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Squaw Vine Herb - Uses And Side Effects

Native Americans were the first people to use squaw vine as a way to make childbirth safer and easier. Squaw vine is the dried plant of Mitchella repens Linne (Rubiaceae family), common to the woodlands of the central and eastern United States. It blooms in July and usually is harvested in late summer.

Common doses of Squaw Vine

Squaw vine comes as whole leaves, dried plant (powder), liquid extract, and tincture. Some experts recommend the following doses:

• As dried plant, 2 to 4 grams taken orally.
• As fluid extract, 0.25 to I teaspoon taken orally three times daily.
• As a tincture, I to 2 milliliters taken orally three times daily.

Uses of Squaw Vine herb

• Abdominal pain from menstruation
• Abnormal menstruation
• Diarrhea
• Fluid retention
• Frequent urination
• Gonorrhea
• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Hysteria
• Kidney stones
• Lack of menstruation
• Painful urination
• Sore nipples
• To aid labor and childbirth
• Vaginitis

Side effects of Squaw Vine

Call your health care practitioner if you experience mucous membrane irritation when taking squaw vine. This herb also can cause:

• burning sensation in the digestive tract
• liver damage.

Interactions

Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Tell your health care practitioner about any prescription or nonprescription drugs you're taking, especially:

• alkaloid-related drugs, such as atropine or Transderm Scop
• digoxin
• iron-containing products.

Don't use squaw vine when taking Antabuse. The herbal preparation could contain alcohol and cause a reaction.

Important points to remember

• Don't use squaw vine during the first 6 months of pregnancy.
• Tell your health care practitioner if you plan to get pregnant or suspect you're pregnant.
• Use squaw vine cautiously if you have liver disease or related problems.
• If you take this herb, be aware that your health care practitioner may recommend periodic liver function tests. If those tests show changes, you'll need to stop taking squaw vine right away.
• Call your health care practitioner immediately if you develop pain in the upper right part of your abdomen, yellowish skin, or a fever. These symptoms could reflect liver damage.
• Know that squaw vine tastes bitter and can irritate the mucous membranes.
• Keep in mind that many health care practitioners consider squaw vine potentially dangerous.
• If you take Antabuse, don't take a form of squaw vine that contains alcohol.

What the research shows

Although squaw vine has long been used as a medicinal herb, none of its effects have been studied or proven in animals or people.

Other names for Squaw Vine

Other names for squaw vine include checkerberry, deerberry, Mitchella repens, Mitchella undulata, one-berry, partridge berry, running box, squawberry, twin berry, two-eyed berry, two-eyed checkerberry, and winter clover.

Products containing squaw vine are sold under such names as Mitchella repens, Partridge Berry, and Squaw Vine.