Introduction of Slippery Elm:Sweet Elm or Red Elm.
✵The article gives records of the herb Slippery Elm, its English name, Latin name, common names, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Ulmus rubra Muhl., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Slippery Elm, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Slippery Elm(Red Elm).
English Name: Slippery Elm.
Latin Name: Ulmus rubra Muhl., formerly referred to as Ulmus fulva Michx.
Common Names: Moose elm, red elm, soft elm, sweet elm.
Property and flavor: the odor is slight but characteritics.
Brief introduction: The inner bark of this stately tree, native to the moist forest of eastern North America, is dried and used medicinally. The tree, recently ravaged by Dutch elm disease, has broad, toothed leaves. The slightly fragrant, gluelike, edible inner bark can be found beneath the deeply furrowed outer bark.
Botanical source: Common herbal classics defined the herb Slippery Elm as the inner bark of the species (1).Ulmus rubra Muhl. It is a plant species of the Ulmus genus, the Ulmaceae family (elm family). The inner bark or inner rind is used medicinally. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Ulmus rubra Muhl.
Botanical description: The tree is medium-sized and grows up to about 20 meters tall, with spread branches forming an open crown. The younger branches are red-brown or orange and more or less downy. The bark is deeply fissured. The buds are large, rust-red, and downy. The leaves are obovate to oblong, 10 to 20 cm long, and have a double-serrate margin. The lamina is long acuminate and sharply asymmetrical at the base. The leaves are dark green above and very rough, densely downy beneath. They darken in autumn.
The flowers are in dense, almost sessile clusters. There are 5 to 9 tepals and the same number of stamens. The stigmas are bright red. The fruit is almost top-shaped to broad-elliptical, 1 to 2 cm long, wide and glabrous, except for the rust-red downy center. The seeds are inserted in the center.
Ecological environment: The plant is indigenous to North America.
Growth characteristics: Ulmus rubra grows in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun, the plant is tolerant of light shade, it prefers rich, moist loams, and adapts to both wet and dry sites. Generally tolerant of urban conditions.
Characters of herbs: Slippery elm bark is the inner bark and wood of Ulmus fulva. The texture is mucilaginous, and the odor is slight but characteristic. The powdered inner bark is used for its mucilaginous quality. Taken as a drink, it relieves irritation of the mucous membrane. The same water-retaining properties allow the powder to be used as an emollient poultice.
Pharmacological actions: ①.source of mucilage and demulcent effects; ②.astringent; ③.wound-healing effects, etc.
Slippery elm's inner bark contains mucilage, it protects and lubricates, smoothes inflamed and irritated mucous membranes in the mouth and throat, and the digestive tracts. The mucilage relieves cough, esophagitis, gastritis, colitis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and diarrhea.
The inner bark is approved by the FDA as a safe and effective demulcent or soothing agent for treating sore throats, used in lozenges. In a poultice, it is used for minor wounds, burns, boils, and various other skin inflammations and sores.
Slippery elm has a small amount of tannin, it provides an astringent effect. Slippery elm bark mucilage is added in a poultice to apply to wounds and sores to protect the area and allow healing.
Medicinal efficacy: Native Americans used the slippery inner bark-making canoes to soothe irritated and sore throats, controlling cough, diarrhea, digestive system upset, ulcers, and other external or internal mucous membrane inflammations. A poultice was widely used for cold sores, boils, and other skin sores and wounds, it is used in sore throat lozenges for years.
Administration of Slippery Elm (Red Elm):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Slippery Elm (Red Elm)
Herbal classic books:
Dosage: Slippery elm is used as gruel by mixing 1 tablespoon powder with 1 tablespoon sugar and a cup of boiling water, or a simple decoction is prepared by using 1~3 teaspoons powdered bark per cup of water and is drunk up to three times per day. A poultice is made by mixing the powdered bark with water to form a paste. Two 350 mg capsules are taken as needed. A decoction is made in a ratio of 1:8 with ethanol, the daily dose for the decoction is 4~16 ml per day. Externally, the coarsely ground herb is used as a poultice.
Contraindications, Precautions and Adverse Reactions: Slippery elm bark is quite safe to use in both internal and external forms, none of the ingredients poses a particular risk. Contact dermatitis after handling the plant is reported, after exposure to an oleoresin contained in the bark. Slippery elm should not be used during pregnancy, spontaneous abortions have occurred from the use of whole bark preparations and the agent has been used as an abortifacient.
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1.Introduction of Slippery Elm:Sweet Elm or Red Elm.
✵The article gives records of the herb Slippery Elm, its English name, Latin name, common names, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Ulmus rubra Muhl., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Slippery Elm, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
English Name: Slippery Elm.
Botanical description: The tree is medium-sized and grows up to about 20 meters tall, with spread branches forming an open crown. The younger branches are red-brown or orange and more or less downy. The bark is deeply fissured. The buds are large, rust-red, and downy. The leaves are obovate to oblong, 10 to 20 cm long, and have a double-serrate margin. The lamina is long acuminate and sharply asymmetrical at the base. The leaves are dark green above and very rough, densely downy beneath. They darken in autumn.
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