Stillingia sylvatica

Other Names : Queen's delight, Queen's root, Silver leaf, Yaw root.

Special Precautions of Stillingia sylvatica

• In large doses, stillingia vomits and purges, producing in many instances a peculiar, disagreeable burning sensation in the stomach, or some portion of the alimentary canal, accompanied with more or less prostration of the system.
• The materialmust be fresh or recent to be of any therapeutic value, and undoubtedly many of the failures to obtain good results in the use of stillingia are due to the fact that preparations from old and worthless material have been employed.

Health Benefits and Uses of Stillingia sylvatica

The root is antiemetic, astringent.

• A decoction has been used to treat bird sickness, diarrhoea, vomiting and appetite loss in children and in adults.
• It has also been used to treat menstruation sickness, yellow eyes and skin weakness.
• A decoction or tincture of the root has been used to treat the worst forms of venereal disease.
• In less doses it is an alterative, exerting an influence over the secretory and lymphatic functions, which is unsurpassed by few, if any other of the known alteratives.
• It is an American remedy of much importance and value, and is extensively used in all the various forms of primary and secondary syphilitic affections, in which it appears to have a most decided action; also in scrofulous, hepatic and cutaneous affections, in which its administration is followed by the most successful results (J. King). In regard to its effects upon syphilis there appears to be much discordance of opinion among physicians, and this is probably due to the fact that in earlier years it was undoubtedly much overrated, that poor preparations have been employed and that the special conditions favoring its action have not been properly observed. When the specific indications for the drug have been followed the results have been fully as good as have been obtained from any of the antisyphilitics. The cases for its exhibition in syphilitic and other affections are those in which the tissues are feeble and are tardily removed and renewed; the mucous membranes are predominantly affected and the skin secondarily; and the mucous surfaces are tumid, red, and glistening, and secretion is scanty. With these indications it has been very successfully used in syphilitic and strumous diseases, and chronic inflammations with low deposits.
• It has been found very beneficial in chronic laryngeal and bronchial affections, and in leucorrhoea. Small pieces of the recent root, chewed occasionally through the day, have effectually and permanently cured laryngitis and bronchitis. In fact stillingia is one of the most important of laryngeal remedies, not only relieving irritation of that important organ, but proving beneficial in irritative disorders of the fauces, trachea, and bronchiae. It is, therefore, an important cough remedy, and we have observed the irritative winter-cough of years' standing promptly cured with small doses of specific stillingia. A strumous diathesis adds to its adaptability to chronic coughs. This remedy exerts some influence upon the periosteal structures and is applicable to the periosteal pains in old cases of syphilis with tendency to periosteal destruction and the formation of nodes and exostoses, as of the tibia, head, and face.
• It is likewise said to favorably influence the persistent pains of chronic periosteal rheumatism.
• Stillingia is a very important remedy, and by improving the lymphatic functions aids in good blood-making and nutrition, and may be taken without harm for a continued period. It is very important, however, that the proper preparations be used. As before stated the root, when long kept, has its active properties impaired; as a rule, syrups and decoctions are of less value than the alcoholic preparations of the fresh drug, as the properties are but imperfectly extracted by water. The stronger alcoholic preparations (as a strong tincture), the fluid extract (which may be given with aromatics, as oil of anise or caraway), and especially specific stillingia, are far preferable to other forms of administration (see Stillingia Liniment). The oil is entirely too acrid for internal use, unless it be well incorporated with some mucilaginous or saccharine substance. But as an external stimulating application, the oil will be found very valuable in many instances.
• One drop of it placed upon the tongue, and repeated 3 or 4 times a day, is reputed to have proved successful in cases of severe croup. Stillingia liniment, both externally and internally, is an excellent remedy in various forms of croup. Dose of the tincture from ½ fluid drachm to 1 fluid drachm; of the decoction, 1 or 2 fluid ounces; of specific stillingia, 1 to 20 drops.