“Having recently purchased Detox and Carnival Spirt at Chatsworth County Fair, I could certainly recommend these two products to anyone with stress related illnesses. I have, over the last few months, been suffering from a stress related illness and become very lethargic, finding it hard to maintain normal sleep patterns and having very little interest in food. Detox has aided my appetite and lifts my general well-being during the day and CS helps me to relax in the evening and aids a restful and unbroken sleep pattern during the night.”
Gillian Skeemer, Chesterfield.

  
 

The Roots of Healing

Many common roots have physiological effects. We use root ginger on its own in pink ginger cordial , and a blend of liquorice, dandelion, burdock, sarsaparilla, ginger and yellow dock roots, all in detox cordial. In fact detox cordial shares a common origin with American Root Beer as well as its British forbear, good old Dandelion and Burdock.   Sadly though the modern versions you find of these drinks are just flavoured lemonades with little in common with their illustrious herbal ancestors.

Ginger

Ginger is traditionally viewed as a warming herb and is known (like elderflower) to be diaphoretic, that is to say that where there is a fever it will induce sweating.    In traditional medicine a fever is regarded as a normal healthy response to infection and therefore to be encouraged, not seen as a symptom to be suppressed, and warming herbs are thought to help to support this natural response.
The most common modern use of ginger however is as a remedy for nausea, especially travel sickness and morning sickness. It is also used as a digestive aid and as an adjunctive treatment for inflammatory conditions.

For nausea, Ginger Cordial should be taken mixed with still, not sparkling water, and hot water can be used in place of cold.    Believe it or not, many herbalists say just soaking your feet in a hot ginger foot bath is more effective than actually drinking it.

References:
Yamahara J et al. Gastrointestinal motility enhancing effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) and its active constituents. Chem Pharm Bull 1990, 38: 430-431.

Yamahara J et al. The anti-ulcer effect in rats of ginger constituents. J Ethnopharmacol 1988; 23: 299-304

Fuhrman B et al. Ginger extract consumption reduces plasma cholesterol, inhibits LDL oxidation and attenuates development of atherosclerosis in atherosclerotic, apoliprotein E-deficient mice. J Nutr 2000; 130: 1124-1131

Surh Y-J et al. Anti-tumor-promoting activities of selected pungent phenolic substances in ginger. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol 1999; 18: 131-139

Groentved et al. Ginger root against sea sickness. A controlled trial on the open sea. Acta Otolaryngol 1988; 105: 45-49.

Ernst E, Pittler MH. Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting. A systematic review of randomised clinical trials. Br J Anaesthesia 2000; 84: 367-371


Dandelion.

Dandelion root is a powerful cholalogue, meaning that it stimulates the liver (the main organ of detoxification) to increase the flow of bile, which is why it is such a useful adjunct to detoxification. Because bile is a natural laxative, it also helps to speed up gut transit time, which also helps detoxification and in particular helps to reduce the reabsorbtion through the gut of toxins excreted in the bile.

References
Monographs on the Medicinal Use of Plants, Exeter: European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (documents in vivo doubling of bile flow from decoction of root in dogs)

Baba K et al. Antitumour activity of hot water extract of dandelion, (Taraxacum officinale Wiggers) Dermatosen 1978; 26: 198.


Burdock

Burdock root works more on the second organ of detoxification, the kidneys, and also stimulates the appetite, where it is lacking. The combination of dandelion and burdock is the mainstay of Thorncroft Detox cordial, together with Coriander (discussed in more detail under Herbs), which has the remarkable property of chelating toxic heavy metals in body tissues and removing via the kidneys.

References:
Tsujita et al, Comparison of protective activity of dietary fibre against the toxicities of various food colours in rats, Nutr Rep Int 1979; 20: 635-642,

Lapinina et al, Investigation of some plants to determine their sugar lowering actions Farmatsevt Zh 1964;19:52-58 (“burdock extract was reported to cause a sharp, long-lasing reduction in the blood sugar concentration in rats, together with an increase in carbohydrate tolerance and a reduction in toxicity”)

Dombradi CA, Foldeak S. Anti-tumor activity of A.lappa ext. Tumori 1966; 52:173-175.


Liquorice

Liquorice, unlike most roots, has a strong and pleasant flavour – not the aniseedy flavour associated with liquorice sweets, which is in fact aniseed, but its own distinctive sweet flavour. It has long been associated with cleansing and detoxification, (the Chinese refer to it as “the great detoxifier”) and has anti-spasmodic, anti inflammatory, and aperient qualities.    Another remarkable quality is that of glycyrrizin, one of its constituents, to support the adrenal glands, which are often over-stressed in modern life, sometimes linked to feelings of chronic fatigue, where cortisol levels become too low. It does this by inhibiting the enzyme responsible for removing cortisol from the bloodstream, so increasing the amount of cortisol in the blood without actually increasing the amount made by the adrenal glands. If taking liquorice for this reason, take a break every two days. Beware of taking liquorice in excessive amounts. It may be a common sweet, but don’t underestimate its powers.

References:
Yakugaku Zasshi. A drug over the millennia: pharmacognosy, chemistry, and pharmacology of licorice. NCBI 2000 Oct;120(10):849-62.

Stewart PM et al. Mineralocorticoid activity of liquorice: 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency comes of age. Lancet 1897, ii, 821-824. (this is the enzyme that affects the conversion of cortisol to inactive cortisone)