Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Levantine and eastern-Mediterranean folk medicine the leaves and roots of Rubus sanctus, rich in tannins, are used as an astringent remedy: leaf decoctions and infusions are taken for diarrhoea and to gargle for sore throat and mouth inflammation, and applied to wounds, while the fruits are eaten. Lev and Amar record the medicinal use of bramble (Rubus) in the traditional materia medica of the Levant for such astringent indications (Lev & Amar, 2002). The strong tannin content of blackberry leaf underlies these uses.
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Botanical Description
Rubus sanctus, the holy bramble (sometimes treated as Rubus ulmifolius subsp. sanctus), is a scrambling, thorny perennial shrub of the rose family, Rosaceae, native to the eastern Mediterranean basin and adjacent western Asia. It produces long, arching, branching canes up to two or three metres long that are armed with stout hooked prickles and often take root where their tips touch the ground. The leaves are alternate and palmately compound, usually with three to five toothed, dark-green leaflets that are conspicuously whitish-hairy on the undersurface. Five-petalled flowers, pale pink to whitish, are borne in clusters in summer. These are followed by aggregate fruits that ripen from red to glossy black, edible though less fleshy than cultivated blackberries. The species grows in thickets, hedgerows, riverbanks and rocky slopes, and a specimen at the Chapel of the Burning Bush on Mount Sinai is traditionally venerated, giving the plant its common name.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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