Slippery Elm - the funny sounding herb with serious significance.

Contents

• Basic Botanical Data of Slippery Elm.
• What Is It? Basic Botanical Data of Slippery Elm Bark.
• Phytochemicals and Constituents.
• Property Uses,Nutrients and Indications.
• Discovery of Slippery Elm.
• Overview and Value of Slippery Elm.
• What Is Slippery Elm Used for Today?Information About This Extract.
• Common Traditional Usage List of slippery Elm.
• Historical Uses and Legend.
• Classical Slippery elm Remedy.
• Health Benefits of Slippery elm Bark.
• Supplemental Uses of Slippery Elm.
• Preparations and Suggestions.
• Modern Research:Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva) soothing herbal bark.
• Research Updated:Slippery Elm or Ulmus fulva.

Preparations and Suggestions.:

Mucilage, U.S.P., made by digesting 6 grams of bruised Slippery Elm in 100 c.c. and heated in a closed vessel in a water-bath for 1 hour and then strained.

 For bronchitis:

 Acute: Drink two or three cups of slippery elm tea a day. To prepare the tea, add 1 tablespoon of dried herb or 1 tablespoon of liquid extract to a cup (8 ounces) of hot (not boiling) water.
 Chronic: Use the doses above during flare-ups; otherwise drink the tea as desired.

 For digestive disorders:

 1) prepare honey-sweetened porridge and eat as desired or
 2) take 500-1000mg of capsulized powder three times daily.

 For cough: Drink three cups of slippery elm tea a day. Alternatively, drink one cup of a slippery elm-containing herbal cough tea up to three times a day, as needed. Or suck on a slippery elm lozenge every two or three hours, as needed.

 For sore throat: As a tea, use 1 tablespoon of dried herb for each 8-ounce cup of hot (not boiling) water. Alternatively, mix 1 tablespoon of liquid extract in 8 ounces of hot water. Drink up to three cups daily. Or suck on a slippery elm lozenge every two or three hours, as desired.

 For Crohn's disease and other gastrointestinal upset: Use 1 tablespoon of liquid extract diluted in 8 ounces of hot (not boiling) water OR take 2 capsules of Robert's Formula (which contains slippery elm) four times a day.

 Ailments Dosage:Dosage and Suggested Amount: How much is usually taken?
 Bronchitis Acute: Drink 2 or 3 cups tea a day. Or add 1/2-1 tsp. liquid extract to a 1 cup (8 ounces) of hot water.
 Chronic: Use doses above during flare-ups; otherwise as desired.

 Cough Add 1 tsp. liquid extract to 1 cup (8 oz.) hot water 3 times a day. Alternatively, drink 1 cup slippery elm tea (or a slippery elm-containing herbal cough tea) up to 3 times a day as needed.
 Crohn's Disease As a tea: Pour 8 ounces hot water over 1 tbsp. of dried herb; drink up to 3 times a day.

 Sore Throat As a tea, 1 tbsp. dried herb per 8 oz. cup of hot water. Alternatively, mix 1 tbsp. liquid extract in 8 oz. of hot water. Drink up to 3 cups daily.

 Elm may be made into a drink or a thin cereal-type food (usually called ?gruel?) by mixing about one teaspoon of the powdered bark into about an ounce of cold water. Once the powdered elm bark is dissolved, up to 8 ounces of boiling water or other liquid may be added. Elm gruel has been used as food for babies and individuals who are unable to eat solid foods. Both elm gruel and drinks made from elm have a thick texture and a bland taste, so they are often flavored before consumption.

 Decoction: Use 1 part of the powdered bark to 8 parts of water. Mix the powder in a little water initially to ensure it will mix. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for l0-l5 minutes, Drink half a cup three times a day.
 Poultice: mix the coarse powdered bark with enough boiling water to make a paste.

 Slippery elm bark tea is taken 3-5 times per day, or as required. Alternatively, porridge of the bark can also be taken throughout the day, as required. Sufficient amounts of water (1:10) should be taken at the same time to ensure maximum therapeutic benefits and to prevent impacted bowel. Take slippery elm bark lozenges as needed throughout the day for coughs and throat irritations. Note: Wild crafting of slippery elm bark for the health food market has threatened these trees in their native habitats, and so it is recommended that consumers assure that they are using cultivated sources (such as from Flora) or use alternative herbs such as marshmallow root, also rich in mucilage.

 The dried inner bark in capsules or tablets, 800~1,000 mg three to four time per day, may be used. A tea can also be made by boiling 1/2~2 grams of the bark in 200 ml of water for ten to fifteen minutes, then cooled before drinking. Three to four cups a day can be used.3 Tincture, 5 ml three times per day, can be taken as well. Slippery elm is also an ingredient of some sore throat and cough lozenges.
 Suck cough lozenges as needed. For internal use, a typical dose is 500 to 1,000 mg of 3 times daily.


 Are there any side effects or interactions?

 Although elm is not known to interfere with any drugs, other herbals or foods; taking it by mouth may slow down or stop absorption of other substances from the intestines.

 Regular use of slippery elm bark may affect the absorption of tetracycline derivatives, oral anti-cholinergics, phenothiazines, digoxin, isoniazid, phenytoin, nalidixic acid, sulfonamides, and warfarin.

 Slippery elm bark may potentiate the antibiotic activity of Echinacea. To counter the effect, add milk or cream to tea.
 Slippery elm bark may affect the urinary excretion of alkaline drugs, such as amphetamines and quinidine.
 Use with caution in conjunction with CNS depressants or stimulants.
 Sedatives, hypnotics, and beta-adrenergic blocking agents may inhibit the anti-inflammatory activity of the herb.

 As with other sources of soluble fibre, slippery elm bark mucilage can interfere with the absorption of other medicines within the gut if they are taken at the same time. As such, take prescription medications at an alternate time to consuming slippery elm bark.

 Slippery elm is quite safe. There are no known reasons to avoid its use during pregnancy or breast feeding. However, because it is so mucilaginous, it may interfere with the absorption of medicine taken at the same time.

 No interactions have been identified between elm and drugs, other herbal products, or foods. However, because the mucilage that elm contains may coat the stomach and intestines, it may block or delay the absorption of drugs or nutrients. If elm is taken by mouth, the longest amount of time possible -- at least 2 hours -- should be allowed between taking elm and eating or taking medications.

 Some interactions between herbal products and medications can be more severe than others. The best way for you to avoid harmful interactions is to tell your doctor and/or pharmacist what medications you are currently taking, including any over-the-counter products, vitamins, and herbals. For specific information on how elm interacts with drugs, other herbals, and foods and the severity of those interactions, please use our Drug Interactions Checker to check for possible interactions.

 Contraindications:

 High fibre products are contraindicated in the case of impacted bowel or bowel blockage of any origin.

 Safety and Precautions:

 Slippery elm is considered a safe herb when taken at commonly recommended dosages. However, because of unknown health risks associated with using the whole bark, make sure to buy products that only contain the inner bark.
 The risks of using slippery elm preparations during pregnancy or while breast-feeding are unknown.
 Aside from occasional allergic reactions, slippery elm is relatively non-toxic. Formal studies have never been conducted on its safety.
 Safety in young children, nursing or pregnant women, and patients with severe liver kidney disease has not been determined.
 Slippery elm bark can cause Dermatitis while the pollen is allergenic.

 The outer bark of elm is known to contain chemicals that may cause pregnant women to miscarry. Although the inner bark, which is used in medicine, is not believed to contain these chemicals, pregnant women are still advised not to take elm.

 Using inner bark of elm is not known to cause problems during pregnancy. However, if any of the outer elm bark is ingested by a pregnant woman, a miscarriage is a remote possibility.


 Possible Side Effects:

 Some people develop an allergic rash when slippery elm is applied to the skin; stop using (externally and internally) if this happens.
 Aside from the risk of an allergic skin reaction, there are no side effects associated with the use of slippery elm at commonly recommended dosages.

 If sufficient amounts of liquid (1:10) are taken, as indicated above, then there are no known side effects. As with any type of fibre, it is important not to take too much all at once and over do it. If fibre is taken above the recommended dosage, or without adequate amounts of liquid, then impacted bowel can and may result causing related infections and thereby leading to the need for hospitalization - so don't over do it and drink lots of liquids when taking any source of fibre.

 Other than occasional allergic reactions, slippery elm has not been associated with any toxicity. However, its safety has never been formally studied. Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established.
 Applying elm to the skin may cause burning, itching, rash, redness, or scaling at the site of application.
 Touching elm products or breathing elm tree pollen may cause allergic reactions in individuals who are sensitive to them.

 No side effects have been attributed to taking elm by mouth. It may cause rashes or other skin irritation if it is applied or handled.

Reference:

• 1.Slippery Elm - the funny sounding herb with serious significance.

This article written and edited via herbalist of MDidea Extracts Professional. They run a range of online descriptions about this herb,including general information related and summarized updating discoveries from findings of professional scientisits this field related.Describe style aimed to form a useful detecting literature space where the intertwined threshold and related questions raise out and visualize themselves.

♣ last edit date:20th,Oct.2010.