> Supplement Index > White Willow / Salix alba > White Willow General Information White Willow Uses & Scientific Evidence For White Willow Dosage Information White Willow Safety & Interaction Information Buy White Willow Supplements and Products - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - White Willow General Information Ancient Egyptians used the bark of White Willow to treat pain and inflammation. The great Greek physicians Hippocrates and Dioscorides, prescribed the bark as a remedy for gout and rheumatism. Since 500 B.C., the Chinese have used White Willow as a treatment for pain and fever. The Europeans however, used it for completely different ailments; vomiting, removing warts, and for suppressing sexual desire. In the early 1800s, European chemists discovered the substance salicin in White Willow. When salicin is purified it becomes salicylic acid which has been found to be effective in relieving pain, and for burning off warts. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - White Willow Uses & Scientific Evidence For Today, with the rise in popularity of natural medicine, White Willow is being used by more people as an alternative to aspirin, and it is used to treat many of the same conditions; bursitis, tendonitis, headaches, osteosarthritis, dysmenorrhea, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is also used for back pain, toothache, and menstrual cramps. White Willow also works well in soothing a sore throat and reducing the fever and headache associated with upper respiratory tract infections and influenza, and it is easier on the stomach than aspirin. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - White Willow Dosage Information White Willow comes in various forms and is an ingredient in many products. To make a tea, take 1 to 2 g of White Willow bark per one cup of water. Drink 1 cup three times a day. Tinctures and dry extracts are also available and should be taken in a dose that provides 120 to 240 mg of salicin a day. For other formulations read and follow product label directions. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - White Willow Safety & Interaction Information White Willow, if taken over a long period of time, can cause stomach irritation and even bleeding ulcers. Do not give to children due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome. Also, people with aspirin allergies, bleeding disorders, ulcers, kidney disease, liver disease, or diabetes should refrain from using this herb. It is possible that White Willow will interact adversely with alcohol, blood thinners, other anti-inflammatories, methotrexate, metoclopramide, phenytoin, probenecid, spironolactone, and valproate. Safety in pregnant or nursing women is unknown. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - Buy White Willow Supplements and Products Below