[[File:Sarsaparilla.jpg|thumb|Alt=Sarsaparilla|350px|left|Sarsaparilla]]
Other Names: Ecuadorian Sarsaparilla, Honduras Sarsaparilla, Jamaican Sarsaparilla, Liseron Épineux, Liseron Piquant, Mexican Sarsaparilla, Salsaparilha, Salsepareille, Salsepareille d’Europe, Salsepareille du Honduras, Salsepareille du Mexique, Sarsa, Sarsaparillae Radix, Sarsaparillewurzel, Smilax, Smilax Aristolochaefolia, Smilax Aristolochiaefolii, Smilax aristolochiifolia, Smilax china, Smilax febrifuga, Smilax medica, Smilax officinalis, Smilax ornate, Smilax regelii, Zarzaparrilla<br>Sarsaparilla is a climbing, evergreen vine found in Australia, Southeast Asia, Jamaica and the rain forests of South and Central America. If you've ever sampled old-fashioned root beer, then you're familiar with the unique aroma and flavor of the plant's root.
==Special Precautions of Sarsaparilla==
==Benefits and uses of Sarsaparilla are==
The root has also been used for centuries as an aphrodisiac and blood toner, and to treat skin disorders, inflammatory diseases , cancer, rheumatism and syphilis. Now it Sarsaparilla has traditionally been used for women health concerns due to its progesterone-like effect. It is mostly also used in diluted form as a homeopathic remedy.* Antimicrobial : Sarsaparilla's medicinal history dates back to the 16th century. Both the Europeans and the Chinese employed it to treat syphilis, as an alternative remedy to the then-conventional use of mercury. Success rates for sarsaparilla were relatively high, and there were fewer side effects than with mercury. Historically, sarsaparilla was also a treatment for leprosy, gonorrhea and fever. This plant seems to have antimicrobial effects, meaning it counters infectious microbes, like bacteria and viruses. According to Drs. Joseph Pizzorno and Michael Murray, naturopathic physicians and authors of the "Textbook of Natural Medicine," sarsaparilla's antimicrobial effects may be attributed to its ability to bind endotoxins -- constituents in bacteria that can be absorbed into the body through the gastrointestinal tract, and can cause fever. Sarsaparilla seems to limit the amount of endotoxins that enter the body and thereby the harm they may cause.* Anti-Inflammatory : Sarsaparilla's endotoxin-binding capabilities contribute to it anti-inflammatory effects. Pizzorno and Murray explain that it is normal for endotoxins to enter the body, and typically the liver filters them before they can reach general circulation and cause illness. However, if the amount of endotoxins absorbed through the gut is excessive, or if the liver is not functioning optimally, the detoxification process can become overwhelmed, and endotoxins enter the bloodstream. This activates the immune system to generate an inflammatory response, which itself can cause the cell damage that occurs in certain health conditions, including gout, arthritis and psoriasis. Also, according to Bastyr University Department of Botanical Medicine, sarsaparilla is an alterative -- a type of herb commonly used in naturopathic medicine to heal chronic scaling skin diseases, such as psoriasis.* Wellness Enhancing : Pizzorno and Murray point out sarsaparilla's historic use as a tonic and a blood purifier. A tonic is thought to tone the whole system, and a blood purifier cleanses it. Pizzorno and Murray report that sarsaparilla is hepatoprotective, meaning it protects the liver cells. Optimal liver function is imperative for overall wellness because of that organ's essential roles of filtering toxins, storing nutrients and producing hormones and digestive substances. The main, active constituents of the sarsaparilla plant are its saponins, which help to decrease the body's toxic load. Sarsaparilla's ability to reduce toxins while increasing the liver's ability to process them can play a significant role in diminishing disease and enhancing overall wellness.
* Bladder Infections : Sarsaparilla homeopathic remedy is one of the top five remedies recommended by Asa Hershoff, N.D., D.C. and author of "Homeopathic Remedies, a Quick and Easy Guide to Common Disorders and Homeopathic Treatment." If you experience symptoms, such as burning sensation at the end of urination, pain that radiates in the abdomen, urination urgency and bed-wetting, blood in the urine, your symptoms gets worse at night and with movements, and you feel better when standing, homeopathic sarsaparilla may help you, says Hershoff.
* Skin Conditions : Although best known as a remedy specific for urinary tract, homeopathic sarsaparilla may help skin conditions such as eczema, notes Roger Morrison, M.D., author of "Desktop Guide to Keynotes and Confirmatory Symptoms," especially if you have dry, thick, itchy skin associated with cracks of the hands and soles of the feet.
[[Category:herbal medicine]]
[[Category:Homeopathy]]
[[Category:Alterative]]
[[Category:Antirheumatic]]
[[Category:Bitter]]
[[Category:Depurative]]
[[Category:Diaphoretic]]
[[Category:Diuretic]]
[[Category:Stimulant]]