Wild Cherry Bark
Botanical Description & Habitat
Prunus serotina
Family
Rosaceae
Common names
Black choke
Choke cherry
Rum cherry
Habitat
Found throughout the United States in fertile soil, fields, woods, and along fences.
Description
Grows up to 100 feet in height and four or five feet in diameter. The trunk is covered with rough, brown bark. Leaves are oval, smooth, and bright green, with serrate margins and veins on the underside. Small white flowers grow in clusters at the ends of branches, blooms from May to June. Fruit is a purple-black drupe which ripens between August and September.
Medicinal parts
Bark, dried, collected in autumn
Historical Properties & Uses
Wild cherry bark is an expectorant, long used by many cultures to relieve the symptoms of respiratory distress. Because it imparts a pleasant flavor, it is often prepared as a syrup. Sometimes only cherry flavoring is used in commercial cough remedies, their manufacturers having overlooked the herb's therapeutic value.
Wild cherry bark also has astringent properties due to its concentration of tannin and an unconfirmed sedative action. Despite its popularity as a cough medication, wild cherry bark has not been experimentally investigated.
Method of Action
The exact mode of action for the expectorant property of wild cherry bark is unknown. It appears to differ somewhat from other tannin-containing substances.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
There is presently insufficient data on this subject.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
The toxicity level of wild cherry bark has not been determined at this time.
Preparation & Administration
Three times a day
Powdered bark
0.5-2 grams
Tea
made of 1 tsp powdered bark
Fluid extract
1:1 in 25% alcohol, 1-2 ml
Tincture
1:5 in 45% alcohol, 10% glycerine: 2-4 ml
Syrup
15 grams bark, 80 grams sugar, 5 ml glycerine, water to 100 ml:2.5-10 ml.
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
Committee on Pharmocopaeia of the Am Institute of Homeopathy, The Homeopathic Pharmacopaeia of the United States. 8th ed., Vol 1. Otis Clapp and Son, Agents, Boston, l981.
Felter, H.W. & J.U. Lloyd. King's Am Dispensatory, 18th ed. 1898. reprinted by Eclectic Medical Publications: Portland, Or, 1983.
Hyde, F.F. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. British Herbal Medicine Assoc: West Yorks, England, 1983
List, P. & L. Hoerhammer. 1969-1976. Hagers Hanbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, vols. 2-5. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Scientific Committee, British Herbal Pharmocopaeia, British Herbal Med Assoc, Lane House, Cowling, Na Keighley, West Yorks, Bd Bd220lx, l983.
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