Description

This information has been provided because Ghost Pipe should be used at your own risk as there have been no formal studies about the relative amounts of grayanotoxin in the plant, and there is no way to predict how much winds up in a tincture. This ambiguity may be of particular relevance to someone with a heart condition, thus Ghost pipe is never suggested for those with heart conditions. Ghost Pipe is a traditional indigenous medicine which has been used since time immemorial. While there are no recorded deaths or sickness due to Ghost Pipe, recent studies have found that Ghost Pipe contains grayanotoxins which are cardiac glycosides. However, to offer clarity, a glycoside can be either good or bad for humans. For example Salicin is a ‘good’ glycoside in many beneficial plants that can be synthesized into Aspirin. Methyl-salicin is what makes Wintergreen balm “icy-hot.” The medicinal plant Digitalis contains a powerful cardiac glycoside which has been synthesized into the heart medication Digoxin, but using the medicine directly from the plant (without knowledge on how to use it) can seriously harm or even kill an adult human. Digitalis is commonly known as the Foxglove plant. Glucovanillin is an aromatic glycoside giving Vanilla bean its distinct flavor! Simply stated, a glycoside is just a compound formed from a simple sugar and another compound (by replacement of a hydroxyl group in the sugar molecule). The various glycosides present in plants can be considered flavorings, drugs or toxins depending on their properties and their dosages. Monotropa uniflora (Ghost Pipe) contains both a ‘good’ glycoside = monotropin (methyl salicin) and a potentially dangerous/toxic cardiac glycoside = grayanotoxin (andromedotoxin).