Arnica Health Article

Description

Arnica (Arnica montana L.), known also as leopards-bane, wolfsbane, and European arnica, is a member of the Compositae (Asteraceae) family. This attractive herb is native to the mountains of Siberia and central Europe, where the leaves were smoked as a substitute for tobacco. This practice led to a common name for the herb: mountain tobacco. There are several North American species of arnica, including A. fulgens, A. sororia, and A. cordifolia. Arnica thrives in the northern mountains of the United States and Canada, in high pastures and woodlands.

Arnica grows from a cylindrical, hairy rhizome with a creeping underground stem. First year leaves are downy and grow in a flat rosette at the base of the stem. In the second year, arnica sends up a round, hairy stem with smaller, sessile leaves growing in one to three opposite pairs. This central stem may branch into three or more stems each with a terminal composite blossom. Arnica's aromatic, daisy-like flowers have 10–14 bright yellow rays, each with three notches at the end. Flower rays are irregularly bent back. The central disk is composed of tubular florets. Arnica blooms from June to August. The flowerheads, when crushed and sniffed, may cause sneezing, resulting in another of arnica's common names: sneezewort.

History

Arnica has a history of folk medicine use in many locations, including North America, Germany, and Russian. The herb has been used in folk remedies since the sixteenth century. A North American indigenous tribe, the Cataulsa, prepared a tea from arnica roots to ease back pains. The German writer Goethe credited arnica with saving his life by bringing down a persistent high fever. Arnica preparations are used extensively in Russia. Folk use there includes external treatment of wounds, black eye, sprains, and contusions. Arnica has been used in Russian folk medicine to treat uterine hemorrhage, myocarditis, arteriosclerosis, angina pectoris, cardiac insufficiency, and in numerous other unproven applications.