Arnica Essential Oil
Arnica has been used in homeopathic medication for 100’s of years. Native to Europe, Sibera, Northern India, the oil is produced mainly in France, Belgium, Germany. The flowers & roots are used in steam distillation to obtain the essential oil. Arnica is a perennial plant; the horizontal, brown, branched rootstock sends up a slightly hairy, simple or lightly branched stem that reaches a height of 1-2 feet. Arnica is a mountain plant that is popularly known in France as the "boo-boo plant". The Abbess Hildegarde, back in the Middle Ages, was the first to describe the plant‘s beneficial effects for treating bumps and bruises. Since the Renaissance, Arnica Extract has become a popular remedy for treating bruises and bumps. Only a minor part of the aromatic principles are extracted with steam distillation, hence it is often preferable to use a tincture or extract (eg. absolute).
| Botanical Name: | Arnica montana L. |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Synonyms: | Arnica fulgens, Arnica sororia, arnica montana flower oil, leopard's bane, wolf's bane, mountain tobacco. |
| See Also: | Arnica Root Oil
Arnica Flower Absolute |
| Parts Used: | Flowers |
| Extraction Method: | Steam Distillation |
| Appearance: | Yellow orange with greenish tint liquid |
| Aroma Description: | Strong, bitter spicy. |
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| Historical Uses: | The herb will stimulate the peripheral blood flow externally, and so used for bruises and sprains, it has also been used for rheumatic pains and other inflamatory skin conditions. |
| Modern Uses: | Some use in herbaceous type perfumes, and as a flavour in some liqueurs. Not used in aromatherapy. |
| Cautions: | The essential oil is highly toxic. Use only the tincture or ointment, in home remedies. |
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