==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. Sarsaparilla has traditionally been used for women health concerns due to its progesterone-like effect. Now it is mostly 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.