Perennial herbaceous glabrous plant of the laconaceae family. It has a multi-headed rhizome and a thick spindle-shaped root. The stems are thick, juicy, green or reddish-green, erect, branched in the upper part, 1-3 m high. The leaves are alternate, short-petiolate, elliptic or ovate, entire, pointed at the top, 10-20 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, often reddish. The flowers are small, regular, bisexual, in long tassels; perianth of five herbaceous or whitish, later reddening leaves. The fruit is juicy, berry-like, black-purple, flattened-spherical. Blooms in June – August.
Spread. The homeland of the American laconos is North America. On the territory of Ukraine, lakonos is grown in gardens and parks as an ornamental plant, sometimes it goes wild and occurs in littered places.
Raw. Roots (Radix Phytolaccae americanae), which are harvested in the fall, are used for medicinal purposes. It is used fresh or dried.
The plant is official in Japan, the GDR, Germany, England, and the USA.
Chemical composition . The roots of American laconos contain alkaloids (0.16%), triterpene saponins of the group (B-amyrin, essential oil (0.08%), the poisonous substance phytolacotoxin, carbohydrates (sucrose, starch).
Pharmacological properties and use . Previously, fresh roots and dried leaves of the plant were used as raw materials for the preparation of tincture, which was part of products used in the treatment of radiculitis, plexitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, etc. In folk medicine, an infusion or decoction of the roots of laconosa is used as a laxative, diuretic, emetic, and anthelmintic. The use of laconosa products is indicated and gives a good therapeutic effect in peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum, in case of constipation, in kidney diseases. In dermatology, the plant enjoys the reputation of a tool that actively affects metabolism. In homeopathy, products from fresh roots are used for diphtheria, follicular angina, laryngitis, rheumatism, sciatica, sciatica.
Medicinal forms and applications.
Internally – root infusion (5 g of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water) 1 tablespoon 3 times a day as a diuretic.
Laconosa preparations have the ability (especially in overdose) to cause unwanted toxic effects.