Equisetum. Equisetum hyemale.

Synonym—Scouring rush.

CONSTITUENTS—

Silex, resin, wax, sugar, starch, salts, fixed oil.

PREPARATIONS—

Specific Equisetum. Dose, from five to thirty minims.

Therapy—A diuretic useful in suppression of urine from any cause. Useful in dropsy and in lithemic conditions, where the urine is scanty, of high specific gravity, and dark-colored. It is advised in hematuria, and is of much service in both gonorrhea and gleet. In cases of irritable bladder with much tenesmus, it is soothing in its influence. It is valuable in the treatment of nocturnal incontinence of urine in children, and in incontinence induced by cystic irritation.

An infusion made from the green stalks of the plant, is sometimes of more service than other forms, a fact which is true of a large number of diuretics.

Some authorities have advised the powdered ashes of this agent in the treatment of certain forms of acid dyspepsia. This influence is probably due to the presence of the potassium or sodium hydrate, or their compounds, in these, ashes, and these substances are readily supplied from more available sources.

Equisetum is used where there is suppression of urine or scanty urine, or where there is irritability of the mucous surface of the urinary tract. Boskowitz' Review says that it has been found of value in prostatitis. It should be given where there is stinging pain in the glands. There is pain at the base of bladder and in the prostate, and there is irritability of the nervous system. The dose is from five to ten drops.

Dr. Jedlicka of Wisconsin thinks that it influences morbid enlargements within the urinary apparatus. It is primarily astringent, and tonic. He used it in prostatic enlargements combined with salix nigra. He finds it to act favorably also in gastric ulcer.

The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 1919, was written by Finley Ellingwood, M.D.
It was scanned by Michael Moore for the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine.