Herbs: Thuja occidentalis (Cedar)

[liveonearth]

COMMON NAME: American cedar, tree of life, arbor-vitae
FAMILY: Cupressaceae
HABITAT: New England and Southeastern Canada
--related to Western red cedar, T. plicata which grows mostly on NW coast
GENERAL: lives over 1,000 years, grows hollow in center making it hard to count tree rings, loves wet soil, rot resistant wood

PARTS USED: twigs & branches

CONSTITUENTS:
--volatile oil (1.4-4%): thujone, b-thujone, fenchone, camphor, cineole
--flavonoids: quercitin
--tannins
--polysaccharides (immun stim)

MEDICINAL ACTIONS:
--antimicrobial
--carminative
--antispasmodic
--tussive
--alterative
--circ stim
--immune stim
--lymphatic

INDICATIONS:
--cancer
--warty skin growths
--inhalation for bronchial dz, chronic catarrh, hemoptysis, diptheria, croup
--topical for sloughing wounds, ulcers, bedsores, gangrene, ulcerated carcinoma, restrain malignant hemorrhage
--gynecological for thick, spongy, tender os uteri, lecuorrheal discharge

PREPARATION & DOSING:
--dried leaf-->infusion, 1-2 grams/day
--tincture of leaf, 1-3 mls of a 1:5 tincture (60%) per day
--homeopathic 6C-1M
--topicals: as needed

CONTRAINDICATIONS:
--acute kidney infx of dz
--preg (stims uterine contractions)
--no prolonged use due to cumulative toxicity of thujone-->GI irrit

GENIUS: balancing two worlds: heald/dz, life/death, fixed/open, separate/together, wet/dry, inflam/stagnation, niside/outside, preserve & protect vital force, block insults to vitality such as vaccinations, viruses, infections,

HISTORY: great spritual significance to natives, coastal peoples used whole tree: trunk for dugout canoe, house planks, bentwood boxes, clothing, tools, arrow & harpoon shafts, masks, paddles, dishes, furniture, drums, fish weirs, spirit whistles, burns with little smoke, inner bark to make rope, clothing, baskets, branches for rope, baskets, medicine