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Willow, the ‘It’ Herb! Willow is usually associated in the minds of men with sport - the traditional summer sound of the thwack of leather on willow cricket bats - and with women, traditional Chinese willow-pattern crockery. But in mystery, magic, myth and legend, healing medicine, conservation of the environment and in domestic practical use and crafts, poetry and song – Willow’s got it all. About once a week the press and media inform us of another new use for Aspirin, so what’s with the willow! (See Willow and Medicine)
Origins, Myths, Legends and in Literature and Song: Forming part of Darwin’s ‘abominable mystery’, the origins of willow (an angiosperm1) might simply have melted into the mists of time were it not for the discovery a 100 years ago by paleobotanists of the Dakota 100 million-year-old fossilized late-Cretaceous, yet very modern looking willow (Salix) leaves2. Willows are certainly biblical plants, appearing in the books of Leviticus, Job, Isaiah, Ezekiel and the Pslams3. Yet the renowned ‘weeping willow’ (Salix babylonica), found currently in Palestine, was introduced from Japan and could not have been located “by the waters of Babylon”. A symbol of wisdom and healing, the white willow was also featured in pagan cultures and is associated with mysticism and the magic of the Moon goddess. Sacred to the Druids, it features in the Celt’s ogham and runic alphabet of the Scandinavians and Anglo-saxons8. To name a few of its spiritual associations, it is linked to the Tree of Life and, as with the wanderings of the druids from central Europe to the east and back again finally to a far point of Wales in the west, it is connected to both Celtic and Hebrew beliefs. Even now the familiar willow-pattern on your dinner plate refers to a Chinese legend and our cute springtime Pussy willow (Salix nigra) has a tale or two to tell. Possibly willow made its first musical début as a peg for the lyre4, long before it starred in the song sung by Desdemona in Shakespeare’s play Othello5 or found its way into the haunting poetry of William Makepeace Thackeray.6 Industry and the Environment: Growing in many moist areas of the world, in the UK alone willow golden yellow catkined ‘withies’ or ‘osiers’, (Salix viminalis) a native of Europe and N. Asia, coppiced for annual or biannual harvest have been used for centuries in the withy industry, e.g. Somerset Levels and Moors, for traditional basket making and many other domestic products7. The wood has been used for chairs and tools, and for cricket bats a cultivar of Salix alba; the timber woven into sheep hurdles. Harking back to Shakespeare, willow now plays an important role among the gardening fraternity. In one of America’s seven major gardens featuring plants found in his writings, in Blount’s Cultural Garden visitors find leafy bowers woven with willow and fragrant climbers clinging to clam-shaped willow arbours.9 In fact, it has become very trendy to grow ‘live’ willow sculptures (Salix viminalis) in gardens and to use saplings to erect ‘live’ bowers, hideouts, and screening.10 Often to be found growing along riverbanks, the willow thrives where industrial pollution has not taken too harsh a toll and has become something of an ecosystem barometer. What is more, the British Parliament and Government are employing cultivation of its Biomass as an important contender for a modern Energy Crop.11 In Finland, the willow’s raw material is also used for hide tanners, the pharmaceutical industry and to restore areas polluted by heavy metals. One of the most important modern uses of willows’ (Salix viminalis) rapid growth is energy and environmental forestry. Willows are highly useful in capturing carbon dioxide emissions, waste management and restoration of waste land such as landfill sites and to aid water purification. It is used for landscaping to shore up river banks (willow spiling) to avert erosion.12&13 To add to its environmental credentials, willow even has a migratory bird from Africa the ‘willow warbler’ named after it.14 If you think that’s ‘It’, it’s not – not by a long withy! Willow and Medicine: It’s a well-known fact that herbal medicine is one of the oldest methods of healing. In 1850 eighty per cent of all medicines in Europe and the US were derived from plants, and so it has continued to the present day. The familiar ‘pussy willow’ of our childhood’s Springtimes, the American Black willow (Salix nigra), though lesser known medicinally, has many properties in common with white willow, but reputedly is an aphrodisiac – perhaps it should not be recommended to wayward clergy!16 The reported oldest evidence for White willow (Salix alba) is in the form of a clay tablet dating from about 700BC, as well as from Assyrian-Babylonian documentation.17 Containing an analgesic, salicylic acid, it was the forerunner of synthetic Aspirin (first synthesized in 1838), it has been used around the world as a medicine for at least 2000 years. From the ancient Egyptians usage to treat inflammation and Hippocrates method of chewing the leaves for women in labour to a plethora of contemporary purveyors on our Computer age ‘Internet’ in 2004AD.27, 28, 31, 32,33, 34,35+ White willow’s (Salix alba) bark extract (salicis cortex) has travelled well and is enjoying a third millennium renaissance. And it’s ‘hot’ news - good news for humans and animals alike – White willow is already an accepted herbal remedy for horses and dogs.26 Initially, via observations of animals put to rest in a particular paddock - they not only recovered extremely well but attained unusual longevity - a farmer in Cumbria looks set to make £millions. His ‘Lakeland Willow Water’ duly tested shows the water contains safe levels of salicin – a natural equivalent of aspirin – with genuine medicinal qualities and potential to prevent deep vein thrombosis, reduce the risk of heart attack and strokes and may even prove useful in the treatment of cancer, arthritis and rheumatism. The salicin gets into the spring when rainwater filters through a layer of ancient white willow bark, which has built up over thousands of years. Howzat! for an ancient plant wowing the modern bottled water world.18 It is recommended to drink plenty of water on long-haul flights as part of a precaution against D.V.T. (Deep Vein Thrombosis); can we begin to look forward to ‘Lakeland Willow Water’ being served on Virgin flights? Characteristically considered a headache remedy, pain reliever, febrifuge and anti-inflammatory, research had already shown that white willow bark extract alleviates back pain, low back pain in particular, without having any significant side effects. Unlike Aspirin, white willow bark extract contains only the precursor salicin, which passes unchanged through the stomach and is said not to convert into salicylic acid until it reaches the liver and the site of the inflammation.19 It has also shown some pain relief for people with osteoarthritis, but requires further research.20e) One potentially useful combined herbal preparation against rheumatic pains is White Willow & Burdock, which has been standardised to eliminate impurities for maximum effect.23 With the threat of unhealthy obesity looming large on the Western world’s horizon - hardly surprising when the UK alone consumes more than £1.37 billion worth of sweets in one year and appears to have cultivated the habit of grazing on some food or other throughout the day22 - white willow combined with e.g. Ephedrine (Ma Huang), may have potential for enhancing weight loss when taken in combination as a thermogenic supplement by helping to increase the oxidation ‘burning off’ fat. 21 Some other combination herbs cited are Green Tea and Guarana, particularly for their caffeine content.21, 29, 30 The analgesic actions of willow may be slow to develop but possibly may last longer than the effects of standard aspirin products.20 Could all these wonders of White willow be giving the pharmaceutical industry a headache? Considering one of the latest American research claims for aspirin for prevention and treatment of cancers at both ends of the alimentary canal, oesophageal and colorectal cancers, might not cost effective white willow provide a safer alternative and expect some equally well-funded much needed research attention?36,37,38 ©Helen Knowles. Safety Notes: It is well to note that those with stomach ulcers and/or other gastrointestinal complaints or who are allergic to aspirin should abstain, as prolonged high dosages of aspirin or white willow bark extracts cannot be tolerated. White willow is also recommended not to be taken during pregnancy or lactation or to obtain professional advice. To avoid any adverse effects it requires approval and monitoring from a health-care provider in cases of renal dysfunction, obstruction, or if taking anti-coagulant drugs such as Warfarin or Coumadin.24, 25 Disclaimer: All material provided in the Herbsphere website is provided for information and/or educational purposes only. Consult your own professional health care provider regarding the application of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition.
REFERENCES: WILLOW 1. Angiosperm: A member of the group of flowering plants that have seeds enclosed in an ovary. 2. ‘The Abominable Mystery Of the First Flowers: Clues from Nebraska and Kansas’ by M. R. Bolick and R. K. Pabian 3. The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia – King James Version (Authorized) (www.searchgodswrod.org) 4. ‘Medicines from the Bible’ Dr Marinus de Waal, Pub. Weiser, p.33-34 5. ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare Act III, Scene IV. 6. The Willow-Tree by William Makepeace Thackeray. 7. (www.somerset.gov.uk) Withy Industry 8. The White Willow (www.thewhitewillow.com) 9. Blount’s cultural Garden – America – Shakespearian Gardens. 10. Somerset Levels – Working Willow – Live Willow – www.somersetlevels.co.uk 11 The United Kingdom Parliament – Energy Crops. www.parliamemnt.the-stationery-office.co.uk 12. Liisa Tahvanainen: Willow Cultivation – (gis.joensuu.fi) 13. Restoration of River Cennen, South West Wales www.carmarthenshire.org.uk 14. Willow Warbler – Phylioscupus trochilus. www.bbc.co.uk/nature/birds 15. Hofels – www.seven-seas.ltd.uk 16. Willow, Black American – aphrodisiac - Mrs. Grieves www.botanical.com 17. ‘The renaissance of a pain-relieving remedy of plant origin’ www.crnm.de/willow_bark 18. ‘Fortune springs from a farmer’s field’ by Chris Brooke, D. Mail 8th Feb 2003. 19. www.crnm.de/willow_bark American Journal of Medicine: Prof. Dr. Sigrun Chrubasik, Dr. Elon Eisenbergy et al ‘Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Haifa (Israel) (Vol. 109, No. 1, 1st July 2000, pp 9-14.
a) Willow bark extract shows significant analgesic effects in patients with arthrosis of the hip or knee joint. Uv. of Tubingen. b) Blumenthal M. Busse WR, Goldberg A. et al (eds.) The Complete Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 230. c) A comparative study shows that willow bark extract has a minor effect on platelet aggregation. Uv. Haifa, Israel. d) Willow bark extract is rapidly absorbed. Uv. Tubingen. e) Monograph: Salicis cortex (willow bark) – the monograph of Commission E of the Federal German Health Office, pub in Bundesanzeiger (Federal Gazette) on 5.12.1984. (From full text version in German) 20. Willow – www.mycustompak.com a) Weiss RF Herbal Medicine. Gothenburg, Sweden: Ab Arcanum, 1988, 31. 303. b) Foster, S. 101 Medicinal Herbs, Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, 1998, 210-1 c) Bradley PR (ed). British Herbal Compendium, vol 1. Bournemouth, Dorset, UK: British Herbal Medicine Association, 1992, 224-6. d) Mills SY, Jacoby RK, Chacksfield M. Wiloughly M. ‘Effect of a proprietary herbal medicine on the relief of chronic arthritic pain: A double-blind study. Br J. Rheum 1996.35:874-8. e) Schmid B. Tschirdewahn B, Katater I, et al. Analgesic effects of willow bark extract in osteoarthritis: results of a clinical double-blind trial. Fact 1998;3:186. 21. Daly PA, Kreiger DR, Dulloo AG, Young JB, Landsberg L, ‘Ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin: safety and efficacy for treatment of human obesity. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1993 Feb;17 Suppl 1:S73-8. a) Dulloo Ag, Miller DS, Aspirin as a promoter of ephedrine-induced thermogenesis: potential use in the treatment of obesity, Am J. Clin Nutr. 1987 Mar;45(3):564-9 b) Dulloo Ag, Miller DS, Ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin: “over-the-counter” drugs that interact to stimulate thermogenesis in the obese. Nutrition, 1989 Jan-Feb;5(1):7-9 c) Geissier CA. Effects of weight loss, ephedrine and aspirin on energy expenditure in obese women. Int J. Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1993 Feb; 17 Suppl 1:S45-8. d) Kreiger Dr, Daly PA, Dulloo AG, Ransil BJ, Young JB, LandsbergL. Ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin promote weight loss in obese subjects. Trans Assoc Am Physicians. 1990;103:307-12. e) Levesque H, Lafont O, Aspirin throughout the ages: a historical review, Rev Med Interne. 2000 Mar;21 Suppl 1:8s-17s. f) Norton Wl, Meisinger MA. An overview of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents’. Inflammation. 1977 Mar;2(1):37-45. g) Toubro S, Astrup AV, Breum L, Quaade F. Safety and efficacy of long-term treatment with ephedrine, caffeine and an ephedrine/caffeine mixture. Int J. Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1993 Feb;17 Suppl 1:S69-72.
22. Freeserve Internet News Bulletin on Study by Dental Experts – 7th March, 2003. 23. Hofels White Willow & Burdock – www.seven-seas.ltd.uk
24. White Willow – www.supplementwatch.com 25. White willow bark – www.metromkt.net 26. Herbal therapy for horses. www.equiworld.net 27. Holland & Barrett – White Willow Bark Capsules – www.hollandandbarrett.com 28. White willow bark – www.wholehealthmd.com 29. ThermatolTM - Bitter Orange extract (Advanta ZTM); Ma Huang extract (Ephedra); Citrin extract (Garcinia Cambogia extract); Guarana extract; Siberian Ginseng extract; White Willow extract (bark) – www.aimtobehealthy.com 30. Hammer Pharma S.p.A. Willow bark dry extract – Specifications – 03/2001 – www.hammerpharma.it 31. Total Fitness Nutrition. White Willow bark – www.tfnutrition.com 32. Life Health Energy.com. White Willow extract – www.lifehealthyenergy.com 33. Nature’s Way – White Willow, Extract – www.naturesway.com 34. White Willow Extract Capsules – www.abatra.com 35. Campo Research – Campo Willow Extract – www.campo-research.com 36. Protective association of aspirin/NSAIDSs and esophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Corley DA et al. N. California Kaiser Div. of Research. Dept. of Medicine, Uv.of California-San Francisco, CA, USA. corley@itsa.ucsf.edu Gastroenterology 2003 Jan;124(1):47-56. 37. Cost –effectiveness in the prevention of colorectal cancer. Sonnenberg A. Dept of Veterans Affairs Medical Centre, Uv. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 2002 Dec:31(4):1069-91. 38. Rerported D. Mail 6.3.2003. A daily Aspirin tablet could help prevent bowel cancer. Dartmouth Medical School, New Hampshire, USA. New England Journal of Medicine.
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