Sabal serrulata / Saw Palmetto / Arecaceae (Palm family)
Information
This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.
Other Names
Serenoa repens, Sabal serrulatum, Saw palmetto, Palmier de l’ Amerique du Nord, Sagepalme, Zwergpalme, Palmetto di Florida, Zaagpalmbes.
Description
Sabal serrulata, also known as Serenoa repens and more commonly Saw Palmetto is a small palm found commonly in the Southeastern United States. It is a fan palm of the Arecaceae family that grows to be about 2m in height. It is particularly known for its large (30mm) fruits or "berries". Saw Palmetto is a common source of food and shelter for a variety of animals and insects of the Southeastern United States making it an ecologically important plant. Saw palmetto fruits have been reported to have been eaten by American natives for centuries. Today it is an economically important crop because of its supposed medicinal properties (1).
Seronoa repens is listed as a Traditional North American medicine and Traditional European medicine. Seronoa repens and its extracts is mentioned in various pharmacopoeias, it has a positive monograph by the German Commission E., a monograph in the World Health Organization volume 2, and in the U.S. is sold as a dietary supplement. (2)
Contents
The seed oil is an abundant source of short chain fatty acids and their glycerides. The major one being lauric acid. The fruit is also a rich source of phytosterols such as sitosterol, campesterol, and cycloartenol (2).
Historical
Saw palmetto has a long history of human use both as a food crop and medicinal herb. The fruits were a common food source for natives of the Southeastern United States. In the 1800’s the first description of its medicinal use came into being. (1). Even today the fruits of Saw Palmetto are widely used to support the health of the prostate and the urinary tract. 2-4 g of dried fruits or equivalent tincture helps maintain a good function of the prostate and supports peak urinary flow. (3)
Plant Description
Saw palmetto is for the most part stemless and grows to be about 2 meters in height. It has fan shaped leaves with teeth along the edges of the stalk. It forms clusters of small flowers with form fruits that can reach up to 30mm in length. The berries turn black as they mature (2).
Legal Remarks
This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries.
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References
(1) George W. Tanner, J. Jeffrey Mullahey and David Maehr. "Saw-palmetto: An Ecologically and Economically Important Native Palm". Circular WEC-109. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. (July 1996).
(2) Ben-Erik van Wyk, Michael Wink. "Medicinal Plants of the World". Timber Press, 2004.
(3) BHC 2006 p.345-52; BHP 1996 p.166-7; Canadian government (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/prodnatur/mono_sawpalmetto-palmiernain_e.pdf); Commission E monograph; ESCOP monograph; Hager Drogen P-Z p. 681-7; WHO monograph.
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