other parts, Scabs also and the Itch, or any such Eruptions in the Skin proceeding of Salt and sharp Humors” (Culpeper)
-Foul Sores and Ulcers of the mouth and genitals;
-strong decoction makes a very good gargle in Ulcerated Mouth and Throat.
-strong decoction is used as a wash for Hemorrhoids, including Bleeding Hemorrhoids.
-applied externally to Sciatica
-topically to Nodes, Scrofula and Lymphadenitis.
-“The herb and root, crushed and applied together, dissolve and repel certain tumors and parotid tumors, dispel goiters, soothe pain in the hips, heal even oozing scabies, and other such affections, especially if applied decocted in vinegar”. (Dorsetn, 1540)
-strong decoction applied constantly on lints reputedly cures Warts.
-applied topically to relieve Toothache
-douches for Leukorrhea and foul
-smelling Vaginal Discharge
-in Enemas for chronic Diarrhea
-wash for sore or red Eyes

Main Combinations:

Bistort & Tormentil

1. To stop all Leakages including Diarrhea, Dysentery, Incontinence, Leukorrhea, Tormentil was long combined with Bistort
2. Diarrhea and Dysentery:
i. Tormentil (1 dram), Mastic (2 drams), Gum Arabic (½ oz.). (Formulaire Magistral et Memorial Pharmaceutique, 1823)
ii. “Against dysentery it is given morning and evening with Plantain juice”. (Dorsetn, 1540)
iii. Tormentil with Comfrey, Licorice
iv. Tormentil with Ginger, Galangal, Marshmallow root
v. Tormentil with Mastic, Ginger, Galangal (as in Decoction of Tormentil)
vi. diarrhea in children, Tormentil with Thyme, Camomile and Peppermint (Traditional German Remedy)
vii. Dysentery, Tormentil, Sorrel seed, Plantain seed, with Syrup of Quibce and Conserve of Rose (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
viii. Tormentil with Pomegranate flower, Pomegranate bark, Cinchona (Saunders)
ix. Tormentil with Couch Grass root, Pomegranate bark, Sumac, Barberry, Deer horn shavings, decoct and add Honey. (Memorial Pharmaceutique, 1824)
x. Tormentil, Oak bark, Pomegranate bark (2 drams each), Water, Milk (1 lb. each), boil 15 minutes, adding towards the end Cinnamon (2 drams). (Pharmacopoeia medici practici universalis, Bruxelles, 1817)
x. Sealed Earth (6 oz.), Cinnamon (4 oz.), Tormentil, Gum Arabic (3 oz. each), Long Pepper (½ oz.) (Geneva)
3. Threatened Miscarriage:
i. Tormentil with Clove, Nutmeg, Pearl, Coral (as in Powder Against Miscarriage)
ii. Tormentil with Pearl, Amber, Red Coral, Mastic, Plantain seed, Red Sandalwood, Sealed Earth, Clove (as in Powder Against Abortion)
4. To aid Conception: “The root is boiled in rainwater, and the steam is drawn from the lower part, then its powder is mixed with honey and applied. In this way, when applied to the woman’s belly, it helps conception”. (Dorsetn, 1540)
5. Excessive Menstruation:
i. Tormentil with Nutmeg, Plantain seed (as in Powder for Excessive Menstruation)
ii. Tormentil with Comfrey, Sorrel, Gum Arabic, Tragacanth, Plantain (as in Decoction for Excessive Menstruation)
iii. Tormentil with Mussel shell, Coral, Nutmeg, Red Earth, Plantain seed (as in Powder of Mussel Shells Compound)
6. Bleeding:
i. Tormentil with Shepherd’s Purse
ii. Internal Bleeding, Trauma: Tormentil (½ oz.), Rose, St. Johns wort (2 drams each), Red Sandalwood, Mummy (Mumiya, Shilajit), Dragons Blood (1 oz. each), Catechu, Myrrh (½ oz. each), Nutmeg (1 dram), Alcohol (20 oz.). Digest, filter. (Pharmacopoeia Generalis, 1783)
7. Hemoptysis, Tormentil with Comfrey, Plantain, Marshmallow, Licorice, Shepherd’s Purse, Self Heal, St Johns wort (as in Decoction of Timaei)
8. Gastroenteritis, Tormentil with Wormwood and Gentian (Weiss)
9. Stomach Ulcer:
i. Tormentil with Comfrey, Licorice
ii. Tormentil with Angelica, Wormwood, Calendula, Sanicle (Rose)
10. Hernia, Tormentil with Sage, Agrimony, Solomans Seal, Plantain, Comfrey root (as in Decoction for Hernia)
11. To preserve from Infection during epidemics:
i. Tormntil with Zedoary, Angelica and Theriac (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
ii. Tormentil with Pimpernel root, Cinnamon, Aloeswood, Juniper, Ginger, Blessed Thistle, Angelica (as in Powder Against Toxicity and Venom)
iii. Tormentil with Armenian Earth, Earth of Lemnos, Pearl, Red Coral, Angelica, Cinnamon, Sandalwood, Saffron and Camphor (as in Preservative Confection)
12. Plague:
i. “Tormentil reduced to powder, and drunk with Sorrel water, cures the Plague”. (Dorsetn, 1540)
ii. “Potion against the plague. Take a dram of powdered Tormentil, half a dram of Theriac, and mix it with Sorrel water, and give him who is seized with the Plague as a drink, and it will be beneficial to give him a dram of Bole Armenia (Red Earth), which makes the remedy so much stronger to be preferred against Poison”. (Dorsetn, 1540)
13. Gargle:
i. Tormentil with Honey of Roses
ii. Tormentil with Sage and Alum
14. Herpes, Tormentil infused in vinegar and applied
15. Itchy and swollen Hemorrhoids, boil Tormentil in vinegar and use as a wash. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)
16. Joint Pain: “The juice, mixed with chamomile oil and anointed, alleviates pain in the joints”. (Dorsetn, 1540)

Major Formulas:

Decoction of Tormentil (Gabelhover)
Decoction for Excessive Menstruation
Decoction of Timaei (modified)
Astringent Decoction
Universal Vulnerary Decoction (Joseph Du Chesne)
Powder of Tormentil Compound (Grieves)
Powder Against Miscarriage
Powder for Excessive Menstruation (Wirtzung)
Powder of Nutmeg Compound
Orvietan Antidote