It is the zinc chloride that is caustic, not the bloodroot. The recommended dose of bloodroot is to teaspoons of powder in a glass of juice, twice daily. If you are not toxic, you will feel no ill effects. If you have what it eliminates, you will feel extremely nauseaus and exhausted. And you will have nightmares. Lower the dose and slowly work up. Can take years to reach the recommended dose if you have a lot of cancer or virus in you body. I have taken as much as 24 capsules in a day. I am still alive. Bloodroot will go after the diseased tissues without harming healthy tissues. Do not take bloodroot salve internally. The zinc chloride is caustic.