Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Rhus Toxicodendron

Description

Rhus toxicodendron is the homeopathy remedy commonly known as poison ivy. This plant from the Anacardiaceae family grows in fields and wooded areas in North America. The plant is commonly identified by its pointy leaves that grow in threes.

There are two varieties of this plant. Poison ivy is a twining vine with a thick stem that branches out into slender stems. Poison oak is a shrub that reaches a height of 4 ft (1.2 m). The plant is also known as mercury vine or poison vine.

A main constituent of the plant is toxicodendric acid, a volatile substance that is most potent after dusk, in damp or cloudy weather, or in June and July. This oil is poisonous when it comes in contact with the skin. Symptoms of poisoning include an itchy red rash that forms...