Scientific name: Apocymene frutescens, Echites frutescens, Ichnocarpus frutescens, Smilax officinalis, Smilax regelii

Other names: black creeper, dudhilata, dwipautra, Honduras sarsaparilla, kalisar, nannaari, red sarsaparilla, sariva, sasparilla, Spanish sarsaparilla, sogade beru, sugandhi-pala, tu fu ling, zarzaparrilla

Medical uses and remedies:

Abdominal distension
Arthritis
Bloating
Carminative
Chronic nervous disease
Debility
Diaphoretic
Diuretic
Epilepsy
Flatulence
Gonorrhea
Gout
Herpes
Impotence
Psoriasis
Rheumatism
Skin conditions
Syphilis
Tonic
Turbid urine

Dosage:

Pill - Up to 2 pills per day, typically around 450 mg each.

Powder - Up to 2 g of powdered root daily.

Tea - Make an infusion with 1 tsp. root, steep in 1 cup water. Take up to 2 cups daily.

Tincture - Take 30-60 drops daily.

Cautions and side effects:

Excessive sarsaparilla use can cause kidney damage. Nausea may be a side effect of sarsaparilla use in some cases. Sarsaparilla can increase absorption of bismuth and digitalis (a.k.a. digitalin, digitoxin, and digoxin), which may lead to toxicity, so these should be avoided. Check with a medical professional for additional precautions and contraindications before taking any herb.

Active ingredients:

Smilacin (parillin)
Arsaponin
Fatty acids (behenic acid, linolic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid)
Glucoside
Sarsapic acid
Sarsapogenins
Starch

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