Pulsatilla: fresh vs. dried.

Fresh tincture works, dried doesn't...

Somebody wrote, on a herbalist mailing list:
>> does anyone know where I may be able to get some Fresh plant tincture of Anemone?
Somebody else replied to that:
> I thought fresh anemone contained alkaloids that are poisonous. Drying is essential to make it safe.

To which I said:

If the Anemone is Pulsatilla, then:

Fresh plant tincture of Anemone (or Pulsatilla) works in drop doses.
Dried plant tincture of Anemone (or Pulsatilla) is pretty much inert.

I expect that's the reason why the Brits scratched their heads, 100 years ago: "What's the fuss about Pulsatilla all about?" whereas the Americans praised it to the heavens.

(British:) "It has been employed for the relief of headache and neuralgia; but there is no reliable evidence of its value."

(American:) "Though not of Eclectic origin, pulsatilla is one of the most important medicines in Eclectic therapy. For certain nervous phases, both in acute and chronic diseases, no remedy can exactly duplicate its action."

(American:) "Pulsatilla is a remedy of wide applicability, but more particularly for those conditions in which the mind is a prominent factor."

I use the fresh herb tincture (1-5 drops of a 1:2 95 %, 1-3 x/day) the same way classical homeopaths use their Pulsatilla: to help people get out of a rut, change tracks, get the courage to change things so that they won't head into their perceived very gloomy future.

Sorry, can't help with the "where can I get this tincture from" question; I make my own.

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Related entries: Pulsatilla - Herbs for Happiness