So there you have it! This week's mystery herb (posted weekly on my Facebook page is none other than Serenoa repens (commonly known as Saw Palmetto)
As it is Movember here in Canada I thought we'd stick to the herbs commonly used to treat conditions in men (that's a hint for this weeks herb!)
If you've ever visited the Atlantic Coastal states south of the Carolina's you may have seen this plant growing natively in sandy areas. This palm can produce ivory flowers and dark purple/black flowers!
It is these berries that are commonly used in herbal medicine. These berries contain medicinal essential oils, steroidal saponins, polysaccharides and tannins.
Commonly this herb is used to treat Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH) in men and the symptoms that go along with it - difficulty with urinating, cystitis etc. One reference states a 90% effectiveness rate for BPH symptoms!
While typically used in men, this herb inhibits 5 alpha reductase, which converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, making it useful in cases of polycystic ovarian system.
Once again a lovely herb with amazing medical properties!
Thanks for reading!
Dr Kendra Clifford ND
The information in this post is for educational purposes only and should not be substituted for medical advice.