Reasons why Salix Alba bark extract is becoming more popular in the last decade

Salix alba bark extract is made from the willow bark tree that has a substance known as salicin that has properties similar to aspirin that our body uses to produce salicylic acid which is a precursor to aspirin. An extract from this bark has been used in alternative medicine as a way to relieve pain, fever, and inflammation.

This particular bark has been used for a long time and the farthest we can go back would be the 4th century in Greece where people took a bark from this tree and chewed it because it provided pain relief. It has analgesic and antipyretic properties, which means that it provides pain relief and reduces fever if present.

In recent years, this bark has gained popularity because it is believed to be an excellent alternative to many of the best over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, including Aleve, Advil, and Aspirin. It is also one of the best natural pain relievers for headaches and is used by many alternative medicine practitioners to treat their patients. It also helps a lot if you have pain in your lower back, knees, and some other conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Many people also consider it a good weight loss aid.

Here are some of the health benefits, side effects, drug interactions, and proper dosage associated with using this extract.

Health Benefits of Salix Alba Bark Extract

Lumbar pain

People suffering from acute low back pain can find this natural pain reliever to solve their problems. The research uncovered substantial evidence that it can actually help people with this type of pain.

Researchers did an analysis and evaluated 14 studies in which patients were treated with different herbs for low back pain and found that people who were treated with salix alba continuously reported that they felt relief from their symptoms compared to the control group with placebo. They also found that higher doses of the extract were better and more effective and that pain relief results are not instantaneous and it can take a week for noticeable pain relief to appear.

Although this supports the health benefit of this bark extract for people suffering from low back pain, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of salix alba bark in relieving low back pain.

Arthritis

Salix alba bark extract can potentially help arthritis sufferers, but to be sure of this much more research is needed because the research that is available at this time has yielded mixed results.

A study involving salix alba bark extract that had 240 mg of salicin was administered to patients who had osteoarthritis every day and they showed 14% pain relief after two weeks of taking the treatment compared to the group of placebo that had only a 2% reduction in pain. . However, another study involving 127 people with knee osteoarthritis who received 240 mg of salicin had an 18% reduction in pain, while the group that took Voltaren, which is a medication for this type of arthritis, had a 47% reduction in pain levels. When they compared the results with the placebo group, they concluded that the 18% reduction in pain for people who took the bark extract was the same as that for the placebo group who took no medication.

Weightloss

Research on whether or not this bark extract can enhance weight loss is inconclusive, although it does suggest that if taken with a combination of other medications, such as ephedra and kola nut, it could aid weight loss in obese people or overweight. That being said, ephedra is a controversial drug because it is considered unsafe and has been banned in the US because of the harmful side effects it could have, especially when taken in combination with other medications or health care products. .

Anti-aging

Due to the salicin content in the bark extract, it is used in many skin care products, as salicin has some properties that can regulate the genes in our skin. It is also associated with the regulation of groups of genes that are related to the aging process of the skin. The salicin that is present in this extract intervenes in the creation of collagen that maintains the elasticity of our skin and prevents it from wrinkling.

An investigation that was carried out in 30 individuals who were between 40 and 70 years old and an extract that had 0.5% salicin was applied had positive results after doing it every day for 12 weeks.

Anti-inflammatory

Salix alba extract is believed to have the best anti-inflammatory properties due to the amount of salicin it contains. People find it helpful when they have facial acne, sunburn, and herpetic inflammation.

The research supporting this was conducted on 30 people who were between the ages of 16 and 35, where 15 of them had oily skin and 15 had moderate acne skin. Cosmetics containing salicin were applied to the skin for 14 days and showed excellent results at the end of the study.

Possible side effects of Salix Alba extract

While using this extract for a short time has shown no side effects and is perfectly safe, research on its long-term use is not very conclusive and it is still unclear whether or not it is safe. Since it has similar properties to aspirin, it is very possible that you will have the same side effects, especially if you use it a lot. Some of those nasty side effects can be vomiting, dizziness, gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney failure, an upset stomach, and liver toxicity.

It is not recommended for teens and younger children because they can develop a condition known as Reye’s syndrome, which is very rare but can be fatal. Another group that should avoid using this extract are new mothers who are still breastfeeding because they could unintentionally harm their newborn baby. As for pregnant women, no studies have been done, but it is not recommended and it is much better to keep some distance just to be safe.

Another possibility could be an allergic reaction to this bark extract. Since it has similar properties to aspirin, those allergic to it should also stay away from salix alba bark extract. It is not certain that people allergic to aspirin will also have an allergic reaction to the extract, but avoiding it is the best way to do this because it can lead to a serious condition known as anaphylaxis which, if left untreated, can cause coma, heart failure, failure respiratory. , suffocation and even death.

Interactions with other medications

Salix alba bark extract can cause slow blood clotting that will prolong bleeding time, so it should not be taken together with drugs that are blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs such as Coumadin and Plavix because they can interfere with the purpose of the drug.

If you are using salix alba bark extract and have an upcoming surgery, you should stop doing it at least 2 weeks before because it may harm your body and bleed excessively during surgery. People who have bleeding disorders should also avoid this extract.

The compounds in this extract are very similar to those found in pain relievers, including Discalcid and Trilisate, so mixing this extract with them could cause some side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or an upset stomach.

Salix Alba Bark Extract Dosage

Basically this extract is safe to take up to 400mg per day when used for a short period of time if you are looking for relief from joint or muscle pain. Supplements with this extract are usually easily found on the market as ready-made capsules with dosages, but can also be found in powder and liquid form, where you need to be aware of the dosage you are taking, so it is better to stick with 400 mg per day or less. for your safety and well-being.

Conclution

The bark of Salix alba has long been used as a medication that provided relief from pain, inflammation, and fever symptoms in many native cultures due to the salicin it contains and which our body converts to salicylic acid, a precursor of Aspirin.

This bark extract is believed to be one of the best natural pain relievers and has many health benefits that rival even the best over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications available today. Although more research is needed on this extract, there are some available that suggest that it may help people suffering from arthritis and low back pain.

Some research suggests that the combination of salix alba extract with ephedra and kola nut might help overweight and obese people lose weight, but it is not recommended due to the potential side effects of ephedra that can be serious and very harmful .

It is also used in cosmetics to make anti-aging creams and gels due to the salicin it contains, which helps maintain the elasticity of our skin and regulate gene groups. Also, people may find it helpful if they have facial acne, sunburn, and herpetic inflammation because research suggests it has the best anti-inflammatory properties that can significantly reduce symptoms in just 14 days.