Baptisia

Wild Indigo

Baptisia tinctoria

The famous indigo dye obtained from this plant is reflected in its name, tinctoria, from the Latin tingere, "to dye." Wild indigo was used medicinally by American Indians and by New World settlers, primarily as an antiseptic wash for wounds. Modern herbalists use Baptisia internally and externally as an antiseptic and immune-system stimulant. The homeopathic remedy was proved in a small-scale trial in the 1850s by Drs. Douglas, Hadley, Burt, and others, and introduced into the repertory by Dr. Thompson in 1857.

Baptisia is prescribed almost exclusively for acute feverish illness with a characteristic set of symptoms. These include confusion or even stupor, as though drunk. The lethargy or exhaustion brought on by illness is so profound that the person even falls asleep during conversations. Nightmares and delirium are common, notably a sensation that the body is scattered in pieces. This feeling can lead to difficulty in falling asleep, as can sensations of suffocation or breathlessness.

Typical physical symptoms include foul breath, a yellowy-brown tongue, and a bitter-tasting mouth. The face may be swollen and flushed dark red, with drooping eyelids.

First developed for typhoid fever, Baptisia is now used mostly for acute fever, severe influenza, and gastrointestinal infections, as well as for sore throats and septic infections.

Uses

In high doses, this perennial plant - wild indigo - is poisonous, mainly affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Its medicinal properties were first discovered by Native Americans, who also used it as a dye. The root is still used today in herbalism as an antibacterial, antiseptic, and as a cooling agent, for example, to treat throat infections.
The main use of Baptisia is to treat acute complaints, especially feverish illnesses. Symptoms of the acute complaints treated include falling asleep in the middle of answering a question and being unable to return to sleep because the mind feels scattered and delirious.

Acute fever - a high fever or influenza, often of sudden onset, alternating with severe chills. The face may be darkly flushed; the tongue tends to be deep red or even brown in color, and is possibly coated and dry down the center. Great lethargy may accompany these symptoms, with the body feeling tender and bruised and the muscles sore, stiff, and heavy. The bed may feel too hard, resulting in bouts of restlessness and curling up tightly in order to try to ease discomfort.

Intestinal infections - exhausting attacks of diarrhea, with acute fever and possibly even delirium. The tongue may have a yellowish coating and there may be a bitter taste in the mouth. Stools are particularly foul-smelling and cause painful irritation around the anus. There may also be blood in the stools and a pink rash on the abdomen, possibly indicating typhoid fever.

Throat infections - stupor, flushing, and fever. The throat is sore, and the tonsils may be dark red and swollen. The gums and throat may be affected by ulcers, which are not necessarily painful. The lips may be blue, cracked, or bleeding. Swallowing solid food without gagging may be impossible, but drinking small amounts of liquid is bearable. A marked thirst and copious drinking may be followed by the scant passage of urine. A related ear infection may be quick to set in, especially in the right ear.

Septic conditions - foul-smelling ulcers in the mouth and throat, with a foul-smelling discharge. The breath, sweat, and urine may have an offensive odor. The symptoms set in rapidly, with stupor and fatigue, and may be due to an incomplete miscarriage, or to septicemia or other septic states marked by acute fever.