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Salacin Willow | | Name : | Salacin Willow | | Synonyms : | Liu(Chinese name for S. alba)
Salacinwillow
Willowbark
Withe
Withy
| | Parts Used : | Inner bark | | Habitat : | Unless your property is extensive, raising willow in your gardenis not recommended. Thrive in moist locations, along stream edges,but will grow and naturalize readily in most situations. Native ofEurope.
Found in moist places in North Africa, central Asia, and in Europe(from where it was introduced to the United States). | | Description : | The bark of the willow tree is the source of one of our most potentdrugs, acetylsalicylic acid, known as the aspirin. Grows to 90 feettall. Branchlets pliable, not brittle at the base; silky. Leaves lance-shaped,mostly without stipules; ashy-gray in color and silky or hairy aboveand beneath (use lens). Covered with rough, gray bark, in some partsof the world it grows also as a shrub. Male and female flowers occuron separate trees, appearing in catkins on leafy stalks at the sametime as the leaves. The willows grow easily from cuttings and mayalso be grown from seed, which should be planted as soon as it isripe.
S. nigra or pussywillow or black willow, S. purpurea, S. caprea,S. daphnoides, S. fagilis, are varieties of the willow. All have thesame medical properties or closely to the same properties are foundin all the varieties named here.
| | Constituents : | Glucosides, salicin (salicoside), salicum, salicortine, flavonoids,and tannin. The European white willow is very similar in propertiesto the North American variety but contains more tannins.
Alterative (gradually restores health), anodyne (relieves pain),febrifuge (reduces fever), astringent (stops capillary bleeding),antiperiodic (prevents periodic return of fever), anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory,analgesic, antiseptic, tonic, and vermifuge (kills worms). | | Uses : | The Chinese use S. purpurea which they call Shui-yang. Used for chronicdysentery, cancerous sores,and dressing wounds, andsmallpox ulcers.
Used in treating feverish diseases,chills, ague, pain, inflammations,neuralgia, headaches,gout, and rheumaticailments, arthritic joints.Native Americans used for diarrhea,to staunch bleeding, and for dandruff.Taken for worms, gonorrhea,dyspepsia, dysentery,chronic diarrhea and edema.It may also be taken as a bitter tonic in small doses before meals,to hasten convalescence from acute diseases.
The tea made from the leaves or buds is good in gangrene,cancer, and eczema.
Wash is used for corns, cuts,ulcers, poison-ivyrash. Experimentally, delays cataract formation and risk of heartdisease in males. | | Dosage : | Decoction: soak 1 to 3 tsp. of bark in a cup of cold waterfor 3-4 hours and then bring the water to a boil. Take a mouthfulat a time of the unsweetened decoction, to a total of about 1 cupper day.
Cold extract: soak 1 tbsp. bark in cold water for 8-10 hoursand strain.
Powder: take 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. 3 times per day. | | Safety : | The active substances may irritate the mucous membranes of the stomach,and for this reason people with sensitive stomachs should refrainfrom drinking willow bark tea. This is quite uncommon due to the tannins,which are actually good for digestion, unlike the irritant of aspirin.No other side effects are noted. Aspirin has been known to reduceclotting time if taken often or on a regular basis. | | Myths : | Native Americans used several varieties of the willow; they wovebaskets with willow, used willow for pain and reducing fever; thegray willow (S. exigua) was called 'Kosi tsube' by the Paiutes andthe Shoshones. They used willow twigs with salt, steeped and drankfor laxative.
Willow was one of the first herbs to be scientifically investigated.In the 19th century, the French chemist, Leroux, extracted the activeingredient 'salicine.' By 1852 it was being synthetically produced,and by 1899 a less irritating acetyl salicylic acid was manufacturedand marketed as aspirin. This was the first plant-derived drug ofthe modern generation.
The white willow bark was used to reduce fevers, relieve headache.Unlike the synthetic drug, acetyl salicylic acid, called aspirin whichcan cause stomach irritation, white willow bark contains tannins,which are actually good for the digestion.
The tea drug is peeled in spring from moderately large branches anddried. The bark comes from various willow species, including the whitewillow (Salix alba L.), basket willow or osier (Salix daphnoides L.),and brittle willow, or withy (Salix fagilis L.).
A strong tea made from the inner bark of the willow tree was oncethought to be a 'perfect cure' for venereal disease.
The framework of the vapor bath lodge of the Native Americans wasmade of willow poles, bent and tied with their bark. The willow wasmystically connected with the departure of the spirit from the bodyat death. Willow twigs had certain uses in funeral rites. | | Sold : | Aspirin tablets
White willow bark in capsules: take 2 every 2 to 3 hours as needed.This is an excellent aspirin substitute. |
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