Top 10 Deer Tongue Essential Oil Uses and Benefits that will Help Improve your Overall Health
For thousands of years, essential oils have been used around different parts of the globe because of its many uses and benefits. From ancient Greece, Rome, China, India, Central America and other early civilizations, essential oils from different trees, plants, flowers and herbs have been widely utilized in rituals, meditation, relaxation, cooking, manufacturing, perfumery, health and cosmetics. That is why essential oils are actually referred to as “nature’s essence” because of the plethora of natural, safe and effective benefits that one can get from using them.
Now that different modern methods have made the extraction process of essential oils much easier than before, essential oils have become more accessible and their use has more widespread. Essential oils are becoming very popular not only for their use in perfumery and aromatherapy, but also for their use in alternative medicine. There are hundreds of essential oils available in the market nowadays and each has its own unique uses and benefits. One of these essential oils is Deer Tongue oil.
Deer Tongue scientific name: Liatris odoratissima
Family: Sunflower family Asteraceae or Compositae
Plant Description:
Deer Tongue does not actually refer to a body part of an animal. This herb was named for the shape of its leaves, which are long and narrow with a reddish-purple streak at the base. It is commonly found in damp, flat pine woods and is native to the US coastal region from North Carolina to Florida. The plant is characterized by basal clusters of deer-tongue shaped leaves followed by a three- to five-foot central flower stalk with purple flowers that bloom in late summer. It can grow up to three feet high and the leaves can grow nearly three inches long.
The smell of Deer Tongue oil is loosely defined as vanilla-like, giving rise to one of its alternative names, vanilla leaf. The smell comes from the chemical coumarin, which is found in the leaves of the plant. When fresh and green, the leaves have little or no smell. But as they dry, they become very pungent, almost overpowering. One leaf is sufficient to perfume a whole room.
Deer Tongue is also known as Carolina Vanilla, Carphephorus, Carphephorus odoratissimus, Deer’s Tongue, Feuille de Vanille, Hound’s Tongue, Langue de Cerf, Trilisa odoratissima, Vanilla Leaf, Vanilla Plant, Vanilla Trilisa, Wild Vanilla.
Other species of Deer Tongue herb:
- Liatris spicata has a warm and bitter taste and used as a local application for sore throat and in the treatment of gonorrhea.
- Liatris squarrosa called “the rattlesnake” because the roots are used to cure rattlesnake bites.
- Liatris scariosa also used for snakebite and recognized by the involucral scales which are outlined by purple.
Properties of this essential oil:
- Demulcent
- Febrifuge
- Diaphoretic
- Anti-inflammatory
- Tonic
- Stimulant
- Emmenagogue
Deer Tongue Essential Oil Uses and Benefits
This video will show you some of Deer Tongue oil uses and benefits.
This essential oil was used to flavor pipe and give tobacco a vanilla flavor since the 1990s. Today, it is widely used not just in manufacturing tobacco, but also as fixative in some products and as a fragrance to soap, scented candles, incense and different cosmetic products because of its vanilla scent. It is also utilized as an additive and flavoring for vanilla ice cream.
The vanilla scent of Deer Tongue oil is largely due to Coumarin, which can be seen in crystals on the upper side of the smooth spatulate leaves. Coumarin also has blood-thinning, anti-fungicidal and anti-tumor activities.
Deer Tongue oil is said to be effective in reducing fevers, soothing irritated mucous membranes and cleansing the blood by promoting perspiration. According to the University of Florida website, the herb was used to reduce fevers and soothe mucus membranes, among other things.
Deer Tongue oil help stimulates lymph system in scrofula. It also removes disease-causing products left in the system after serious illness. The lymphatic system is a vital part of the body’s circulation and immunity and using Deer Tongue oil can help keep said system healthy. A healthy lymphatic system is important since it fights an important role in fighting against infection, filtering the blood, removing impurities from the body and delivering bodily fluids to circulate around the body. Without a healthy lymphatic system, diseases, disorders and even cancer may result.
Diluting Deer Tongue oil and massaging it on your reflex points can help boost the proper functioning of the lymphatic system.
A daily dose of Deer Tongue oil can also help fight against infectious diseases in the body. People have also used this essential oil as a remedy for infectious disease like malaria. Also, Deer’s Tongue oil is believed to have constituents that act against the parasites that dwell and multiply in the infected person’s liver.
Deer Tongue oil also promotes menstruation and eases period symptoms, low back pain and weakness. It is also beneficial in treating gonorrhoea and nephritic diseases. It is effective for treating dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, menstrual cramps and menstrual after-pains.
- Deer Tongue oil is useful for the digestive system
Aside from aiding the proper functioning of the digestive system, this essential oil is used to treat upset stomach, colic, digestive spasms, and irregular bowel problems especially among children. It is also used in treating dyspepsia associated with renal torpor and pain and weakness in the lumbar region. Deer Tongue oil is also believed to be effective in the treatment of Bright disease.
Deer Tongue oil is celebrated for its alexipharmic powers in bites of venomous snakes. When bitten by snakes and other poisonous insects, the inhabitants of the Southern States in the United States in the past bruise the bulbous roots of this plant and apply them to the wound, at the same time drinking freely of a decoction in milk. However, this requires more scientific corroboration. The eliminative action of Liatris may be taken advantage of in removing morbific products left in the system after serious forms of illness. The decoction is prepared from a mixture of an ounce of the root and 1 pint of water.
- Use Deer Tongue oil as an aphrodisiac
Due to its warm and strong vanilla scent, Deer Tongue oil is also used as an aphrodisiac. Since the time of Native Americans, this essential oil has been highly regarded as a strong stimulant and as a powerful substance that can induce erotic dreams. Its sexy vanilla scent can help increase the libido and sexual urges that’s why it’s a common ingredient in love potions.
To make an aphrodisiac blend using Deer Tongue oil, mix the following:
- 5 drops Deer Tongue oil
- 5 drops Ylang Ylang oil
- 12 drops Sandalwood oil
- 1 drop Cinnamon oil
- 1 drop Jasmine oil
- Other health benefits of Deer Tongue oil
Deer tongue oil is also effective for treating back pain, coughs, colds, cuts, wounds and minor injuries. It helps cure nephritic diseases, detoxify the blood and promote sweating. Using this essential oil is also effective for boosting the immune system, balancing the hormone levels and restoring one’s vitality.
Deer Tongue oil is used by many folks for luck in love affairs and in court cases. The plant’s leaf is thought to resemble a tongue and for this reason, folks who follow the so-called Doctrine of Signatures ascribe to it the mysterious power of granting eloquence and pleasing speech to anyone who carries it.
According to some root doctors, if a man carries deer tongue’s wrapped in red silk inside a flannel bag, he will be able to talk his woman into marrying him. Likewise, the gift of fine and convincing speech is said to come to lawyers and witnesses who carry Deer Tongue on their person while before a judge or jury. Wearing, carrying or sprinkling Deer Tongue oil on your bed is also said to attract men and aid in increasing psychic powers. Interestingly, Deer Tongue essential oil is also used for rituals in wicca, hoodoo and witchcraft, as well as in conjuring, rootwork and other spiritual and magical traditions.
Do Herbs like Deer Tongue really work?
The quick answer is an unprecedented, absolute, without a doubt YES! The question is, “How come everyone doesn’t use them and only a select few seem to be educated on the subject?” That is actually a long discussion, but simply put, modern medicine has worked hard to squeeze out natural therapies. Modern medicine and our advancement in technology can provide a timely diagnosis and often saves lives, but we should have the choice to decide how to care for ourselves. It is the treatment options available after we discover an ailment where we need to think wisely. Many people choose natural herbal therapies because they are safe, there are rarely side effects, they are affordable, and as mentioned earlier, THEY WORK! Many people do not realize the third leading cause of death in the United States after cancer and heart disease is doctors improperly prescribing medications — over 100,000 per year. People are looking for safe and effective alternatives.
This video will show you how to apply essential oils and where to apply them.
Preparation, Method and Dosage of Deer Tongue Essential Oil
The dosage needed must be properly handled. Remember that in using essential oils, there’s no exact appropriate and universal dosage. Dosages will depend on the individual’s health, age, and other conditions. Even up to now, there is no sufficient scientific knowledge to determine the exact dose for this herb. Just make sure to follow instructions from labels of manufactured products or from instructions and supervision of a medical practitioner. Also, it is always safe to consult with your doctor and health care professional or with an herbalist, naturopath or homeopath first before using Deer Tongue oil or any other essential oil for that matter.
A word of caution on essential and herbal oil uses
There are many reasons not to take specific herbs so it is absolutely critical to consult a professional. If you are pregnant or nursing, there are very few herbs that you can take safely, so you need to find out which ones are safe and which to avoid. If you have a chronic health condition, compromised kidney function, on dialysis, an oxygen tank or other life-sustaining device, it is not advised to use herbal therapy. If you are dealing with eating disorders, alcoholism or addicted to smoking, your immune system could be severely compromised. When dealing with auto-immune conditions you do not want to take herbs that overstimulate the immune system which could worsen your condition.
Do not use Deer Tongue essential oil if:
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You are allergic to other plants in the Asteraceae/Compositae family, such as ragweed, daisies, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and many others.
- You have a blood clotting disorder. Deer Tongue oil may actually slow blood clotting.
- You are scheduled for surgery in the next two weeks as Deer Tongue oil might increase the risk of bleeding.
- Taking Deer Tongue oil along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding. Some blood thinning medications, that is those that slow blood clotting, include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
Deer Tongue oil is not that difficult to find.
To take advantage of Deer Tongue oil uses and benefits, get them now from online stores such as: