Wintergreen
Other Names: Boxberry, Canada Tea, Checkerberry, Deerberry, Essence de Gaulthérie, Gaulteria, Gaultheria Oil, Gaultheria procumbens, Gaulthérie Couchée, Gaultheria fragrantissima, Gandapura, Gandapuro, Gandhapura Taila, Ground Berry, Hilberry, Huile de Thé des Bois, Mountain Tea, Oil of Wintergreen, Partridge Berry, Petit Thé, Petit Thé des Bois, Spiceberry, Teaberry, Thé de Montagne, Thé de Terre-Neuve, Thé du Canada, Thé Rouge, Thé des Bois, Wax Cluster.
Wintergreen is an herb. Wintergreen oil is made by steam processing of warmed, water-soaked wintergreen leaves. The leaves and oil are used to make medicine.
Special Precautions of Wintergreen
- Contains methyl salicylate: In pure form, methyl salicylate is harmful, when taken orally. A single teaspoon (5 ml) of methyl salicylate contains approximately 6 g of salicylate, which is equivalent to almost 20 aspirin tablets.
- Never ingest this essential oil, even diluted preparations. Whether topically or vaporized, use it in moderation, and diluted with a safe carrier oil.
- The oil is UNSAFE to take by mouth. Taking wintergreen oil or large amounts of wintergreen leaf can cause ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stomach pain, and confusion.
- When applied directly to the skin, wintergreen oil can cause skin irritation.
- Children: Wintergreen leaf and oil can be poisonous for children. Taking 4-10 mL of wintergreen oil by mouth can be deadly. Don’t even use wintergreen oil on the skin of children less than 2 years old.
- Salicylate or aspirinallergy, asthma, or nasal polyps: Wintergreen might cause an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to aspirin or other salicylate compounds, or have asthma or nasal polyps. Use wintergreen with caution if you have one of these conditions.
- Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with Wintergreen
- Aspirin interacts with Wintergreen
Benefits and uses of Wintergreen are
Wintergreen leaf contains methyl salicylate : an aspirin-like chemical that might reduce pain, swelling, and fever. Celebrated as Gandapura in Ayurveda, Gultharia has been an important Ayurvedic remedy for relieving joint pain, muscular spasms, sprains, rheumatism, inflammation and for healing wounds.
- The essential oil of Indian Winter Green has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties,
- Helps alleviate the pain associated with joint ache and rheumatism
- Arthritis.
- Menstrual cramps.
- Achy joints (rheumatism).
- Headache.
- Minor aches and pains.
- Stomachache.
- Gas (flatulence).
- Fever.
- Kidney problems.
- Asthma
- Nerve pain
- Gout
Uses in Patent Medicine
- Die Da Zhi Tong Gao
- Rumalaya gel
- Pain Balm
- Rumalaya liniment
