The black walnut tree, known as Juglans nigra, has been used by indigenous peoples for countless generations to treat various afflictions, including infections, skin conditions and parasites, especially intestinal worms. The bark of the tree and the kernel and hull of the walnut are all used as herbal remedies. Black walnut herbal preparations contain numerous elements; some, such as iodine, can be toxic in large amounts, so consult a health professional before embarking on supplementation.
History
The black walnut originated in Europe. The ancient Romans recognized its medicinal properties and considered it a fruit of the gods. Black walnut hulls were used in ancient times to heal external wounds and to tan animal hides. The inner tree bark of the black walnut tree was boiled into a tea and used as a mild laxative and to soothe stomach upset. Black walnut hull extract has been used to lower blood pressure, eliminate internal intestinal parasites, such as tapeworm, and external parasites such as ringworm.
Contents and Properties
Herbal extracts from the trees bark and the walnuts hull are the most commonly prepared remedies. The hulls of black walnuts are rich in essential fatty acids, which contribute to cardiovascular health by protecting blood vessels from damage and enhancing blood flow. Other important components are tannins, juglandin, juglone and juglandic acid. These substances are astringent, which can reduce inflammation and have detoxifying effects. Tannins enhance wound healing and act as a vermifuge, which is a substance capable of evacuating parasitic intestinal worms such as tapeworm. Researchers associated with the National Institutes of Health studied two ingredients of black walnut extract, juglone and plumbagin, and found that they stimulated free-radical activity and made some cells unable to divide and multiply, which has implications for stopping tumor growth. Their findings were published in a 2004 issue of "Chemical Research in Toxicology."
Black Walnut and Parasites
Intestinal parasites are usually either protozoa or helminthes. Common helminthes that infect intestines of people are tapeworms and roundworms, which cause a variety of symptoms including diarrhea, bloating, stomach pain, vomiting and weakness. Tannins create an acidic environment in which alkaline-loving parasites cannot exist in the intestines and die. Fortunately, helminthes can't multiply within people and reinfect them, so black walnut remedies are effective for these types of parasites, although no human studies exist proving efficacy. Black walnut is also used for external parasites, such as ringworm and athlete's foot.
Cautions
The iodine levels in black walnut herbal remedies are often much higher than other herbal preparations. Although some iodine is needed to produce thyroid hormones used to regulate metabolism, too much can cause imbalance and toxicity symptoms. As such, black walnut remedies should be used with caution and under the supervision of an herbalist or health professional.
References
- "Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices of Herbal Medicine"; David Hoffmann; 2003
- "The Essential Book of Herbal Medicine"; Simon Mills; 1994
- "Chemical Research in Toxicology"; Cytotoxic action of juglone and plumbagin: a mechanistic study using HaCaT keratinocytes; J.J. Inbaraj et al; January 2004
- "Human Biochemistry and Disease"; Gerald Litwack; 2008
- "Biochemistry of Human Nutrition"; George Gropper; 2000
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