Willow for asprin

[Toddy]

Toddy - in medevil times monkshood juice in an oil base was used to relieve athritic pain. Atropine has a pain killing effect at very low doses. Just for historic info - certainly not to try as the side effect of getting the dose wrong is death.[/QUOTE]

Uhuh Also major components in Flying ointments! I'm v.v.lucky, I still heal, just there are times when I *really* ache (today...yesterday fun, but oooh ouch) I'm getting good at dealing with it, willow bark is a *hit* on the pain, but the dull, just there sort of feeling like the next day as the dentists cocaine eases off drives me nuts. The meadowsweet just soothes and lets me move normally so long as I don't force anything. Birch is good too but the smell gets into everything...nice outdoors though....lots of cancer warnings flying around about it just now

I stick to the old, "Three days, do you really need it any more?" for any of the anti-inflammatories and painkillers. At least it makes you think about what you're doing. I'm probably going to get shouted down by all the medics now :?: Ah well, there advice will be topical.

Thanks for all the info folks, interesting thread.

Toddy

 

[R-Bowskill]

Does anyone know which species of red willow is used by the Lakota Sioux in their pipes?

 

[EdS]

Toddy - I can understand how you feel, as my mother is crippled with RA and Osteo Athritis. Must tell her about meadow sweet for her better days.

RE: flying potion - I always thought/ was taught the Aconitum to use was wolfsbane, A. vulparia (nee lycotonum), rather than a. napellus.

We planted some henbane and belladonna the other day. Plus hemlock.


If anyone wants some white willow I think there is some on our estate - however, most herbalists sell it cheap.

 

[Tomahawk]

The arial parts of meadow sweet, that is leaves and flowers etc, have salicilic acid that is available to the body very swiftly. Infuse in hot water for Good results, about a tea spoon per cup of dried ariel parts. Meadow sweet is also very beneficial and soothing for the stomach. I have been using it recently to stave of cold symtoms.
There are other plants with salicylic acid in them where the salicilic acid is only readliy avaliable topicaly or is effective in the mouth rather than effecting the whole system.

 

[Fenlander]

Does anyone know which species of red willow is used by the Lakota Sioux in their pipes?

Mors Kochanski recommends red-osier dogwood and says "The dried bark makes a superior tobacco additive".

 

[maddave]

MEADOWSWEET

"Unlike the extracted aspirin, which can cause gastric ulceration at high doses, the combination of constituents in meadowsweet act to protect the inner lining of the stomach and intestines whilst still providing the anti-inflammatory benefits of aspirin"

LINK

But i've never tried it.

Bang on!! In fact all the posts are equally vaild, but Meadowsweet is probably the safest natural asprin equivalent available.
Latin name Spiraea Latifolia

Pic

 

[Toddy]

There are several plants known as meadowsweet. I use only filipenula ulmaria
http://www.plant-identification.co.uk/skye/rosaceae/filipendula-ulmaria.htm

This is the European meadowsweet, I haven't ever found the other growing in any of my haunts.

Toddy

 

[falling rain]

Mad Dave. Is that picture a different type of Meadowsweet to the common plant that grows in the UK. ? I know there is also a 'Willow leaved Meadowsweet'. and a type that grows in the U.S.. I beleive theres a Japanese Meadowsweet too with Purple flowers. Somehow the leaves don't look quite right in your pic to the one I'm thinking of. I thought they were 3 lobed near the top of the plant :?: Does this type grow in the UK ? Or is it the UK type and I'm talking rubbish ?

 

[Tantalus]

i dunno if this ever got cleared up

i dont recognise maddaves plant at all

but the link says it came from http://www.carsoncity.k12.mi.us/~hsstudent/wildflowers/meadowsweet2.jpg

so i guess that would be a US plant

the one i do recognise is the one from toddys link

http://www.plant-identification.co.uk/skye/rosaceae/filipendula-ulmaria.htm

which invaded a local field and i can remember the smell of it in the summer, as for any medicinial properties i can not say, and sadly it was eliminated with weedkillers and is no longer there

Tant

 

[stuart f]

One way to recognize that you have picked Meadow sweet is to break open the root and take a sniff it will smell like Germoline, you now that pink stuff you put on insect bits,cuts and grazes etc.

 

[Stuart]

Mors kindly gave us some Rat root whilst we were in canada which I brought back to the UK.

works wonders on my wifes arthritus, unfortunatly its not plesant to take

Mors said that it should be available in the UK even gave the Latin name (which I forgot) anyone know what its called and where we can find it here????

 

[Stuart]

A quick internet search has revealed:

Acorus calamus

Rat Root, also called Beewort, Muskrat Root, Pine Root, Sweet Calomel, Sweet Cane, Sweet Flag, Sweet Sedge, Flag Root, Calamus Root, Sweet Myrtle, and Sweet Rush, is considered by the Chinese to have anti-arrhythmic, hypotensive, vasodilatory, anti-tussive, anti-bacterial and expectorant properties. Rat Root has been historically used for lack of mental focus, stomach problems, acidity, and as an aid to quit smoking tobacco. Rat Root has been shown to be of low toxicity in animals, and adverse reactions are rare. Though recent studies have revealed the presence of B-asarone, a carcinogen, the American variety is considered superior to the European because it seems to lack this ingredient. The Native Americans would chew the root while running long distances to increase endurance and stamina. The Indians also used it as an anesthetic for toothache and headaches. Externally, it is added to the bath to quiet the nerves and induce a state of tranquility. Tincture of Rat Root is useful as a parasiticide when directly, and frequently, applied to lice & scabies infestations. Rat Root does have emmanagogic properties and should be avoided during pregnancy.


why it should be called 'Sweet' anything escapes me, its about as bitter as can be imagined

 

[FeralSheryl]

Found some useful info at the Global Herbal Supplies website through Google. I can't vouch for it's accuracy as I know nothing about the company and am no expert on herbalism (yet ) but there appears to be alot of useful info on Meadowsweet to work with there:

http://www.globalherbalsupplies.com/herb_information/meadowsweet.htm

 

[Tantalus]

the british one has a very distinctive sweet smell when it flowers stuart

Tant