Contents
The outstanding botanist Font Quer was impressed by “the fact that such a widely used arnica plant, which has had such an unusual fame among physicians and common people, was not known by the great ancient pharmacists.”
Arnica Scientific Facts
- Scientific name: Arnica Montana.
- Other names: Mountain arnica, mountain tobacco.
- French: Arnica.
- Spanish: Árnica.
- Environment: This plant grows in meadows and forests in mountainous areas. It can be found in cold, mountainous regions of Europe and North and South America.
- Description: This herb of the Compositae family grows from 30 cm to 50 cm high. Its bright yellow, exuberant flower is composed. It can be easily mistaken for Inula (Inula Montana L.), whose medicinal properties have not been exhaustively studied. Unlike these false arnicas, true arnica (Arnica montana L.) has only one or two pairs of leaves, which grow in opposite pairs.
- Parts of the plant used medicinally: The flower and the root.
Arnica Plant Healing Properties
The plant contains essential oil, phenolic substances, flavonoids, and tannin. It has remarkable stimulating properties on the heart and blood circulation. However, it is highly poisonous to the nervous system, and its internal use is no longer recommended. Arnica must be considered a toxic plant.
Externally applied as a tincture on the skin, it has excellent vulnerary and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a traditional remedy for bumps, bruises, sprains, and hematomas. It is also used for furuncles and abscesses.
ARNICA TINCTURE is prepared with 20 grams of dry flowers and roots, steeping them for 15 days into 100 ml of 90% ethyl alcohol to prepare an alcoholic cold extract. The Cold extract can also be prepared with oil.
Warning
This plant can only be used externally since it has toxic effects on the nervous system when taken internally.
How to use Arnica
- Tincture. Soak a compress with drops of arnica tincture dissolved in water, then apply to the affected skin area. A pure (undissolved) tincture can irritate the skin.
DISCLAIMER: All content on this website is presented solely for educational and informational objectives. Do not rely on the information provided as a replacement for advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified medical expert. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have any preexisting medical concerns, talk to your doctor before using any herbal or natural medicines.
REFERENCES
- George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. “Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants.” George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Ed. Francesc X. Gelabert. vols. 2 San Fernando de Henares: Editorial Safeliz, 2000. 662. Print. [Arnica plant]
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-721/arnica
- https://www.tuasaude.com/en/arnica/