Claimed to be an effective remedy for scrofulous disorders and a variety of other ailments. Visual motif: A sickly woman, seated in a chair, being served Ayer's Sarsaparilla. Also shown in this outdoor scene are two children, a dog, and another woman. Smilax regelii (sarsaparilla) was considered by Native Americans to have medicinal properties, and was a popular European treatment for syphilis when it was introduced from the New World. From 1820 to 1910, it was registered in the US Pharmacopoeia as a treatment for syphilis. Modern users claim it is effective for eczema, psoriasis, arthritis, herpes, and leprosy, along with a variety of other complaints. There is no peer-reviewed research available for these claims. Mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis, also known as scrofula, refers to a lymphadenitis of the cervical lymph nodes associated with tuberculosis as well as non tuberculous (atypical) mycobacteria.