* 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
Wintergreen Gaultheria procumbens L.
Family: Ericaceae.
Other Names: Checkerberry; gaulthérie du Canada (French); Niederliegende Scheinbeere, Wintergnün (German); uva di monte (Italian).
Description: A mat-forming woody shrub that can spread to a width of several metres. It has smooth red-brown bark, bright green leathery leaves and small, white or pinkish bell-shaped flowers. The small red berries are edible.
Origin: North America (eastern USA and Canada); cultivated to a limited extent but commercial sources are wild-harvested.
Parts Used: Leaves (Gaultheriae folium), essential oil (Gaultheriae aetheroleurn).
Uses and Properties: Used externally as a counter-irritant to treat painful muscles and joints, including rheumatism. Infusions, decoctions or small amounts of the oil are rarely taken internally, as tonic, to treat rheumatism and to relieve minor stomach upsets. Canadian Indians traditionally made a refreshing tea from the leaves. Natural wintergreen is rarely used nowadays except in North America.
Active Ingredients: Methyl salicylate is the main ingredient of the oil (99% of the total). It occurs in the plant as monotropitoside (= gautherin; a glycoside with glucose and xylose). In analogy to salicin, it appears likely that the monotropitoside is hydrolysed in the intestine and liver, thus converting the "prodrug" into an active medicine. Also present in the herb are arbutin and tainnins. Methyl salicylate is obtained from the bark of Betula lenta, leaves of Filipendula ulmaria and other plants. It has a very characteristic smell and a sweetish taste. Nowadays, synthetic methyl salicylate has largely replaced the natural product.
Pharmacological Effects: Salicylates inhibit cyclooxygenase and thus the formation of prostaglandins, involved in inflammation and pain. The analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic properties of wintergreen thus appear plausible. It can be toxic when taken internally and should be avoided by people who are allergic to aspirin.
Status: Traditional medicine.
Preparation and Dosage: The oil is included in ointments, creams and liniments, at a concentration of about 20%. For oral use in treating rheumatism, 10 - 20 drops of the oil are included in capsules. It also forms part of cosmetics and oral hygiene products. The leaves are used to make a refreshing tea ("mountain tea").
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Directions
Take 1 capsule, 3 times daily, with meals.
Additional Information
TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.
TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.
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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.
