- Region
- South America
- Origin
- Central Chile; naturalised elsewhere and a feared weed in Australia
- Traditions
- Mapuche medicine
South America · Herb · № 868
Cestrum parqui
Herb · South America
Palqui (green cestrum)
Cestrum parqui
A fast-growing, foul-smelling shrub of the nightshade family. All parts are poisonous because of alkaloids.
Safety notes
Highly toxic to people and livestock; do not use it yourself, not even externally.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Healing traditions of the Americas: Highly toxic to people and livestock.
Preparation
Do not prepare or use it yourself.
Use in traditions
In Chilean folk medicine palqui was used to bring on sweating during fever and as a wash against the rash from the litre shrub and from nettles; a Chilean saying goes that where the devil sowed a nettle, God planted a palqui. In healing ceremonies in the south the foul-smelling plant is used to drive out evil forces.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Healing traditions of the Americas
Attributed effects
In folk medicine to bring on sweating during fever and as a wash for rash from litre and nettles.
Preparation and amount
Do not prepare or use it yourself.
Caution: Highly toxic to people and livestock.