Witnessed by: Western · Unani
White bryony (Bryonia dioica), of the Cucurbitaceae family. Rough climbing perennial vine with spiral tendrils, palmate leaves and red berries, from a massive fleshy root; native range: hedgerows and thickets of Europe, western Asia and North Africa. Globally recognized as fashira in Arabic, and wild vine, English mandrake, tetterberry, wild hop in English. The part used is root. A great pale turnip-like root, milky and acrid when fresh, of a nauseous bitterness that bites the throat and offends the stomach.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
WHITE BRYONY
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- White bryony
- Scientific name
- Bryonia dioica Jacq.
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
Form
- Part used
- root
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Western
- bitter · acrid
- Unani
- bitter · acrid
Temperature
- Western
- hot
- Unani
- hot & dry (3rd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- bowels · joints · lungs · kidneys
- Unani
- intestines · joints · lungs
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Western
- drastic hydragogue cathartic, diuretic, emmenagogue; rubefacient applied externally
- Unani
- mus-hil-e-qawi (powerful purge), muhallil (resolvent), mudir (diuretic and emmenagogue)
Cautions
Contraindications: pregnancy, inflamed or irritable bowel, and all debilitated states; not for domestic use
Toxicity: violently irritant and poisonous - the root and berries cause burning, bloody purging, vomiting and collapse; a few berries have killed children
Interactions
- Western
- diuretics: additive fluid and potassium loss from drastic catharsis and diuresis · cardiac glycosides: purgative potassium depletion heightens glycoside toxicity
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