michaelsharrington (Hridayam)

“Herbal extracts make potent medicines. Though they can help in acute illness, they are most likely to prove helpful in treating chronic health problems. Herbal medicines are best seen as allies – they can help you walk the path back towards good health, but they cannot necessarily walk it for you. Things such as a sound diet, adequate sleep and rest, exercise, relaxation and a positive attitude are the building blocks that lay the foundations for the return to good health.”

-Andrew Chevalier, Medical herbalist and author of the Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine

As I continue on with this Series on Herbal Healing, I want to introduce Lomatium root, another less common herb that many people do not know about. I first tried it about 5 years ago to deal with symptoms of Lyme and viral co-infections. These flareups have caused numerous issues, from nausea and headaches to fatigue and brain fog. Each time I have used lomatium, it has been as an alcohol tincture-though one can get the wildcrafted root and create their own decoction or tincture). Within hours the flareup had subsided 20% and over the next days my health improved considerably. Anotherrb had been added to my health improvement and maintenance repertoire.

Lomatium is a rare species of the Parsley family. The Native Americans used the high starch root as a dietary staple. It was sometimes dried, then ground into flour for cakes that could be stored and eaten later. It is also known as Fernleaf biscuitroot, Desert Parsley, and Indian Parsnip. The root is a large, sometimes the main taproot reaches 12 inches in length and can way up to 6 pounds. and is 2 inches thick. The plant grows in dry sandy soil, on steep rocky hillsides often between sagebrush from British Columbia to the Rockies, to Arizona and into Western California. Loamium dissectum is the species used. The root of which is valued for its medicinal properties. None of the other species of lomatiums are thought to be of much medicinal value.

This amazing herb has been used for various viral and influenza illnesses for centuries. It is also effective against many bacterial species and stimulates the immune system.  It clears the lung (is an expectorant), clears the intestines of detrimental organisms and helps the kidneys and bladder to flush out debris.

According to expert herbalist and researcher Stephen Harrod Buhner, 

“Lomatium root is a potent and effective antiviral that is warming and drying in part due to a resinous property…this is the kind of herb one might reserve for the instance of a novel or exceptional viral infection…the root is the part used. It is on the United Plant Savers- at-risk list of wild herbs (due to loss from grazing livestock, wildfires and overharvesting). Typically, in modern times, it has been prepared as a tincture, and used in small amounts regularly, ½ ml several times throughout the day while affected…”

The primary areas of function are the lung, throat, sinus and immune system. Lomatium is a tonic for the mucous membranes of the body and can be both stimulating or sedating, helping the body reach homeostasis. 

In Chinese Medicine, lomatium, not a traditional herb in China, is used in formula with other Chinese herbs to harmonize actions and individualize the treatment based on the pattern discrimination, determined by various diagnostic methods. Lomatium, from the Chinese perspective, is said to effect the lung and spleen energy channels where it clears heat and dampness, tonifies and stimulate lung function while at the same time sedating and soothing the lungs, and detoxifying the skin-the largest organ in the body.

Lomatium has impressive and wide spectrum, antimicrobial properties. In numerous studies, the aromatic resins have been shown to excrete into the respiratory mucosa, making it an effective expectorant encouraging the thinning and expulsion of mucus.  The resins also help to prevent infections from spreading throughout the respiratory system.  A person with a head cold, chest cold, sinus infection, bronchitis, or pneumonia will benefit from using the root.  Lomatium also stimulates the immune system by increasing the number of white bloods cells. In large doses Lomatium is a laxative, and can cause diarrhea. In extreme does it is emetic, that induces vomiting. That is why low doses are best to start in all but the most severe cases.

Dr. Max Barlow a medical botanist studied Lomatium and other herbs for over 30 years and worked with Hulda Clark, who wrote the book, “The Cure For All Cancers.” 

  He also collaborated with Rene Caisse a famous Canadian nurse who took the advice from an old Indian medicine man and created (in the 1920’s) the natural cancer cure called Essiac tea. The traditional Essiac formula or recipe included 4-herbs: (in specific ratios of:turkey rhubarb root, burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm inner bark).

Dr. Barlow wrote an essay about Lomatium as it relates to the great flu pandemic of 1917-1918. He noted,

To summarize his essay…

The Washoe Indians living near Carson City, Nevada, collected the root and hung it from the top of their dwellings. While hundreds of thousands, (eventually millions) were sick and dying from this virulent strain of influenza just over 100 years ago, a local physician assigned to the Indian territory was amazed that nobody on the reservation was sick from this deadly flu, nor had their been any recorded deaths on the reservation. 

When the doctor asked about the roots hanging to dry on the ceilings of their dwellings, he was told it was “Dortza”, meaning – “a heap powerful medicine,” and was used to prevent colds and flu.  The doctor asked for some of the roots, after being told how to prepare them, and delivered the new herbal remedy to his influenza patients in San Francisco and the doctor noted,

“They just stopped dying.” 

Many decades earlier the Native Americans had discovered the healing power of Lomatium during a small pox outbreak in the 1800’s.

As many people know the Native Americans were put through unbelievable trials and were treated worse than animals. Dr. Klinghardt, the modern and cutting edge physician noted earlier in this blog Series, said: 

     …“In the 1800s, the Americans were known to rub blankets on children that were infected with the measles virus, and then hand them to the Native Americans, knowing that the Native Americans had no prior exposure to the measles and in their genes, no immune response capability to the measles. It’s estimated that over a million Native Americans died from the measles. It was their shamans, their healers, that eventually found lomatium to be protective and healing from that, through its potent antiviral activity…” 

Scientific investigation has revealed that the plant’s root contains volatile healing oil elements that stop virus replication and growth, eliminate bacteria and fungus and other lethal micro-organisms without harming the ones necessary to good health.

Extensive work has been done by over five universities on Lomatium dissectum. The studies noted:  “It is a powerful, nontoxic, viro-static against flu viruses…the anti-biotic activity of oil factions separated from the root of Lomatium were effective against 62 strains and species of bacteria, molds and fungi.” 

Lomatium has shown ability to inhibit and eliminate coronaviruses as well.

Barlow Herbal is one of the prime sources for high-grade, wildcrafted lomatium. It is run by Dr. Max Barlow’s daughter, Jane. They use the same extracting techniques that her father used so successfully. The alcohol tincture is called LDM-100, which has been used for over 40 years with remarkable results. 

Lomatium is very safe but does on rare occasions cause a harmless and short term rash in a few people. This is thought to be a detoxification reaction. The fungal or viral elements get stuck in the tissues and lomatium pushes it through the skin.

When the rash, though rare, arrives it can be a shock, lasting between 5-7 days. Of course this detoxification reaction is much less then what one risks when taking any kind of pharmaceutical medication.

To help move the rash through quicker, activated charcoal is also effective. While using lomatium, it is very important to drinks lots of water in order to flush out the toxins

Lomatium is safe for babies, kids, adults, and seniors and is an outstanding herb to have on hand, since it is such a potent aid in eliminating viral, bacterial or fungal infections. (One must use a smaller dose with infants and children. The dose is based on 150 pound person. So, a 15 pound child would use only one tenth of the adult dose).

Tincture is the easiest form, though tea infusion or decoction is possible if you are able to obtain wildcrafted lomatium root. The taste is strong, but simmer and cover for 20 minutes to keep the volatile oils intact for optimum medicinal strength.

To be safe: Do not use in pregnancy or when nursing. Do not use with blood thinning drugs. Lomatium is best for short term prevention or emergency intervention when acutely ill.

Where to Obtain Lomaium Root:

Barlowherbal.com (for tinctures and wildcrafted root)

Mountain Rose Herbals (for tinctures and wildcrafted root)

Star West Botanicals (wildcrafted root for decoctions)

Herb Pharm (tincture only)-they also have a wonderful formula called Virattack, which has lomatium root, St. John’s Wort flowering top, Echinacea root, Olive leaf, and Lemon Balm herb, which work synergistcally together.