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White willow is a medicinal plant which has been used for centuries to relieve pain. Later studies reveal that extracts from white willow contain salicylic acid, which can become a powerful pain reliever.
The white willow (scientific name: Salix alba), is a small deciduous tree found in North America, Europe, and Asia. It grows luxuriantly when near a body of water, like rivers and streams. But it does not grow well in water-logged soil. Over the years, many parts of the white willow have been used. The pale brown wood (like most other trees) is used for fuel. The wood has been found to burn quickly. The flexible shoots are utilized to create baskets and hurdles. The shoots and leaves also serve as food for animals, such as horses. And for medicinal purposes, the leaves of the white willow are often used. The abilities of white willows to bring relief to pain and to bring down a fever are known already since the ancient times. Native Americans ground the white willow bark and used it to create tea. And often, the leaves are chewed by a person who suffers pain. Then, hundreds of year later, the components of the leaves of the white willow were finally analyzed. It was discovered that the leaves contain the chemicals, such as salicin and other salicylates. The salicin and salicylates are substances that are similar in structure to acetylsalicylic acid. This second substance is more popularly known as aspirin. A comparison between salicin and aspirin shows that the naturally-occurring salicin is just as powerful as aspirin. Yet, unlike aspirin, the compound in the white willow, called salicin, does not cause bleeding or upset in the stomach. Aspirin blocks the prostaglandins in the stomach and intestines, causing gastrointestinal pain, the common side effect of aspirin. The white willow’s salicin, however, does not touch the stomach’s prostaglandins. Thus, the salicin of the white willow is a favorable alternative to the synthetically produced aspirin. White willow is used to relieve many different kinds of pain, such as headache and arthritis. The salicin can also reduce swelling. But, currently, the extracts of the white willow plant is used as an ingredient for pain-relieving formulations, such as the eazol. In the eazol, the salicin of the white willow is combined with other powerful substances to more effectively produce these effects. · Relieve the pain caused by headaches, arthritis, and minor injuries, without producing any side effect.
· Bring down the feverish temperature and help the body recover from an illness
· Reduces any swelling or inflammation that occurs on the skin. In the eazol, the white willow’s effects become more powerful. This means that pain is relieved relatively fast. |
