Poisonous
Effect:
anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, astringent, stimulating blood circulation
Areas of application:
Sore throat, sore throat, headache, other pain, arthritis, sciatica, lumbago, colic, flatulence, skin inflammation, boils, swelling, skin ulcers, wounds, back pain, rheumatism, fever
Plant parts used:
leaves
Collection time:
at any time
To find:
Forest areas with moist, acidic soil in eastern North America.
Ingredients:
Monotropitoside, methyl salicylate
Miscellaneous:
American Wintergreen is a semi-woody plant and grows up to 15 cm high. It forms low-growing, leafy mats of evergreen leaves, making it a popular ground cover. The light green, oval or spoon-shaped leaves have a glossy appearance and a waxy or leathery feel. The leaves are arranged in groups near the tip of a small reddish stem. The waxy flowers, with their drooping, bell-like appearance, appear in June or July but are often hidden beneath the ground cover. The bright scarlet berries ripen in late fall through winter.
🛑 Because of its toxicity, the essential oil should never be taken internally. To use it as a medication, it is converted into salicylic acid, which has a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory effect. 30 ml of the oil, about 1 ounce, contains the equivalent of 171 aspirin tablets. This is highly toxic to adults.
The flavor of this oil is widely used in North America: chewing gum, candy, other foods, toothpaste and aseptic mouthwash, for example, are often offered in this flavor, although synthetic salicylic acid methyl ester is often used today. The drug is also used to flavor snuff and chewing tobacco.
In German-speaking countries, the use of taste and smell is almost exclusively reserved for the market for medical, hygiene and cleaning products. In addition to dental products or ointments, the aroma is also associated with toilet blocks and portable toilets, which often causes an aversion to wintergreen-flavored foods.