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“Blood of the Dragon”
the Amazing Rainforest Botanical for First
Aid
By Kosa Ely
Standing at
the base of the Sangre de Drago tree at a
botanical reserve in Peru, I peered up to
admire its beautiful heart-shaped leaves.
This tree, about three years old, had
already reached a height of forty feet.
Known by the Latin name; croton lecheri, the
Indigenous people have named this rain
forest tree sangre de grago in Brazil, and
sangre de drago in Peru, both which
translate into English as 'blood of the
dragon.'
It’s not by accident it was given this name.
Imagine a tree that 'bleeds' a blood-red
sap. And this unusual sap or resin, when
applied to wounds, stops bleeding, decreases
pain and swelling immediately, and prevents
infection. When taken internally, it stops
hemorrhaging. When our guide took his
pocketknife and made a small cut across the
bark, I was surprised how easily the tree
gave its sap.
One of the first white women to travel the
Amazon, living with the native people, and
researching the botanical secrets of the
shamans was Nicole Maxwell. Back in the
1950’s Nicole first found out about this
tree when she cut her leg in the jungle and
her guide applied the sap to her leg. Nicole
wrote, “A tree sap called Sange de grago,
when applied to my leg wound, immediately
relieved pain and promoted rapid healing
without leaving any traces of a scar.”
Nicole brought samples of the Sangre de
drago sap and bark to a pharmaceutical
company in the U.S. with the hope it would
be studied and made available here in North
America.
Sangre de Drago has continued to be studied
by drug companies over the past fifty years,
hoping to separate its active ingredients to
patent drugs to treat herpes, stomach
ulcers, heart disease, etc. Because of its
strong anti-viral properties it is also
being studied for use with hepatitis.
Classical Homeopath and Herbalist Jane
Cicchetti writes "Research has shown Sangre
de drago to be a potent inhibitor of pain
and inflammation. Studies at Albany Medical
College in New York conducted by Dr. John
Wallace demonstrated that Sangre de drago
blocks the activation of nerve fibers that
relay pain signals to the brain, therefore
functioning as a broad acting pain killer.
"Pain and
inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract
were shown to be alleviated in animal
studies where the sap promoted
gastrointestinal healing.
"Now science
has confirmed this wisdom passed down
through generations of shaman herbalists on
the ability of the blood red sap to
alleviate the pain of wounds, stings and
gastrointestinal disorders.
“Several patents have been taken out by a
U.S. pharmaceutical company for drugs made
from isolated ingredients of the plant for
the treatment of herpes, influenza and
respiratory viral infection. Even though
these patents show that the isolated
ingredients have an effect, from a holistic
and naturopathic perspective, it is much
wiser to use the naturally occurring
substance. The wisdom of using the natural
whole substance is especially significant in
this case because we have a wealth of
information on its safe and effective use by
indigenous people over a very long period of
time."
Noted scientist and researcher Christian
Drapeau writes, "For centuries, the sap of
Sangre de drago has been painted on wounds
by Indigenous people to help stop bleeding,
accelerate skin regeneration and healthy
tissue growth. When taken internally, it
maintains a healthy lining of the digestive
system. Sangre de drago also contains
compounds that have been extensively studied
by the scientific community. These compounds
have been shown to promote respiratory and
intestinal health. It is one of the
strongest antioxidants and cicatrizing
agents known. The dried sap of the Sangre de
drago tree contains 90% proanthocyanidins,
the antioxidant found at much lower
concentration in pycnogenol and grape-seed
extract."
"Sangre de Drago is a typical example of
morphism. Morphism is the relationship
between the utilization of an herb and its
physical shape that is reminiscent of the
organ it supports. Sangre de Drago is red
like blood and it helps stop bleeding.
Furthermore, the leaves of Sangre de Drago
tree have the shape of a heart, and this
tree contains one of the strongest natural
antioxidants known to support cardiac
function."
Shari Henson, with the American Botanical
Council, writes,
"The sap of Sangre de Drago has been used to
treat various illnesses in adults, children,
and infants. The result of in vitro and in
vivo studies largely supports most of the
ethnomedical uses of Sangre de drago. These
include the treatment of diarrhea; wounds;
tumors; stomach ulcers; herpes infection;
and the itching, pain and swelling of insect
bites."
Sangre de drago is also being used for
animals. Veterinarian Dr. John Hanover uses
Sangre de drago in his clinic, both for
routine treatments and for emergencies. “A
dog was brought to us bleeding from a tumor
in his mouth. It had been bleeding for two
days. We set up for surgery. This dog was
bleeding to death and was going to need a
blood transfusion if its blood volume got
any lower.
"I had the
dog’s caretaker put Sangre de drago on the
tumor area and press for five minutes. The
bleeding slowed to half. Five minutes later
he put Sangre de drago on a second time.
This time the bleeding stopped. The dog
didn’t have to go to the emergency clinic
and have blood transfusions. Sangre de drago
saved the dog further trauma, perhaps even
his life, and saved his owner thousands of
dollars."
In my household, we have happily used Sangre
de drago, internally and topically for three
years. My eleven-year old son had this to
share, "I use the Sangre de drago for cuts,
injuries, burns, stings, cold sores,
blisters, and if I get a sore throat I
squirt it my mouth. The Sangre de drago
stops my wounds from bleeding pretty quick.
It seems like it makes a scab in about 30
seconds. It stings while it’s drying, but
then it stops hurting altogether. I'll put
Sangre on usually once a day and my injuries
get better without getting infected.
"I like to
roller blade at the Skate Station. One time
I fell and split my chin open. I had to get
more than 35 stitches in my chin, 3 layers
deep. I didn’t care about the stitches and
went swimming the next day. Thanks to the
Sangre de drago my chin didn’t break open or
get infected. When I got the stitches
removed I continued to use the Sangre de
drago to stop it from hurting and I only got
a small scar."
After hearing my son’s report it won’t come
as a surprise to you that I keep a small
bottle of Sangre de drago in my kitchen,
bathroom, purse and car. I am prepared to
assist any man, woman, child, or animal with
a hearty squirt of Sangre de drago for
emergency first-aid. A bottle of Sangre de
drago is one of my favorite gifts to give
moms, teachers, coaches, pet owners,
lifeguards, paramedics, and everyone else.
If you would like Sangre de drago for
first-aid, or as a dietary supplement, it is
contained in the following Amazon Herb
formulas: Sangre de Drago™, Fiberzon™,
Fiberzon Plus™, Gravizon™, and
Illumination™. Please know your purchase
directly supports Indigenous people and the
rain forest. |
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