Disclaimer. I am not a licensed health
practitioner. This is just another post on an item you might wish to
have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your
family as best as possible. No medication, including those available
over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.
Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes
only. It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical
care. A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should
be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.
I first learned about gumweed (Grindelia spp.) in an
off-grid medicine class, the portion taught by herbalist Sam Coffman,
when we hiked around the area identifying medicinal plants growing
locally. Gumweed favors growing in disturbed soils right alongside
roads and railroads, abandoned croplands, prairies, and waste places.
For medicine, I like to avoid the roads and railroad pollution, so I go a
bit further away. It thrives in dry, salty, sandy soils. We have a
lot growing next to the creek bed behind our church building. If you're
digging some up to transplant at home, plant it in a sunny location.
Time to harvest: Gumweed can be harvested from the time it starts
flowering, about July through September. The freshly opened flowers
and buds that are about to open are the most medicinal.
Medicinal uses: The Great Plains Indians used it most commonly
for asthma, bronchitis, and whooping cough; urinary tract infections;
and rashes, particularly poison oak and poison ivy. Gumweed was also
employed by physicians here in the US for treating these conditions as
well as emphysema until about the 1960s, when Big Pharma gave them other
options.
Gumweed works by relaxing airways and opening them up to make breathing
easier, and it has a bit of a sedative effect as it reduces muscle
spasms and coughing. All of these actions combine to make it the herb
of choice for treating asthma. If I had someone with asthma in my
family, I'd be gathering boatloads of it each year. Unfortunately, the
high oil content makes for a short shelf life, usually one year, but
that's enough to get through each season. As far as everyone else is
concerned, gumweed's expectorant properties break up mucus, so it is
helpful for treating colds and influenza. Gumweed is cleared through
the kidneys, and it's antibacterial properties make it a good choice for
treating UTIs, including cystitis. It also works well for some kinds
of headaches.
Preparation: The gum resin of gumweed is very sticky and the
flowers and buds are almost impossible to dry completely. Dry it
forever and then a little bit longer, and it should somehow last one
year on the shelf.
Tincture: According to Buhner, the fresh flowers and buds that
are about to open are tinctured in a 1:2 ratio; the freshly dried herb
in a 1:5 ratio, with both in 70% alcohol. The dosage is 15-40 drops, up
to 5 times per day. Use for treating:
- asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, whooping cough;
- colds, coughs, influenza;
- urinary tract infections;
- headaches.
- Use internally for:
- asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, whooping cough;
- colds, coughs, influenza;
- urinary tract infections;
- headaches.
- Use externally as a wash for:
- eczema;
- poison oak, poison ivy, poison sumac;
- insect bites and stings.
Poultice: Apply bruised leaves or crushed flowers and buds directly to wounds to accelerate healing or to prevent a rash due to poison oak, ivy, or sumac, from developing.
Contraindications: Not for internal use by those with kidney or heart conditions. Gumweed is known to slow the heart rate. Gumweed has not been studied for its effects on pregnant or nursing women, so it should be avoided by them.
Links to related posts:
Parsley
Yarrow
Mormon Tea/Squaw Tea/ Brigham Tea
Gloves and Masks
Dietary deficiency and consequences--Magnesium
Caffeine
Oregano
Thyme
Honey
Blackberry
Thyme
For further reading:
(All articles accessed 13 May 2019)
http://naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/g/grindelia-robusta=great-valley-gumweed.php
https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/curlycup-gumweed-grindelia/
https://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/grindelia-herb.html
https://blog.mysanantonio.com/samcoffman/2010/10/poison-oak-and-gumweed/ (salve for poison oak)
https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/grindelia_squarrosa.shtml
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1505&context=greatplainsquarterly
Stephen Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics, p 371.
Dr Patrick Jones, The HomeGrown Herbalist, pp 135-37.
2 september 2019
30 august 2021
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