Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Linden flowers (basswood)


On this page

Please note that we are not advocating that people stop using their normal medication, but would like to make people aware that some alternative therapies can be very effective to help treat problems and create a healthier, younger and more vital you. For more information on our range of products, please click here.

Although we believe in the therapeutic and healing properties of herbs, care must be taken in the use thereof, as they are powerful compounds.

Botanical Classification

Family

Tiliaceae

Genus and specie

Tilia cordata / T. parvifolia

Other names

Basswood, lime tree, white wood and small leafed linden.

Description of the herb linden flowers

The Linden tree is a medium sized tree with dark green heart-shaped leaves, with blue-green undersides. The tree has fragrant yellow-white flowers, followed by round green fruits.

Parts used

The dried flowers are normally used, although the inner bark with the newly formed young wood (sapwood) is also used.

Properties

The flowers are an aromatic, mucilaginous herb with diuretic, expectorant and calming properties, lowering blood pressure and increasing perspiration.

Apart from the mucilage, the flowers also contain phenolics - pro-anthocyanidins, gallocatechol tannins and phenolic acids, while the sapwood contains phenolics and polyphenols.

Therapeutic uses

  • Internal use
    • The flowers are traditionally used for hypertension, their general sedative effect, calming the digestive system, reducing respiratory mucus in colds and flu, boosting the cardiovascular system, as well as to relieve headache and migraine complaints.
    • The sapwood is usedto reduce high blood pressure, as well as calming the stomach, to reduce water retention and to increase the flow of bile.
  • External use
    • It is used externally for itchy skin complaints.
  • Aromatherapy and essential oil use
    • This relaxing essential oil will help you sleep and tone the venous (veins and capillary) system, while thinning the blood.
    • It brings down fever and helps to dislodge catarrh and mucus and increase perspiration, but decreases night sweats.
    • Linden blossom essential oil helps to clear that blocked stuffy feeling. It tones and help remove blemishes on the skin.

Safety precautions and warnings

Linden flower blossom essential oil may be a bit strongly fragranced to some individuals and others may have an allergic reaction to it.

Used in the following of our products

  • None.


Herbal index

To promote the interest and use of herbs and natural complementary health alternatives, we have included information on the following herbs.

Please note - although we discuss a wide variety of herbs, not all of them are used or sold by us.

To view our products, please click here.

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)