WILLOWHERB / FIREWEED

                                                                             Epilobium angustifolium
Numerous Epilobium species have been used as remedies in folk medicine, particularly in Central Europe, for the treatment of prostate disorders & abnormal growths.

Traditional uses for this herb includes treatments for enlarged prostate, inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis), gastrointestinal disorders, kidney & bladder disorders, rectal bleeding, menstrual disorders, cystitis, urinary infections, diarrhea, mouth lesions & irritable bowel syndrome.

Powdered epilobeum has been used to control internal hemorrhage.

It has also proven useful in controlling urinary incontinence in both men & women.

An ointment is made from the plant to treat children's skin problems.

Epilobium is often combined with saw palmetto for prostate treatments.

Willow-herb settle urinary problems, unlike cranberry this is not thought to be able to work on infections but does ameliorate urinary discomfort & reduces difficulty in passing water.

FIREWEED:

                               Epilobium angustifolium

Fireweed is used in the treatment of diarrhea, mucous colitis & irritable bowel syndrome.

Fireweed is a superior plant for reducing inflammations.

The plant is used to treat prostate problems.

Epilobium angustifolium has been used in herbal medicine to reduce inflammation, as a relaxant, laxative & to treat coughs & asthma.

It has a deserved reputation in chronic diarrhea.

Certain forms of cholera infantum, especially with greenish discharges of undigested aliment, can be controlled by this herb.

It is prominent as a remedy for muco-enteritis.

Administered in very small doses it has proven effective in a large number of cases of typhoid dysentery.

It is a good remedy in intestinal irritation.

In arthritis & rheumatism, it plays a role with its anti-inflammatory & kidney cleansing properties.

Fireweed leaves & flowers are useful for a multitude of skin problems, ranging from psoriasis, to eczemaacne, burns & wounds.

Native Americans used Fireweed for abdominal pain & painful urination.

It also treats irritable bowel syndrome, prostatitis & candidiasis.


A poultice made from the peeled roots is applied to skin sores, swellings, boils etc.
A poultice of the leaves is applied to mouth ulcers.
The leaves in poultice are a valuable remedy for foul & indolent ulcers.
Poultices of the fresh leaves & flowers, can be applied to inflammations of the ears, throat & nose.
A poultice of the chewed plants has been applied to ant, bee & wasp stings.
An extract of the leaves has anti-inflammatory activity.
Both the leaves & root make good poultices for skin injuries, bruises & infections in general.

An ointment made from the leaves has been used to soothe skin problems in children.

Fireweed leaf decoctions also soothe stomach problems like ulcers, gastritis, & colitis; as well as more serious conditions such as gastric tumours of either a malignant nature or not.
Cool decoctions of the whole plant are used in hiccups, whooping cough & asthma, slowly sipped until the spasms subside.

A tea made from the leaves & roots is a folk remedy for dysentery & abdominal cramps.
The tea is used to treat candida & yeast infections.
The tea will also treat diarrhea, when that diarrhea is not accompanied by fever.
It helps to improve the colon.
The tea can be used for douches & enemas.
It can also be used as an infant wash for tender folds where there is inflammation.
An infusion of the plants ashes has been used both internally & as a wash in the treatment of smallpox & influenza.
Infusion of epilobium can correct & restrain the diarrhoea of typhoid or enteric fever.
An infusion of the leaves will be found beneficial in menorrhagia, & uterine hemorrhage & forms an excellent local application for ophthalmia, ulcerations of the mouth & throat & leucorrhoea.

The flower can be infused & gargled for sore throat & laryngitis & combined with the leaf for insomnia & relieving of headaches.
The flower juice is very antiseptic & can be simply squeezed from the fresh petals.
When in bloom, gather the flowers as far down as there are still green leaves.
In the field you can wrap them into 1/4 bundles & place in the shade to dry.
If left un-broken they will stay strong for medicine for 2 years.

EPILOBIUM HIRSUTUM:


                               Epilobium hirsutum

                               Epilobium hirsutum

Epilobium hirsutum is often drunk in Russia, where it is called ‘kaporie tea’.
The leaves are also sometimes sucked for their salty taste.
The leaves have been used as astringents, but there are some reports of violent poisoning with epileptic-like convulsions as a result of its use.
This remedy has been discarded by professional herbalists as the use of the leaves has been
associated with poisonings & convulsions.

EPILOBIUM PARVIFLORUM:

                               Epilobium parviflorum

Epilobium parviflorum has been used for a long time as a medicinal plant for the treatment of various prostate symptoms, like prostate adenoma & associated disorders.

Male complaints which often occur after a prostate gland operation, including burning sensation on urination, disorders of the prostate gland combined with Saw Palmetto Berries, hypertrophy of the prostate gland.
Epilobium Parviflorum has an inflammation-inhibiting & healing effect on acute & chronic inflammation of the prostate & can help to reduce the gland to its normal size.

It is a prostate tonic, diuretic & anti-inflammatory used for the genito-urinary system, kidney, bladder & prostate problems.

Some of the conditions that respond to this herb are enlarged prostate, inflammation of the urethra & cancer of the prostate & bladder.

It is recommended that all men over the age of 50 take this herb regularly as a preventative & to maintain prostate & bladder health.

Bladder cancer
cystitiskidney & bladder problemsurinary tract disorders.

It has been recommended for its antispasmodic properties in the treatment of whooping cough, hiccups & asthma.

                               Epilobium parviflorum

An infusion of the leaves will be found beneficial in leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, & uterine hemorrhage & forms an excellent local application for ophthalmia, ulcerations of the mouth & throat & leucorrhoea.
The herb, dried & infused is indicated in the treatment of whooping cough & asthma.

The leaves in poultice are a valuable remedy for foul & indolent ulcers.

In ointment, it has been used locally as a remedy for infantile cutaneous affections.

The fresh juice or the powdered root is taken to stop internal hemorrhaging.

A decoction is made from the dried and powdered root for digestive disorders accompanied by diarrhoea.

Small-flowered willow herb tea is also recommended for treating urinary tract infections in women.

Take as a tea for oral, vaginal & intestinal candidias.
This pleasant herb & flower tea is recommended for enlarged prostate, prostatitis, kidney or bladder disorders, gastro-intestinal disorders, mouth mucus membrane lesions, rectal bleeding, menstrual disorders, cystitis.

Small flowered Willow herb is best taken in tea form with a dose of 2 cups daily 1/2 hour before breakfast & dinner & taken up to 3 months.
1 tsp to a cup boiling water, steep 10 minutes & strain out the herb.
The quick action of small flowered willow herb on prostate symptoms occurs within a few days to weeks, whereas other natural supplements can take months.

Preliminary studies at the Prostate Center of Vancouver found that very low concentrations of an extract from small-flowered willow herb tea, in the micrograms per ml level, was among the most active ever seen against abnormal cells & growths of the prostate.
Out of a total of 92 plant phenolic extracts tested, small-flowered willow herb was also found to have high antioxidant activity.

PRECAUTIONS:


Epilobium interferes with the hormone progesterone, so if you are pregnant, taking hormone replacement therapy or on birth control pills, you should avoid using this herb.

RECIPES:


Fireweed is used as a sweetener in northwestern North America; it is put in candies, jellies ice cream, syrup & other treats, as well as in sxusem ("Indian ice-cream").
Its young leaves, roots & shoots are edible & rich in pro-vitamin A & vitamin C.
The leaves of fireweed & young shoot tips are edible, raw or cooked.
Early season shoots of this willow herb plant are considered to be delicacy by some & are harvested late spring or early in the summer.
Shoots & young stems are peeled & can be eaten raw or steamed as a substitute for asparagus.
Epilobium angustifolium is also used as a sweetener in candy & for honey production.
Leaves & young shoot tips can be used in salads or cooked as a vegetable.
Flower stalks added to salads, they are used when the flowers are in bud.
The pith of young or older stems – raw or cooked. Slightly sweet, tender & pleasing to eat, though there is not much of it. Gelatinous, it can be used as a flavouring in soups.
The stems are said to be a good laxative, but are best not eaten on an empty stomach.
A tea is made from the dried leaves, it is sweet & pleasant. Called ‘kaporie’ tea in Russia, it contains 10% tannin. The leaves are also used as an adulterant of China tea.

To make an infusion:

use 1 -2 tsp of the dried herb per ¼1 cup of boiling hot water. Steep 10 min.
Drink only 2 cups per day, one in the morning before eating & the second a half hour before you eat dinner.
This short steeping time is just right when you are making a tea from the flowers or leaves of epilobium.
If you are making an infusion from roots or bark, use cold water & let steep for 12 hours.
Heat slowly & then strain before sipping slowly.
Infusions should always be taken slowly.
The tea is rather bland & can be taken in any fair quantity.

Dose of the infusion, sweetened if desired, 100 ml, 5- 6 times a day, or smaller doses may be repeated every 10, 20, 30 or 60 minutes as required.

Fireweed Jelly:

Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a rapid boil & pour over 2 cups of firmly packed fireweed flowers & buds.
Let it cool down & then refrigerate overnight.
Strain the liquid through a jelly bag or cheesecloth.
When you're ready to make the jelly combine the liquid with
1 tsp of lemon juice,
3 tbsp of powdered pectin &
1/2 tsp of butter or margarine.
Bring to a full boil & for 1 minute.
Add 3 cups of sugar & boil hard for another minute, stirring constantly.
Pour into sterilized jelly jars.


MAGIC:

In some parts of England, willow herb, along with a number of other plants, had the local name of 'mother-die' attributed to it. 
There are a number of superstitions that held if certain flowers were picked then this will mean a death in the family.
One popular superstition was that willow herb could get rid of gnats & flies as well as repel snakes.





3 comments:

  1. Hey !very nice post. This post is really useful. Thank you for sharing your good information. nice post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do you have any idea of where to buy it on the web.
    I love the post it is really useful.
    Thank You!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you :) I have no experience with buying herbs online as I pick them myself where I can but I found people in Amazon.com & Etsy.com do sell Fireweed/Willowherb & have good reviews as well..Your local health shops may have it in stock..

      Delete

Thank you for your thoughts