Red and white sassafras, fad use

white sassafras

Sassafras in the fall. Three types of leaves at the understory to catch all the light possible, at the top levels of big trees, all become the single lobe. More on the leaf lobes at Joy of Equivocating, Lessons of the Sassafras post

For now, how is sassafras used - and should be used again. Any substance should be ingested with caution. For contraindications of herb use, see www.planetherbs.com/articles/Bentley%20contraindications. This is by an herbalist.








That site says there are red and white sassafras , with the red now rare.

Red sassafras, but if it is rare, we won't say where. Is that appropriate?

Roots and bark are blood tonics - site refers to a book on American Indian medicine, and that Europeans were more interested in sassafras than tobacco. Further notations follow:

• Scope of Sassafras. Summarizing bits from Bentley site, and little quotes here, fair use: Sassafras became a big fad - bigger than tobacco. It was used for "viral, fungal, bacterial infections, cancers, and occasionally arthritis,where purifying blood is helpful."
  
• Safrole is found also in "mace, nutmeg, basil, black pepper,rosemary, dill, black tea, tamarind, cinnamon, witch hazel, Asian wild ginger. And more."
  
• A cup of beer is said to be 14 times as carcinogenic as a cup of sassafras tea. Sassafras had been a big economic source in poor areas, now not permitted.
  
• It is one of the "metabolites" in safrole that brings on rat cancer with huge doses, but that not be the same in people who don't make the same metabolite.

Do read the whole thing.