White Willow
Salix alba
 Dioscorides,
the great first century herbalist is believed to have
been the first to recognize the ultimate healing virtue
of the willow. He prescribed willow preparations for
pain and inflammation. From that point on from
herbalist to herbalist for centuries, willow was
prescribed, as were all of Dioscorides prescriptions.
Before there was aspirin, there was
Willow Bark, which gave exactly the same symptomatic
relief without the side effects.
White Willow bark was the first aspirin
and was used for the relief of fevers, headaches,
sciatic, arthritic, rheumatic and neuralgic aches and
pains.
Considered one of nature's greatest gifts
to man, White Willow contains glucoside salicin, an
effective painkiller. It took 30 years of fiddling with
salicin for the Europeans to produce salicylic acid and
then synthesize that down to acetylsalicylic acid
(Aspirin). The problems are aspirin causes side effects
such as internal bleeding from the stomach walls.
Today aspirin is a total synthetic and
contains no white willow. Synthetic aspirin taken
internally can cause the stomach to hemorrhage.
Approximately 7,000 people die each year from taking the
so-called anti-inflammatory like aspirin.
The above side effect is interesting
because Willow itself is useful in all stomach problems
especially sour stomach and heartburn. Other uses for
White Willow: it is used as a nerve sedative, for eczema,
fevers, inflammation of joints, pain, rheumatism,
ulcerations and wounds.
White willow bark tea taken internally
can soothe kidney, urethra, and bladder irritations.
Taken internally white willow bark is also a helpful
remedy for gout, rheumatism and arthritic pains. White
willow bark is also an excellent gargle for throat and
tonsil infections.
White willow bark taken as a tea is a
strong antiseptic and an excellent wash for infected
wounds, ulcerations, eczema, and all other skin
inflammations. White willow can also be used as
eyewash.
To make an infusion place 1 teaspoon of
Willow Bark in a cup pour in boiling water let set 10
minutes, drink a mouthful at a time.
Uses:
Arthritis, Bleeding, Chills, Colds,
Corns, Dandruff, Diarrhea, Dysentery, Earache, Eczema,
Fevers, Flu, Gout, Hay fever, Headaches, Heartburn,
Impotence, Infection, Inflammation (joints), Muscles
(sore), Nervousness, Neuralgia, Night Sweats, Ovarian
Pain, Pain, Rheumatism, Sex Depressant, Tonsillitis,
Ulcerations, Worms, Wounds
Sources:
Little Herb Encyclopedia, by Jack Ritchason; N.D., Woodland Publishing Incorporated, 1995
Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania 1987
The Ultimate Healing System, Course Manual, Copyright 1985, Don Lepore
Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, by James A. Duke, Pub. CRP Second Edition 2007
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