Herbal Monograph

Name of Herb: Salix alba (White Willow Bark)

Herbal Constituents:

flavonoids, tannins, phenolic glycosides

Herbal Actions:

anti-rheumatic, antiseptic, mild painkiller, antipyretic (stops heat),

reduces fever, anti-inflammatory.

Herbal Uses:

Diarrhoea

Dysentry

Rheumatic fever

Gout

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Lumbago, Sciatica, Neuralgia

Ankylosing Spondylitis

Interesting Facts:

May reduce death by heart attack when combined with Lime flowers (anticlot)

Rheumatoid Arthritis: White Willow, Guaiacum, Black Cohosh, Celery Seeds.

Headaches: Combine with Rosemary.

Folk Medicine Widely distributed tree exploited for domestic and medicinal use.

Staunches bleeding and clears dandruff.

White Willow ashes in vinegar is a remedy for corns and warts.

Willow Bark was chewed for headaches.

Willow Bark tea was used in the fens for fever (malarial).

Salmon 1693 recommended using leaves on soles of the feet for fever.

Infusion will quency thirst.

Willow leaves applied to bruises.

Salix alba (salycylic acid) and Aspirin

White Willow (Salix alba) is indigenous to all countries and is a wonderful full spreading tree bearing long white flowers from March - June. It contains salycylic acid, isolated from the bark as Aspirin in 1838 and was synthesized in the laboratory in 1860.

Hatfields Herbal

Bartram's Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine