Purple willow (Salix purpurea) grows in Mongolia, Europe and North Africa. Purple willow is a deciduous shrub with simple leaves and small flowers, male and female, usually on separate plants.
Male catkins reach 2 cm, while female ones are smaller. The numerous and small fruits (seeds) of the purple willow are collected in a capsule. Flowering takes place from March to June.
Some people value the shrub for its brightly colored shoots. This spreading shrub grows from 3 to 4 m, with arching purple shoots bearing narrowly elongated, blue-green leaves and slender silver catkins on bare shoots (in early spring).
Purple willow grows in any deep, moist, soil in full sun. It does not like shallow, chalky soils. Purple willow is most often found along streams and rivers, as well as in marshy meadows.
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The purple willow is characterized by straight, flexible, densely growing shoots of a purple-red color. Older branches take on a grey-green color.
The willow leaves are lanceolate in shape, reach a length of about 12 cm and are arranged on the branches in a spiral or alternate manner. They are dark green on the upper side and grey-green on the lower side.
Young leaves are covered with hairs, which disappear over time. The purple willow is a dioecious plant. Inflorescences take the form of catkins 2 cm long - male flowers are slightly shorter than female flowers. The willow is a wind-pollinated plant - numerous seeds are found in fruits in the form of a capsule.
The purple willow is a cultivated plant, used in wickerwork and mainly cultivated for this purpose. In addition, it serves as a protection for flood embankments and river banks.
It is also an energy plant, i.e. it is cultivated to obtain biomass for energy purposes. Purple willow is also a medicinal plant. Its bark is a herbal raw material with anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and astringent effects.
It is also an ornamental plant, grown in parks and gardens due to the decorative value of colourful shoots, beautiful inflorescences and dense habit.
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Bark, leaves.
Purple willow bark has been used in medicine since ancient times - notes about it can be found in the works of Galen from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.
Purple willow was used for its astringent properties and was used to treat malaria. In religious beliefs, purple willow branches with catkins blessed during Easter symbolized new life and were supposed to ensure prosperity, protection from storms and hailstorms.
In 1830, the scientist Leroux isolated a phenolic compound from purple willow bark, which was named salicin. Salicin is a prodrug that decomposes in the upper part of the small intestine to saligenin (salicylic alcohol), which is absorbed into the capillaries, goes to the liver and is oxidized to salicylic acid.
Unlike synthetic salicylic acid, the salicin derivative from purple willow bark does not cause damage to the mucous membrane in the digestive tract.
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It is therefore an alternative for the elderly, children, pregnant women, patients with gastric diseases, for whom taking salicylic acid is not recommended. Purple willow wood is also used in industry - wicker is perfect for making paper, boxes, baskets, toothpicks and charcoal for drawing.
Purple willow has the following properties: soothing, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, diaphoretic, antipyretic, analgesic, diuretic, sedative, tonic.
Purple willow is used in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, gout, inflammatory autoimmune diseases, diarrhea, fever, neuralgia and headaches.
The purple willow bark is removed in summer and dried for later use. The leaves are used internally in the treatment of diseases causing fever and colic, neoplastic wounds and chronic dysentery.
Purple willow is a medicinal agent for people of all ages, both children and the elderly can benefit from the benefits of this plant. People struggling with chronic diseases in which there are contraindications to taking acetylsalicylic acid can use willow preparations that contain this ingredient.
Studies conducted on the medicinal use of purple willow have shown that extracts from its bark inhibit the development of bacteria in the stomach.
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Helicobacter pyroli causes damage to the gastric mucosa, so consuming an extract from this plant leads to the elimination of bacteria from the body.
In addition, purple willow has been found to have a beneficial effect in the fight against high cholesterol. Naringenin contained in the purple willow has an effect on limiting the development of atherosclerosis.
Purple willow bark turns out to be an excellent medicinal agent in preventive measures aimed at Alzheimer's disease. Limiting the production of free radicals has a positive effect on inhibiting the process of memory loss in humans.
Flavonoids are one of the components of purple willow and have an effect on increasing the amount of urine excretion. The influence of these organic chemical compounds on filtration in the renal glomeruli reduces the tension in the smooth muscles of the urinary system.
Tannins, which belong to the group of organic chemical compounds, have antithrombotic effects, preventing microbleeding.
Another property of purple willow bark is its antidiarrheal effect, protecting the body from dehydration and the development of pathogenic microorganisms.
Purple willow is also used in the treatment of rheumatic fever. Purple willow bark preparations support insomnia and increased nervous tension. In external use, purple willow is used in the treatment of wounds and ulcers, as well as for excessive sweating of the feet.
Other medicinal uses of purple willow include:
Purple willow is also used in cooking as an ingredient to add color to dishes. Its purple leaves and branches are popular in Japanese and Korean cuisine. They can also be added to salads, soups, and other dishes to add a unique flavor.
The purple willow prefers places with high humidity and poor, sandy, gravel soils. The purple willow can be found in river valleys, in wet meadows, near water reservoirs and streams. The plants are usually frost-resistant and tolerate pruning well, but do not like drought and shade.
You can grow the purple willow in the garden. Purple willows are easiest to propagate through shoot cuttings or root suckers.
Purple willows need water. Proper watering of these plants is the basis of their care, because most of them need moist soil. Planted in a dry place, they will require systematic watering for the first few years (until they take root well and deeply).
One of the most important care treatments is pruning purple willows. Every 2-4 years, depending on how quickly and intensively a given tree grows, the purple willow should be topped.
Numerous scientific studies show the possibility of using preparations containing purple willow bark as an alternative to synthetic acetylsalicylic acid and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
It has been studied that purple willow bark extract containing salicylates has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect at a dose of 60-120 mg/kg body weight.
Meanwhile, synthetic acetylsalicylic acid shows similar effects only at a dose of 600 mg/kg body weight. At the same time, the use of such a high dose of synthetic acetylsalicylic acid leads to irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa and the formation of bloody petechiae and ulcers.
No such symptoms have been observed when taking preparations based on purple willow bark. They are therefore a safe and effective alternative for people for whom taking acetylsalicylic acid is not recommended - people struggling with digestive system ailments, children, the elderly, pregnant women, and convalescents.
Purple willow is widely known and popular in many countries, it is one of the willows with the highest content of salicylic compounds.
Purple willow bark owes its healing effects to active substances such as: phenolic glycosides (up to 10% content) - mainly salicin and salicortin, tannins, flavone glycosides (mainly isosalipurposide), populin, fragilin.
The salicin contained in the bark is responsible for antirheumatic, antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Flavonoids have a diuretic and sedative effect, and tannins have an astringent effect.
Purple willow is a very rich source of salicins, used in the production of aspirin. The bark of this species is used interchangeably with white willow.
Purple willow bark used in conditions associated with viral infection, fever or rheumatic ailments can be used in the form of a decoction.
Pour 1 glass of dried willow bark (3 g of raw material) with 1 glass of water (250 ml) and boil covered for 30 minutes. Then cool the decoction and strain.
The drink should be consumed fresh, 1-2 times a day, after a meal. The recommended daily intake of purple willow bark decoction should not exceed 6 g of raw material.
Medical consultation is recommended before using purple willow bark preparations in people with: gastric and duodenal ulcers, bronchial asthma, renal failure, liver failure, blood clotting disorders.
The substance is contraindicated in people allergic to salicylates and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Purple willow bark extract can be used to aid in indigestion in the form of an oral fluid - 5 ml of the preparation diluted with a small amount of water should be taken 4 times a day.
In addition, purple willow bark is included in antipyretic preparations for children, which can be used from the age of 3. In external administration, purple willow bark is used in the form of warming plasters and painkilling ointments.
Preparations containing purple willow may interact when used concurrently with anticoagulants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intensifying their effect.
When looking for an effective herbal remedy for ailments such as: gout, high body temperature, migraine, digestive system diseases, you can prepare a decoction of purple willow bark.
Purple willow bark decoction: pour two cups of hot water over one and a half tablespoons of crushed bark, cover and boil over low heat for about 7 minutes.
Then wait 15 minutes and strain. The decoction prepared in this way can be consumed half a cup up to 4 times a day. The decoction is drunk after a meal (about one hour).
People struggling with excessive sweating can use such a decoction for rinsing or therapeutic baths. It is worth combining purple willow bark with sage to increase the therapeutic effect.
Externally, willow bark can also be used in combination with other herbs for ailments such as itching and hives. A decoction should be prepared and added to the bath.
Decoction for therapeutic baths: pour about 50 g of purple willow bark, 100 g of dried sage leaves, 5 tablespoons of chamomile flowers into a pot and pour four liters of hot water over it. Cover this mixture, bring to a boil, wait about 15 minutes, strain and pour into a bathtub of water.
The raw material used in the pharmaceutical industry is the bark of the purple willow. It is obtained in early spring before the leaves develop.
The bark is removed from two- or four-year-old branches in 20 cm long sections. Then the bark is dried - it becomes brittle, grey-brown on the outside and lighter on the inside.
The medicinal raw material should not contain bark thicker than 2 mm. The bark can be dried in both dark and light rooms. The leaves, on the other hand, can be collected throughout the growing season and used both fresh and dried.
The twigs of purple willow are used to treat cancer, bacterial diseases, and ulcers. The bark, stems and root have analgesic and astringent effects. They are also used as a remedy for rheumatic diseases.
