Arnica is a plant that grows in mountain meadows. It has numerous properties, helps with bruises and oedemas, aids in clearing acne, and some people even smoke it.
Other names used: mountain tobacco.
Parts used: flowers and rhizome.
Active constituents: essential oil, tannins.
Properties:
It is a herbaceous plant with a simple or barely branched stem.
It grows in meadows and pastures from the montane to the alpine zone (above 1,000 m) but does not extend southwards beyond the northern Apennines.
Arnica flowers are collected by selecting those that have just opened in June–July; collection of the rhizome is prohibited, as arnica is a protected species.
Populations of the Haute-Savoie use it as pipe tobacco. Curiously, it is said that a little arnica tincture carried on one's person in a small bottle can break the habit even in the most hardened smoker.
It is popularly known as the herb of falls, owing to its effectiveness in resolving bruises and oedemas resulting from contusions and sprains. The flower extract mixed with honey is an effective remedy in the treatment of acne and boils. Thanks to its coagulant properties, arnica is also an excellent remedy for nosebleeds.
Arnica preparations are suitable for external use only; they must not be applied near the eyes, mouth or genitals, on sensitive or abraded skin, on wounds, or on the skin of young children.
The oily extract obtained by macerating the flowers in olive oil is effective in anti-cellulite massages.
EXTERNAL USE: (flowers)
for contusions and sprains.
Tincture: 10 g in 100 ml of 70° alcohol (macerated for 5 days).
Important usage warning: The tincture should never be used undiluted, but diluted five times with water or water and glycerine. This solution is used to soak compresses, which are then applied to the sprained or bruised area. Change the compress three to four times a day, discontinuing at the first sign of irritation. The arnica tincture bottle must bear a clear indication of external use with the word "poison" prominently displayed.