Richard Whelan ~ Medical Herbalist ~ Arnica

ARNICA
Common Names
Arnica, Wolfs-bane, Leopard’s bane
Botanical Name
Arnica Montana
Family
ASTERACEAE or COMPOSITAE ~ Sunflower family

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What is it?

The bright yellow flowers, gathered from the mountain-growing, long-lived, beautiful Arnica montana

PLANTS

FLOWER

DRIED

How has it been used?

There are many poisonous herbs that people have learned how to use as medicines. In olden times Arnica was used extensively for people with heart weaknesses. Swiss mountain folk, to ease sore and aching limbs, knew how to chew a small amount of Arnica leaf to ease their pain.

Arnica has also been widely used as an external treatment to reduce pain and swelling and this is almost exclusively how it is still used today.

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Personal experiences

We make our own Arnica tincture from organic dried flowers and use this frequently in external creams and compresses. Placing even just a few Arnica flowers in the bath can be remarkably relaxing.

Arnica is a lethal poison if used to excess but, knowing this, I do still occasionally use Arnica internally in very small and very safe amounts (measured in drops). Arnica is a powerful heart remedy and I have seen it give some remarkable benefits to some very ill people indeed.

Arnica combines perfectly with Hawthorn for a weakened and struggling heart and with Valerian for someone who has lost their strength and confidence.

Goethe's story

The German writer and scientist, Goethe, credited Arnica with saving his life after it relieved such severe chest pains from his chronic heart condition that he was sure he was going to die. He wrote

"When life and death began their struggle within me, I sensed how the hosts of life, this flower on their standard, forced the issue, and the stagnating forces of the enemy, the deathly oppressive powers, meet their Austerlitz.

Rejuvenated in my recovery I praise this herb most highly, yet in truth it is nature who praises herself, she who is truly inexhaustible, who creates this flower with its healing powers, and in doing so once more proclaims herself to be eternally procreative.”

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