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Health Benefits and Uses of Pokeberry: A Comprehensive Guide

| Modified on Nov 14, 2024
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Pokeberry Health Benefits on Earth Clinic.

Pokeberry, also known as Phytolacca Americana, is a plant native to the Eastern United States. It has a long history of use in traditional medicine despite its reputation for being toxic. This article explores the benefits and uses of pokeberry, focusing on its medicinal properties, nutritional value, and potential side effects.

Medicinal Uses of Pokeberry

Pokeberry has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for various ailments. Here are some of its notable medicinal uses:

1. Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Pokeberry roots are known for their strong anti-inflammatory effects. They have been used to treat conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and joint pains. North American Indians traditionally brewed tea from pokeberries to alleviate arthritis symptoms.

2. Skin Conditions

Pokeberry has been used to treat various skin conditions, including scabies, ringworm, acne, hemorrhoids, diabetic skin ulcers, and boils. Early colonists used pokeberry sap to heal skin lesions, and dried pokeberry fruits were applied to wounds in the Appalachian Mountains to speed healing.

3. Respiratory and Inflammatory Diseases

The roots of the pokeberry plant have expectorant and purgative properties, making them useful in treating respiratory conditions such as chronic sinusitis and bronchitis. Additionally, they have been used for swollen glands and other inflammatory diseases.

Nutritional Value of Pokeberry

Pokeberry shoots are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. One cup (160 grams) of raw pokeberry shoots contains:

  • 217 mg Vitamin C
  • 696 µg Vitamin A
  • 0.528 mg Vitamin B2
  • 2.72 mg Iron
  • 0.669 mg Manganese
  • 0.251 mg Copper
  • 0.234 mg Vitamin B6
  • 1.92 mg Vitamin B3
  • 0.128 mg Vitamin B1
  • 70 mg Phosphorus

Pokeberry in Food and Coloring

Pokeberries are often used as a natural red food coloring and a red wine coloring agent. However, it's crucial to note that pokeberries should not be consumed raw due to their high toxicity. The berries must be thoroughly cooked to be safe for consumption, and they are sometimes used in pies.

Potential Side Effects of Pokeberry

While pokeberry has many medicinal uses, it is essential to be aware of its potential side effects and toxicity:

Poisonous Properties

All parts of the pokeweed plant are poisonous. Consuming raw pokeberries, drinking tea brewed from pokeweed root and leaves, or eating pokeberry pancakes can lead to poisoning. Green pokeberries are more poisonous than fully mature red berries, and eating just ten berries can be toxic to an adult.

Common Side Effects

Side effects from pokeweed consumption can include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Cramping
  • Stomach Pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Low Blood Pressure
  • Incontinence
  • Thirst

Precautions

  • Avoid pokeweed if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Children should not consume pokeberry in any form.

Conclusion

Pokeberry offers numerous health benefits and has traditionally been used to treat various ailments. However, due to its toxic nature, it should be used with caution and under professional guidance. If you have experience using pokeberries or pokeroot, please share your feedback and continue to explore the potential of this fascinating plant.

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Arthritis

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Posted by Mathew (OK) on 01/22/2024
 ★★★★☆

My family has been eating pokeweed since I was a child. In fact I purposely grow it on my acreage to this day and I'm 55. The leaves need boiled ONLY once, everyone says multiple times, but that's just not true. I also make jelly out of the berries separating the seeds from the juice. My uncle takes one berry each day to treat his arthritis. My wife was just diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, so she will start taking the berries tomorrow.

Replied by Jimbo
(Pikeville, Ky)
06/08/2024

Hello sir. I am greatly intrigued about the pokeberries. I have severe Rheumatoid Arthritis and am considering other natural alternatives around the house I can pick. My question is does your uncle pick the seeds out of the beery before he eats it? Thanks

WKAIII
(Rural Indiana)
10/16/2024
★★★★★

Howdy, Jimbo.

I use pokeberry juice in a honey and vinegar concoction as an energy and lymphatic booster. After finding a good plant (they're everywhere around where I am) I harvest the whole stem bunches and compost what I do not use. I usually bring home anywhere from 1-2 pounds per harvest. Once harvested, place the bunches in a stock pot with enough water to cover and let sit for 30 minutes to loosen any "wild residues" from the berries. Swish once, then strain. Cover with water again and agitate gently to finish the wash. Strain again and let dry, setting the stem bunches on towels for about 10-15 minutes.

I use a fork to pop the berries off of their little stems. USE ONLY THE DARK PURPLE BERRIES. If they're still hard or not fully ripe, they contain too much toxin and will not be usable. Then place the picked berries in a stainless steel or glass bowl. You want a good, hard surface which some plastics will not afford.

Use the end of a wooden spoon or other rounded utensil to crush the berries. DO NOT GRIND. You don't want to rupture the seed skins since that's where all the bad stuff is. Gently crush the berries until you have a pulp. I then add about a cup of raw cider vinegar, swish to mix well and then strain through a fine mesh sieve. Gently press the pulp in the strainer but don't stir it around, avoiding rubbing the seeds against the mesh. You can use water or anything else, but adding something to the pulp helps pull most of the juice out. Just be careful not to bother the seeds.

I hope that helps.

Sheila Rekdal
(MO)
11/14/2024

I have made juice for several years and have frozen some as ice cubes. I had one for my herbal tea blend. I have had a good experience with the juice. Have not gotten the courage up yet to try the greens as I have not ventured into finding out how to prepare them yet.

Arthritis
Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn) on 02/26/2015
 ★★★★★

HI U GOOD PEOPLE DOING, , , , , , , , are you familiar with the term scouring? It means to scrub the surface . Have you not wondered why Cedar trees mostly grow on a fence row? It is because the birds eat the Cedar berries, sit on the fence and poop the the seeds out. The seed now has been scoured by the birds digestive system and ready to sprout. Walla.. a new Cedar tree emerges.

I do this with sandpaper on my garden melon seeds. They sprout PDQ. That's the way nature works. You got to break the hull.

I tell you this because lots of folks in my neighborhood eat Poke Berries to help their arthritis. Poke berries are supposed to be poisonous, but only if you eat crush the seed. Birds love these berries. One guy I know freezes them and eats them all year long for his health problem. He just poops the seeds out as the birds do.

ATS=======ORH===========

EC:

Replied by Robert Henry
(Ten Mile, Tn)
02/21/2017

POKE SALLET ANNIE

HI U GOOD FOLKS DOIN,,,,,, me and Mama have written about this plant over the years. It is a plant that grows wild in the South and the leaves are used to clean you out every spring. The berries will solve your arthritis problems. So's you get the message, a song was written that I think you will enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vkYVWA6yzY

=======ORH=========

Replied by Teresa
(KY)
08/23/2023

Just curious, but do y'all think pokeberry would help with bone on bone knee pain?

Blood Pressure

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Posted by Doug (N Indiana) on 08/25/2024
 ★★★★★

Well what a surprise! I feel so foolish thinking these were elderberry. I've been using 6cups of what I thought was elderberry with 6cups of water adding 2 cinnamon sticks and a thumb size piece of ginger. I reduce this down in half, cool to 165F then add 20oz of raw honey. I've putting 2 tblsp of this syrup on my homemade greek yogurt for 2 years. Last fall on my wellness check my BP was 120/64 and I ask for them to recheck because I was in awe. My BP has been elevated since my early 20's to a range of systolic 140-170 over 75-90 diastolic. I have no idea if the poke syrup is the reason but I'm going to discontinue use after researching the poke berry. I'll keep an eye on my BP to see if it goes back up. I'll also save the vacuumed sealed bags of berries I so meticulously picked and stored.

Replied by Cindy
(Illinois, USA)
08/25/2024
523 posts

That's very interesting, Doug. I'm glad you're okay! Poke has always been used but I never heard of anyone using them in such quantities. Two years! That's a lot of poke berry juice!

It's also interesting that such a mighty array of wild birds and other critters eat poke berries in winter (when they're least toxic) - for all the other critter watchers out there. It's actually a very ecologically valuable "weed" - the ripe berries of which are, possibly, an excellent emergency, runaway BP wrangler! Good to know! Thanks for sharing!

Replied by Imani
(Baltimore, MD)
09/03/2024

Although I hope that you kept the syrup and just cut back on the consumption by a tbsp, I am grateful that you felt compelled to share your experience and recipe here on this forum. You did not credit pokeweed directly but I liked the implication. Blessings to you and please report back. Pharmaceuticals are also considered toxic and deadly if abused. Generations have respected pokeweed and lived another day benefitting from its healing power

Cancer

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Posted by Jane MNT (Fairfax) on 12/04/2020
 ★★★★★

I cooked pokeberry 3 times leaves and drained 3 times as guidance of the book CANCER MÉDECINE FROM NATURE by ROGER BLOOM . POKEBERRY is one of main ingredients to treat cancer of HARRY HOXSEY formula.

I ate boiling leaves with soy sauce or made soup with tofu. It was delicious without spending a penny. I enjoyed picking them at the park, courthouse, mountain ....wherever I spotted them growing wild on .....

Replied by Javamomma
(WI)
10/12/2023

I'm interested in your use. But I'm also concerned you are eating plants around commercial buiidings as they are treated with all types of chemicals to ward off weeds and insects. May I suggest sticking to foraging in less traveled areas that would not be sprayed with chemicals?

Collembola Infestations

Posted by Robert (Buford, Ga) on 07/24/2009

Joyce, Will poke greens kill collembola, and how to?

EC: Interesting thread on collembola infestations here: http://www.biology-online.org/biology-forum/about3318.html

Replied by Joyce
(Joelton, Tn)
07/24/2009
490 posts

Hello Robert from Buford, Ga.,

I didn't have the answer to your question on poke greens (leaves & shoots), but went looking up some of the chemicals found in the pokeweed and their activities. So I will let you make your own decision on the part of the plant to use, after reading the following:

anthocyanin (93,000 parts per million) in fruit (pokeberries) is a pesticide

caryophyllene found in fruit is insectifuge, larvacide (your collembola have a larval stage), antileishmaniac, antistapholococcal, antistreptococcal, fungicide, candidicide, mosquitocide, pesticide

isopquercetrin found in the leaf is insecticide, pesticide

oleonolic acid found in the root is antimalarial, piscicide (kills fish)

tannin found in root is anthelmintic, pesticide

All of the above chemicals have other actions also but I was specifically researching this for your infestation. when you have plenty of time just type research on pokeweed in your search window and have fun reading about this wonderful weed.

I question whether you would get much pesticide part from the eating the leaves since it must be parboiled (and a lot of your chemicals are going to go in the water you drain out, before you finish cooking it. Plus, if you eat a lot of poke greens you are going to find that it is a excellent laxative.

I have never taken any poke root preparation, but remember reading in Earth Clinic, where someone else wrote in recommending a poke root extract & told how to make it and take it. The poke preparation I wrote about for scabies was to boil the root in water & applying to the body after it cools down. I haven't tried this either, but I have a niece who attests that it worked very well to solve her problem with scabies.

I personally took and still take pokeberries for arthritis pain problems and found it works well for that and that they weren't poisonous, as I had been told. For this I just put 20 to 25 poke berries in my mouth and washed them down with water 4 times a day. I later started extracting them in alcohol (they last for years this way versus several months when dehydrated) and usually take from 1/2 to l tsp. full 4 times a day. To figure a dosage for a child, put the child's weight in pounds over l50 (average wt. for adult) & reduce to lowest fraction. This will give you the percentage of adult dose that child should have. A 75 lb. child would get 1/2 the adult dose. When looking up the chemicals, it seemed that the berry would probably have more of the chemicals you are looking for than the leaves would.

Hope you find this helpful and if it works for you be sure and let us know. From what I read in EC, there are a lot of people looking for solutions for Morgellon's.

Has anybody else wondered where all these strange diseases are originating lately. Dear old HIV, then the flesh eating organism (now called necrotizing fascitis, when mentioned at all), now we have Morgellon's, West Nile disease mosquitos, and the latest is that dear old swine flu (for which it looks like taking the shots to prevent it is worse than having it) from what has been published on it.

Frozen Ankle Pain

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Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn) on 10/23/2016
 ★★★★★

Just got off the phone with the old mechanic that works on my farm equipment. Last year, he had a log roll over his ankle. His Orthopedic doctor told him that his ankle needed to be fused. He hesitated and a Redneck friend told him that Poke Berry Extract would eliminate his pain. It did. He ran out of the potion and his pain came back. He got back on the extract and his pain again went away.

I will get the rest of this story as I have written about poke berry extract helping arthritis in the past. This is a wild plant that grows all over the South.

Dang, I may even start growing it at our little farm.

=======ORH==========

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee)
10/24/2016

Dear Robert Henry,

Would you know the dose of poke that your friend took? My understanding is that the tincture is to be used by the DROP, not the dropperful.

Funny you should mention poke. I have my first batch of poke root tincture brewing right now. I have tons of poke growing around. I use to think of it is a nuisance, but now I look at it with respect. I see it along the dirt roads near my house and it makes me ponder all the healing that is free all around. (But one should not collect poke from roadsides.)

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Robert Henry
(Ten Mile, Tn)
10/24/2016

HI U MAMA,,,,,,, just got in from dropping off a repair for our mechanic. He showed me the poke berry brew that he keeps in the frig. He takes a swig every morning. No measurement, just a swig. I asked him to get the formula, but you know how country folks are about keeping secrets. He did say it tastes like wine. I made mine from vodka.

Nothing I'm doing is relieving my back pain so I may try this.

Caution all not to crush the seeds.

Birds and critters eat poke berries and pass them out to form a new plant. It is called scouring and that is the reason fence rows are grown up with cedar, hedge, etc. That is also how the Lord multiplies the pawpaw, dogwood and persimmon trees throughout the forest.

If man would leave nature alone, the planet would do just fine. Next post is about how chem trails are affecting us all. Unbelievable.

========ORH=========

Gout and Joint Pains

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Posted by Joyce (Tn.) on 01/08/2017
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Gout:

Pick your pokeberries (poke sallet) next fall. Great for all joint pains. My brother had a bad attack of gout and hobbling with a walker. Said doctor told him he would have to live with it because he had nothing else to try. Picked him a bag of ripe pokeberries and carried to him. Had a little trouble in talking him into eating asparagus also, because he said the doctor told him it was bad for the gout. My reply was it was bad for the gout but it was good for him. Two days later with about 15 to 20 pokeberries 4 times per day and plenty of asparagus, he was walking without limping, without pain and without the walker.

When you have a bumper crop of pokeberries, just dehydrate the excess that you can't use while fresh and ripe. For those who want to get more sophisticated and make a pokeberry tincture or extract, just google "how do I make a herbal extract or tincture. Basic rule of thumb is two most common diluents is alcohol and vinegar. Fresh herb is equal parts of herb to diluent. Using dehydrated herb use ratio of 2 parts diluent to one part dehydrated herb.

Replied by Hisjewel
(America, New York)
01/09/2017

Hi Joyce for Tn, Its so good to hear from you. I so enjoy reading your cures. One I have taken on is Vitamin B complex for heart arrhythmia, yes and of cause getting rid of the unbleached flour. HisJewel

Replied by Hisjewel
(America, New York)
01/09/2017

Correction: That should be taking B complex and stop using bleached flour has helped to eliminate heart palpitations. HisJewel

Replied by Janet
(In)
01/09/2017

Joyce...maybe I have missed your recent posts. Always love to read them. Your poke berries intrigue me. Janet

Replied by Ss
(South Usa)
01/10/2017

Hi Joyce, great hearing from you again.

I just wanted to add to this, I had very bad big toe pain that I am sure was gout. I tried many things some helped, but it would always come back, I change shoes and it helped some, but what help the most and eliminated for me was jumping on a mini rebounder. It has not bothered me since. Rebounding is great and everyone should check into some you tubes on this.

Replied by Andy
(Australia)
01/10/2017

M.S.M. - Methyl sulfony methane is a totally natural substance that is the best remedy for Gout, arthritis, joint pain and also great for hair, nails and mild detox from toxins. It is also alkalizing which is great for prevention for cancer.

Replied by Deb
(Vancouver, B.d.)
02/14/2017

I definitely find asparagus to aggravate my gout. It is also listed on most websites as one of the few vegetables that contribute to uric acid. So, I don't think it is necessary to complicate your cure by adding asparagus.

Replied by Robert Henry
(Ten Mile, Tn)
03/25/2017

JOYCE, where have you been girl. I have missed you for several years. I just hope you are back posting. The old timers are all about gone. I'm only half smart, but know the folks that have been down the dusty trails. You are one of them and you really can help these young folks.

Sorry that I missed this post when it came out.

I wish you well.

=====ORH======

Replied by Amy
(NC)
10/10/2021

Does this work for rheumatoid arthritis? How many per day? Do you chew up the seeds or just swallow it?

ORH
(TEN MILE, TN)
10/11/2021

AMY........ORH here, do not eat the poke seeds as they are poisonous if crushed. Birds and animals eat them whole and pass them. That is the reason poke plants are everywhere. Yes the berry helps arthritis ..... eat 8/D. Freeze for year round help. ====ORH====

Brian
(South Carolina)
08/18/2022

Can they be frozen straight off the vine? I froze some Poke Leaves to boil later. I did not blanch the leaves before freezing them and they see fine. Can I do the berries the same way? Thank You very much.

Sharon
(Utah)
05/09/2023

Hi, Some say they eat the Poke root berries and they are medicinal. Then others say don't eat the seeds. Aren't the seeds in the berries? I'm confused. Thx.

Mama to Many
(TN)
08/19/2022

Dear Brain,

Yes, the berries can be frozen straight from the vines. I have done so before.

~Mama to Many~

P.S. - I assume you swallow them whole? That is what I do since the toxicity is primarily in the seeds, as far as I understand. Also, it is a good idea to label the berries lest someone come upon them thinking they are some sort of fruit to eat at liberty.

Poppy
(Ohio River Valley)
10/07/2022
★★★★★

Hi..new here. I was reading over your thread and found where you said you can freeze the Poke Berries. They grow everywhere here so I dropped them directly into the freezer. When I use them I put what I want in a small mesh strainer to small to pass the seeds and let them thaw out there over a glass. Once thawed the juice will extract easily. I lightly smash the berries to get the rest of the juice out being careful to not break the seeds. When I'm finished all that is left in the strainer is the skin and the unbroken seeds. With the juice in the glass I top it with seltzer water and drink it that way. It's not too bad. I do try and save the seeds for when we move in case there are no natural patches around us. I do it this way as peace of mind not ingesting the seeds. Hope this helps someone.

Replied by Kevin
(Michigan)
10/22/2022

What is you time and temperature to dehydrate the Poke Berries?

Mama to Many
(TN)
05/11/2023

Dear Sharon,

Yes, the seeds are especially toxic. So are the berries. The dose makes the poison. I have used pokeberries medicinally. I just swallow them. Then you get the benefit of the berry and the seed just passes through! Please start slowly with these. Just one a day and increase if needed. A spacy feeling would be a side effect to watch out for.

~Mama to Many~

How to Make Pokeberry Extract

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Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 07/25/2008 490 posts
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Response to Sandra

"To Joyce from Joelton,Tn. Gout: What is the method used with Pokeweed for Gout? Do you make a paste and wrap the foot, or do you ingest them? Please advise? What are the exact measurements for this herb?"

I started doing this by putting berries in l gallon jug and using enough Vodka to just cover the berries. Put tight lid on and let set a week or two, moving jug around a little every two to three days. After that, just strain off the liquid and store in brown or green bottles. Beer bottles work fine for storage. (You can also use your potato masher (or whatever you have) to kind of sqush those pokeberries before straining the liquid off.

For those of you who are interested in doing your own herbs, when using fresh herbs your ratio is l:l. If using dehydrated herbs the ratio is l part herb to 2 parts diluent.

I can't remember where I read it, but I do recall reading that you shouldn't treat children under l2 with poke, because it hastened the setting of the long bones (arms & legs). There might be something to this because my family ate a lot of poke sallet and many of us have normal size bodies but short arms and legs. I might also add that most references recommend parboiling through 3 waters before ingesting, but my family (and others that I know who ate their share of it) only parboiled through one water (water discarded) before proceeding to finish cooking it and eating it.

Replied by Denise
(USA)
10/01/2008

Please reconsider keeping this posting on your site. Pokeweed is known to be toxic- all parts of the plant. The toxins can cause a myriad of health problems, including paralysis and death. It is believed that no amount of boiling and discarding the water will remove all its toxins.

There are too many safe alternatives, to even suggest this to anyone!

Thank you for your consideration,
Denise

Kim
(Shreveport LA)
06/21/2022
★★★★★

That's bs! Poke salad, that's what we here in the south call it. We ate so much of this as a child, never had one single thing happen to all 11 of us. We'd boil it 3 xs every time we'd pour out the boil water add new and repeat. We live in a time where omg everything's bad for u. And I bet y'all would come up with some stupid reason why kids shouldn't ever drink out of a water hose? Oh we surely will get sick from latex poison. Bs. I thank God for poke salad BC we didn't have too much to eat outside of whatever we'd grow. We'd pick black berries and sloes and poke salad u name it and we all survived and we eat it to this very day. I'm preparing some right now.

We'd call poke salad a spring tonic we never ever got sick from any thing - stomach bugs flues fevers. so if poke's so toxic why are we all so healthy after eating it for yrs? How's your health?

Replied by Joyce
(Joelton, Tn)
10/02/2008
490 posts

Denise,

I have been eating poke sallet as far back as I can remember with the only adverse effect being diarrhea for a couple of trips to the bathroom if you ate a large amount of it and that was only parboiling it x 1. I have never had any adverse effects from taking the poke berries nor has any of the other people that are taking them and we all had good results with improvement with the joint pain.

If you researched pokeweed you would learn that Vanderbilt and many other hospitals have done a lot of research on them. As I may have mentioned before, while working on my Nurse Practitioner MS degree at Vandy (1978), our physiology instructor shared a little pearl of wisdom with us which was: "We don't know why but from a little research project we have going on here now, pokeberries throws the body into gear to fight". From her little pearl of wisdom, I assume they were ingesting the pokeberries in the study.

If you looked the plant up, one thing she would learn is that poke berries are very rich in Vitamin C, along with a bunch of other chemicals with different reactions. I think that several of us have been taking them for 40+ years and are still living are proof that they aren't all that poisonous. On the other hand, I suspect that Vioxx evolved from some of those research studies on pokeweed, and we all know what happens when you isolate one property of the plant, and make a synthetic version so it can be patented. When the fail-safes included in the plant are removed, so is the safety. I think most people know what happened to the ones taking Vioxx. I am still in much better health at age 75 after 40 + years of taking pokeberries than most of those poor souls who only took Vioxx for a few years. I believe I have a little more experience with this plant than most and I know several friends and family members who have been taking them almost as long as I have.

P.S. There are some things that I won't recommend such as Jimson Weed (also known as deadly nightshade) because they are poison. I remember reading in the paper 10+ years ago about some farmer getting the bright idea of grafting his tomatoes onto jimson weeds *same family) to increase their resistance to pests, etc. & increase yield. Three or 4 of the family died after eating the tomatoes and several others came close to it. I know that one is dangerous, because it is where atropine came from initially.

I recently had someone tell me that johnson grass was poisonous. I told him that I had never heard that before but I was sure it wasn't because I had chewed on one of its roots (actually tasted sweet) just to see what it tastes like. I have also read that it is edible (if we ever get that hungry).

Tea Toy
(Murfreesboro, TN)
02/12/2022

Joyce, you live close to me. Joelton, TN to Murfreesboro, TN. Do you know anyone in this area who makes herbal extracts?

EC: Sorry, Joyce was in her late 70s when she posted on Earth Clinic in 2008. She hasn't posted now for years.

Replied by Denise
(Sparks, NV)
10/06/2008

re: Joyce's response about Pokeweed

Thanks for your informative reply. I'd always heard the pokeweed was poisonous and that was the only information I ever came across in researching it.

As luck would have it, I had to go out and get something for my husband's sore throat this weekend. I came across Boiron's homeopathic remedies; in looking through them, I located the 'sore throat radiating to the ears' remedy. It's main ingredient: Phytolacca decandra, commonly known as POKEWEED!!

Needless to say, I was amazed!

So I did research more, and while Iowa State U's recommendation is to eradicate it everywhere it comes up, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the American Cancer Society actually acknowledges that while it can be toxic, pokeweed when used properly, has incredible healing powers for a wide array of ailments.

Live and learn.

Replied by Tommy
(Jaw-Juh Mountains)
07/31/2023
★★★★★

This here's ol' cracker redneck mofo lives where many a' poke berry grows. Yes, you can eat the berries, just don't chew the seeds. Some folk likes to just swallow the berries whole (with the seed in it) and you will have shat out the seed just like GOD's lovely feathered creatures do. DO NOT CHEW OR EAT THE SEEDS but swallow them whole. Or, if you are a chicken, throw a mess of the berries in a Mason/Ball jar and cover with your fave imbibement (some type of white liguor, such as gin or vodka). Let them purdy ol' berries get all soaked up and then pour out in a bowl in a week or so and mashe the bedickens out them thar' berries and put back in the Mason/Ball jar for a couple weeks. Drain off and save the liquid and start consuming up to a shot a day and see what that'll do for ya before you increase or decrease dosage. BEWARE, you may need to stay close to the shitter till you figure out how your bowels react to the delight of this healing drug. I'd rather shit my brains out and have clear bowels every day than to put up with gout or any kind of joint pain.

P.S. Lots of gout is caused by eating dirty food. Get pork and all shell fish and cat fish outta ya diet NOW. Most people that have gout, eat dirty food. Read Leviticus Chap 11 (yes, read the whole thing, not just what you want hear and then stop. Read and study it all. It tells you what you can eat that comes from the behomoth (land animals) and what you can eat from the leviathin (from the waters). And, don't let anyone misinterpret anything in the New Testament that says you can eat whatever you want. NOT TRUE. Keep eatin' dirty (and against GOD's dietary laws and you will continue to be sick). Shut up. Stop whining and git' er' done! .

Replied by Nola
(Salem, Missouri)
09/03/2023

I love what you say about eating Yahuah's way. He is so awesome!!

Replied by Vera
(Colorado)
02/29/2024

Red Moon Herbs in Asheville makes a good poke extract.

Replied by Tiffany
(Waco Ga)
08/03/2024

How can you harvest them? Can you freeze them?

Mama to Many
(TN)
08/04/2024

Dear Tiffany,

When they are deep red/purple in color I just pluck them from the vines. Freezing them is the easiest way to persevere them. Please label them, though.

Then they can be taken and swallowed. (Swallowing them whole allows the seed to just pass through. The seed is the most toxic part but whole the body won't extract much if anything from the seed.)

Dosing depends on what you are treating. Some people will swallow just one berry a day. If you are doing more than a berry a day, increase by one a day and watch for side effect.

You can also make pokeberry tincture - put the fresh berries in grain alcohol (must be a high proof - vodka would not have enough alcohol to persevere fresh herbs - only dried) for 6 weeks. Then strain out the berries. Pokeberry tincture is taken in drop doses. So, one drop a day, then increase by one drop a day. Decrease if you notice side effects.

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Imani
(Md)
09/03/2024

Lol. Blessings. I love you. Perfect post is perfect!

Internal Use of Pokeberries

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Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 03/25/2017
 ★★★★★

I have used pokeberries internally. I harvested the fresh berries and froze them. Then take 1 a day and swallow like a pill so you don't crush the seed.

I made a pokeberry tincture last fall just to have on hand. I have taken a drop at a time in water.

I haven't noticed anything yea or nay yet with the pokeberries. But I mostly forget to take them and don't really have anything I am trying to treat. I just like to try things out on myself to understand them better. I have used a drop of tincture or whole berry daily for at least a couple of weeks at a time and it hasn't killed me yet.

The dose makes the poison. Poke is toxic if used incorrectly, but that is the same with nearly everything. You can die from drinking too much water all at once!

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Robert Henry
(Ten Mile, Tn)
03/26/2017
★★★★★

MAMA,,,,,,,, the guy in my area takes 8 berries a day to treat his arthritis. I have no clue, as I do Borax to avoid it. I do the extract as a precaution.

===ORH==

Mites

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Posted by Sarah (Georgia) on 10/29/2018
 ★★★★★

Poke root tincture will get rid of mites on people. I found this out when I got mites. This instantly works, start out with one drop in a cup of water in a day and build up to three to five drops a day until the mites are gone. Only use drops, not dropfuls. Poke root can be dangerous if not used properly! Mine came back a couple of times and I just started the tincture again, I always started with these drops and that worked for me. Peace at last!!

Poke Herb Photos

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Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 08/07/2017
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Here is a close up of pokeweed.

Poke is tall now in TN; some plants are 6 feet tall!

This picture shows the bright magenta berry stem. Most of these berries have been picked clean by the birds. They will digest all but the seeds and then pass the seeds along for new poke plants next spring. The seed is the most dangerous part.

The green berries are not ripe. The deep purple berries are ripe. Some people will swallow a berry a day and let the seed pass through (the seed is the most toxic part, other than the root.) The berry a day is for arthritis.

Poke root tincture is used by some for Lyme disease, a DROP at a time. (Not a dropperful.)
Poke root oil is used for breast tumors.

In the spring the leaves used to be boiled in three changes of water for a "tonic" food. If the plant is taller than a foot, the plants are too old to harvest the leaves, so they say.

Poke berries make a fun homemade ink for children, with supervision of course.

Poke is a perfect example of "the dose makes the poison." Poke is classified as poisonous, but when used carefully by those who know what they are doing it can be a great benefit.

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Dave
(Fountain Inn, Sc)
08/08/2017
★★★★★

Hey there Mama to Many;

You didn't mention in your medicinal review of Polk, that you can EAT it....it is so good. Young leaves as you describe, cooked like you would spinach. Yum. With cornbread of course. (NOT older leaves which apparently begin to turn toxic. Once I nibbled on an older leaf...just a bare taste, and got a bit nauseous.)

Replied by Robert Henry
(Ten Mile , Tn)
08/08/2017
★★★★★

DAVE,,,,,,,,, poke sallet is what our ancestors cleaned out with. Poke sallet in the fall and sassafras roots in the spring. You have to boil and pour off the water several times least you spend the day in the John. Usually the poke greens were mixed with scrambled eggs. We have poke at our lake home but the berries are still green and have not started to turn. I would guess that Mama's picture was from last fall. Birds, raccoons and opossums gorge on the berries. They swallow the seed but do not crush it and they scour it out to start a new plant. Same thing happens to poison ivy berries and it the reason it is so hard to control. It looks as if they had already hit this bush. I do appreciate the pictures, as wild herbs and plants are not my forte.

======ORH=======

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tn)
08/09/2017

Dear Robert Henry,

Believe it or not, I took that picture yesterday! I am surprised that though we are in the same state our growing conditions are a bit different here, at least this year.

I found out today that free ranging chickens can help with the poisonous snake population. My kids and their friends are building a fort today. One of the friends noticed a very large worm in one of our chicken's mouths. Upon further inspection, they realized it was a small copperhead. The chicken ate its head off. (Sorry to be graphic.) These are older chickens. They don't lay many eggs but they are sure earning their keep in pest control. They are also entertaining.

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Dave
(Fountain Inn, Sc)
08/09/2017

To Robert Henry re Polk;

That's not how I've eaten it. With a young leaf you do just like any other green. If a little older to be safe, I'd do as you say. I've eaten young Polk many times without multiple boiling and pour off. The trick is .... the leaves must be YOUNG. With no sign of stalk turning color to that reddish tint which evidences an older plant.

Replied by Robert Henry
(Ten Mile, Tn)
08/10/2017

Dave,,,,,, thank u, my Dad told me that and that's what I' be always done. Live & learn. --ORH---

Replied by Robert Henry
(Ten Mile , Tn)
08/10/2017

HI U BUZZARDS DOIN,,,,,,,,, wow, have I been messin my mess kit lately or what? Dave had to set me straight on Poke Sallet. Guess my ancestors picked the wrong leaves. I just did what they said. I also flubbed up on the laundry detergent. I know what Clorox and Purex used to be. What does that tell us? We are all human and are not infallible. I thought I was going to be smart in 4 years or so, but now may have to set a new goal. I missed 65,75 and thought I'd make 85, but now that is in doubt.

Took a bushel of tomatoes to church Sunday and folks loaded up. We offered them apples and pears at our little farm this Saturday. Got a feeling that few will show up 'cause they have to pick um. Hope they prove me wrong.

Reminds me of an ole tale about a traveler who came to a cross road and there was a fella from Ten Mile lying in the shade of a tree. The traveler ask which way to Knoxville and the fella raised his leg and pointed his toe to the right fork. The traveler said, " if you can do a lazier stunt than than that, I'll give you a half dollar". The local said, " put it in my pocket". That about sums it up about folks this day and time. " PUT IT IN MY POCKET".

My Tractor Driver thought that when we retired, we would just coast out. She is finally convinced that we would have been dead a long time ago if we had done that. You have to have a reason to keep on keeping on. We do what we do because if it were not Kim Jong-un, it would be somebody else, so we are getting prepared.

=====ORH=====

Pokeberry Side Effects

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Posted by Peach Fit (Midwest) on 03/25/2017
 ★☆☆☆☆

POKEBERRIES ARE POISONOUS. Honestly, this post seems like trolling, as recommending asparagus for gout is also contraindicated. But pokeberries are POISONOUS. DO NOT EAT.

"Poke sallet" or salad is made from the leaves and even those have to be cooked thoroughly and drained to be consumed.

http://www.poison.org/articles/2012-aug/pokeberries-and-grapes-look-alike

Replied by Robert Henry
(Ten Mile, Tn)
03/25/2017
★★★★★

PEACH FIT,,,,,,,, you sir, have not been far enough around the watermelon. Lots of animals and birds eat Poke Berries . You just can't crush and eat the seed. Animals eat the seed whole and scour them out and that is the way the plant is propagated. I don't eat the berries, but I cook them and make an extract that I take to avoid arthritis. A local freezes them and eats them whole all year 'round.

What shows that you are a novice on the subject is that the leaves have to be cooked several times and the water poured off. Other-wise you will spend the day on the potty. Guess you don't know that folks eat them with scrambled eggs.

I'm roughing you up because of your all knowing tone. Most on EC are pretty smart folk and don't need to be talked down to.

======ORH=======

Pokeweed

Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn) on 04/28/2016

HI U CITY SLICKERS DOING,,,,,,,,,,, at the farm today and saw lots of Poke Weeds bursting forth with fresh tender leaves. The pore Southern folks know that spring is when their Momma fed them Poke Salad to clean out the bad stuff their innards had accumulated over the winter.

I am not an expert on the subject and will ask Mama to Many to send ya'll to school on this wild plant. I'll bet she has a recipe that will have you fit as a fiddle in no time.

Lots of folks will tell you that the Poke Berries are poisonous, but only if you eat crush the seeds. A local freezes the berries and eats them year round for his Arthritis.

Years ago they even wrote a song called Poke Salad Annie and if this does not have you patting your foot, then you too far gone for EC 's brightest to help you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRF24LY5pvw

ATS,,,,, ======ORH=======

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee)
04/29/2016

Dear Robert Henry,

Yes, sir, I have noticed the poke leaves coming up. For years I would dread the sight of poke as it is such a hearty weed and difficult to get rid of. I was not aware of a tradition to eat the fresh leaves but I will have to look in to that. Fascinating.

But in recent years, I look at poke differently; more with a respect. I see a tenacious plant that is a strong natural medicine. Last fall I harvested a bunch of the berries and put them in my freezer. I purposed to take one a day. You are supposed to swallow one berry a day, whole, like a pill. That way you don't crush the seed, which is the most toxic part, and the seed passes on through. I probably did it a couple of weeks and then forgot about those berries. I got on to something else. But I didn't die! :) My kids were kind of horrified since I had told them for years not to eat poke because it was dangerous! And it is, if used improperly.

I really want to make some Poke Root tincture You are supposed to harvest the root in the fall. Then you can make a tincture of it. A dose of Poke is ONE DROP! Not a dropperful. Apparently it can be used for some cancers. Also for arthritis and mastitis.

So, last September I would drive along country roads and see the poke along side the roads - thousands of poke berries that most think are just a nuisance. Right there. A cancer treatment. Free. (Not that you should collect herbs from roadsides....)

Hopefully I will get some poke tincture made in the fall and have some stories to tell next year. But the root is hard to get out and to get through to it I would be in knee high brush...I didn't want to deal with poison ivy, ticks or snakes.... (who knows...maybe poke is good for snake bites - we have seen a couple of copperheads so far this spring...I am always pondering what remedies might be best for snake bites.)

~Mama to Many~

Scabies

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Posted by Sarah (Monrovia, Ca) on 10/20/2008
 ★★★★☆

This is a wonderful site, I got scabies from a patient who were treated twice with Elemite, I began to have scabies break out after 3 weeks. The whole family memebers applied Elemite all over from head to toe, but the scabies were not killed. I have more break out. I tried neem oil, tea tree oil,oregano oil, nothing worked. Then I tried Poke root, only adult used this potent herbs, I let my children use turmeric and neem powder paste which is safer for children. It seem that I got a very resistant type, I splashed the decoction all over and instantly, dead bodies of scabies popped out all over me. It was itchy badly, but I wanted to kill the mite so bad and left it on my body for a couple of hours. I thought I will be free from scabies after this treatment, but I still itch the next day. a few days later I have break out again. Then I tried poke root for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th time. I began to have many bruises on my legs. Now I only itch on my ear lobe. So I decided to stop use poke and see what will happen to me. I also desperately wash all clothes and linens with hot water. Many many loads a day. I'm praying for a cure from this! If anyone have a better solution, please post on this site!

Scabies
Posted by Patty (Houston, TX) on 10/07/2008

I think I have scabies...after having what i thought was a rash for a couple of weeks, my son came over and laid across my bed for a while and he called the next day saying he was itching too...well, i had thought I had it because it felt like bites of different intensity, etc..i had gone to my doctor and she said I didn't have scabies because I didn't have the rash...well I have them..and I've tried permethrin (got her to give me a prescription anyway), no help (my son used it and his are gone),(he's grown and gone) have tried tea tree oil, it soothes but doesn't eradicate them, have done the washes, and daily changes of sheets, towels, all other clothing..washes, etc..and last night tried the peroxide and borax soak..I am still itching today..will try the above again (peroxide, etc) but have ordered some enzymes and meat tenderizer and will try that...also will try the poke remedy..but does anyone know if the boiled concoction can be boiled and refrigerated for use later...i don't have a continuous supply..is there any danger with poke and should it be rinsed off and can it be used daily? also, does anyone know if they can "live" in the mattress? Also I have lots of carpet..I think I have infested my surroundings...Help someone ! ! How does this happen to someone who bathes daily and sometimes twice...???

Replied by Joyce
(Joelton, Tn)
490 posts
★★★★★

Hello Patty from Houston, I don't think there would be any problem with refrigeration of the water from the boiled poke root, but have you considered boiling enough for one day or two and dehydrating or freezing the rest of the root until you need it. Pokeweed should be growing rampant in Texas, the same as here. But be prepared to dig, because those roots can get pretty big. I would just bathe with for one day, and if the itching stopped, hold off to see if it started again.If it does repeat the bathing again (wiping off with drippy wash cloth). I just tried to call my brother to see how many times his daughter had to bath with the pokeroot boiled in water since he didn't mention her using it more than once, but alas my phone is not working now. You probably shouldn't use it continuously for more than 2 or three days.

You should also boil clothing and bed linens to get rid of scabies.

I just looked up scabies in "Cuz Jim's" The Green Pharmacy and he suggests that one can find skin care products containing neem at some health food stores. He says to just mix in several teaspoons of turmeric and apply it to the affected areas daily. He gives this advice because an Indian researcher treated 8l4 people with scabies using a paste made from 4 parts neem leaves and one part turmeric roots, having the infested patients rub it all over themselves daily. 98% of them were improved within 3 to 5 days and were completely cured within 2 weeks.

Another suggestion he has is to boil the skins of a half dozen yellow onions in a quart of water for l5 to 30 minutes to extract the quercetin which has soothing powers against scabies and other skin problems.

Another suggestion is boiling green hulls (from black walnuts) in a cup of water until the water is half evaporated and apply to affected areas. A more heavy concentration can be obtained by covering the hulls with water, bring to a boil and simmer until half the water is evaporated. Apply liberally to the skin, daily applications should be safe, but hope you don't mind being brownskinned for awhile.]

Replied by Renate
(Jacksonville, Florida)
02/12/2009

Scabies can live off of the body for 48 to 72 hours. A big reason reason why people get re-infestations is failure to properly clean the mattress (wish someone would have said that a year ago...) You spend a significant part of you day in bed so that is where they thrive outside of the body. The best thing to do, in my opinion, is get a steam cleaner and steam that puppy everyday before putting on new sheets. Make sure you give it time to dry because you don't want to grow mold in your mattress. If you have to take your clothes to the laundry mat like I do (sadly that makes everything that much harder) make sure you keep a "quarantine" bag for dirty laundry and never,never wear anything twice without washing it. Another good tip is if you have a job where you have to wear a uniform like me (go Kmart yay) and you don't have a uniform for everyday of the week, iron the clothes before you put them back on again. High heat kills them instantly. And another thing that I never once thought of to clean everyday is shoes. Especially if you wear them everyday. And lastly, never think that one treatment will cure them if you haven't already noticed. Scabies lay eggs!!! 1-3 eggs per day!!!

Never let anyone tell you that you are dirty because you have scabies. They don't come from dirty people or go to only dirty people. Anyone can get them. Think of it this way... Head lice, for instance, goes to the person with the cleanest hair. Same with scabies... those damn creatures...

Replied by Les
(San Diego)
01/19/2018

Go to a tanning booth. The ultra violet light kills them and eggs immediately. Just don't stay in too long.


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