B
Dosages (Bitterwood) — Quoting an old Merck recommendation, 1–2 g wood/day as decoction;
average dose 0.5 g, 2–3 ×/day (AHP); 5 drops tincture 3 ×/day (MAD); 500 mg (HHB; PHR; PH2).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Bitterwood) — Class 2b (AHP). “Hazards
and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2). Contraindicated in pregnancy
(PHR; PH2). Overdose is a gastroirritant, leading to nausea (AHP). Extended use may damage
vision (PHR).BLACK ALDER (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) ++Synonym — A. barbata C. A. Mey., A. glutinosa subsp. barbata (C. A. Mey.) Yalt., A. glutinosa
var. barbata (C. A. Mey.) Ledeb., Betula alnus var. glutinosa L., B. glutinosa (L.) Lam.
Activities (Black Alder) — Alterative (f; CRC); Astringent (f; CRC; PHR; PH2); Dentifrice (f;
CRC); Detergent (f; CRC); Diaphoretic (f; CRC); Diuretic (f; CRC); Hemostat (1; FNF; PHR;
PH2); Pulifuge (1; CRC); Tonic (f; PHR); Vermifuge (f; CRC).
Indications (Black Alder) — Angina (f; CRC; HH2); Bleeding (1; FNF; PHR; PH2); Cancer,
breast (f; CRC; JLH); Cancer, duodenum (f; CRC; JLH); Cancer, esophagus (f; CRC; JLH); Cancer,
pancreas (f; CRC; JLH); Cancer, pylorus (f; CRC; JLH); Cancer, rectum (f; CRC; JLH); Cancer,
throat (f; CRC; JLH); Cancer, tongue (f; CRC; JLH); Cancer, uterus (f; CRC; JLH); Enterorrhagia
(f; PHR; PH2); Fever (f; CRC; PH2); Hematochezia (f; CRC); Hepatosis (f; CRC); Malaria (1;
PH2); Ophthalmia (f; PH2); Pediculosis (f; CRC); Pharyngosis (f; CRC; PHR; PH2); Scabies (f;
CRC); Sore Throat (1; PHR; PH2); Splenosis (f; CRC); Streptococcus (1; FNF; PHR; PH2); Water
Retention (f; CRC); Worm (f; CRC).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Black Alder) — Not covered (AHP; KOM).
None reported in PDR.“Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”
(PH2) (but PH2 designates no specific quantified dosage! JAD). Regrettably, PHR and still PH2
report hypericin, probably meaning hyperoside. Hyperoside is what was reported in my CRC
Handbook of Medicinal Herbs (1985) and in Hager’s Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, ed.- So far, I have not yet found hypericin reliably reported outside the genus Hypericum, but
hyperoside is widely reported.
BLACK ASH (Fraxinus nigra Marshall) + +Activities (Black Ash) — Analgesic (f; DEM); Gastrotonic (f; DEM); Hepatotonic (f; DEM);
Laxative (f; DEM); Tonic (f; DEM).
Indications (Black Ash) — Constipation (f; DEM); Dysuria (f; DEM); Enterosis (f; DEM);
Gastrosis (f; DEM); Hepatosis (f; DEM); Infertility (f; DEM); Otosis (f; DEM); Pain (f; DEM);
Rheumatism (f; DEM); Stricture (f; DEM).BLACK BEAN, GREEN BEAN, etc. (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) +++The herbal PDR, which erroneously attributes the origin of the plant to India (it is native
American), also says: “Chromium salts present in the drug (greenbean) may cause an antidiabetic
effect.” Seeds of this species as black beans, brown beans, kidney beans, etc., may be as rich
in the estrogenic isoflavone, genistein, as soybean. And the seeds are much lower in fat than
soy seeds; so Jim Duke says that the health benefits of soy may very well carry over to kidney
beans, etc., perhaps with even better health benefits. So, I give black bean the same scores I
give soybean, better for cholesterol, etc., since the black bean has a much better fat:protein
ratio than the soy bean.