Solomon's Seal (polygonatum biflorum) is a medicinal herb that has diverse healing properties. It can be used as a herbal tincture (best use), salve, tea or supplement. As an alternative medicine, it gives relief, healing or mending to sports injuries and other acute injuries related to tendons, joints, ligaments, bones, bruises, connecting tissues, cartilage, osteoarthritis, etc. It also soothes and repairs gastrointestinal inflammation and injuries. It is effective for feminine issues, such as menstrual cramps, PMS, bleeding, and the like. Additionally, it is known to lower blood pressure, relieve dry coughs, and to increase concentration and mental clarity.

Herbal interventions are mostly used as tinctures, salves, teas, poultices, and the like. In each instance, a lay person may find it an involved process to create any of these, starting with accessing a quantity of the plant root, in the instance of Solomon's Seal, then using the proper sterile equipment and other ingredients (i.e. alcohol) in the right proportions. Our experience in creating tinctures, salves and flower essences eliminates any problems you may encounter if you tried doing it yourself. We only offer tinctures, salves or flower essences. We do not sell any raw ingredients.

This page has a lot of information. To help you navigate to different sections, it may be helpful to click on a quick link below.

What are Your Needs?
Dosage and Duration of Use
What is a Tincture?
Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Your Needs?

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Dosage & Duration of Use

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What is a Tincture?

A tincture is a liquid extract of an herb. It is made by soaking herbs in a drinkable alcohol. We use the highest quality vodka with our organic Solomon's Seal roots.

The alcohol extracts a great deal of the active ingredients, or phytochemicals, of the herb. Tinctures have much longer shelf lives than dried herbs and the potency can remain for up to two or three years or more.

Our tinctures are soaked from 4 to 8 weeks to ensure they are as strong as possible. Many weaker commercial tinctures are only left soaking for a few days. This is definitely not long enough to extract all of the herb's useful properties.

Please do not be put off by the fact that a tincture contains alcohol. Tinctures have been made for hundreds if not thousands of years and in our opinion ensure the highest possible product potency which will assist you in your quest for health and wellness. Additionally, keep in mind that almost all health care products, including perfumes, use alcohol as an ingredient to draw out the essential qualities of plant-based ingredients.

Why use a tinctured form?

There are three good reasons to use tinctures rather than capsules or powdered form.

1. Tinctures are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. This takes place in the upper end of the digestive tract. Capsules or powdered form diluted in liquid are treated by the stomach as food. This causes an enzymatic reaction that can in fact disturb sensitive or damaged gastrointestinal tracts. Tinctures do not cause such disturbance (many people have reported improved conditions in their stomach, whereas the powdered/capsulated form caused irritation). Tinctures also make the mucous membranes in the mouth more permeable, so that the herbal constituents can pass through and into the bloodstream QUICKLY, thus BYPASSING the digestive system!
2. Alcohol, as a solvent, dissolves different constituents than water. This means both the water and alcohol soluble constituents of the plant are utilized, providing a more potent remedy.
3. Tinctures are an easy form of herbal remedy for a person to take and the small bottle is easily carried.

Personal issues related to alcohol

Occasionally someone may have an emotional or spiritual aversion to consuming alcohol. Here are some thoughts about this.

To review for a moment, alcohol dissolves and extracts certain important phytochemicals, plant chemicals that are necessary for different formulae to be effective. Therefore, it is better than just water alone. The alcohol also helps the herbs to assimilate quickly into your body and preserves the formula, giving it a longer shelf life.

The amount of alcohol per dose is so insignificant; there is more alcohol in some mouthwashes. The amount of alcohol in the average dose of tincture is equal to the amount of alcohol in a ripe banana. This dosage has been tested on people who are alcohol sensitive with no adverse reactions. It is also a safe amount for anyone in a 12- step program or Alcoholics Anonymous.

If you are still concerned about consuming alcohol then there is a very simple solution: Simply add the drops of tincture to a little hot water and then leave for a minute or two. This will make the alcohol evaporate off and you will still get the benefits of the herb.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does Solomon's Seal work in treating arthritis and other injuries involving inflammation?

It is speculated that Solomon's Seal stimulates the body to produce cortisone. A similar belief is that it acts on the synovial glands, improving the production of synovial fluid and thus lubrication in the joints. In any case, the plant possesses a mucilagenous quality that coats and lubricates enflamed tissues while reducing friction and irritation.

Interestingly enough, the same mucilage that lubricates joints can loosen mucous in the lungs to treat coughs, as well as intestinal inflammation, and the starchy roots contain sugars that feed healthy bacteria in the intestines.

How does Solomon's Seal work to relieve gastric irritation or stomach inflammation?

The allantoin in Solomon's Seal acts as an anti-inflammatory that is good for inflammations of the stomach and bowels. It soothes irritated or damaged tissues and reduces general inflammation. The mucilaginous qualities help to soothe and ease gastric irritation.

Please discuss Solomon's Seal's "plasticity" effect on tissue injuries.

The body has what is called a plastic regeneration response to injuries, that is, the ability of the body to create a healing response that attempts to repair tissues following injury. This response is best seen in nature when a tree, for example, suffers a wound and forms a burl or scar tissue at that site.

The fascinating observation about Solomon's Seal's effectiveness is that the quality of repair to the injured tissue leaves little or no trace/evidence of scar tissue. Furthermore, it is also useful to fight and correct joint inflammation, tumors, as well as the acute and chronic swelling and edema that occur in the surrounding tissues following injury. In the case of broken bones, for example, soft connective tissues may still be out of balance with the surrounding tissues of joints, even after surgery or restoration. These types of problems are usually the result of excessive out-of-balance tensions on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This causes unnatural pressures and therefore bony overgrowth into the joint spaces and surrounding tissues. Solomon's Seal corrects these tension inbalances, thereby allowing the body to re-absorb the bone spurs.

Will Solomon's Seal help my knee problems?

Many people complain of knee issues: swelling, osteoarthritis, cartilage, and even the inability to comfortably stand up from a sitting position. Excessive exercise, aging, prior injuries, and even excess weight and obesity contribute to knee discomfort.

Not only does Solomon's Seal help to calcify and strengthen broken and normal bones, but it also decalcifies unhealthy deposits of Osteoarthritis in the joint spaces. Solomon's Seal also has some effect upon the cartilage. It has been effectively used alone or in combination with tincture made from the plant Horsetail to rebuild cartilage, such as that seen in the knee joints. One possibility is that it helps the cartilage to regenerate through the adjusting of the connective tissue tensions on the joint.

People often report having more spring in the knees, as well as being able to stand up easily. The fact that almost two-thirds of the U.S. population is overweight or obese contributes to knee issues. Solomon's Seal may be helpful to relieve discomfort, but the best advice is to remove excessive weight that severely impacts the knees and ankles.

I have tried Solomon's Seal in capsulated or powdered form (diluted in water or juice) and I get an ill effect in my stomach. Will this happen with a tincture?

This is a very important question. Please go to our discussion above about using a tincture and how it works in being absorbed quickly with no ill effects. In a nutshell, the capsulated/powdered form is actually treated as a food and sets up an enzymatic response in the stomach that may feel like heartburn. Some people who have tried this form of intervention have even complained of nausea. Or, they have experienced these same effects when taking certain vitamin supplements on an empty stomach, notably zinc and B-complex. Others may also have damaged or ulcerated linings as a result of bad diet prolonged use of medications and antibiotics. Continued use of medications/antibiotics strip the stomach of essential flora and fauna and enzymes. This is why yogurt or a suplement of acidophilus or bifidus is often suggested to restore balance.

Why does Cortesia Solomon's Seal Tincture have to be made with alcohol?

For some people alcohol may be an issue of concern. Just remember that most body or health care products use alcohol to draw out the essential qualities of the raw ingredients, if they are plant-based. Even perfumes, lotions, shampoos, deodorants, mouthwashes and the like have alcohol that is "ingested" into the body's tissues and/or bloodstream. Alcohol has been used for thousands of years and is simply the best. Water cannot draw out essential qualities. A common substitute is glycerin, but the shelf life of any subsequent product is very short because of its volitility to heat or sunlight. The taste of outdated glycerin-based products is decidedly stale.

For a more thorough discussion, quick link to the discussion about What is a Tincture? above.

What does the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) have to say about your product?

Your question is valid for anyone perhaps most familiar with the allopathic approach to health care (which includes, among other things, the use of surgery, synthesized pharmaceuticals, etc.) as compared to natural approaches such as homeopathy, naturopathy, and herbal (plant-based) medicine.

Ironically, many allopathic medications are initially derived from plants (most famous is aspirin) but are often synthentically manipulated. Western medicine is frequently contrasted to Eastern medicine, which is thousands of years older, and in which detailed and documented strategies have been created using plants, exercise, diet, and meditation, etc. Ayurvedic, yoga, food combining, homeopathy, naturopathy, flower essences, tinctures, salves - these have been most associated with Eastern medicine. In truth, however, the best approach is a complement of Western and Eastern modalities.

All "natural" interventions - herbal supplements, tonics, tinctures, salves, homeopathic medicines, etc. - do not require FDA approval. Of course, this has been a huge issue in our government. Why? Millions of people find relief daily using natural interventions over traditional medications. Naturally, there have been cases where certain herbs/plants are unhealthy to take in large quantities. The pharmaceutical giants consider natural interventions to be a cut in their profits, so they have lobbied very very hard with the FDA to ban them. This fight has intensified in the past few years, with the FDA unable to draw a firm line. In part, regulations would significantly affect the economy because thousands of businesses and stores would no longer be able to offer alternative medicines, thereby shutting down. But the larger part is this: a host of committed researchers and medical practitioners (both medical and naturopathic) have determined for many years now that naturopathic interventions in fact work to relieve conditions, are used in pharmaceutical formulations and research, and would in a sense be like throwing the baby out with the wash. Nonetheless, there will always be a battle on the political and corporate level.

The FDA encourages some statement on a container, leaflet, or other informational media (such as a website) that can be as simple as these: no medicinal claims; keep away from children, consult a physician first . . ., etc. They will, and have, most assuredly gone after those companies who have created "miracle" formulas that have ripped people off through clever multilevel marketing, infomercials, and generally "ecstatic claims."

The American Herbal Product Association (the industry-wide voice for quality and ethics in alternative medicines) has even stricter suggestions that we follow. We cannot put the statement on our bottle but state it on our website on every page.

I've read about the diverse benefits claimed by using Solomon's Seal. It really does seem like a "miracle cure" that you are promoting. Please respond.

We initiated this website for educational purposes, not to make any claims at all that are not supported by historical information, reports from medical professionals and ancillary disciplines, and anecdotal accounts by people who have used the plant.

Yes, the plant seems to have a rich history of use, and people have reported significant benefits. But we believe that one intervention alone should never account for palliation or cure of symptoms. This is why we promote overall wellness approaches, especially reassessing one's lifestyle choices around diet, types of exercise, stress control, spiritual focus, rest and relaxation, and the like. Furthermore, we believe in the power of positive thinking and affirmation. Similarly, a person's level of faith in something, whether it is religiously generated or not, may also be a key element.

In a nutshell, it would be foolhardy and haughty to make any miracle claims, so we don't. The concept of a miracle is personal and relative, not a blanket claim that can be bestowed upon anything!

I can't believe that there are no side effects to using Solomon's Seal. Explain.

Historical information as to its use does not indicate any side effects. From the dozens of people we have interviewed, none have reported any negative effects. Tinctures are pretty benign. Their intent is to capture the essential qualities of a plant and to dispense those in a few drops into the body, almost like homeopathic remedies, flower essences, aromatherpy and the like. Professionals have reported no effects from "overdosing."

In using Solomon's Seal, I haven't noticed any improvement for those symptoms/conditions I got it for. Why?

It is important to initially take the tincture regularly, as we suggest: several times daily, 5-10 drops. Some people report effects overnight or in one day; others after a few days or a week; still others may need several weeks or more. No hard research exists to explain the varying degrees of success reported, or why little effect is noticed.

We believe that regular use is critical, but there are other factors to consider. One is that, whereas your focus or desire was to feel an effect for a certain condition, the truth is that you may feel beneficial effects in other areas totally unexpected. In these instances it is as if Solomon's Seal acts as a "tune-up" mechanism for various areas of the body. With regular use (for a month or so), you may eventually experience a desired effect. We know of one man who experienced beneficial effects for his knees and intestines, but also reported lowered blood pressure and a more sound night's sleep without any other interventions.

Another factor in experiencing improvements (or not) may be lifestyle choice issues. It is possible that diets heavy in fats, sugars, proteins and carbohydrates may be masking benefits. We can't be certain without clinical research. Another delimiting effect might be this: sustaining an elevated level of activity that does not allow the body to relax or "come down" to a state of healing. For injuries it is absolutely necessary to rest and convalesce, or at least to pull back from one's regular level of exercise for a while.

Finally, we believe that one's attitude is important. If you are skeptical or cynical, this may affect your ability to sense change. If you are inclined to expect miracles, you are setting yourself up for dejection if something does not meet your expectations. If you have little "connection" to the signals your body gives you, or at least only when it sends signals of pain or discomfort, you may not be able to adequately read your body's suggestions. Lastly, if you are inclined to engage in "surplus imagination", you may be contributing more or less to the herb's effects than what is true.

How do you determine the cost of your Solomon's Seal products?

We believe our products are a fair price for our efforts, but there is more worth explaining. First, Solomon's Seal root, from which the tincture is made, is actually in very short supply. This is surprising given that the plant is native in the United States from the east coast to the midwest and grows abundantly in woodland areas. Clearly, the plant is not harvested in rich supply because the demand is not there. Therefore, the root we obtain is quite expensive compared to other readily available and in-demand plants. Secondly, the process to make our tincture is time-consuming and exacting. Our tinctures are "steeped" (non-heat) in their alcohol solution from 4-8 weeks; so, we must plan well ahead to ensure adequate supply for our customers. Thirdly, we make our tinctures, salves and flower essences in small batches weekly. This assures the highest degree of freshness and potency.

Is Cortesia Sanctuary available for public visits?

You can read much about our work and abode by visiting our main website, One Sanctuary. Our 22-acre sanctuary is private but visitations can be made by appointment. Here you will find 2-acres of beautiful gardens and many acres of deep woods and meadows interlaced with trails. We sit atop an isolated ridge just outside Eugene, Oregon, with a northwest view of over 100 miles.

Can I give Cortesia Solomon's Seal Tincture to my pet dog or cat?

Believe it or not, animals are perhaps more receptive to plant-based interventions than humans. They respond well to flower essences, salves and tinctures. We may not know exactly what they feel (before or after use), but their behaviors often give indications of effect. In fact, some people are more likely to be "attuned" to their pet's energies than to their own or others!

How can I contact you, in case I want a private consultation?

Please use the Contact Us link for email. Otherwise, visit the About Us page on this website. If it is a phone or in-person consultation, let's discuss a fair fee appropriate to your budget.

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