2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The willow is a medicinal plant known since ancient times. Although its leaves are sometimes used, the bark of the tree is known as a powerful remedy in folk medicine in many countries.
What makes willow bark useful?
It contains a substance called glycoside salicin. This is a natural component, unique in its properties, which was discovered by the German scientist Buchner in the early 19th century. A little later, Italian professors managed to isolate from the substance "salix" - the well-known salicylic acid. It is on its basis appears the drug known to all in official medicine - aspirin. Currently, however, salicylic acid is produced artificially, as it is very expensive to extract from willow bark (white willow).
When you take salicin in the form of tinctures or decoctions of willow bark, salicylic acid begins to be produced in the human body. Its effect is less harmful than the effect of synthetic aspirin. Studies show that long-term use has a negative effect on the functioning of the digestive system.
Except salicin willow bark contains tannins, oxalates, flavonoids, pectins, amino acids, ascorbic acid, resins, etc.
What are the benefits of willow bark?
White willow bark has diuretic, choleretic, astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antiparasitic, antipyretic, analgesic, hemostatic, diaphoretic, antirheumatic, sedative, hypnotic, antioxidant, immunostimulatory effect.
The useful plant can lower blood pressure, deal with fever, relieve inflammation, overcome viral infections, remove parasites from the body and stop diarrhea. It also promotes rapid healing of open wounds and burns on the skin, has a beneficial effect on affected joints and pathologically altered veins. You can use willow bark not only for effective treatment but also for prevention of various diseases.
Recommended the use of willow bark in the following diseases:
- neuralgia of various origins;
- osteochondrosis;
- heart disease;
- rheumatic diseases, gout;
- cystitis;
- damage to joint tissue;
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- varicose veins;
- periodontitis;
- respiratory and viral infections;
- excessive sweating;
- gynecological pathologies;
- skin diseases and lesions.
- depression, chronic fatigue and sleep problems.
Willow bark in symptoms of diabetes
People with diabetes often face the appearance of such unpleasant symptoms as lesions and wounds on the skin, joint pain. Decoction of white willow will help cope with these manifestations of the disease. Daily foot baths, rubs and compresses will relieve the condition, joint pain and restore the affected skin. It can be used externally to eliminate the symptoms of diabetes for a long time.
Willow for colds and sore throats
It is possible to relieve fever and intense fever, which always accompany the flu and respiratory infections. The antipyretic effect of willow bark helps to alleviate the condition and speed up the healing process. Additional, willow bark helps to deal with cough as well as sore throat. The medicinal plant can be taken for tonsillitis, bronchitis and other diseases that affect the respiratory tract. It is used both internally in a decoction and for gargling and gargling every 2-3 hours. To be accepted only by persons over 16 years of age!
Willow bark for varicose veins
Foot baths with a solution of boiled willow bark are considered one of the effective means in the treatment of varicose veins. This drug will help strengthen the walls of the veins, speed up blood circulation, relieve swelling of the legs and eliminate inflammation. The procedure needs to be performed every day (preferably in the evening). For this purpose, the healing solution should be poured into a large basin or other wide container and the feet should be immersed in it. One session should last 20-30 minutes.
White willow against joint diseases
Willow tincture and decoction help deal with inflammatory processes affecting the joints. Regular use of the drug will eliminate the attacks of pain, swelling, fever that occur in rheumatoid arthritis, gout and other pathologies localized in the joint tissues. It can be taken orally, as well as rubbed and made compresses with a solution of willow bark. The full course of treatment with this plant should last at least a month.
Treatment of neuralgia with willow bark
If the peripheral nerves are damaged, willow bark will help relieve pain and inflammation in the affected area. Decoctions for rubs and compresses are used to treat neuralgia. A sterile cloth or gauze is moistened in a pre-prepared cooled liquid and applied to the affected area. You can rub into the sore spot an alcoholic tincture of willow bark. The procedure should be performed regularly until all symptoms of the disease are completely eliminated.
Willow bark in gallstone disease
Willow bark can also be used for any disorders of bile flow (dyskinesia, gallstone disease). The special properties of this plant will help remove bile from the body, relieve spasms and inflammation of the bile ducts. You need to take small doses of decoction for a month. The next course can be repeated after 2 weeks.
White willow and stomach diseases
In gastritis, frequent chronic constipation, digestive disorders is useful to use decoction of white willow bark 30-40 minutes before eating. A healthy drink can reduce pain and inflammation in the epigastric region. If you have a stomach ulcer, you should refuse to take willow bark. In such a disease, the herbal medicine can harm the weakened body.
In heart disease and hypertension
Decoction and tincture of willow bark are also useful in heart disease: its regular intake normalizes heart rhythm, dilates coronary vessels, increases the amplitude of contractions of the heart muscle and has a pronounced sedative effect.
Willow bark against female diseases
In gynecological diseases decoctions of willow bark can be used for antiseptic rinses and sedentary baths. Such remedies will help reduce itching, relieve discomfort in the external genitalia and improve the condition of the pelvic organs. It is necessary to perform regular procedures, while the decoction should always be at a comfortable room temperature. It is best to consult your doctor before treatment.
Willow against skin and other diseases
Decoction of white willow helps repairing damaged skin areas, stopping bleeding and healing wounds. The plant will help eliminate the pain of burns, deal with skin flaking in psoriasis and many other dermatological diseases. You can apply compresses and applications on the affected skin, make lotions, rub. In case of excessive sweating, it is recommended to rub the affected areas with a solution for external use. With periodontitis, you can scrub and rinse your mouth with a decoction of the bark.
Recipes with willow bark
Decoction. Pour 1 cup boiling water 1 tablespoon ground bark. Place the pan with the solution on the stove and heat it in a water bath for about 30 minutes. Then strain, allow to cool and dilute with boiled water so that you finally have a whole cup of decoction. You should use the prepared decoction 4-5 times a day before meals. The recommended single dose of the decoction is 1 tbsp.
Infusion of willow bark
1 teaspoon of willow bark is poured with 2 cups of boiling water, left for about 5 minutes and filtered. Drink 1 cup of coffee several times a day.
Cold willow bark extract
1 teaspoon willow bark soak in half a liter of cold water for 8 hours and strain. The amount is drunk for 1 day.
Tincture with alcohol from willow bark
Pour 150 g of white willow bark with 500 ml of 40% alcohol (brandy, vodka, diluted alcohol), leave for 30 days. After a month strain. Take 30-40 drops 3 times a day for 2 weeks.
Solution for baths and compresses with willow bark
120 g willow bark should be flooded with hot water (about 5 liters), boil the liquid for about 10 minutes, then leave the solution to soak for 20-30 minutes. The finished product can be used for foot baths for varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, joint diseases, as well as for compresses in the treatment of burns, eczema and other skin lesions.
Contraindications to the intake of willow bark
It is forbidden to take infusions and decoctions of willow bark for children and adolescents under the age of 16 who suffer from colds and flu. Also, this drug should not be used during pregnancy, stop stomach ulcers, bradycardia, bronchial asthma, individual intolerance to aspirin and other allergies. Excessive intake can irritate the mucous membranes of the mouth and gastrointestinal tract!
How to collect willow bark for medicinal purposes?
It is considered the most healing white willow (Salix alba). Raw materials for treatment are collected from trees that have already reached the age of 6 years.
You don't have to collect them from all the trees you find. This process negatively affects the growth of willow, so it is recommended to carry out in moderation. This will keep the population of trees in a certain area and therefore you will always be able to collect a new batch for medicinal purposes.
Usually the collection takes place from young top twigs in early spring, when the sap movement begins. If you are not familiar with the technology of collection and drying of willow bark, it is recommended to buy the bark from a specialized herbal store or pharmacy.
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