White willow bark is nature’s original aspirin. In the days before pharmaceutical aspirin, the bark of the white willow provided pain relief and reduced fevers. All the way back to Hippocrates, who advised his patients to chew on the bark to calm fever and inflammation, white willow bark has been used by herbalists for the same uses that aspirin and ibuprofen are used today.
Salix Alba
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Overview
The chemical constituent in white willow that is credited for it’s therapeutic benefits is salicin. All willows contain the glucoside, salicin, which is converted to salicylic acid in the body. However, not all willows contain salicin in amounts sufficient for pain relief. The Purple Willow contains the highest concentrations of salicin, with white willow having the next highest concentration, and is more effective at reducing fever than the white willow. White willow is preferred for remedies, however, because it is more palatable than purple willow. A blend of these two willows would make a fair compromise.
The form found in aspirin is a synthetic version of this called acetylsalicylic acid. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that the effects of white willow bark may take a little longer to work than acetylsalicylic acid, but appears to be longer lasting. Many people also report that it is far less irritating to the stomach compared to aspirin. READ MORE...
