Effect:
anti-inflammatory, analgesic, analgesic, anti-edema, antibacterial, promotes wound healing, reduces fever
Areas of application:
Wounds, skin problems, respiratory problems, rheumatoid arthritis, painful joints, chilblains, hemorrhoids, breathing problems, cough, fever, cold, mucus formation, menstrual problems, menopause
Plant parts used:
bark, root
Collection time:
at any time
To find:
In North America
Ingredients:
Salicylic acid, flavonoids, essential oils
Miscellaneous:
The American aspen grows 6 to 15 meters high. Its lateral roots can spread over 30 m and an aspen grove can consist of nothing but clones of the original tree. The bark is usually whitish and often scaly and thin. As it ages it becomes thicker and furrowed, especially at the base of the tree. The leaves are deciduous and ovate to almost round. They are usually 3.75 to 7.5 cm long and have small, rounded teeth on the edge. The leaves are dark green and shiny on the upper side and pale green on the underside. The male and female flowers are on separate trees. The flowers of both species are borne in hanging catkins. The small fruits are narrow egg-shaped to bottle-shaped capsules that are about 0.5 to 0.75 cm long. They split and release the seeds. Each seed has a tuft of long, white, silky hairs that blow lightly in the wind.
An alcoholic extract from aspen leaves was previously used in the preparation of Prostagutt drops for medicinal use against prostate enlargement.