Soapwort

((Saponaria officinalis L., Caryophyllaceae)

Also called: Soaproot, Bouncing Bet, Bouncing Bell, Fuller's Herb, and formerly known as Bruisewort.

Description:
A sturdy perennial herb, 30-70cm (12-28in) high, rhizome much branched, cylindrical, 1 cm (0.4in) thick and bearing stems with or without flowers.
The stem is round, simple or branched, downy.
Leaves opposite, ovate or lanceolate, acute, slightly hairy, with 3 longitudinal veins, about two inches long and ¾ inch broad, greyish-green when dried.
The flowers are pink Flowers up to 4cm (1 .5in) long with cylindrical calyx-tube and 5 pink or white petal lobes and grow in clusters on stalks branching from the top of the main ones.

Parts Used: The leaves Rhizome and roots, rarely the dried plant.

Habitat and Collection: Grows on roadsides and near woods in moist places.
Fairly common throughout central and southern Europe.
Abundant in parts of England on banks and roadsides.
Sometimes cultivated. Roots are collected in spring and in autumn; the entire plant should be collected when in flower.
Dried in the sun at about 50°C (122°F)

Constituents and Action: Saponins (the roots contain more than the aerial parts).
Laxative and mild diuretic; expectorant for bronchitis.
Soapwort is used extensively in skin diseases generally and is thought by many to be superior to sarsaparilla.
It is an excellent blood purifier and it will clear up all kinds of skin symptoms, but it must be continued for a long period.
It is excellent for boils and abscesses.
For much irritation of the skin a strong decoction of the root may be applied as often as is necessary.

Usage: 1 pint of boiling water should be poured on to 2 ozs. of the dried leaves or root; when cold this should be strained and 1 or 2 tablespoonsful should be taken three or four times daily.
As a decoction (pour 1 litre (1.75pt) of cold water onto 1-2 tablespoonfuls of finely chopped drug, allow to stand for several hours, raise to the boil and allow to cool), more rarely the powdered drug twice daily (2-4g 0.07-0.14oz) with water).
A strong decoction is made by boiling 2 ozs. of the powdered root in 1 pint of water down to half a pint of liquid which should then be strained.
Internally for bronchitis, cutaneous eruptions, generalised oedema and jaundice.
Externally as an application to cutaneous eruptions.
It may be used in place of soap for washing coloured fabrics.

Other uses: Gerard states: 'It is commonly called Saponaria, of the great scouring qualities of the leaves have; for they yield out of themselves a certaine juice when they are bruised, which scoureth almost as well as sope ....'

A soapy froth is obtained when a decoction is made of the root or leaves; this herb has been used by mendicant monks as a substitute for soap for washing their clothes as it will remove dirt and stains.