Bistort

Polygonum bistorta

COMMON NAMES

• Adderwort
• Bistort
• Dragonwort
• Easter Giant
• English Serpentary
• Osterick
• Passions
• Patience Dock
• Red Legs
• Sweet Dock

Bistort - a hardy perennial with slender stems, growing up to 30 inches tall. Each stem is topped by a dense cylindrical cluster of tiny white or pinkish flowers (May-August). Lower down the stem grow long bluish-green leaves that are lance shaped; higher up, the leaves become smaller. The rhizome of bistort (underground stem) is dark brown to black, thick, knobby, and twisted into an S or double-S shape.

Dense clusters of tiny pink blossoms atop slender stalks in a forest clearing or in a meadow-that is bistort, a common summer sight in the wild throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Two species native to the Old and New Worlds, P. bistorta and P. bistortoides respectively, are closely akin. The name bistort comes from Latin word elements meaning "twice-twisted." This refers to the gnarled appearance of bistort's dark brown rhizome, or underground stem.

Traditional uses of bistort in herbal medicine are varied. In Shakespeare's day the juice of the bistort served as a remedy for nasal polyps. The rhizome of bistort, boiled in wine, was used for diarrhea and dysentery. The same decoction reportedly checked heavy menstrual bleeding, stopped vomiting, and healed mouth and throat inflammations. Bistort also had a reputation as a mouthwash that would fasten loose teeth. A common thread unites most of these uses-namely, bistort's high tannin content, which makes it astringent and therefore effective in checking bleeding and diarrhea. Because the rhizomes are starchy, they served as famine food, roasted, boiled in soup, or ground to make flour. Young bistort leaves may be cooked and eaten like spinach.

PARTS USED

Root, rhizome, leaves.

USES

One of the most strongly astringent of all herbs, bistort is used to contract tissues and staunch blood flow. It makes a valuable mouthwash and gargle for treating spongy gums, canker sores, and sore throats, and is also useful as a wash for small burns and wounds, a douche for excessive vaginal discharge, and an ointment for hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Internally, bistort may be taken to treat peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, and conditions such as dysentery and irritable bowel syndrome that give rise to diarrhea. Bistort is occasionally used in cases of urinary problems such as cystitis and for upper respiratory congestion.

HABITAT AND CULTIVATION

Native to Europe, Asia, and North America, bistort prefers damp conditions. The leaves are gathered in spring, the rhizome in autumn.

CONSTITUENTS

Bistort contains polyphenols (including ellagic acid), tannins (15-20%), phlobaphene, flavonoids, and a trace of the anthraquinone emodin.

USUAL DOSAGE

Decoction: pour a cup of water onto 1 teaspoonful of the dried herb, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day. For external use, this tea can also be used as a mouthwash or gargle.
Tincture: take 2 - 4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

COLLECTION AND HARVESTING

Roots and rhizomes of bistort are dug up in the autumn from the moist pastures where bistort thrives. The large roots should be cut longitudinally and dried in the sun.

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