Health Benefits of White Willow Bark

The White Willow tree is native to central and southern Europe, and western and central Asia. It is a large deciduous tree that can grow to heights of up to 75 feet. Classified as Hyssopus officinalis, the name white willow is derived from the silky white hairs which cover the leaves, particularly on the underside.

The use of white willow bark for medicinal purposes has a long history. Ancient Egyptians used white willow for inflammation. The Greek physician, Hippocrates, wrote about white willow's ability to ease aches and pains and reduce fevers. White willow bark has been used as a treatment for pain and fever in China since 500 B.C. and Native Americans used white willow for headaches, fever, sore muscles, rheumatism and chills.

In 1828, European scientists identified a compound called salicin, which was believed to be the active ingredient in white willow bark. By 1829, salicin had been purified to salicylic acid and was being used to effectively treat pain and fever. European scientists also discovered that white willow bark was effective at burning off warts.

The first aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) was made from willow bark, but extracting salicin from herbs was considered to be expensive and time-consuming, so a synthetic salicylic acid was developed by the German company Bayer in 1852. Chemists later modified salicylic acid to create acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin.

Today, White willow bark is used as an anti-inflammatory, fever reducer, analgesic, anti-rheumatic, and astringent. White willow bark is known to relieve headaches and to ease pain associated with inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

White willow bark has been found to be effective for Osteoarthritis and low back pain. It is also used to treat the symptoms associated with bursitis, menstrual cramps, migraine headaches, tension headaches and tendonitis.

Many people have turned to white willow bark instead of aspirin because it does not appear to be as irritating to the stomach lining. It may be because the salicin found naturally in white willow bark is only converted to the acid form after it is absorbed by the stomach. Researchers have also suggested that white willow bark is more effective than aspirin because of other active compounds that are found in the bark but not the drug. While white willow bark takes longer to begin acting than aspirin, but its effects may last longer and unlike aspirin, it doesn't cause stomach bleeding or other known adverse effects.

There have been few reported side effects connected to white willow bark, however side effects may occur. White willow bark can potentially have the same side effects as aspirin including ringing in the ears, ulcers, stomach burning or pain, cramping, nausea, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver toxicity, kidney impairment, rash and dizziness.

White willow is not recommended for people with ulcers or gastritis. As with aspirin, white willow should not be used to treat fevers in children as it may cause Reye's syndrome; a deadly disease linked to the use of aspirin and other salicylate-containing medications.

People who are taking blood-thinning medications, potassium-sparing diuretics or the anti-seizure drug, valproic acid, should avoid combining white willow bark with these substances. Safety in pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease, has not been established.