Sarsaparilla
Smilax ornata, Smilax regelii (and other Smilax spp.)
Herbs & Roots. Dr. Sebi's list, Latin American & Amazon and Caribbean.
Also called Jamaican sarsaparilla, Honduras sarsaparilla, Zarzaparrilla, Wild sarsaparilla
Spanish: Zarzaparrilla
Lead found in some productsThe root of a woody vine from Central America and the Caribbean, used in blood-cleansing teas and once used to flavor root beer.
Did you know? The name comes from two Spanish words, zarza (bramble) and parrilla (little vine), meaning a little bramble vine.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Skin. Long used for eczema and psoriasis. Only lab, animal and old reports exist.Traditional proof
- Joint pain & arthritis. Used for rheumatism and joint pain. No human trials were found.Traditional proof
- Cleansing & detox. The blood-cleansing idea has no clear meaning and no tests in people.Not supported
Parts of the body
Traditional use
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the root has long been brewed in blood-cleansing teas for skin problems and joint pain. Spanish explorers in the 1500s hoped it would help with syphilis.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Alterative, Diaphoretic. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Usually brewed as a root tea or taken as an extract. No trial has set a safe dose, so amounts vary widely from one product to another.
Tea, capsule and tincture.
Where to get it
Grows in forests of Central America and the Caribbean. Sold as cut or sifted dried root, extracts and tinctures. Species names on labels often disagree.
Be careful
Research on safety is thin. Avoid it in pregnancy, while breastfeeding, and with liver or kidney disease. Some products have been found with lead above safe limits.
Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; liver disease; kidney disease.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Both were used in old spring tonics and early root beer. Both contain safrole, so the pairing is not advised.
- Works well together
Jamaican root tonics often blend the two Smilax roots. Neither has human trials.
Found in these formulas
Jamaican roots tonic (Caribbean)
The honest take
Sarsaparilla is a traditional tonic with thin evidence. Claims about cleansing the blood and easing skin disease are not backed by human trials. Product quality and species names vary, and lead contamination has been reported.