This is the process I used to make a medicinal salve for use against snakebites. Last summer, I foraged some Arizona Snakeroot that is one of the main ingredients for this salve (link to that video is below). My primary resource for this project was the book, “Medicinal Plants of the American Southwest,” by Charles W. Kane (probably my favorite book on the subject). As always, make sure to do your own research before attempting this sort of thing.
The medicinal properties in this salve work to neutralize snake venom. I carry a container of this salve with me in my pack at all times during the warmer months here in the desert. I’m often alone and a long ways from any road. If I’m bitten, I will use the salve, but I will then make every effort to get myself to where I can get proper medical attention.
This medicinal salve combines equal parts Arizona Snakeroot (Pipevine) and Echinacea. Oil (I use olive oil) is needed in order to make the herbal oil and then beeswax is used for the final stage of converting the herbal oil into a salve.
Here’s a more detailed description of what’s going on in this video:
After collecting the snakeroot, I prepared it for dehydrating by washing the root and cutting it into smaller pieces. I set my dehydrator at around 110 degrees F and let it run until the root pieces were completely dry.
I wasn’t able to wild forage the echinacea, so I purchased it in capsules and emptied the capsules.
In order to extract the medicinal properties from the snakeroot and the echinacea, I mixed them with 190 proof ethyl alcohol at a ratio of 1 part herb (weight) to 1/2-1 part alcohol (volume), covered the containers and let them sit for at least an hour.
Alcohol-saturated herb was then mixed with olive oil at a 7:1 ratio (oil to herb) and blended until the blender container was warm to hot (be careful, especially if the container is hot, because pressure will have built up and hot oil splashing out and running over your hands isn’t fun).
Pour the mixture through a cloth or strainer bag to separate what is now an herbal oil from the herb. Discard the herb.
With the herbal oil finished, it can now be used to make the salve. All that is needed for this step is to slowly melt in beeswax at a 7:1 ratio (herbal oil to herb). Once the beeswax is fully melted, and while mixture is still hot, pour into containers. As the salve cools, it will solidify.
Here’s a link to my earlier video where I search for and locate the snakeroot: Foraging for Arizona Snakeroot