11 Shocking Uses for Elecampane Oil

By Essential Oils Informer August 3, 2015 Essential Oils, Essential Oils for Breathing, Essential Oils for Healing, Essential Oils for Oral Health 0 Comments

Whether you are seeking an all-natural solution to quiet a cough, boost your immune system, stimulate your circulatory system, or soothe any digestive disturbances you may have, Elecampane oil and root may provide the answer you need.

While pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter solutions can certainly solve these and many other medical issues, they often contain a whole slew of potential side effects and adverse reactions, not to mention possible drug interactions if you are already taking other medications for other medical conditions. That’s why all medications, whether they are prescribed by a medical professional, purchased at a retailer, or obtained from an herbalist or apothecary, need to be taken into consideration before any additional medicinal herbal treatment begins.

Elecampane is the plant, often referred to as the “wild sunflower” due to it’s bright yellow hue and wiry appearance. It is typically taken in the form of a tea for health benefits, although there are other applications that it can be used in as well. Here are additional ways to gain the benefits of Elecampane.

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What are the Benefits of Elecampane?

Elecampane is a common herbaceous plant which bears yellow flowers known for centuries for its medicinal value. Though native to Europe, Elecampane has spread widely in America and Asia and was initially used to treat pulmonary discomforts in horses and for healing scabs on sheep. Extensive research from as far back as 1804 has discovered the marvelous medicinal value of the herb and its oils.

Harvested in autumn, Elecampane essential oil and root were considered by the early Romans to provide benefits in treating gastrointestinal ailments. For this reason, in medieval times, Elecampane essential oil was later included as a primary component in Potio Paulina, a digestive wine by the suggestion of St. Paul.

One of the primary constituents of Elecampane root oil is inulin, which is a common starch found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Inulin has been used over the years as an alternative medicinal therapy to improve triglyceride and blood cholesterol levels, constipation, and weight loss. Inulin has been used for so long that there is even a legend to accompany it telling how the name Inula comes from Helen of Troy, whose tears turned into the healing plant known as Elecampane.

11 Benefits of Elecampane

While the benefits of oil of Elecampane have certainly had a long history of solving stomach-related maladies, it also has a number of other ingenious uses as well. In fact, the benefits of oil of Elecampane, much like other herbs, provide a fantastic solution for a whole list of conditions that commonly plague the body.

Reduces Respiratory Distress

Elecampane essential oil uses include an excellent cough expectorant that creates a productive cough that will clear any associated mucus. Elecampane essential oil uses can also have a calming effect and, thus, calms a cough associated with a variety of respiratory conditions.

Colds
Influenza
Bronchial Infections
Pneumonia
Asthma
Emphysema
Tuberculosis

Antibacterial Properties

Elecampane root oil has strong antibacterial properties and can be used for bacterial infections, asthma and bronchitis. Using Elecampane for antibacterial treatments involves making a tincture with fresh, two-year old roots. Cold and flu season is never a fun time. While there are a number of over-the-counter remedies available, oil of Elecampane can also come to your aid for this as well. Simply combine oil of Elecampane with Echinacea and Sweet Annie tincture for a powerful cold and flu remedy.

Heightened Metabolism

If your metabolism is sluggish, Elecampane can kick it into gear by boosting your body’s metabolic processes, including those used for digestion.

Body Detox

Body detox practices have become an annual, and sometimes regular practice for a number of people today. While there are a variety of detox products on the market, some with homeopathic claims, you don’t always know the purity of what you are purchasing. However, with the essential oil of Elecampane, the final result is obvious. The Inulin property of Elecampane oil has a detoxifying effect on the body, giving you a truly all-natural solution for the body detox results that you desire.

Guards Against Constipation-related Cancer

Essential oil of Elecampane has commonly been used by the Tibetans as a form of traditional medicine. Research on ginger and Elecampane oil in a traditional Tibetan formula Padma Lax and their effect on constipation found that Padma Lax exhibits anti-proliferative actions which may be beneficial to prevent constipation-related cancer.

Dental Health Protectant

Tooth decay can present a real problem for many people. If left for too long, decay can cause a number of dental health problems including gum disease, cavities, tooth loss, and even bacterial infections that can ride through the bloodstream to other parts of the body as well. Elecampane root oil can also be used to ward off tooth decay. Simply chew on the root to reap the rewards.

Treats Intestinal Worms

The essential oil of Elecampane is a traditional remedy for worms; the constituent alantolactone has been used as an anthelmintic in the treatment of roundworm, threadworm, hookworm and whipworm infestation.

MRSA Defense

In 2007, a study was performed by Ireland’s Cork Institute of Technology and led by Susan O’Shea. The study revealed that the benefits of oil of Elecampane were effective at eliminating the threat of MRSA, or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. The CIT researchers found that Elecampane, also called Horse-heal (Inula Helenium) or Marchalan, is 100% effective against MRSA colonies.

Adds Flavor to Foods

Elecampane essential oil uses don’t stop with health concerns. The oil is used as a flavoring agent in digestive liqueurs and vermouth, it is also used in candy and is often added to cough tinctures and pastilles. Oil of Elecampane is considered to be a bitter and, thus, lends a warm, pungent, bitter flavor to the foods that it is mixed with.

Provides a Natural Scent for Cosmetics

Since the oil is camphor scented, elecampane essential oil can be used to naturally scent cosmetics and is commonly used in perfumery products.

Skin Disorders

Essential oil of Elecampane makes an excellent external poultice, ointment, or wash. Elecampane root oil has been used for such skin disorders as putrid sores, cankers, and rashes. Additionally, it can also be added to an herbal bath to soothe skin irritations and keep the skin you’re in healthy.

Precautions

As with any medicinal treatment, it is important to speak to a medical professional before adding any new supplement to your diet. Elecampane essential oil and its root can cause drowsiness and, thus, are not recommended for those who already take sedatives, and other medications that can cause drowsiness. If you are considering using oil of Elecampane, and are unsure if you are currently taking a medication with sedation properties, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before beginning any supplement.

As another precaution, Elecampane oil can cause contact dermatitis in some people. With that said, it is best to practice caution when using this oil.

Despite the few precautions, Elecampane has a variety of uses and, as a result, is an excellent all natural herbal medicine with a number of uses. It can be easily found growing abundantly in pastures and along roadsides, preferring wet, rocky ground at or near the base of eastern and southern slopes. Taking advantage of the medicine nature has to offer can provide a number of benefits. Have you tried Elecampane root oil yet?

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