The unique healing properties of white willow. In folk medicine, all parts of the tree are used, but the most beneficial substances are found in the bark.
White willow - a large spreading tree with a sloping crown. In different regions of Russia, the tree is called differently: silvery willow, sail, white-climber, weeping willow, rakita. In nature, it grows up to eight meters. The plant is found everywhere along the rivers, in the lowlands.
Special willow plant
White willow has amazing branches: they are long, thin, hanging over ponds. The foliage is light silver in color below and dark green on top. During windy weather, this feature gives the tree a special appeal.
Due to its rapid growth and powerful root system, the uniqueness of its appearance, the tree is quite common in gardening. It is used to decorate parks, forest zones, strengthen sandy beaches. White willow perfectly tolerates urban pollution, which makes it preferable in the design of streets and personal sites.
Willow bark has a lot of useful properties. It is used in industry, and also used in traditional medicine. It has many medicinal properties, but it is recommended to use it only after consulting with a specialist.
Harvesting raw materials
Harvesting of white willow bark is carried out in early spring from young twigs, up to seven years old. At this time of the year, the skin is easily peeled off from the tree.
All removed parts are cut into small parts and dried in the sun or in a dryer. The degree of readiness is determined by the fragility of raw materials. Billets are able to maintain their healing properties for three years.
In addition to bark, male inflorescences have healing properties. Unlike women, they are longer and fluffy. Flowers are harvested in April-May, during the flowering of the plant.
Composition and medicinal properties
The healing properties of white willow bark are determined by its composition. It contains a large number of tannins tannins, salicin, ascorbic acid, flavonoids, organic acids. When deciding to use folk remedies, do not forget that the bark of white willow has contraindications.
Thanks to the active components, preparations obtained from the cortex have an astringent, hemostatic, antiseptic effect. Also, this plant helps fight rheumatism, arthritis, has a positive effect on joints with arthrosis. This fact was proved by German scientists who conducted the experiment. Seventy-eight people attended. During the first two weeks of using willow bark, the pain subsided.
Preparations made on the basis of willow have a diuretic effect, and are also effective in the treatment of chronic diarrhea, with catarrh and spleen pathologies. They also anesthetize, have choleretic properties.
The special properties of white willow allow you to use the plant to treat complex skin pathologies, remove sweating feet. The results of pharmacological experiments showed that the prepared products from parts of the tree have a pronounced antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. Infusions and decoctions of willow are used to treat fever, as painkillers. When taking these funds, do not forget that they increase blood coagulation.
The reception of infusions and decoctions for colitis, tuberculosis, dysentery, internal bleeding, typhoid, tonsillitis, gout, female ailments is shown. Decoctions of the cortex are used to gargle, externally as lotions from varicose veins.
Plant benefits
Our ancestors knew about the healing properties of white willow bark and used it to treat stomach diseases, for viral infections, bronchitis, rheumatic pains, and gout. Astringent properties help deal with diarrhea. Decoctions are indicated for people suffering from hypotension.
Willow is able to treat neuralgia, gastritis, inflammation of the urinary system, intestines. The plant benefits men especially: infusions are used to treat prostatitis.
People who suffer from extrasystole and tachycardia, after taking willow-based drugs, feel relief.
The substances that make up the tree help fight colds, stomatitis, gingivitis, and periodontal disease.
Willow helps fight hair loss and dandruff. Gargling with a decoction of willow leaves with the addition of burdock will make your hair beautiful, well-groomed.
Ointments for external use are prepared from bark powder. Boils, nonhealing wounds are treated with such drugs. Decoctions can be added to the bathtubs to treat varicose veins, hemorrhoids.
The healing properties of white willow help to relax, give peace. With the help of decoctions, you can relieve a headache. Drugs from the cortex help fight severe intestinal bleeding.
Application in traditional medicine
There was a time when bark was used to treat not only the aforementioned ailments, but also malaria. Means prepared from it help relieve hot flashes during menopause.
For the treatment of various ailments, a variety of drugs are being prepared. Treatment of febrile conditions is carried out by tea. To make it, take a teaspoon of bark and pour a glass of water. The product is boiled over low heat. After cooling, the broth is filtered. It is taken in the form of tea no more than two cups.
With tachycardia and arrhythmias, an infusion prepared from 100 g of male inflorescences is used. They are poured with half a liter of vodka and insisted for a month. The finished product is taken up to four times a day, thirty drops.
The beneficial properties of white willow bark help treat goiter. To prepare the medicine, you need to burn the shoots of the tree. The coals are ground and mixed with honey in a ratio of 1 to 2. The finished product is taken fifty grams three times a day.
Prostatitis can be treated with willow bark. To do this, prepare the tool by taking a tablespoon of bark and pour a glass of boiling water. The product is put on fire for five minutes. After filtering, the composition is taken one hundred ml three times a day.
Willow for outward beauty
From hair loss and dandruff, an infusion prepared in a water bath from a spoonful of willow bark and the same amount of burdock helps. The mixture is poured with half a liter of boiling water and heated for twenty minutes. Then the composition is allowed to brew for a couple of hours. After filtering, rinse the hair with a product. This tool is used no more than twice a week.
Willow ash is used to remove warts. To it add a spoonful of vinegar. The result should be a slurry that is applied to the warts. This procedure is done until the growths dry out and begin to fall away.
Traditional medicine recipes
Knowing about the medicinal properties and contraindications of white willow, after consulting a doctor, you can prepare folk remedies and use them to treat a variety of ailments. A preparation for treating prostate adenoma is prepared from the cortex. To do this, take two glasses of water and two tablespoons of bark. The product boils for seven minutes. After cooling, it is filtered and taken one hundred ml three times a day.
Baths with infusion of crushed bark help to cope with sweating feet. To prepare it, take two teaspoons of powder and two glasses of water. The remedy is infused for eight hours. It is filtered before use.
With indigestion, digestion, make a decoction and take it two hundred grams three times a day. To prepare the product, you need to take three tablespoons of raw material, pour it with a liter of water, boil for seven minutes. The remedy is infused for eight hours. After cooling, the broth is filtered.
Traditional medicine to help
To treat rheumatism, two tablespoons of crushed bark are poured with a glass of boiling water and languished for half an hour in a water bath. The finished product is taken in a spoon up to five times a day. The product is used half an hour before meals.
Dried bark is used to treat erysipelas, fungal infections of the skin. The product is prepared from a glass of bark powder, which is poured with boiling water so that the water covers the raw materials. The composition is infused for half an hour. Then it is filtered. The resulting infusion is added to the baths for the legs and hands. With erysipelas, the drug is used for compresses.
Infusion of white willow helps fight radiculitis. For this purpose, an infusion is prepared from a spoon of raw materials and a half liter of boiling water. Composition for an hour, then strain. Take a spoonful up to six times a day.
Willow treatment
For the treatment of hemorrhoids, varicose veins, willow is used externally in the form of lotions and baths. To prepare the product, you need five tablespoons of raw materials and a liter of water. The product is boiled for half an hour, then it is allowed to infuse for two hours. The finished medicine is poured into the baths - they are taken for fifteen minutes. You can do lotions with this tool. To do this, they infiltrate gauze or a towel with a decoction, apply tissue to the sore spot for three hours.
For the treatment of a boil, lotions are made with a decoction prepared from three tablespoons of bark and two glasses of water. The product is boiled for fifteen minutes, after cooling it is impregnated with tissue and applied to the sore spot.
In the treatment of pathologies of the cardiovascular system, an infusion of a glass of boiling water and a tablespoon of bark is used. The remedy is infused for three hours. The received dose is taken during the day, divided into three doses.
To relieve uterine cramps, an infusion of willow catkins is used. To prepare it, take a spoonful of product and pour a glass of boiling water. The remedy is infused for ten minutes. The same tool helps to cope with insomnia.
For the treatment of wounds and ulcers, it is recommended to apply a compress soaked in willow bark decoction three times a day to the affected areas. To prepare it, take two tablespoons of bark and a glass of water. The product boils for ten minutes, and after cooling it is filtered.
General recipes
Most often, willow is used as an infusion, broth and powder.
To prepare the broth, fifteen grams of bark is taken and poured into a glass of water. The composition boils for ten minutes. The drug is taken in a spoon three times a day.
To prepare the infusion, pour a teaspoon of bark with a glass of boiling water and insist until it cools. Then the composition is filtered, taken in a spoon up to five times a day.
To make the powder, it is necessary to grind the raw materials. Take the drug one gram at night.
Contraindications
Like any medicinal plant, white willow has contraindications. It should not be used for children, pregnant women, nursing women. It is also not recommended to use products prepared on the basis of bark for those who suffer from intolerance to the constituent substances.
You should not use willow in people with bleeding disorders, with gastritis with high acidity. The bark contains a large amount of acid, which is why it is forbidden to use for people with peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, as well as those who are sensitive to salicylates.
Side effects
In large doses, the raw material can cause diarrhea, nausea, and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. When used in therapeutic doses, no toxic effects were noted.
Knowing the beneficial properties and contraindications of white willow is not enough, you need to consult a doctor. Only he can determine what dosage is needed to treat the disease and how best to use it.