* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
Linden Tilia cordata Mill.
Family: Tiliaceae.
Other Names: Lime; small-leaved lime; tilleul à petites feuilles (French); Winterlinde (German); tzglzo (Italian).
Description: Lime or linden is a deciduous tree of up to 30 m in height bearing large, heart-shaped leaves with serrate margins and brown hairs along the veins on the lower sides. Groups of five to ten greenish yellow flowers with numerous stamens are characteristically borne on a slender stalk hanging down from a large, oblong, leaf-like bract. T. cordata and T. platyphyllos (large-leaved lime) are both used. The latter has fewer flowers (two to five per bract) and the leaves have white hairs along the veins.
Origin: Europe (T. cordata) and Europe to southwestern Asia (T. platyphyllos). Both species are commonly cultivated. The product comes mainly from eastern Europe, southwestern Asia and China. Traditionally court was held under a linden tree in Central Europe.
Parts Used: Dried flowers and bracts of both species (Tiliae fibs). Sometimes also the wood (actually the inner bark together with the adjoining newly-formed wood - usually referred to as sapwood), or more rarely charcoal made from lime wood.
Therapeutic Category: Traditional diaphoretic and mild sedative.
Uses and Properties: Lime flowers are used mainly to treat feverish colds, cough and sore throat, but also traditionally as sedative, antispasmodic, stomachic and diuretic (as demulcent for relief of itching skin ailments). The sapwood is used as spasmolytic, hypotensive, diuretic, and to increase bile flow. Charcoal is used in case of intestinal disorders and abscesses of the leg.
Preparation and Dosage: As a tea, about 2 - 4 g of dried flowers are used daily. Extracts and tinctures of both the flowers and sapwood are used as such or are included in several commercial preparations.
Active Ingredients: Flowers are rich in mucilage and phenolics (about 1% flavonoids, together with pro-anthocyanidins, gallocatechol tannins and phenolic acids). Small amounts of essential oil occur in the bracts (mainly aldehydes) or flowers (mainly mono- and sesquiterpenoids, such as linalool, germacrene, farnesen. Sapwood contains phenolic acids and polyphenols.
Pharmacological Effects: The claimed diaphoretic, sedative, spasmolytic and diuretic activities of the flowers are based on anecdotal rather than clinical evidence but there is better support for the stated uses of the sapwood.
Status: Traditional medicine; Pharm.; Comm.E+.
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Directions
Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 tea bag for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea).
Iced tea brewing method (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the bags. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water].
Additional Information
ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
