All-Healing Power of Allspice

Allspice is a spice made from the dried fruit before it ripens that grows on the Jamaican Pimento tree (Pimenta dioica) which grows in tropical areas of the world. The tree is a member of the Myrtacea family, and is a cousin of Cloves, Eucalyptus and Guava.

The name "Allspice" began to appear in English literature in 1621. The leaves, berries and bark are also used for medicine as well as food preparation. Fresh leaves are simmered in food to impart flavor. Leaves and bark are smoked as part of the well-known Jamaican "beef jerky." In the middle east, Allspice is added to soups and stews. It's commonly used in sausages around the world, and is often added to BBQ sauce.

This plant is mainly just used as a stand-alone spice which is prepared from the dried fruit. Allspice is one of the most popular herbs around the world, and tastes exactly as its name states: like a mixture of all spices. Allspice is known by many other names, including Kurundo, Jamaican pepper, and Newspice. Most agree that the unique flavor is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The Bush Doctors in Islands such as Jamaica call the herb pimento or 'spice', where it is used for its unique flavor, and also as a popular folk remedy.

Allspice has a complex mixture of naturally occurring constituents that include several categories of pain-relieving substances, such as anesthetics and analgesics. Anesthetics differ from analgesics; anesthetics produce numbness by actually blocking pain in nerve fibers, while analgesics help to relieve inflammation. One of the most important medicinal applications of allspice is its use as an herbal analgesic. The oil is often rubbed into the temples for headaches.

Bush doctors and traditional healers use it as part of an analgesic joint rub, which is massaged into painful joints and sinews. Many people report lasting relief. It is also mixed with wax or lotion and smoothed on the skin, causing rapid diaphoresis (sweating). This kind of application can break a fever associated with a cold or flu.

In addition, native healers prepare an infusion(tea) with allspice and other herbs, to be consumed piping hot. This promotes rapid diaphoresis and detoxification via the skin. The oil contained in allspice is often used as an oral anesthetic. When placed anywhere in the mouth, allspice will quickly produce numbing relief from toothaches, mouth, or gum pains. You can reapply to the afflicted area as needed. The active numbing ingredient is Eugenol, found in Allspice berries at a concentration of 95%! Many over the counter and oral preparations used in Dentistry today still contain Eugenol. Eugenol is a phenolic volatile oil with powerful antiseptic properties. It has been demonstrated to be antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral on a host of pathological microorganisms. These qualities have helped Allspice to continue to be useful in modern day dentistry. It numbs pain and kills microbes simultaneous which is perfect!

Many of the "Roots doctors" in tropical areas, use pimento in an herbal 'Bush bath'. A large outdoor tub is usually filled to capacity with the herbs, and hot water is added. A person then soaks in the tub, now filled with a powerful infusion. These baths have been demonstrated to be therapeutic for myalgia, arthralgia, fatigue, and chronic skin ailments, eczema and external infestations of lice and scabies. The volatile oils inhaled while bathing are antiseptic for the lungs and bronchi, and help in loosening and coughing up congestion.

Even if you are not in the bush, a patient with upper respiratory afflictions can benefit greatly by making a 'steam tent' and adding volatile oils to it. The use of allspice for dysentery and parasites highlights another important use of the plant, due to the presence of antimicrobial substances in the plant as well as large amounts of tannins, which act as an astringent, absorbing extra fluid from the bowels.

There is a commercially available liqueur, called Pimento dram, made from allspice, which some people use for headaches and stomach distress. Its reputation as a carminative (intestinal gas-reducing medicine, reducing gripe or colic) and as a smooth muscle relaxant may indicate why allspice is also used for dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual cramps) . So, the next time you need an ALL PURPOSE remedy, reach for the Jamaican ALLSPICE. You'll find it, as you reach into, The Natural Medicine Chest.

Ellen Kamhi PhD RN, author of "The Natural Guide to Great Sex," has been involved in natural health care for over 4 decades. She can be heard on WUSB, 90.1 fm Friday, 6 pm, WHPC 90.3 pm Wed 12 noon and on Progressive Radio Network. She answers consumer questions at www.naturesanswer.com, and has a private practice on Long Island. For more info, www.naturalnurse.com 800-829-0918.