Latin Name: Mitchella repens
Family: Rubiaceae
Part used: leaves and stem.
Energetics: Cooling, drying.
Iris: All types.
Interactions: Please check with your Healthcare Provider
CONTRA-INDICATIONS
- Early pregnancy
- Breastfeeding (do not take it internally)
- Allergy to the Rubiaceae family.
ACTIONS
- Parturient
- Emmenagogue
- Uterine Tonic
- Partus preparator
- Prostatic tonic
- Antispasmodic
- Diuretic
- Astringent
- Alterative
- Styptic
- Hypnotic
Main Constituents
- Resin
- Wax
- Mucilage
- Dextrin
- Saponin
- Alkaloids
Main Uses
Digestive System: Diarrhoea, Colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Liver Failure
Mental/Emotional: Anxiety, Insomnia, Nervousness, Panic
Endocrine: Menstrual cramps, Dysmenorrhoea, Amenorrhoea, Postnatal depression
Reproductive System: Uterine Complaints and prolapse, Labour, Sore nipples, Fibrocystic Breasts, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Urinary System: Incontinence, Suppressed Urination, Urinary Tract Infections, Interstitial Cystitis, Kidney Failure
More About Squaw Vine
Squaw Vine is traditionally used by North American Indians. It grows in dry woods and swamps in the United States. It flowers June-July. Synonyms include Partridgeberry, Winter Clover, Oneberry and Deerberry.
It is a tonic to the stomach, intestine, pelvic viscera and nervous system, improving digestion and calming the nervous system.
It is a particularly useful herb for female health. Used in the last six-twelve weeks of pregnancy, with Raspberry Leaf, prepares the uterus for labour.
When combined with Cramp Bark and Pasque Flower, it is useful for painful periods.
‘Mama’s Salve’ - Recipe for sore nipples when breastfeeding
Use 2oz herb to 1 pint water. Make a decoction then strain. Add an equal quantity of good quality cream, such as Nelson's Calendula Cream, then boil to the consistency of a soft salve. Apply to nipples following each feed.
Squaw Vine also improves digestion and calms the nervous system.
The astringent action is useful in colitis where there is mucous. The tannins help improve a ‘leaky‘ gut.
The astringent action can tighten a uterus after birth or after a prolapse.
Recipes:
Squaw Vine Tea
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon dried squaw vine leaves
- 1 cup of boiling water
Instructions:
- Boil water and allow it to cool slightly.
- Place the dried squaw vine leaves in a cup or teapot.
- Pour the hot (but not boiling) water over the squaw vine leaves.
- Cover and steep for about 10-15 minutes.
- Strain the tea to remove the leaves.
- You can sweeten the tea with honey or another natural sweetener if desired.
- Drink the tea while it's still warm.
Squaw vine tea is traditionally believed to have uterine-toning and relaxing properties and is sometimes used during the later stages of pregnancy. However, it is essential to consult with a qualified healthcare provider before using squaw vine or any other herbal remedy during pregnancy, as its safety and effectiveness can vary from person to person, and there may be potential risks or interactions with other medications.
Squaw Vine Tincture
Ingredients:
- Dried squaw vine leaves
- Alcohol (such as vodka or brandy)
- A glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
Instructions:
- Fill a glass jar about halfway with dried squaw vine leaves. You can find these leaves in dried form at health food stores or online.
- Pour alcohol (vodka or brandy) into the jar to cover the leaves completely.
- Seal the jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Place the jar in a cool, dark place for about 4 to 6 weeks to allow the tincture to infuse. Shake the jar gently every few days.
- After the infusion period, strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove the plant material. The liquid that remains is your squaw vine tincture.
- Store the tincture in a dark glass bottle with a dropper for easy dosing.
References
Antioxidant, cytoprotective, oxidative stress
Antioxidant and cytoprotective properties of partridgeberry polyphenols.
The current study suggests that partridgeberry has numerous potential health implications in both prevention and amelioration of various diseases involving oxidative stress.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814614011510
Alzheimer’s disease
Partridgeberry polyphenols protect primary cortical and hippocampal neurons against β-amyloid toxicity.
These findings suggest that partridgeberry polyphenols, especially flavan-3-ol- and flavonol-rich fractions, could be of importance in prevention and/or treatment of AD (Alzheimer's Disease).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996915300090
Uterotonic
An Investigation into the Use of an Herbal Labor Induction Tincture Containing Black Cohosh, Cramp Bark, Partridgeberry, and Motherwort on Contractile Responses Produced from Isolated Strips of Mouse Uterine Tissues.
This study provides empirical support for the use of these plants as herbal uterotonics, and it is plausible that these results, collected in vitro, may support the use of such a tincture to enhance or augment labor in vivo.
https://www.phcogj.com/article/1687
Alzheimer’s disease
Neuroprotective Properties of Partridgeberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. var. minus Lodd) Polyphenols.
These properties make the flavan-3-ols- and flavonols-rich PPFs suitable aspirants for preventive nutritional intervention against brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and ischemic stroke, for which there is currently no medicinal remedy.
https://dalspace.library.dal.ca/handle/10222/54008