Family Name: N.O. Asclepiadaceae
Botanical Name(s): Asclepias tuberosa
Popular Name(s): Butterfly-weed, Swallow-wort, Tuber Root, Wind
Root, Orange Milkweed
Parts Used: Root
Habitat: Pleurisy Root is found in North America.
Description: Pleurisy Root is a perennial plant which grows to a
height of 1 -2 feet. The leaves are spirally arranged, lanceolate with a
length of 5-12 cm and breadth of 2-3 cm. The plant bears clustered
orange or yellow flowers. The rootstock is spindle-shaped, has a knotty
crown and is slightly but distinctly annulated.
Uses: Pleurisy Root has antispasmodic, diaphoretic, expectorant
and carminative properties. It possesses a specific action on the lungs
and is effective in all chest complaints. It mitigates the pain and
relieves the difficulty of breathing. It is used to cure diarrhoea,
dysentery and acute and chronic rheumatism.
