Bayberry (Myrica Cerifera)

September 23rd, 2007

Botanical Name: Myrica cerifera (LINN.)
Family: Myricaceae (Wax Myrtle Family)
Other Names: Candle berry, Wax berry, Wax myrtle, Tallow shrub
Synonyms-:–Wax Myrtle. Myrica. Candle Berry. Arbre Ã suif. Myricae Cortex. Tallow Shrub. Wachsgagle.
Flowers: March - April
Parts Used: The dried bark of the root. The wax.
Habitat: Sandy swamps, marshes, and woodlands from southern New Jersey to Florida and west to Arkansas and Texas.

Description-:–The only species of a useful family that is regarded as official, Myrica cerifera grows in thickets near swamps and marshes in the sand-belt near the Atlantic coast and on the shores of Lake Erie. Its height is from 3 to 8 feet, its leaves lanceolate, shining or resinous, dotted on both sides, its flowers unisexual without calyx or corolla, and its fruit small groups of globular berries, having numerous black grains crusted with greenish-white wax. These are persistent for two or three years. The leaves are very fragrant when rubbed.
The bark as found in commerce is in curved pieces from 1 to 7 inches long, covered with a thin, mottled layer, the cork beneath being smooth and red-brown. The fracture is reddish, granular, and slightly fibrous. The odour is aromatic, and the taste astringent, bitter, and very acrid. It should be separated from the fresh root by pounding, in late autumn, thoroughly dried, and when powdered, kept in darkened, well-closed vessels.

The wax was first introduced into medicinal use by Alexandre in 1722. It is removed from the berries by boiling them in water, on the top of which it floats. It melts at 47 to 49 C. (116.6 to 120.2 F.). It is harder and more brittle than beeswax. Candles made from it are aromatic, smokeless after snuffing, and very brittle. It makes a useful body for surgeon’s soap plasters, and an aromatic and softening shaving lather. It has also been used for making sealing-wax. Four-fifths of this wax is soluble in hot alcohol, and boiling ether dissolves more than a quarter of its weight. Four pounds of berries yield about one pound of wax.
Recognized as a most useful medicinal plant, the Bayberry (or Wax Myrtle) is a large evergreen shrub or tree, widely distributed in temperate regions. One or two varieties are hardy in cold climates. They are used in the garden for their attractive aromatic foliage and decorative fruits. Flowers appear in May before leaves are fully opened.Bayberry needs a lime-free soil. Some species grow in poor, sandy soil, but most prefer a moist, peaty soil. Leaf mold added to the soil is also beneficial. It is propagated by seed, layers, and suckers.

History: The early American colonists found the Bayberry tree growing throughout the East, but they used it to make fragrant candles rather than medicines. Initially Bayberry was used medicinally only in the South, where the Choctaw Indians boiled the leaves and drank the decoction as a treatment for fever. Late, Louisiana settlers adopted the plant and drank Bayberry wax in hot water “as a certain cure for the most violent cases of dysentery,” according to a medical account from 1722.
During the early 19th century, Bayberry was popularized by Samuel A. Thomson, a New England herbalist and creator of the first patent medicines. He touted it as second only to red pepper for producing “heat” within the body. Thomson recommended Bayberry for colds, flu, and other infectious diseases in addition to diarrhea and fever.

Constituents: Tannins, Myricadiol, Myricitrin, Resin, Gum .There has been found in the bark of stem and root volatile oil, starch, lignin, gum, albumen, extractive, tannic and gallic acids, acrid and astringent resins, a red colouring substance, and an acid resembling saponin.

The wax (Myrtle Wax) consists of glycerides of stearic, palmitic and myristic acids, and a small quantity of oleaic acid.
Medicinal Uses:
Astringent, stimulant and tonic. In large doses emetic. It is useful in diarrhoea, jaundice, scrofula, etc. Externally, the powdered bark is used as a stimulant to indolent ulcers, though in poultices it should be combined with elm. The decoction is good as a gargle and injection in chronic inflammation of the throat, leucorrhoea, uterine haemorrhage, etc. It is an excellent wash for the gums.

Commercially prepared mouthwashes with bayberry make good gargles because this herb is naturally antibiotic and helps stop sore throat pain.
It is used to stimulate sweating to treat bacterial infections, coughs, colds and ‘flu. It is strongly astringent making it useful for sore throats, diarrhoea, dysentry and spongy gums. It can also be used to treat irritable bowel syndrome and excess vaginal discharge.

A paste of the powdered root can be used to treat ulcers and sores.

The powder is strongly sternutatory and excites coughing. Water in which the wax has been ‘tried,’ when boiled to an extract, is regarded as a certain cure for dysentery, and the wax itself, being astringent and slightly narcotic, is valuable in severe dysentery and internal ulcerations.

Dosages:—Of powder, 20 to 30 grains. Of decoction, 1 to 2 fluid ounces. Of alcoholic extract, or Myricin, 5 grains.

Diarrhea - Bayberry root bark contains an antibiotic chemical (myricitrin), which may fight a broad range of bacteria and protozoa. Myricitrin’s antibiotic action supports Bayberry’s traditional use against diarrhea and dysentery.
Fever - The antibiotic myricitrin also helps reduce fever, thus lending credence to Bayberry’s use among the Choctaw Indians.

Caution: In large doses, Bayberry root bark may cause stomach distress, nausea, and vomiting. Those with chronic gastrointestinal conditions, such as colitis, for example, should use it cautiously.

Bayberry changes the way the body uses sodium and potassium. Those who must watch their sodium/potassium balance, such as people with kidney disease, high blood pressure, or congestive heart failure, for example, should consult their physicians before using it.

Preparation And Dosages:
Decoction: Boil 1 teaspoon of powdered root bark in a pint of water for 10 to 15 minutes. Add a bit of milk and drink cool, up to 2 cups a day. You’ll find the taste bitter and astringent. A tincture might go down more easily.
Tincture: Fresh root bark 1:2, dry root bark 1:5 in 60% alcohol. Take 20 to 60 drops, 2 to 4 times per day. As gargle, mix drops in a little water and gargle several times a day.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Other Uses:Used in landscaping especially as an enclosure or screen. It is fast growing and responds well to pruning.

In nature it provides habitat for birds and the waxy fruits provide high energy food for birds in the winter.

Because of the odoriferous compounds, wax myrtle has been used to repel insects including fleas and it is said that in the past it was commonly planted near homes to deter fleas.
A sprig of the plant in closets or cupboard drawers is said to keep cock roaches out.
Wax of the berries is used to make fragrant candles. To obtain the wax, boil the berries in water. The wax float to the surface and can be removed when hardened.

Resources:
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/bayber20.html
http://www.indianspringherbs.com/bayberry.htm
http://web.fccj.org/~dbyres/waxmyrtle/myrica2.htm
http://www.naturalcoldremedies.net/Sore_Throat_Gargles.shtml
http://members.lycos.co.uk/earthwyse/herbal/index-15.html