Also called leopard's bane, wolf's bane or mountain tobacco, Arnica montana is a plant with a long history of use as a natural treatment for bruises. The rhizomes and flowers are most commonly used in topical medicinal remedies, and arnica now belongs to a wide variety of plants used in homeopathic treatments. Before you begin using arnica, consult your physician about the potential health dangers.
Function
Arnica contains several different constituents, including a type of terpenoid called helenalin that appears to provide the plant with its anti-inflammatory actions, says the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Helenalin also seems to prevent excessive fluid buildup or edema. Additionally, arnica's properties provide antimicrobial actions, stimulate respiration, ease pain and reduce or prevent swelling.
Uses
Traditionally, arnica has been used in topical herbal remedies to treat bruises, but the plant may also help in treating sprains and inflammation, notes the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Arnica is sometimes recommended for treating superficial circulation problems like phlebitis, arthritis, muscle aches and wounds, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Arnica may also help to ease post-surgery pain and swelling, treat common colds, prevent or treat strokes, and treat head injuries, states the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. No widely-accepted scientific research supports the external or internal use of arnica for treating or preventing any medical problem, however.
Dosage & Application
Arnica is most often used topically and not taken internally due to potentially dangerous side effects, notes the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Oral homeopathic doses of arnica are very diluted with extremely little of the actual plant in the remedy. Topical arnica is available in the form of creams and ointments made from a tincture base, while oral homeopathic remedies are usually in the form of pills or injections, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. You can also use arnica tincture in poultices and compresses.
Considerations
Although the safest use of arnica is external as a topical remedy, using arnica on your skin can still cause side effects like irritation, blisters, allergic reactions, peeling and blisters, warns the University of Maryland Medical Center. Arnica is usually not recommended for use on open wounds or broken skin. Even in diluted homeopathic dosages, taking arnica internally can cause severe side effects, such as low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, gastrointestinal distress, coma and even death, says the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In fact, in 1999 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration classified arnica as unsafe for internal use due to the plant's poisonous properties.
Warning
Don't use arnica remedies before first consulting your doctor if you have blood pressure problems, or if you take anti-hypertensive, anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs, warns the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Arnica could interact negatively with these types of medications, particularly if you take the homeopathic remedy internally. Using arnica topically doesn't appear to interact with any medications, but you should still discuss these possible health risks with your doctor before applying arnica remedies, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
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