White Willow Bark

Salix alba

The bark of the stately white willow tree (Salix alba) has been used in China for centuries as a medicine because of its ability to relieve pain and lower fever. Early settlers to America found Native Americans gathering bark from indigenous willow trees for similar purposes. The active ingredient in white willow is salicin, which the body converts into salicylic acid. The first aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) was made from a different salicin-containing herb, meadowsweet, working in essentially the same way. All aspirin is now chemically synthesized. It is not surprising, then, that white willow bark is often called "herbal aspirin."

ANALGESIC - White willow has bee shown to relieve acute and chronic pain, including headache, back and neck pain, muscle aches, and menstrual cramps. The effectiveness of white willow bark for easing these and other types of discomforts results from its power to lower prostaglandin levels.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY - The salicin content is responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties. Unlike non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the compound salicin does not cause gastric or intestinal upset or bleeding as aspirin can, this is because willow does not block prostaglandins in the stomach or intestines.

Dosage

400mg one to three times daily.

Potential applications

Salicin is useful in diseases accompanied by fever, rheumatic ailments, headache, toothache and other inflammatory conditions. Fever lowering.

Known contraindications

Avoid in cases of salicylate sensitivity. Not to be given to children under 16 with flu-like symptoms, with Reyes Syndrome. Avoid during pregnancy.

Interactions

Individuals with concerns about blood clotting and bleeding time should use aspirin and white willow with caution, as both have the potential to interfere with platelet aggregation and prolong bleeding time (i.e. a "blood-thinning" effect).

Use in conjunction with

Pain relief - Turmeric, quercetin, flax seed oil, antioxidants, pycnogenol/grape seed extract.

Note

If morning sleepiness occurs, reduce the dosage. If the initial dosage is ineffective, eliminate those factors that disrupt sleep, such as caffeine and alcohol, before considering a dose increase.

REFERENCES

Levesque H, Lafont O. Aspirin throughout the ages: a historical review. Rev Med Interne. 2000 Mar;21 Suppl 1:8s-17s.
Norton WL, Meisinger MA. An overview of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents. Inflammation. 1977 Mar;2(1):37-46.
PDR for Herbal Medicines. Second Edition. 2000

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