Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum, Aster family.
[Note: caution, seek out licensed professional medical treatment for all medical conditions. Recent studies on the plant genus Eupatorium spp have indicated hepatic-toxic( liver) alkaloids present within this plant genus. Conflicting studies have named Eupatorium perfoliatum within this group. The studies themselves I have read indicate contamination of plant material. Meaning some of the plants tested were not Eupatorium perfoliatum.
Accurately getting wild herbal plants tested is a problem. Eupatorium spp are frequently misidentified especially with regard to conflicting local common names, part of plant tested whether root, stalk, leaf or flower. Frequently herbal products sold do not match their labeled contents. Regardless the possibility of hepato-toxic alkaloids is a significant issue.] Yet boneset was used as a folk medicine, as an eclectic botanical medicine into the 1920's, and it's use has been historically short term and in small quanities, in folk medicine as a bitter fairly bad tasting medicinal tea.
Boneset is a perennial flowering herb, 2-4 ft tall. The leaf base surrounds the central stem. In botanical terms, sessile opposite leaves, (leaves clasping the central stem, without petiole/leaf stem) where stalk appears to pass though the main stalk). Leaves are glossy green, up to 6 inches long, tapered to a point, lanceot, with serrate/rounded toothed margins. Growing here at 1500ft northern appalachian NE woodland open sun meadow, blooming 2nd week August.
A plant of meadow, road side, disturbed cleared land. Boneset grows extensively throughout the eastern US. Boneset, due to it's nature as a medicinal plant is to be used cautiously, ie, it's not an herb like say ginger, or mint which are food/medicine herbs. Boneset is solely a medicine plant. It's not a plant to be taken daily, or in large doses especially as a tincture. Which means a cautious approach.
The parts used are the flowers and green leaves. For colds and flu it's often combined with pleurisy root and echinacea. Probably the best way to use boneset is the traditional tea at first sign of colds and flu, similar to purple vervain. Using it for three to five days, then discontinue use. Thankfully it is not a likeable enjoyable taste, it tastes very bitter, and medicinal. Not a plasant drinkable tea.
Several studies have linked multiple Eupatorium spp, and specifically Eupatorium perfoliatum, boneset to dangerous hepatic-toxic alkaloids, in both the tincture of boneset extracted via alcohol and hot water. Caution is therefore advised with bonesets use. Personally I would not advise release of tincture outside of a controlled monitored situation. Tinctures are extremely concentrated medicines as compared to a tea. Contradicted in anyone with liver issues, fatty liver, cirrhosis, elevated liver enzymes or heavy recreational alcohol use.
So its use should be weighed and short term less than 5 days and probably limited to the traditional folk tea method. The taste is extremely bitter, so I can't see anyone drinking much of it without throwing up. It was used similar to lobelia as an emetic.
Interest in boneset was increased recently due to reccomendation for use, and used by many these past two years, recently for evolving conditions related to respiratory issues, low grade fever etc, used similarly in past historical similar conditions. During the pandemic of 1918-19 following the initial portion of the great 30 years war of european western erasure reset carried out between 1914-1945. Boneset was considered one of the safest and most successful eclectic remedies prescribed and utilized for the 1918-19 so called spanish flu. The eclectic medical botanical tradition of physicians, was a uniquely american medical stream of knowledge that was effectively erased and reset to industrial pharmaceuticals by the organizers and beneficiaries of the 30 years war. Which is sad because many of the health gains in disease prevention had a lot to do with fresh food, sanitation and availability of clean drinking water. Many of the eclectic botanical medicines could have been kept, and made available to people. Instead, I say erased and reset because the medical knowledge base of the eclectics wasn't expanded through addition, it was wiped out and replaced. There was a medi pharma industrial war and the winners of the conflict re-wrote the narrative to fit their objectives. That objective although portrayed as human excellence and health, is in reality relentless jingo capitalism, with profit for a unique global elite class. They then set up local regimes utilizing the archetypal items of the old national culture, of a nation, to conduct a 24/7 multi level pyramid scam, perpetrated via mass media get rich quick, everything for sale, including the most important forsale item, which are people. People become the products bought, sold and traded. In the flag waving state, people, their sons and daughters, elderly, infirm, are the final solution harvest for sale items. Everything is capable of being priced, bought, sold, and traded. We are all for ultimate products in a continuous sale. Where the cultural hegemony becomes ultimate american pimp and hoe. Your either a pimp or hoe, or a hoe dreaming of being a madame in the business. No one can step off the merry go round of continuous sale. The bottom line in the industrial hoax of family is where the strong continuously market the weak and the vulnerable. Children/hoes are pimped out by their pimp/caretakers to first responder rape gang culture. They are drugged into existential oblivion by cheap heroin, marijuana, meth, tobacco, alcohol. Elders are deep sedated in their forced pharma police state internment camps, every demographic is partial culled for profit in the dystopian cult of pyramid pleasure profit. We have transitioned from selling things and stuff, to selling one another in the ultimate flag waving, surveillance, medi, slavery cult.
Blocking access to the medicinal plants that have sustained people throughout beginning-less time is a key priority in erasure. A do it yourself, small scale, localized approach to herbal medicine is always problematic for those seeking to usurp health sovereignty. In your face localism is the primary solution for what ails us related to herbalism. Teaching, learning, done small, local, face to face.
The name boneset is more bone-break fever, and refers mainly to fever flu with bone breaking pain, deep bone ache. Boneset doesn't refer exclusively to setting bones, or setting broken fractured bones. Although there is folk traditional references to its use topically similar to comfrey. Looking at the strong sessile leaf pattern the doctrine of signature idea of mending broken parts, broken bones, is strongly visually present. Boneset is a facinating folk heritage plant to learn.
The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 1922, was written by Harvey Wickes Felter, M.D.
Abascal, K., (2006). Herbs & influenza: how herbs used in the 1918 flu pandemic can be effective today. Vashon, WA: Tigana Press.
Abascal, K., (2020). Herbs and influenza: how herbs used in the 1918 flu pandemic can be effective in ANY pandemic, 2nd ed. Vashon, WA: Tigana Press.
Abascal, K. and Yarnell, E., (2006). Herbal treatments for pandemic influenza: learning from the Eclectics’ experience. Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 12(5), pp. 214-221. [online] Available at: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/act.2006.12.214 [Accessed 14 July 2021].
Brinker, F., (2007). Book review of: Herbs & Influenza: how herbs used in the 1918 Flu Pandemic can be effective today. HerbalGram, 75, pp. 69-70. [online] Available at: https://www.herbalgram.org/resources/herbalgram/issues/75/table-of-contents/article3153/ [Accessed 14 July 2021].
Ellingwood, F. (1919). American Materia Medica, therapeutics and pharmacognosy. Version published by Southwest School of Botanical Medicine, Bizbee, AZ., pp. 179-192. [online] Available at: https://www.theforagerspath.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/1919-Ellingwood-American-Materia-Medica-Therapeutics-Pharmacognosy.pdf [Accessed 4 July 2021].
Haller, J.S., (1994). Medical protestants: the Eclectics in American medicine, 1825-1939. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.
Lloyd, J.U., (1923). Echinacea angustifolia. Lloyd Brothers, Cincinnati. In: R. Bauer and H. Wagner. eds. (1990). Echinacea: Handbuch für Ärzte, Apotheker und andere Naturwissenschaftler. Stuttgart: WVG., p. 16.
https://www.herbalhistory.org/home/the-eclectic-herbal-treatments-for-pandemic-influenza-1918-19/
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