Saw Palmetto

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens): Saw palmetto berries are a tonic herb that is used in the treatment of debility, urinary tract problems and for reducing enlarged prostate glands. The partially dried ripe fruit is aphrodisiac, urinary antiseptic, diuretic, expectorant, sedative and tonic.

It is taken internally in the treatment of impotence, debility in elderly men, prostate enlargement and inflammation, bronchial complaints associated with coldness, and wasting diseases.

Saw palmetto is one of the few Western herbs that are considered to be anabolic (strengthening and building body tissue and encouraging weight gain). The fruit pulp, or a tincture, is given to those suffering from wasting disease, general debility and failure to thrive.

The fruit also has a beneficial effect on the urinary system, helping to reduce the size of an enlarged prostate gland and strengthening the neck of the bladder. The fruit has a probable oestrogenic action, it is prescribed in the treatment of impotence, reduced or absent sex drive and testicular atrophy in men and to stimulate breast enlargement in women.

The fruit is also used in the treatment of colds, coughs, irritated mucous membranes, asthma etc. A suppository of the powdered fruits, in cocoa butter, has been used as a uterine and vaginal tonic.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens/Sabal serrulata) is a palm-like plant with berries that were a staple food and medicine for the Native Americans of the southeastern United States. In the early 1900s, men used the berries to treat urinary tract problems, and even to increase sperm production and boost libido.

Today, the primary use of saw palmetto is to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.
Researchers aren't sure exactly how saw palmetto works, but it contains plant-based chemicals that may be effective for BPH. Researchers think that saw palmetto may affect the level of testosterone in the body, and perhaps reduce the amount of an enzyme that promotes the growth of prostate cells. Saw palmetto is often combined with nettle extract to treat BPH.

From the Spanimax List: "15 Top Herbs II"

References:

• The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants; Chevallier. A.
• A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants; Foster. S. & Duke. J. A.
• A Modern Herbal; Grieve.
• Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs; Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J.
• Saw Palmetto; University of Maryland, Medical Center
• Saw palmetto for the treatment of men with lower urinary tract symptoms; Gerber GS.