Benefits of Arnica - Tahoe Environmental Research Center

Benefits of Arnica
In and out of the Garden
Presented by Alison Toy
• Central California
raised
• B.S. from UC
Berkeley
• Lake Tahoe Master
Gardener
• UC Davis TERC
UC Davis TERC
The Tahoe Environmental Research Center
(TERC) is a global research leader providing
the science for restoring and sustaining Lake
Tahoe and other treasured lakes worldwide.
TERC educates the next generation of leaders
and inspires environmental stewardship.
UC Davis TERC Facilities at Lake Tahoe
TERC Education
Eriksson Education Center
Historic Fish Hatchery
Tahoe City Demo Garden
Tahoe Science Center
Tahoe Plant Workshops
• Inception
• Sponsors:
– Lake of the Sky Garden Club
– UC Davis TERC
– Truckee Demo Garden
• Native Plants
Tahoe City Demonstration Garden
The Benefits of Arnica
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Current environmental conditions
Utilize native plants in the gardens
Arnica in the garden
Arnica in your home
Human society has altered the natural environment
• Populations have shifted
from rural to urban and
suburban
• Natural Landscapes have
been radically altered by
population growth
Source: PBS.org/the first measured
century
Slide: courtesy of Ellen Zagory
Our relationship with the
environment
We Love Enjoy Nature
Industry continues to harvest resources
and create waste
Pollution of our waterways with sediment
and chemical runoff
Children in cities and suburbs may grow
up never having experienced nature
Forests, prairies, and wetlands replaced by
agriculture, industry and homes.
Human population continues to increase
California’s Population Growth
1950 - 10 million people
2010 - 37 million people
2060 - (Projected) 52 million
Source: Sacramento Bee
More people means…
• More buildings, homes
and constructed
landscapes
• More parking lots,
roads and cars
• More structures and
impermeable surfaces
• Less “natural
environment” or
habitat for wild
creatures who
increasingly depend
on parks, conservation
areas and our urban
and suburban gardens
Pop Quiz Hot Shot!
• 7.4 billion as of 2016
– World Population
• 11.2 billion in the year 2100
– Estimated World Population
• A rate of 100 times higher than normal
– Current vertebrate extinction rate
• 71% of the Earth’s Surface
– Water
• 2.5% of that Water
– Freshwater
• 1% of our freshwater
– Is easily accessible
“Traditional” Garden
• Lawns still popular for large areas
• Plants selected for ornamental value
• Landscapes and gardens as decorative amenities
A new paradigm: an
ecological landscape
• Supports wildlife: pollen, nectar, seeds, and fruits
• Conserves resources
– Water
– Time
– Fertilizers
The Importance of Plants
• Plants are the foundation of the “food web”
• Insects provide food for birds, bats, fish, frog, people, etc.
• Provide ecological services
Why go native?
Not just Natives
Bring on the Bees and Butterflies
• POLLINATION!
– Vital to native plant
reproduction
– facilitates the
continued survival of
native plant species
– Critical for edible
plants like fruits and
vegetables
Support your pollinators
“Gardens can provide oases of safe habitat for
migration through ‘deserts’ of concrete or
intensively cultivated farmland”
Royal Horticulture Society The Garden April 2012
What plants to plant?
• Home Landscaping
Guide
• Local Demonstration
Gardens
– Tahoe City Demonstration
Garden
– Truckee Demo Garden
– North Tahoe Demo
Garden
– Evans Family Garden
• Lake Tahoe Master
Gardeners
• Google!
Go Native!
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Require less resources
Adapted to Tahoe
Low maintenance
Curb appeal
Maintain habitat for
pollinators
Asters
Asters
Arnicas
• Leaves are opposite
• Large, yellow,
radiate flower heads
• Well-developed disk
and ray flowers
Tahoe Varietals
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Heartleaf arnica (Arnica cordifolia)
Seep-spring arnica (Arnica longifolia)
Soft arnica (Arnica mollis)
Sierra arnica (Arnica nevadensis)
Nodding arnica (Arnica parryi)
Meadow arnica (Arnica chamissonis)
Mountain arnica (Arnica latifolia)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)
Arnica nevadensis
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Sierra Arnica: 6 in. - 12 in., 6-15 ray flowers
2-3 pairs of rounded, untoothed leaves
1-3 flowerheads
White – cream
colored pappus
• Mid-season
• Up to 10,000 ft
• Semi-moist
forest openings
or rocky slopes
Arnica longifolia
• Seep-spring Arnica: 10 in. – 30 in., 8-13 ray
flowers, 5-7 pairs of lancelote leaves
• Stiff hairs
• Large clumps
with many heads
• Acute bracts
• Mid-season
• Wet areas
• 7000-8000’
Arnica parryi
• Nodding Arnica
• 6 in – 24 in
• Green, sparsely hairy
leaves, upper leaves
reduced
• Buds nod prior to blooming
• Mid-season
• Moist meadows, stream margins
• 8000’ - 9500’
Arnica cordifolia
• Heartleaf Arnica
• 6 in - 12 in
• 10-15 ray flowers with
pointed tips
• 2-5 pairs of toothed,
heart-shaped leaves
with chordate
basal clusters
• Early to mid-season
• Dry forest openings
• Up to 8000’
Arnica mollis
• Soft Arnica
• 8-24 in.
• 3-5 pairs of soft, hairy,
untoothed leaves
• 1-3 large hemispheric heads
• Yellow-brown pappus
• Moist meadows, stream
margins
• Mid-season
• 8000’ - 9500’
Why plant Arnica?
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Aesthetics
Native Plant
Beneficial to local environment
Beneficial
to you!
History
• Arnica has been
used for medical
purposes since
the 1500s
• Commonly used
to treat sprains,
inflammation,
and bruises
Arnica Studies
• Treatment
– Inflammatory diseases
– Rheumatic diseases
– Epilepsy and seasickness
– Edema and ecchymosis
• Prevention of pain and bruising
• Soothe Sore Muscle
Arnica Studies
• Treatment
– Inflammatory diseases
– Rheumatic diseases
– Epilepsy and seasickness
– Edema and ecchymosis
– Anti-carcinogenic
• Prevention of pain and bruising
• Soothe Muscle Aches
The Science of Arnica
• Arnica montana
• Sesquiterpenoids Lactones
• Helenalin and 11alpha, 13-dihydrohelenalin
type
Usable Arnica
• Tincture: concentrated herbal extract
typically utilizing alcohol as the solvent
• Salve: an ointment used to promote healing
of the skin or as protection
Collecting
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Plant in garden
Collect when most beneficial
Spread out picking of leaves and flowers
Pinch off the flower
Check all angles
Don’t pull out the full plant
Source: Slide from Bree Lewis
Harvesting
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Permit from USFS
Avoid and protect the unusual or threatened
Follow the abundance
Gather in small, thoughtful numbers
Know where (and where not to harvest)
Assess for environmental toxins
Know your plant ID
We don’t want another Arnica montana situation
Source: http://sierrabotanica.com/2015/01/safe-ethical-guidelines-forwildcrafting/
Topical Herbal Remedy
• No consensus exists on topical dosage
• Absorption depends on concentration and
preparation
• Salves typically contain 20-25%
Source: homeopathyusa.org
Salves
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Ointment, balm, cream, emollient, unguent
Simple
Effective
Portability
Cleaner application
Absorption
Tools Needed
• A double boiler or crock pot
• Cheesecloth, old cotton t-shirt or cotton
pillowcase
• Large bowl
• Containers
• Stirrer
Warming Salve
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16 ounces coconut oil
1 ounce dried arnica flowers
7 grams dried cayenne powder
7 grams ginger root powder
7 grams tumeric root powder
½ teaspoon rosemary oil
¼ cup beeswax granules (scant)
Cooling Salve
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16 ounces coconut oil
1 ounce dried arnica flowers
1 cup beeswax granules
½ tsp. peppermint essential oil
½ tsp. lavender essential oil
Directions
• Oil infusion: solar, double boiler, slow cooker
• Strain the herbs from the oil
• In a double boiler or slow cooker combine beeswax and
infused oil. Remove from heat once the beeswax is melted
• Add essential oils
• Allow for cooling
• Pour salve into jars, tins, or some other containers to cool
and harden
• Store in a cool dark place when not in use.
• A small dab (a little bit goes a long way!), massage into
sore achy muscles and joints.
Precautions
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Never orally without direct medical supervision
May irritate skin after prolonged use
Should not be used on broken skin
Allergies
Avoid if pregnant or breastfeeding
Keep out of the reach of children
Avoid use around face and other mucosal
membranes
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
• Good for arthritis
and muscle pain
• Anti-inflammatory
• Improve circulation
and relieve tension
in tired muscles
Source: https://theherbalacademy.com/warming-ginger-cayenne-salve-for-natural-painrelief/
Tumeric (Cucuma longa)
• Curcumin
• Helps to ease muscle pain
• Arthritis and joint
inflammation
Sources: https://theherbalacademy.com/warming-ginger-cayenne-salve-fornatural-pain-relief/
(Kunchandy 1990)
Cayenne (Capsicum)
A circulatory stimulant and
has been used in salves for
healing infections, shingles,
rheumatoid arthritis, and
osteoarthritis.
Source: http://healthimpactnews.com/2012/pain-relieving-coconut-oil-arnicasalve-recipe/
Rosemary (Rosemarinus)
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Analgesic
Antioxidant
Antimicrobial
Anti-carcinogenic
Al-Sereti M.R., Abu-Amer K.M., Sena P. Pharmacology of rosemary and it
therapeutic potentials. 1999. IJEB Vol.37(02) [February 1999]
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
• Anti-bacterial, aids indigestion muscle pain, nerve pain
• Also great cooling effect
Source: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-peppermint.html
Lavender (Lavandula)
• Analgesic
• Antioxidant
• Holistic approach to
depression
• Sleep aid
• Relaxant
Hajhashemi V., Ghannadi A., Sharif N. 2003. Anti-inflammatory
and analgesic properties of the leaf extracts and essential oil of
Lavandula angustifolia Mill. Journal of Ethnopharmacology V
89, issue 1 Pg 67-71
Other Essential Oils
• Eucalyptus has analgesic, antioxidant and
antimicrobial actions
• Cinnamon and clove are available as
essential oils
• The other ingredients in the salves are
essential oils, which can be adjusted to suit
your own preferences.
Beeswax
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100% Natural
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-bacterial
Anti-viral
Seals to retain moisture
Bees?
Why make your own?
• Petroleum jelly and mineral oil are
petroleum-based products, the same
substance gasoline is made from. Such
products can be harmful to your body,
because it cannot eliminate the substance
quickly. Petroleum products are constantly
being scrutinized and studied.
Tincture
• Typically an alcoholic
extract of a plant
• Efficient and quickacting
• Quickest and
easiest method
Fresh Tincture
• The standard ratio for fresh plant tincturing
is 1:2 meaning -1 part herb/plant and 2
parts menstruum.
• The menstruum in this ratio is vodka. Make
sure your final alcohol content is 20% of the
total liquid volume.
Dried Tincture
Herbs in grams and the menstruum in milliliters using combinations of alcohol, water, and/or glycerin as the menstruum. So how do
you read the ratios? Below is common ratio:
1:5 (50A:50W)
1:5 means 1 gram of herbs with 5 ml of menstruum
(50A:50W) means the menstruum is 50% alcohol and 50% distilled water
So using the ratio above, you would use 1 gram of herbs in and 2.5 ml alcohol & 2.5 ml water. You would place 1 gram of herb in a
glass jar, adding 2.5 alcohol will 2.5 ml of distilled water.
ALCOHOL CONTENT: Alcohol is used as a preservative, due to this, the alcohol content needs to be 25% of total liquid volume. So,
how do you know that the 80% vodka or 40% brandy you are using is enough to preserve your tincture? You can increase the alcohol
and reduce the distilled water and the following two formulas will show you how to know:
proof of alcohol = alcohol content
2
example using 80% brandy =
80% = 40% (this shows that the 80% brandy has a
2
40%alcohol content & 60% is actually water)
using the same example, knowing that the alcohol content is 40%, let's check to see if
we need to adjust the water to assist in preserving our tincture.
desired % of absolute alcohol content x 100 = % of alcohol adjustment
alcohol content of brandy
so, knowing that we need a minimum of 25% alcohol content for preserving the tincture, we would use the following ratio:
25 x 100 = 62.5% (so if you are using 5 ml of menstruum, you would need
40
3.125 of brandy and 1.875 of distilled water)
Once you have the correct amounts of alcohol and water, you can be assured that your tincture will be preserved. Prepare your single
herb tincture, let this rest in a cool, dark place for 4-6 weeks, (we macerate for 6 weeks). Shaking daily. Strain with a filter, put the
finished tincture into bottles and label.
Conclusion
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Gardens are good
Plant native Asters like Arnica
Effective at attracting native pollinators
Low maintenance
Less resources
Benefits at home? You tell me!
Upcoming TALKS AND lectures
• Tahoe Arnica Uses In and Out of the Garden- 8/10 TDG 5:30pm
• Dandelions, Weed or Feed?- 8/13 TCDG 10am or 8/17 TDG
5:30pm
• Transforming Transportation, Finally: How Three Transportation
Revolutions Are Starting to Disrupt Transportation As We Know It8/11 TERC 5:30 pm
• Children’s Environmental Science Day- 8/20 Commons Beach 1pm
• Science of Wine- 8/24 TERC 5:30pm
• Science of Gratitude- 9/1 TERC 5:30pm
• Innovation in the US: Myths and Realities- 9/15 TERC 5:30pm
• A Gut Feeling: How Intestinal Microbes Modulate Mood and
Behavior- 9/22 TERC 5:30pm
Sources
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Adkison JD. 2010. The effect of topical arnica on muscle pain. Ann Pharmacother. 44(10):1579-84.
Auerbach. 2011. Wilderness Medicine. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby.
Barkey, E. & M. Kaszkin. 2012. A homeopathic arnica patch for the relief of cellulitis-derived pain and numbness in the hand. Glob Adv Health Med. 1(2): 18.20.
Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J, eds. 2000. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications.
Bolognia. Dermatology. 3rd ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders; 2012.
Brinkhaus B, Wilkens JM, Ludtke R, Hunger J, Witt CM, Willich SN. 2006. Homeopathic arnica therapy in patients receiving knee surgery: Results of three
randomised double-blind trials.Complement Ther Med. 14(4):237-46.
Chadwick M., Trewin H, Gawthrop F, Wagstaff C. 2013. Sesquiterpenoids Lactones: Benefits to Plants and People. Int J Mol Sci. 14(6): 12780-12805
Chaiet, S.R. & B.C. Marcus. 2015. Preoperative Arnica montana for reduction of ecchymosis in rhinoplasty surgery." Ann Plast. Surg. 2015.5.
Falniowski, A., I. Bazos, I. Hodálová, R. Lansdown, & A. Petrova. 2013. Arnica montana. The IUCN red list of threatened species. 2015.2.
Ghantous A., Gali-Muhtasib, Vuorela H., Saliba N.A., Darwiche N. 2010. What made sesquiterpene lactones reach cancer clinical trials? Drug Discov. Tov. 15:668678 [PubMed]
Hocking, G.M. 1945. American Arnica in medicine. Chem Dig. 4:10-12.
Huber R. Bross F, Schempp C, Grundermann C. 2011. Arnica and stinging nettle for treating burns - a self-experiment. Complement Ther Med.19(5):276-80.
Kotlus BS, Heringer DM, Dryden RM. 2010. Evaluation of Homeopathic Arnica montana for Ecchymosis After Upper Blepharoplasty: A Placebo-Controlled,
Randomized, Double-Blind Study. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. Jul 29. [Epub ahead of print]
Seeley BM, Denton AB, Ahn MS, Maas CS. 2006. Effect of homeopathic Arnica montana on bruising in face-lifts: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled clinical trial.Arch Facial Plast Surg. Jan-Feb;8(1):54-9.
Lewis, W.H. & M.P.F. Elvin-Lewis. 2003. Medical Botany: Plants Affecting Human Health. J. Wiley New Jersey.
Merfort I. Arnica: new insights on the molecular mode of action of a traditional medicine plant. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd. 2003; 10 Suppl 1
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Moore, M. 1979 Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West. Museum of New Mexico Press; Rev and Expanded ed. edition (August 18, 2003)
Pljevljakusic, D., M. Ristic, & D. Radanovic. 2012. Rhizome and root yield of the cultivated Arnica montana L., chemical composition and histochemical localization
of essential oil. Industrial Crops & Products. 39:177-189.
Stevinson C., Devaraj V., Founatin-Barber A., Hawkins S., Ernst E. 2003. Homepathic arnica for prevention of pain and bruising: randomized placebo-controlled trial
in hand surgery. J R Soc. Med. 96:60-65
Sugier, D. P. Sugier, & U. Gawlik-Dziki. 2013. Propagation and introduction of Arnica montana L. into cultivation: a step to reduce the pressure on endangered and
high-valued medicinal plant species, The Scientific World Journal, pg 11
Sutovska M, Capek P, Kocmalova M, et al. 2014. Characterization and pharmacodynamic properties of Arnica montana complex. Int J Biol Macromol. 69:214-21.
Tommaso I., Morales-Medina J.C., Bellavite P., Rottigni V., Palmieri B. 2014. Effectiveness and Safety of Arnica Montana in Post-Surgical Setting, pain and
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Ziegler, B., B. Michler, & C.G. Arnold. 1992. Arnica montana L.: a protected plant as a source of a pharmacopoeia drug. Pharm. Zeit. Wissen. 137:198-201.
Questions??
• Full PowerPoint Presentation available online
• http://tahoe.ucdavis.edu/edoutreach/eriksson/garden.html
• Questions later? antoy@ucdavis.edu