Blackberry leaves organic cut

Leaf, root bark, fruit

 Leaf, root, root bark: alterative, astringent, blood tonic, diuretic, hemostatic, nutritive, refrigerant, tonic, uterine tonic, yin tonic

 Fruit: antioxidant, antiscorbutic, astringent, tonic

 Blackberries are closely related to raspberries, being in the same genus. They can be differentiated by the fact that blackberries bear larger, black or purplish berries and have longer, thornier canes that appear greenish-white in their first year. Most herbalists agree that blackberry plants share common uses, as de- tailed here, and red raspberry plants share their own common uses. Blackberry leaf was recommended for therapeutic use as early as the first century, by Dioscorides. The leaf helps clear heat, reduces inflammation, cools fever, and dries dampness. It is of benefit in cases of anemia, bleeding, cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, fever, gout, hemorrhoids, and infertility. The berries are considered to be a blood-building tonic and are beneficial in cases of anemia. With their antioxidant content, they are also a powerful anti- cancer and antitumor remedy. They also can be made into a delicious syrup to alleviate diarrhea in children. The root bark is considered to have the strongest medicinal action. It can be used in treatments for diarrhea, dysentery, internal bleeding, and leukorrhea.

Topically, blackberry leaf is used as an astringent for oily skin, to treat wounds, as a mouthwash for sores and weak gums, and as a gargle for sore throat. The leaves can be applied as a poultice to relieve the pain and itchiness of insect bites and to shrink hemorrhoids.