White Willow Bark (25% Salicin)

History and Uses:
White Willow Bark comes from the White Willow tree, which is indigenous to Europe. The genus name, Salix, is believed to be derived from the Celtic words, sal lis, meaning "near water," and it is said that years ago, when a Reverend Edward Store noticed that Willow grew in marshy areas where rheumatism was so common, he decided to make a tea for sufferers that was helpful. An ancient custom is to make a wish while tying a knot in a Willow branch - untie the knot when the wish is received - and Willow is also an excellent material for making baskets and dowsing rods. The bark of the common Willow tree has been known since antiquity for its pain-relieving and fever-reducing properties.

In the early nineteenth century, a French chemist extracted the principal active ingredient from Willow Bark and named it salicin. At the end of the century, Felix Hofmann, a chemist at the Bayer company in Germany, developed the world's most-used medication: aspirin, or acetyl-salicylic acid. Willow, along with the herb Meadowsweet, is well known as the original source of salicylic acid (the precursor to original aspirin). Recently, pain sufferers have been returning to the natural sources of salicin to avoid the potentially dangerous side effects of synthetic aspirin. The primary chemical constituents of White Willow Bark include glycosides (salicin, salicoside), salicortine, tannin, catechin and flavonoids. Female Willow buds are thought to contain phytoestrogens. Salicylic acid is a weak anti-inflammatory agent but is converted by the liver to acetyl-salicylic acid. The acetylated version has aspirin's more effective anti-inflammatory activity without its gastrointestinal toxicity. The salicylates inhibit the activity of the cyclo-oxgenase enzymes, and thus inhibit the production of prostaglandins and other inflammatory molecules. The excretion of salicylic acid in the urine helps soothe an irritated urinary tract. Willow Bark has long been used for fevers and inflammations. In addition, the astringency of the glycosides makes Willow Bark useful as an antiseptic and astringent. Extracts and infusions of the bark have been used for cleansing the scalp and skin, for treating dandruff and for treating corns and growths. All species of Willow are thought to be mildly antiseptic. Known topical applications of White Willow Bark include its use as a mouthwash for sore gums, a gargle for tonsillitis, a hair rinse for dandruff, a compress and poultice for burns, insect bites and wounds and, finally, a foot soak for sweaty feet.