Radium Weed Health Benefits, Properties, and Uses

Radium weed is the name for the Euphorbia peplus plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family. Radium weed is a term used in Australia. In the U.K., radium weed is called petty spurge. It’s also sometimes called milkweed. Radium weed is an annual herb that grows up to a foot tall. The radium weed stem is smooth. The plant produces small green leaves that are oval-pointed in shape. Radium weed also produces small green flowers.^1,2

Radium weed originated in Europe and Asia. It now grows in many temperate or subtropical climates. It is considered native to California. It also grows in Australia, New Zealand where it is considered a noxious weed.^3,4,5

When you break radium weed stems, they produce a milk sap. It’s this sap that is considered a useful natural remedy and what is used in herbal medicine.^1,2

Radium Weed Health Uses and Health Benefits

Radium weed sap is toxic to fast-growing cells. Because of this, scientists have long studied radium weed for cancer. It’s been studied as a topical treatment for skin carcinomas and other types of skin infections or diseases.^2,3

Scientists have discovered that there are potentially several active compounds in radium weed that are unique, anticancer substances. One of these compounds is ingenol mebutate. Pharmaceutical companies have been looking for ways to create a synthetic version of radium weed compounds to use as an anticancer medication.^1,2

People in the Ukraine have used radium weed to treat several cancers including liver, stomach and uterine cancers.¹

Traditional radium weed uses include being a natural remedy for skin warts, corns, sunspots and sun damage as well as general skin lesions.³

Other radium weed benefits and uses include:

• Reducing inflammation
• Treating respiratory conditions like asthma
• Stopping diarrhea
• Lowering high blood pressure

One of the main radium weed uses is for:

• Skin Cancer - Radium weed for cancer has been studied because of its potent effect on fast-growing cells. Applying radium weed topically to sun damaged skin may help to prevent or treat skin cancer.

Radium Weed Side Effects and Precautions

People with latex allergies may experience radium weed side effects when coming into contact with its milky sap. Only apply to clean skin. Do not apply on healthy skin or in the eye area.³

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21375515
2. http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_radium_weed.htm 
3. http://growyouthful.com/remedy/milkweed-euphorbia-peplus.php 
4. http://www.iewf.org/weedid/Euphorbia_peplus.htm 
5. https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=EUPE6