Site icon Health Benefits

Health benefits of Usnea

Sylvia

Health benefits of Usnea

Usnea Quick Facts
Name: Usnea
Scientific Name: Usnea
Origin North America
Colors Light green, grey or yellowish in color
Shapes Thready filaments that resemble coarse hair, stretchy like elastic if you tug gently on its strands
Taste Bitter
Health benefits Healing wounds and Antibacterial benefits
Usnea, also known as Beard lichen, tree’s dandruff, woman’s long hair, or tree moss, old man’s beard, Beard Moss, Mousse D Arbre, oak moss, Sodium Usniate, Usnea Barbata, Usnea Florida, Usnea Hirta, Usnea Lichen is a lichen, a symbiotic relationship between an algae and fungus. The fungus belongs to the division Ascomycota, while the alga is a member of the division Chlorophyta. Usnea looks like long, fuzzy strings hanging from trees in the forests of North America and Europe, where it grows. The entire lichen is used medicinally. It is the green tangly mass that hangs down from the dead trunks and branches of trees, particularly pine trees, occasionally called “old man’s beard.”

Plant

Usnea is slow growing lichen about 3 cm tall. It is found growing all over the temperate zones in the northern hemisphere, particularly in the coastal rainforest and sub-arctic regions. It usually grows on tree branches and prefers moist habitats. It is the green tangly mass that hangs down from the dead trunks and branches of trees, especially pine trees. Usneas have a double filament, with an inner core of white to yellow, and an outer portion that is green to grey; the green is contributed by the algae’s chlorophyll. Usnea may be whitish, reddish, or black. The plant body of usnea is used to make medicine. They are bright red and yellow, and grow on rocks. They are long wispy strands of gray-green hair, hanging like beards from hardwood trees in rainy forests. Or they are floppy and leaf-like. 

Health benefits of Usnea

Usnea is a type of lichen that grows on trees. Though lichens appear to be single plants, they are really a combination of fungus and algae that grow together for their mutual benefit. Lichens grow in colorful, flat patches. Usnea may be whitish, reddish, or black. The plant body of usnea is used to make medicine. For years now, Usnea has proven to have quite a number of medical uses. Some of the medical uses of Usnea include:

1. Antibacterial benefits

Usnea is popular for its antibacterial properties. Research has discovered that the lichen kills bacteria particularly the bacteria that are found in the digestive tract. Further studies reveal that it is in fact extremely beneficial to humans as it does not kill all kinds of bacteria and may leave the bacteria that are useful to the digestive tract unharmed. Usnea can be used to efficiently cure several conditions caused by gram positive bacteria. Some of the bacteria that it acts against effectively include Staph (Staphylococcus simulans and S. Aureus). It also acts against Streptococcus. By only killing the gram positive bacteria, it is a great way of eliminating bacteria without harming the beneficial bacteria.

2. Antiviral benefits

As we all know that viruses are microscopic and live within the cells, they are pretty hard to get rid of once they attack. This is another medical benefit of Usnea. Regularly taking the herb helps in clearing the body of a wide range of viruses. It helps to clears viruses from the bronchial area and the lungs.

3. Anti fungal benefits

Usnea is quite beneficial in clearing antifungal infections. Usnea has been researched to effectively cure several types of fungal infections, Candida species included. For its antifungal uses, the herb can be used both internally and topically, depending on how it is available and how it is favored.

4. Healing Wounds

Usnea is a fantastic choice for wounds. As we’ve seen, it is a powerful antimicrobial herb. Using usnea herb in wounds can help treat or prevent infection. It also has wound-healing abilities that can accelerate the healing process. To use usnea on a wound you might try it as a powdered herb or, if the wound is not infected, as a salve.

Other Traditional uses and benefits of Usnea

Other Facts

Culinary Uses

Dosages

Usnea is commercially available in bulk form or as a powder, capsule, or tincture.

The tincture must be diluted in water before ingesting or using externally. Usnea tincture may be taken every two hours to treat bacterial infections. Other sources recommend taking 3-4 ml of tincture three times daily.

An usnea tea can be prepared by steeping 2-3 tsp of dried lichen or 1-2 tsp of powdered lichen in 1 cup of boiling-hot water. The tea may be taken three times a day.

In the capsule form, the patient should take 100 mg of usnea three times a day.

Usnea is used externally to treat fungal infections and skin ulcers. It can also be used as a douche to treat cystitis, urinary tract infections, and vaginal infections. Usnea is generally used as a vaginal suppository to treat mild cervical dysplasia. It is taken by mouth to treat colds, strep throat, influenza, sore throats, respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal disorders.

Types

There are about 86 species of Usnea.

Precautions

References:

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=190765#null

http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hn-2177002

http://www.itmonline.org/arts/usnea.htm

http://www.encyclopedia.com/plants-and-animals/plants/plants/usnea

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=USNEA2

70%
70%
Awesome

Comments

comments

Exit mobile version