Turkey Corn

Medicinal Parts: the dried tuber

Constituents

Isoquinoline alkaloids; including icuculline, corlumine, protopine, cryptopine, cularine, bicuculline

Effects

Diuretic and tonic

Uses

Used for digestive disorders, urinary tract diseases, menstrual disorders and skin rashes, It was formerly used for syphilis.

Physio-Medical Therapeutics, Materia Medica and Pharmacy BY T. J. LYLE, A.M.M. 1897

The root tubers are a positive systemic, stimulating alterant which influences the stomach and mucous membrane throughout, the secretory organs and the skin. This agent is stimulating to the salivary glands, warming to the stomach and invigorating to the whole circulation. In hot infusion it influences both the sudoriferous and the sebaceous glands. It is one of the best of stimulating alteratives. In fact all the excretive avenues of the body are more or less emptied of injurious and impure contents and all the secernents are rendered more active. It is just the agent for torpid, sluggish or depressed conditions.

Cautions

Bicuculline is a centrally acting, spasmogenic antagonist of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). Due to the bicuculline component, poisonings are possible if higher dosages are consumed, but none has een reported to date.