Advertising card for Hood's Sarsaparilla, a blood purifier, which can be used to cure various ailments and general debility. Visual motif: A cupid figure blowing a horn and carrying a package of Hood's Sarsaparilla. 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.