> Supplement Index > Yerba Santa / Eriodictyon californicum / Gum Plant / Grindelia robusta L. > Yerba Santa General Information Yerba Santa Uses & Scientific Evidence For Yerba Santa Dosage Information Yerba Santa Safety & Interaction Information Buy Yerba Santa Products - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Yerba Santa General Information Native to the American Southwest, Yerba Santa is a sticky-leafed evergreen. It was called “holy weed” by Spanish priests impressed with its medicinal properties. This herb was brewed as a tea to treat coughs, colds, asthma, pleurisy, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. A poultice was made from the leaves and applied to soothe painful joints. Yerba Santa has a pleasant taste and has been used as a flavoring in foods, and in cough syrups to disguise the bad taste of cough medicine ingredients. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Yerba Santa Uses & Scientific Evidence For Many herbalists today regard Yerba Santa as one of the most effective, natural ways to treat chronic bronchitis and asthma. No scientific studies of this herb have been performed; however, one of Yerba Santa’s constituents, eriodictyol, does appear to be a mild expectorant. This herb can be used topically to treat poison ivy. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Yerba Santa Dosage Information To make Yerba Santa tea, add 1 teaspoon of crushed leaves to 1 cup of boiling water; however, many resinous constituents of this herb do not dissolve in water, therefore, alcoholic tinctures of Yerba Santa may be more effective. It is important to read and follow product label directions if using a tincture formulation. Drink 3 cups a day until symptoms diminish. For other formulations and products, read and follow product label directions. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Yerba Santa Safety & Interaction Information Yerba Santa is generally regarded as safe as a food flavoring by FDA standards, although there have been occasional allergic reactions. Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease is not known. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - Buy Yerba Santa Products Below