Bloodroot's name is derived from the color of the reddish roots which contain the phytochemical sanguinarine- the main ingredient in many commercially available mouthwashes, toothpastes and cough preparations. It acts as an antiseptic that prevents bacteria from forming plaque on teeth. It is not recommended to ingest sanguinarine, brush or gargle with the product, then spit it out. The raw red juice pressed from the root is poisonous.

The red juice from the root is used externally in pastes and salves to remove warts, skin tags, and some skin cancers. Eclectic doctors in the late 1800's formulated salves with bloodroot, flour, water, and zinc chloride and applied it directly to tumors and other cancers. Blood root does have the unique ability to dissolve abnormal skin growths, however skin cancers should not be self treated, it is especially important not to try to remove a blue or black skin tumor with blood root. These could be melanoma, and must be treated by a physician.