The Medicinal Herb Info site was created to help educate visitors about the often forgotten wisdom of the old ways of treating illnesses. Many of today's drugs and medicines were originally derived from natural ingredients, combinations of plants and other items found in nature.

We are not suggesting that you ignore the help of trained medical professionals, simply that you have additional options available for treating illnesses. Often the most effective treatment involves a responsible blend of both modern and traditional treatments.

We wish you peace and health!

Colombo

Scientific Names

Colombo

  • Cocculus palmatus L.

Common Names

  • American colombo
  • Calumbo
  • Colomba
  • Colomba root
  • Foreign colombo
  • Kalumb

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Parts Usually Used

Roots
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Description of Plant(s) and
Culture

Colombo

Colombo is a climbing perennial plant; the thick, brown rootstock sends up 1 or 2 round and hairy stems which are simple in the male plant and branched in the female. The leaves are alternate, cordate, and 3-9 lobed.
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Where Found

Found in the forests of southeastern Africa .
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Medicinal Properties

Antiemetic, febrifuge, tonic
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Uses

Colombo used to relieve vomiting, and nausea, especially during pregnancy. Useful for fevers, chronic diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, rheumatism, pulmonary consumption, and colon problems. A bitter tonic, it improves appetite, and helpful for dyspepsia.
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Formulas or Dosages

Keep the rootstock in slices until ready to use, then pulverize it.

Infusion: use 1 level tsp. rootstock with 1 cup boiling water; steep for 30 minutes and strain. Take 1 tsp., 3 to 6 times a day.

Tincture: take 5-10 drops at a time.
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Bibliography

Buy It! American Folk Medicine, by Clarence Meyer, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, 1973

Buy It! Back to Eden, by Jethro Kloss; Back to Eden Publishing Co., Loma Linda, CA 92354, Original copyright 1939, revised edition 1994

Buy It! Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants, by Steven Foster and James A. Duke., Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000

Buy It! The Herbalist Almanac, by Clarence Meyer, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, copyright 1988, fifth printing, 1994

Buy It! The Herb Book, by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974.

Buy It! Old Ways Rediscovered, by Clarence Meyer, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, published from 1954, print 1988

Buy It! Planetary Herbology, by Michael Tierra, C.A., N.D., O.M.D., Lotus Press, PO Box 325, Twin Lakes. WI 53181., Copyright 1988, published 1992

Buy It! The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine, by Dr. David Frawley & Dr. Vasant Lad, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, Second edition, 1988.

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