Wintergreen
Botanical Description & Habitat
Gaultheria procumbens
Family
Ericaceae
Common names
| Boxberry | Canada tea |
| Checkerberry | Deerberry |
| Ground berry | Hillberry |
| Mountain tea | Partridgeberry |
| Spiceberry | Spicy wintergreen |
| Spring wintergreen |
Habitat
Native to North America
Description
It has a horizontal rootstock and creeping stems which produce slender, erect branches two to six inches high. The leaves are oval and alternate, bright green on the upper surface, paler underneath, and may have bristly margins. White flowers appear from May to September. Both the leaves and flowers grow near the tops of the branches. The fruit is a small, seeded capsule with a fleshy covering.
Medicinal parts
Leaves, collected just before flowering
Historical Properties & Uses
Due to the presence of large amounts of methyl salicylate in its essential oil, wintergreen has been used for centuries as an analgesic in the treatment of headaches, and general aches and pain. It has also been used as an antirheumatic and antipyretic.
The essential oil imparts a fine carminative value to the herb, for use in case of upset stomach, indigestion and flatulence. The oil is used externally in douches, gargles and compresses. As an herb, it is effective and non-toxic; the oil could be toxic if ingested in large quantities.
Method of Action
No research on the medicinal value of whole wintergreen plant has been reported. However, we do know if the plant contains an essential oil 99% in methyl salicylate, a substance very similar to acetylsalicylic acid or aspirin. It is the presence of this chemical that is probably responsible for the purported medicinal actions, especially as antirheumatics, analgesic, and antipyretic.
Wintergreen oil, like most essential oils, has good antibacterial properties.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
There is presently insufficient data on this subject.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
Wintergreen has no known toxicity.
Wintergreen oil should not be taken internally in large doses, especially by children. As little as 4 - 10 ml has been reported as fatal.
Preparation & Administration
Three times a day
Dried leaf and stem
0.5-1 grams
Tea
made from 1/4 tsp dried leaf and stem
Fluid extract
1:1 in 25% alcohol, 0.5-1 ml
Volatile oil
external application only
from steam distillation of warm water-macerated leaves
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
Am Hospital Formulary Service. Am Soc of Hosp Pharm. Wash, D.C.
Bressler, R., M.D. Bogdonoff & G.J. Subak-Sharpe. 1981. The Physicians Drug Manual. Doubleday & Co, Inc. Garden City, NY. 1213 pp.
Committee on Pharmocopaeia of the Am Institute of Homeopathy, The Homeopathic Pharmacopaeia of the United States. 8th ed., Vol 1. Otis Clapp and Son, Agents, Boston, l981.
Facts and Comparisons. The Lawrence Review of Natural Products. Aug, 1992.
Goodman, L.S. & A. Gilman. 1975. Pharm Basis of Thera. MacMillan, NY.
Hansten, P.D. 1979. Drug Interactions, 4th ed. Lea & Febiger, Phila.
Hyde, F. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Brit Herb Med Assoc: England, 1983
Kastrup, E.K., ed. 1981. Drug Facts and Comparisons, 1982 edition. Facts and Comparisions Division, J.P. Lippincott Co, Phila (St. Louis).
Leung, Albert Y. 1980. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredient used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 409 pp.
Lewis, Walter H. & Elvin-Lewis, Memory P.F. Medical Botany: Plants Affecting Man's Health, John Wiley and Sons. New York, l977.
List, P. & L. Hoerhammer. 1969-1976. Hagers Hanbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, vols. 2-5. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Martin, E.W. 1978. Drug Interactions Index, 1978/79. J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia.
Maruzzella, J.C. & N.A. Sircurella. Antibacterial activity of essential oil vapors. J Of The Am Pharm Assoc. 49(11), 692-694, 1960.
Maruzzela, J.C. & M.B. Lichtenstein. The in vitro antibacterial activity of oils. J. Of The Am. Pharm. Ass. 45(6), 378-381, 1956.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Scientific Committee, British Herbal Pharmocopaeia, British Herbal Med Assoc. Lane House, Cowling, Na Keighley, West Yorks, Bd Bd220lx, l983.
Thomson, William A.R. Medicines From The Earth, A Guide To Healing Plants. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978.
Essential Oil
See Wintergreen Essence under Aromatherapy
Multimedia
Gaultheria procumbens
© Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
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