Arnica

Scientific name
Arnica montana

History of plant/fun facts

According to folklore, arnica was discovered centuries ago by goat herders who noticed their goats ate the bright flowers when injured. Arnica has been used for centuries, with written references dating back to the Middle Ages. Johann Jakob von Bergzabern, a personal physician in the 1600s, described its medicinal use in the treatment of blunt injuries. Arnica is known as “Fallkraut” in German, meaning “fall herb,” due to its ability to treat wounds from falls.

Clinical uses

Arnica is absorbed topically and works by targeting inflammatory mediators in the affected areas, helping to reduce swelling, pain, and redness. The therapeutic effects of Arnica come from its rich chemical composition, especially sesquiterpene lactones which inhibit inflammatory pathways and cytokine production in the skin and soft tissues. These compounds work by reducing inflammation at the cellular level. Sesquiteperene compounds are primarily responsible for Arnica's anti-inflammatory action. They inhibit inflammatory pathways and cytokine production, which contributes to pain relief and reduced swelling.

Products with this ingredient 

• Salve All

Resources

Priyanka Kriplani, Kumar Guarve, Uttam S Baghael, Arnica montana L. – a plant of healing: review, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Volume 69, Issue 8, August 2017, Pages 925–945, https://doi.org/10.1111/jphp.12724

Wagner S, Suter A, Merfort I. Skin penetration studies of Arnica preparations and of their sesquiterpene lactones. Planta Med. 2004 Oct;70(10):897-903. doi: 10.1055/s-2004-832613. PMID: 15490315.