Bouncing Bet also has a long history as a medicinal plant, taken internally as a diuretic, laxative, and expectorant and administered externally for the treatment of skin eruptions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, and bo...
* Please Note: This info at ZooScape.com is based in part on Traditional Medicine which uses natural elements to aid overall healthiness. This information has not been evaluated or checked through the FDA. Those statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These ZooScape.com products are intended to aid overall healthiness and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, hinder, or cure any condition or affliction. If conditions persist, please visit your physician.
Description - Research and Analysis
Medicinal Usage
Bouncing Bet also has a long history as a medicinal plant, taken internally as a diuretic, laxative, and expectorant and administered externally for the treatment of skin eruptions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, and boils. A decoction, or extract, of the crushed roots is still a popular home remedy for poison ivy - effective probably because it thoroughly cleanses the skin.
Once used internally as diuretic, expectorant, and laxative and externally to treat skin eruptions, bouncing Bet has no medicinal value attributed to it by pharmacologists or even by most herbalists.
General Herb Information
Many of this plant's old folk names, such as latherwort and soapwort, come from its best-known characteristic - the ability to form a soaplike lather. Popularly called bouncing Bet in America, the plant is rich in saponins, which are natural cleaning agents.
The early American colonists, who brought bouncing Bet with them from England, used the lather to clean everything from handmade lace to pewter vessels. New England textile workers cleaned and thickened newly woven cloth with it - a process called fulling, which accounts for another of its names, fuller's herb. The Pennsylvania Dutch had yet another use for the lather - to give beer a foamy head-and commercially produced saponins are still used for this purpose.
Habitat: Pastures, roadsides, along railroads and city streets, in old gardens.
Range: Native to Eurasia, bouncing Bet now grows wild throughout the United States and southern Canada.
Identification: A perennial with a single upright stem rising to 2 feet or more, bouncing Betgrows in clumps. Oval opposite leaves have pointed tips and smooth edges. Five-petaled flowers (July - September), whitish pink to rose, about 1 inch across, grow in thick clusters at the top of the stem.
Caution: Internal use may cause severe vomiting and diarrhea.
Uses: The leaves and rhizomes boiled in pure water make a highly effective soapy lather for cleaning and brightening delicate fabrics.
User Group Forum
Share your questions and information with the ZooScape community!
Anonymous - April 27, 2006, 23:54
#10000228
Is soapwort good for acne?? If not, what pill can I take to help clear up acne?
ZooScape Moderator - May 1, 2006, 10:05
#10001314
Soapwort is recommended for the treatment of acne, however, you would need to use it in externally in a topical application such as a cream or salve for it to be effective. When used externally, not only is Soapwort recommended for acne, but also for persistent skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Soapwort, when taken internally, is effective treating bronchitis, coughs, colds and upper respiratory problems.
If you are looking specifically for a product that will treat acne and can be taken internally, perhaps you would also be interested in the Acne Relief Tablets by Natra-Bio. The pure ingredients in Acne Relief work quickly to clear up existing acne blemishes and also prevent new blemishes from forming beneath the skin's surface!
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease.
