Arnica Oil Health and Beauty Benefits
Arnica oil is an all–natural oil that helps relieve bumps, bruises, aches and pains. Arnica oil is an extract of the arnica plant. It has been used for centuries to heal bruises and other injuries by speeding up the healing process. Arnica oil health and beauty benefits include relieving pain, improving circulation and reducing inflammation. Check out our post recipes using arnica oil for two recipes incorporating this beneficial oil. Before using arnica in any form, first read through all the precautions, since this ingredient can cause extreme unhealthy reactions in some people.
The market value of essential oils worldwide is expected to grow from around 17 billion U.S. dollars in 2017 to about 27 billion dollars by 2022. Europe accounts for the largest share of the global essential oils market, with the Asia Pacific region and North America tying for second place.
| Name | Scientific Name | Origin | Benefits | Caution | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arnica | Arnica montana | Circumboreal and montane (subalpine) temperate regions of western North America, with a few species native to the Arctic regions of northern Eurasia and North America. | Heals Bruises, Treats Osteoarthritis, Improves Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Relieves Sprains and Muscle Pain, Lowers Cholesterol, Boosts Immune System, Has Anticancer Effects, Soothes Skin Conditions, Soothes Insect Bites, Calm Sea Sickness, Oral Health Issues, Anti–Aging Properties, Encourages Hair Growth. | Should be diluted into a carrier oil, ointment, gel or cream. Should never be used on broken or damaged skin. Do not apply directly to open wounds. Never use arnica oil in eyes or in mucous membranes. Not recommended for aromatherapy. Topical application can cause adverse reactions in people allergic to daisy–family plants (ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds and daisies). Never ingest arnica oil. Keep out of reach of children. Avoid if you have hypersensitive skin, or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding as it can be toxic and induce premature labor. Avoid if taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs, Best to use at a dilution of a 30:70 ratio. | Airtight dark glass kept in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. |
Description of Arnica
Arnica /ˈɑːrnɪkə/ is a genus of perennial (lives for more than two years), plants in the family (Asteraceae or Compositae, species of flowering plants within the order Asterales, commonly known as aster, daisy, composite or sunflower).
Arnica plants have a deep–rooted, erect stem (one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant) that is usually unbranched, each stem having 1–3 flower stalks, measuring 5–7.5 cm. The plant grows to a height of about 18–60 cm (7.1–23.6 in) tall, aromatic, fragrant and herbaceous (vascular plants with no persistent woody stems above ground).
Arnica montana, also known as wolf’s bane, leopard’s bane, mountain tobacco and mountain arnica, is a moderately toxic European plant. It is noted for its large yellow flower head (or pseudanthium, an inflorescence that resembles a flower).
The names “wolf’s bane” and “leopard’s bane” are also used for another plant, Aconitum (also known as aconite, monkshood, wolf’s bane, leopard’s bane, mousebane, women’s bane, devil’s helmet, queen of poisons, and blue rocket, a species in the family Ranunculaceae), which is extremely poisonous.
Arnica was previously classified in the largest tribe of Asteraceae known as Senecioneae because it has a flower or pappus (the modified calyx of an individual floret, it surrounds the base of the corolla tube and functions as a wind–dispersal mechanism for the seeds) of fine bristles.
Arnica montana is a hemicryptophyte in the Raunkiær system (a system for categorizing plants using life–form categories), which helps the plant survive the extreme overwintering conditions of its habitat.
Arnica Essential Oil
Arnica is available dried flower form that can be used to prepare “tea” (infusions), salves and tinctures. The essential oil of arnica is extracted from the flowers of A. montana through Through steam distillation or CO2 extraction. This highly concentrated preparation should be used with great caution because of its potency. A few drops should be diluted with a carrier oil such as sweet almond or coconut in preparations. You can find arnica oil in a blend of healing oils called “Trauma Oil”, it is a favorite for bumps and bruises.
CO2 Extracted Arnica Oil
A relatively new preparation that is gaining traction, is an arnica aromatic extract that uses carbon dioxide as the solvent for extraction. Carbon dioxide extraction is able to extract more constituents from the plant that steam distillation, which is typical to essential oil extraction, this is due to the delicate nature of the plant matter. This aromatic extract is technically not an essential oil, the end product is different—usually thicker, almost solid, like a resin. Precautions and use of this extract should be the same as that of the essential oil because both contain the same toxins.
Broken skin and ingestion are contraindicated. When applying extract topically, remember to dilute the CO2 arnica oil heavily—one source suggests 0.5–1% or less—and avoid diffusion or inhalation. It should be noted that the thick nature of the extract will make dilution more difficult.
Comedogenic Rating
Arnica oil is best for all skin types but always dilute it (or buy it diluted). Arnica oil has been given a comedogenic rating of 2 when infused in olive oil, meaning it is non–comedogenic and should not cause any adverse reactions, even in sensitive or easily irritated skin.
For this reason, arnica oil is often used as a carrier oil, to dilute essential oils. Only use arnica oil in diluted form, as pure arnica is very potent. Use sweet almond or grapeseed as a carrier oil to dilute pure arnica essential oil in a 30:70 ratio if the oil is not already diluted. Before using arnica in any form, first read through all the precautions, since this ingredient can cause extreme unhealthy reactions in some people.
Homemade Arnica Preparations
Another option is to buy or make your own arnica “tea” (infusion), ointment or tincture. These contain flavonoids, tannins and sesquiterpenes that, much like arnica essential oil have a number of health benefits. Note: arnica “tea” is not intended for ingestion and should only be used topically.
Because arnica is commonly used as an extract, some people choose to make their own infused or extracted oil. While it is possible to do this, I personally do not recommend the homemade route for this specific ingredient. Because of the unstable nature and high toxicity of the oil when prepared or used improperly, the typical home methods of extraction and infusion are ill advised.
The Taxonomy of Arnica
The Latin specific epithet (In binomial nomenclature) montana refers to mountains or coming from mountains.
The Etymology of Arnica
The genus name Arnica may be derived from the Greek arni, “lamb”, in reference to the plants’ soft, hairy leaves.
The Distribution and Habitat of Arnica
This Circumboreal and montane (subalpine) genus occurs mostly in the temperate regions of western North America, with a few species native to the Arctic regions of northern Eurasia and North America. Arnica montana is widespread across most of Europe. It is absent from the British Isles and the Italian and Balkan peninsulas.In addition, it is considered extinct in Hungary and Lithuania.
Arnica montana grows in nutrient–poor siliceous meadows or clay soils. It mostly grows on alpine meadows and up to nearly 3,000 m (9,800 ft.). In more upland regions, it may also be found on nutrient–poor moors and heaths. However Arnica does not grow on lime soil, making it is an extremely reliable bio indicator for nutrient poor and acidic soils. Globally, it is rare, but may be locally abundant. It is becoming even rarer, particularly north of its natural habitat distribution, largely due to increasingly intensive agriculture and commercial wild–crafting.
The Cultivation of Arnica
Although the European species A. montana is the commercially available herb, closely related American natives such as A. cordifolia, A. chamissonis and A. sororia contain the same active ingredients. They naturally grow in the mountain ranges of the U.S. and Canada, but A. chamissonis, commonly called Meadow arnica, adapts well to lower elevations.
Arnica montana is sometimes grown in herb gardens. Arnica plants can be grown from seeds and rhizomes, but the latter is the more reliable. Generally, 20% of seeds do not germinate. For large scale planting, it is recommended to raise plants first in a nursery and then transplant them in the field (outdoors). Seeds sprout in 14–20 days but germination rate depends highly on the seed quality.
Planting density for Arnica montana should be 20 plants/m2 such that the maximum yield density will be achieved in the second flowering season. While Arnica montana has high exigencies of soil quality, it cannot tolerate lime or acidic soils, before planting arnica, the growing beds should be carefully prepared and the soil amended. Analyses should be done before adding any fertilizer.
In the first year, the rhizome grows only a whorl of basal leaves which remain close to the ground. In the second year, a flowering shoot with a few leaves appears. It may branch lightly and carry a single flower at the tip of every branch. The central disc of the flower is surrounded by daisy–like petals arranged in a single layer.
The solitary flowers appear in summer and can be harvested when fully mature. They can be used fresh to make herbal teas and extracts, or dried and stored without their bracts nor receptacles (vegetative tissues near the end of reproductive stems). Handling of the flowers may cause you to sneeze, a common reaction that gives arnica the common name “sneezewort”. Dried flowers retain their potency for a year. They can be used to prepare tinctures to make them last longer. The roots can be harvested in autumn and dried as well, after careful washing.
Arnica species are used as food plants by the larvae (juvenile insects) of some Lepidoptera (order of insects that includes butterflies and moths) species, including Bucculatrix arnicella (or Bucculatrigidae, a family of moths).
The History of Use of Arnica in Herbal Medicine
Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179), also known as Saint Hildegard, a German nun known for her keen observations of nature and physiology. Around the 12th century, she wrote about the healing properties of the Arnica montana plant. This alpine herb also has a long history of use in Russian folk medicine and in the Swiss Alps. The flowers as well as the root are used for herbal preparations.
Dating back to the 16th century, people in this Alpine area have used it to relieve muscle aches and bruises. An herbal tea of arnica to ease back pain was used by the North American Indigenous Cataula people. It is said that the higher the altitude, the more aromatic the arnica flowers become.
References to arnica and its medicinal use appear in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica (an edition developed during the transition from a British to an American publication) article “Arnica“. And in the entry “Arnica”, in The American Cyclopædia (or the New American Cyclopædia was an encyclopedia created and published by D. Appleton & Company of New York). 1879.
Historically, the species Arnica montana, native to Europe, has been used as an herbal medicine (study of uses for medicinal plants) similarly to willow bark (from the genus Salix, are species of deciduous trees and shrubs), generally being employed for analgesic (pain relief) and anti–inflammatory purposes.
However, there is insufficient high–quality evidence–based medicine (EBM) for such effects. Clinical trials of Arnica montana have yielded mixed results. A 2014 systematic review found that the available evidence did not support the effectiveness of A. montana at concentrations of 10% or less for pain, swelling and bruises.
Although herbal preparations of arnica for ingestion were traditionally prevalent, it is now mainly used for topical applications, except in homeopathic preparations that contain infinitesimally small amounts of helenalin, rendering the compound harmless. Arnica homeopathic remedies come as an internal tablet that dissolves in your mouth.
Homeopathic healers use arnica tea in diluted form for the treatment of dermatologic disorders. A. montana has been the subject of studies of homeopathic preparations (alternative medicine based on the belief that a substance that causes symptoms of a disease in healthy people can cure similar symptoms in sick people). The premise is that these tablets exert effects that are similar to the ailment, triggering the body to contend with the ailment on its own in order to regain homeostasis.
A 1998 systematic review of homeopathic A. montana conducted at the University of Exeter found that there are no rigorous clinical trials that support the claim that it is efficacious (effective) beyond a placebo effect at the concentrations used in homeopathic preparations.
The Toxicity of Arnica Montana
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified Arnica montana as an unsafe herb because of its toxicity (a substance that can damage an organism). Arnica montana contains the toxin helenalin (a sesquiterpene lactone), which can be poisonous if large amounts of the plant are eaten or small amounts of concentrated arnica extracts are used.
It should not be taken orally or applied to broken skin where absorption can occur. Arnica irritates mucous membranes (moist membranes that line body cavities). It may produce contact dermatitis (inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to a chemical) when applied to skin.
Consumption of A. montana can produce severe gastroenteritis (inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract), internal bleeding of the digestive tract, diarrhea, vomiting, raised liver enzymes (which can indicate inflammation of the liver), nervousness, accelerated heart rate, muscular weakness, and death if enough is ingested.
In the Ames test, an extract of A. montana was found to be mutagenic (a chemical agent that permanently changes genetic material, usually DNA) to bacteria.
The Phytochemistry of Arnica
The main constituents of Arnica montana are essential oils, fatty acids, thymol and thymol derivatives such as phlorol isobutyrate (natural monoterpenoid phenol derivatives of p–cymene) constitute the volatile oil component, pseudoguaianolide sesquiterpene lactones (a class of sesquiterpenoids containing a lactone ring) and flavanone glycosides (flavonoids).
Pseudoguaianolide sesquiterpenes constitute 0.2–0.8% of the flower head of Arnica montana. They are the toxin helenalin and their fatty esters. 2,5–Dimethoxy–p–cymene and thymol methyl ether (a methyl group bound to oxygen) are the primary components of essential oils from both the plant’s roots and rhizomes.
Chamissonolid and 11,13– dihydrohelenaline are two other sesquiterpene lactones (STLS) that have specific actions at the cellular level. These three STLs in arnica have been shown to have strong anti–inflammatory properties in lab studies.
Arnica essential oil includes the essential fatty acids linolenic and linoleic acids. Other constituents include several types of lignans and flavonoids such as astragalin, luteolin–7–glucoside, and isoquercitrin. Phenolic acids include caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and cynarin. Coumarins such as scopoletin and umbelliferone are also present in the essential oil.
The quality and chemical constitution of the plant substance Arnicae flos can be monitored by near–infrared spectroscopy (NIRS, a method that uses the near–infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum).
The Health Benefits of Arnica Oil
Applied to the skin in the form of an oil, cream, ointment, liniment, tea or salve, arnica has been used traditionally for medicinal purposes. Arnica montana L. is a source of several active compounds (sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, and essential oils) exhibiting antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antiradical, antisclerotic, and antioxidant activities.
Before using arnica in any form, first read through all the precautions, since this ingredient can cause extreme unhealthy reactions in some people. If you’re interested in greater detail, read this PDF on the Arnica Oil Health and Beauty Benefits. The most common health benefits attributed to arnica oil are discussed below.
Arnica oil contains several fatty acids, including palmitic, linolenic, linoleic and myristic, as well as the phytochemical compound thymol. The antibacterial activity of thymol found in arnica essential oil has been well–established and reported in a multitude of scientific studies.
Therapeutic Uses of Arnica Oil
Arnica oil is a carrier oil that can be used as a base to dilute the more concentrated essential oils. Diluting essential oils makes them safe for topical use and for use in homemade recipes. Arnica oil is used to help “carry” the essential oils into the skin. As one of the most popular homeopathic remedies for pain management, arnica oil is one of the most important tools in any homemade essential oil first aid kit.
Arnica is sometimes used as a flavor ingredient in beverages and food products, including candy, frozen dairy desserts, gelatins, baked goods and puddings. The amount of arnica used in edible products is always minimal. In manufacturing, arnica is used in hair tonics and anti–dandruff preparations. Arnica oil is also used in perfumes and various cosmetics.
- Pain Relief: Apply diluted arnica oil directly to affected areas by massaging into the skin until absorbed. It may stain clothing so be sure it is fully absorbed before dressing.
- Relieve Headaches: Apply diluted arnica oil around the neck.
- Heals Bruises: Apply diluted arnica oil to the bruise twice daily (as long as the bruised skin area is unbroken).
- Arthritis & Rheumatism Relief: Dilute arnica and other essential oils such as wintergreen in a carrier oil and massage into the skin on affected areas to reduce rheumatic pains.
- Acne Control: Add 2–3 drops to 1 Tbsp. sweet almond oil and use sparingly, but never on acne where there is ruptured skin.
- Skin Conditions: Dip a cotton ball in arnica tea and apply topically to areas of skin affected by acne or eczema.
- Hair Care: Add 2–3 drops of arnica oil to your usual shampoo or conditioner.
- Nourish Hair Follicles: Massage arnica tea or oil to your scalp from the roots to the tips before going to bed. Wash the tea off your hair the next morning.
- Sore Feet: Make a foot bath with arnica tea, soak your feet in it for 15–20 minutes.
- Insect Bites: Dip a cotton ball in arnica tea and apply topically to the bite or sting.
- Reduce Stretch Marks: Apply arnica tea extract to your stomach at least four times a day.
Precautions
Arnica is available as a 100% pure essential oil but should not be applied to skin before it is diluted into a carrier oil, ointment, gel or cream form. In any form, arnica should never be used on broken or damaged skin. Do not apply directly to open wounds as it can be toxic.
Arnica oil should only be used for topical application. Before using arnica oil, make sure to shake the bottle well. Never use arnica oil in eyes or in mucous membranes. The pure essential oil is actually not even recommended for aromatherapy purposes because it is too potent for inhalation.
Possible Allergenic
Arnica oil is generally safe to use in diluted form. Topical application of herbal preparations is generally safe but can cause adverse reactions in people allergic to daisy–family plants (ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds and daisies). Some people may experience side effects after use.
When purchasing arnica oil, look for one that has a low number of natural ingredients. Ideally, the oil contains arnica extract and a high–quality base oil (or oils) such as certified organic olive, almond or grapeseed. Beneficial vitamin E is sometimes also added as a natural preservative. Avoid arnica oil that contains fragrance, often listed as “parfum”, since the fragrance source is unknown and can often be an irritant or cause allergic reactions.
Never ingest essential oils. Ingestion of arnica oil is not recommended as it can be toxic in high doses. Even when diluted and ingested it can cause an upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems. In large amounts it can cause internal hemorrhaging. Avoid prolonged use, prolonged use may cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction.
Contraindications
Patients taking medicines for the treatment of blood clotting, such as anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs, should avoid applying arnica to your skin or hair, as it can slow down the process of blood clotting. It is not safe to use for people with hypersensitive skin, or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding as it can be toxic. It can also induce premature labor due to the simulating effects. Use essential oils with extreme caution on children, do not use arnica on children. Some brands clearly labels their essential oils “KidSafe” on the bottle if it can be used on children ages 2–10.
When applying arnica oil topically (on your skin), always perform a 24–hour skin patch test first using 1–2 drops, read how for further details. Only use arnica oil in diluted form, as pure arnica is very potent. Use almond or grapeseed as a carrier oil to dilute pure arnica oil in a 30:70 ratio if oil is not already diluted.
Use only 100% authentic oils. Arnica oil has a shelf life of years if stored properly in tightly–sealed dark glass containers. Keep in a cool and dry place, such as a dresser drawer or kitchen cabinet. Keep away from heat and cold temperatures and moist areas (such as a bathroom).
Arnica oil products come with expiration dates. Manufacturer’s advice against using arnica products beyond this date. Any arnica product whose use–by date has passed, should be discarded. Signs that it has expired includes changes in scent, texture and color. If you are interested in trying arnica oil, be sure to choose a product that is 100% pure and organic. Arnica oil can be found at most health food stores or online.
Note: May also stain clothing.
Sources:
Arnica
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnica
Arnica montana
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnica_montana
Top 6 Benefits of Arnica Oil and How to Use Safely
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https://draxe.com/essential-oils/arnica-oil/
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https://healthyfocus.org/health-benefits-of-arnica/
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https://bodyandearth.shop/blogs/beauty-advice-portal/arnica-oil-origins-benefits-and-uses
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https://www.spafinder.com/blog/health-and-well-being/secret-ingredient-pain-relieving-benefits-arnica-oil/
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https://naturallydaily.com/arnica-tea-benefits/