White willow bark: benefits and harm, chemical composition, how to harvest

The use of white willow bark is practiced in traditional medicine and cosmetology. Most often, raw materials bring benefits to the body, but possible harm must also be studied.

Chemical composition of white willow

The beneficial properties of willow bark are determined by its chemical composition. Wood contains:

• ascorbic acid;
• glucosides;
• polyphenols and flavonoids;
• iron and calcium;
• phosphorus;
• vitamins B3 and B4;
• pectin and quinine;
• tannins.

The substance salicin, a natural antibiotic whose action is similar to aspirin, deserves special mention. It gives white willow bark strong anti-inflammatory properties.Salicin thins the blood, affects the functioning of the cardiovascular system and prevents the development of many dangerous ailments.

What are the benefits of willow bark for humans?

Willow bark is used for many painful conditions and as a preventative. Preparations based on it:

• reduce temperature during colds and flu;
• relieve sore throat due to sore throat;
• reduce pain from joint ailments;
• beneficial for gout and rheumatism;
• improve well-being with neuralgia and muscle strains;
• have a beneficial effect on the nervous system;
• help cope with insomnia;
• strengthen the body's immune resistance and overall endurance;
• relieve inflammation in diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract;
• cleanse the skin with pimples and acne;
• reduce sweating;
• accelerate tissue restoration processes, promote healing of wounds, cuts and burns;
• help remove parasites from the intestines during helminthic infestations;
• strengthens hair and helps get rid of dandruff.

White willow can be used for fungal infections, as well as for dental ailments - stomatitis and periodontal disease. The raw material has strong astringent properties. For bleeding gums, infusions are used to rinse the mouth. When used regularly, natural remedies additionally help freshen breath.

White willow bark has a good effect on prostatitis in men. It relieves severe inflammation and reduces pain.

Products based on white willow stop diarrhea and normalize peristalsis

Willow bark for children

White willow bark contains not only beneficial but also potentially toxic substances.Therefore, raw materials are usually not used to treat young children. Healthy decoctions and infusions based on the bark can only be offered to teenagers over 16 years of age.

For children, white willow is used externally. It is allowed to treat abrasions and cuts on the child’s skin with natural remedies, as well as rinse the hair.

Willow bark during pregnancy and breastfeeding

During pregnancy and lactation, it is recommended to avoid using beneficial willow bark. When carrying a child, it can have a toxic effect on the developing fetus, leading to miscarriage or premature birth.

During lactation, products based on white willow can cause an allergic reaction and colic in the newborn. In both cases, the use of decoctions and infusions is allowed only externally, if absolutely necessary and with the approval of a doctor.

The use of willow bark in folk medicine

The indications for willow bark are quite numerous. Useful raw materials are used for cardiovascular diseases, colds and joint problems.

Willow bark for blood thinning

Due to the high volumes of salicin in its composition, willow bark thins the blood and has approximately the same effect on the body as aspirin. Decoctions and infusions based on it can be used to prevent varicose veins and thrombosis, heart attacks and strokes.

The medicine from white willow is made as follows:

1. Pour 10 g of ground dry bark into a thermos.
2. Pour a glass of boiling water.
3. Leave with the lid closed for seven hours.
4. After time, filter.

You need to consume a healthy infusion of white willow bark twice a day, half a glass. If you have serious cardiovascular diseases, you should first consult a doctor.

Willow bark on temperature

Salicin and ascorbic acid in the healthy white willow help lower the temperature during influenza and ARVI. The medicinal drug is made as follows:

1. Pour 5 g of dry raw material into a glass vessel or thermos.
2. Pour in 500 ml of hot water.
3. Leave covered for five hours.
4. Filter from sediment.

You need to take 10 ml of this healthy infusion up to four times a day. The product will speed up recovery and comprehensively strengthen the immune system.

For headaches

The beneficial effect of willow bark is manifested in frequent migraines. To get rid of headaches, prepare the following infusion:

1. Pour 5 g of crushed bark into a glass.
2. Pour in 250 ml of hot liquid.
3. Keep covered until cooled.
4. Strain through cheesecloth.

The finished useful product is consumed 150 ml three times a day.

White willow bark infusion relieves vascular spasms and improves brain function

For joint and muscle pain

Willow bark extract is used for bruises, sprains and joint ailments. The following preparation is prepared based on plant raw materials:

1. Grind 20 g of dried bark properly.
2. Brew the powder with a glass of boiling water.
3. Infuse the drug under the lid for about an hour.
4. Pass through cheesecloth to filter.

You need to use this useful product 30 ml three times a day. The infusion is taken on an empty stomach or a couple of hours after meals.

Willow bark for hypertension

It is recommended to take white willow bark if you experience frequent surges in blood pressure.The following drug has a beneficial effect:

1. Dry bark is crushed in a volume of 20 g.
2. Pour boiling water into an enamel container.
3. Heat in a water bath for 20 minutes.
4. Strain from the remaining bark.

You need to take a decoction of white willow twice a day, 150 ml.

For weight loss

White willow activates metabolic processes and promotes the removal of toxins. On a diet to cleanse the body, you can use the following product:

1. About 5 g of crushed raw materials are poured into 500 ml of boiling water.
2. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
3. Infuse the product under the lid for four hours.
4. Filter through gauze.

You need to drink half a glass of the decoction three times a day on an empty stomach. In total, the useful product is consumed within a week.

In order for willow bark to have a noticeable effect on weight loss, you must carefully adhere to the principles of a healthy diet. It is also recommended to supplement the diet with sports exercises.

A useful herbal decoction should not be consumed in excess quantities or for a long time. It is not recommended to take a weight loss drug in a state of extreme hunger - this will irritate the stomach and cause heartburn.

For diabetes

White willow bark helps improve diabetes and slow the progression of the disease. Traditional medicine recommends preparing the following remedy:

1. About 10 g of white willow is mixed with 30 g of burdock root.
2. Add 5 g of oak bark and 25 elderberry roots.
3. Measure out 30 g of medicinal raw material and pour in 500 ml of hot liquid.
4. Boil in a water bath for 15 minutes.
5. Keep covered for two hours and strain.

The collection is consumed 100 ml three times a day.It helps speed up metabolic processes in the body and prevents the development of complications from the pancreas.

Useful infusion of white willow for diabetes is taken no later than a couple of hours before bedtime, as it has tonic properties.

Willow bark for gout

The analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of healthy raw materials relieve gout pain. The following decoction has a good effect:

1. 10 g of medicinal raw materials are poured into an enamel pan.
2. Pour in 500 ml of liquid.
3. Boil over low heat for 20 minutes.
4. Cool and strain to remove sediment.

You need to take 15 ml of the decoction up to four times a day on an empty stomach. In order for white willow to have the maximum beneficial effect, it is necessary to use the healing agent for a month. The decoction brings good results not only for gout, but also for rheumatism, arthritis and osteochondrosis.

Foot baths can help relieve severe joint pain. A decoction of white willow is prepared according to the standard algorithm, poured into a wide basin and, if necessary, diluted with hot water. You should keep your feet in the bath every evening for 15-20 minutes.

Application in cosmetology

White willow bark can be brewed not only for medicinal purposes. Useful raw materials have a beneficial effect on the skin and curls, slow down the aging process and prolong youth.

Willow bark for hair

Beneficial willow bark is used to combat dandruff and itchy scalp, when curls are prone to loss or excessive fragility. A cosmetic product based on raw materials is made as follows:

1. Mix willow bark and burdock root in equal proportions.
2. Measure out 20 g of useful raw materials.
3. Pour 500 ml of hot liquid into the collection.
4. Simmer the product in a water bath for 20 minutes.
5. The finished broth is kept covered for another two hours.

The strained product is used to rinse hair after washing. The decoction should be used twice a week.

Willow decoction improves the condition of hair with split ends and a tendency to electrify

Willow bark for facial skin

The anti-inflammatory and astringent properties of white willow are used in skin care. The raw materials help cleanse the epidermis and restore its elasticity, even out the complexion and eliminate the first wrinkles.

White willow lotion

White willow helps fight rashes on problem skin and normalizes the functioning of the sebaceous glands. For frequent pimples and acne, you can use the following remedy:

1. Oak and white willow bark are ground in a coffee grinder and mixed together, 5 g each.
2. Pour 200 ml of fresh boiling water into the healthy raw material.
3. Infuse in a closed container for an hour.
4. Add 15 ml of table vinegar.
5. Dilute the product with clean water in a ratio of 1:10.

The drug is used for daily wiping of problem skin.

Infusion for washing

If your skin is oily, it is recommended to use a simple infusion for washing. They do it like this:

1. Willow bark is ground in a volume of 15 g.
2. Pour 250 ml of hot water into the raw material.
3. Infuse under the lid until cool.

The finished useful product must be filtered through folded gauze. The infusion is used for washing in the morning and evening on a daily basis.

For warts

You can use white willow in home cosmetology to eliminate warts. The remedy is used as follows:

1. Grind the plant material into a homogeneous powder.
2. Mix with table vinegar until a viscous slurry is obtained.
3. Apply to warts and leave until dry.

Procedures are carried out daily until the skin is cleansed.

White willow juice for pimples and acne

Fresh white willow juice has a good effect on frequent rashes on the face. Raw materials are used according to the following scheme:

1. The collected bark, which has not yet been dried, is cut into small pieces and then ground in a blender.
2. The resulting mass is pressed through a fine sieve or gauze folded in several layers.

Soak a cotton pad in tree sap and spot-treat problem areas on the face. The product should be used every day, morning and evening, until the epidermis is cleansed.

Contraindications and harm

The beneficial properties of white willow are closely related to its contraindications. It is not recommended to use preparations based on wood raw materials:

• for stomach ulcers and gastritis;
• for chronic kidney diseases;
• for bronchial asthma;
• with individual intolerance to willow bark;
• during pregnancy and lactation.

You should stop using willow bark if you are taking medications that affect blood viscosity. It is not recommended to drink healthy infusions at the same time as vitamin E and ginkgo biloba extract.

White willow bark should not be consumed for two weeks after surgery and two weeks before surgery.

If used incorrectly, white willow can lead to side effects. In particular, when safe dosages are exceeded, the generally beneficial bark provokes pain and cramps in the stomach, nausea and heartburn, increased blood pressure and ringing in the ears. With prolonged abuse, raw materials lead to the development of ulcers and internal bleeding, kidney failure, and toxic liver damage.

When to Harvest White Willow Bark

White willow bark must be harvested in early spring in March or April, before the active growing season begins.To collect raw materials, young branches no older than 2-3 years are used. First, they are lightly beaten so that the bark moves away from the wood, and then a long longitudinal cut is made. Useful raw materials are removed in strips and laid out to dry in direct sunlight.

After the bark begins to break under pressure rather than bend, it will need to be divided into small pieces and placed in paper bags or fabric bags. Raw materials should be stored in a dark place with low humidity at a temperature of no more than 25 °C. The workpiece retains its beneficial properties for two years.

Conclusion

The use of white willow bark can improve health and preventively protect against illnesses. But natural raw materials must be used with caution, as they can lead to the development of side effects.

Reviews of the use of white willow bark

Recommended Posts

Curly willow: description, photo in landscape design

Iva Hakuro Nishiki: description, photos in landscape design, planting and care

Dwarf willow: what it looks like, in what natural zone it grows

Willow globular: photo and description of the variety, planting, care, height

Willow whole-leaved Pendula on a trunk: description, photo in landscape design

Types of decorative willow: photos and names

Willow Ledebura Pendula (Snow Globe): description and photo

Siberian pine: photos and features

Pine resin: what is it?