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Ocotillo
Fouquieria splendens Coachwhip, Candlewood, Jacob’s staff Description Like many plants of the Southwestern Deserts, Ocotillo is semi-succulent and appears bizarre at first sighting. It is a multi-stemmed long lived perennial often living to be 150 or 200 years old. A mature, well-nourished plant can produce upwards of 100 spiny stems that rise vertically from its base. The stem bark is distinctly patterned into living material, which is yellowish and waxy, and non-living material, which is grayish and serves a protective function. The oval green leaves are waxy as well. Depending on rainfall, Ocotillo abundantly produces leaves and correspondingly loses them in drier times. This cycle can occur a half-dozen times a year. At the branch ends conical red flower spikes are followed by valved seed capsules.
Distribution Ocotillo is typically found from 6,000 feet and lower throughout the Sonoran, Mojave, and Chihuahuan Deserts. Look for the plant on mesa tops, rocky slopes, and plains.
Chemistry Dammarenediol and its triterpenes derivatives; iridoid glucosides: galioside, splendoside, asperocotillin, adoxoside, adoxosidic acid, and loganin; kaempferol, quercetin, isoquercetin, rutin, cinnamic acids, caffeic acids, scopoletin, leucocyanidin, and ellagic acid
Medicinal Uses Ocotillo tends to be a mild expectorant. It increases bronchial secretion somewhat, making it easier to dislodge impacted phlegm. The plant is also sedating to a dry, spasmodic cough; a useful combination of activities used in wintertime lung afflictions.
Ocotillo has a general decongesting effect on lymphatic and venous circulation of the pelvic area. This use is well applied to hemorrhoids, pelvic lymph enlargements and prostatitis. It is speculated that Ocotillo clarifies lipid-lymph uptake via the portal circulation. Overall, this enhances extracellular fluid movement of the area, lessening trunk-pelvic congestion. Traditional use of Ocotillo among Hispanic New Mexicans has been for sore throats, tonsillitis, and to simulate menses.
Indications Dry cough with impacted phlegm Hemorrhoids, pelvic lymph enlargements/prostatitis
Collection After finding a many-branched, healthy Ocotillo, select a thick limb close to the outside circumference of the plant. Pull down on the limb until it snaps off at its base. With a knife, strip the spiny bark off the core wood. The leaves can be collected with the bark as well.
Preparations Because of Ocotillo’s nonpolar constituents, the plant is extracted well with alcohol. Although a vita-mix blender works well the dried bark can be difficult to powder. The fresh plant tincture tends to be the most efficacious preparation.
Dosage FPT/DPT (70% alcohol): 30-60 drops 3 times daily Bark decoction: 4-6 ounces 3 times daily
Cautions Do not use during pregnancy.
Other Uses Cut branches stuck in the ground and watered root easily. Living Ocotillo fences can be made or rather assisted; they are functional and change with the seasons. A beverage tea is made with the flowers. |