Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Wild Cherry The Safety Factor
Alert: Wild cherry leaves, bark, and fruit pits all contain hydrocyanic acid, which in large amounts is a cyanide-like poison. Grazing animals have been poisoned by eating large quantities of leaves, which are more toxic than the medicinal bark.
Symptoms of toxicity include spasms, twitching, and difficulty breathing and speaking. If these occur, stop using the herb and seek medical attention immediately.
The medical literature contains no reports of wild cherry bark causing problems at recommended doses. But it has been implicated in birth defects among the offspring of laboratory animals that ingested the herb while pregnant. Pregnant women should not use wild cherry bark.
Other Cautions
Wild cherry bark is included in the FDA’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, wild cherry bark is considered relatively safe in amounts typically recommended.
Wild cherry should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If wild cherry bark causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
A Giant of a Healer
Wild cherry is one of our largest trees, often reaching 90 feet. It grows in the area bounded by Nova Scotia, Florida, Texas, and Nebraska. The trunk is covered with rough black bark, which breaks off in plates. The root bark must be peeled. Both barks are considered medicinal. and although they look different, they are both known as wild cherry bark.
Wild cherry’s oval, serrated leaves are a brilliant green The tree produces small white flowers in late spring, followed by blackish purple fruits the size of large peas.
Wild cherry grows best in fertile soil under full sun.
Authorities recommend planting saplings purchased at nurseries.
Herbalists recommend the young, thin branch bark rather than the older, thicker trunk bark. Collect it in autumn by pruning some branches and stripping them. The bark deteriorates after about a year in storage, so collect it annually.