Garden of Health: Making a Tincture for Joint & Muscle Pain

California native plants are useful as well as attractive.  In fact, many have significant histories as medicinal plants. This should not surprise us; plants produce a wide range of chemicals for their own protection.  It turns out that some are also effective against human pathogens and conditions. 

Western medicine is just beginning to discover the benefits of chemicals produced by locally native plant species.  There is also increasing interest in the many practical uses of California native plants.   That’s one reason why we created Mother Nature’s Garden of Health (http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/03/our-new-garden-mother-natures-garden-of.html).

Most of us suffer from joint and muscle aches every so often. Pain medications can cost a lot – and have serious side effects.  What if there were an inexpensive alternative that could be applied externally to help reduce the aches?  

It turns out that several native plants have long been used to ease painful muscles and joints, usually in combination with warm water.  If you grow these plants, you may want to try them to see if they work for you.  They may provide a useful complement to Western medicines, working in concert with them.

 

A Word of Caution

First, a word of caution.  Plant based medicines are medicines; just because they come from plants doesn’t automatically make them safe.  Any medicine has the potential to help or to harm – even to kill.  The following precautions should be taken when using any plant-based medicine (including those purchased or made from common garden herbs):

·         First, get a diagnosis from your doctor.  You need to know whether that pain or other symptom is due to a serious condition or not.  Many serious acute conditions require prompt treatment with Western medicines. 

·         Check with your doctor before using a plant-based medicinal.  Some medicines, including herbal ones, interact with common medicines for diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, depression and other conditions.   You don’t want to have a serious drug interaction – or lessen the effectiveness of another drug you’re taking.  So check with your doctor before starting any new medication.

·         Be sure that you are using the correct species – misidentification of plants can be deadly.  So identify a plant correctly (ask for help if you need it) before using it as a medicinal. Even if there are no deadly consequences, a misidentified plant may waste your efforts or give an unexpected result.

·         Use only plants collected from your own yard (or other gardens which have not been treated with pesticides).

·         Prepare the medicinal using a recommended recipe; follow the recipe exactly. 

·         Start with a small dose.   Everybody is allergic to one chemical or another. It’s better to discover your allergies with a small dose.  If you note any sign of an allergy (pain; redness; swelling; trouble breathing; or other symptom that doesn’t seem normal) stop using immediately.

·         To be extra safe, use plant medicines only for external applications.   Medications applied externally to the skin or joints usually have less potential to harm than those taken internally.  Those dissolved in water (soaks and baths) are even better.

·         Consider using only plants from plant families that are generally non-toxic to humans.   Plants in the Mint (Lamiaceae) and Sunflower (Asteraceae) families are generally safe and have a long history of use as herbal medicines and as foods.

·         Limit your use: don’t over-dose on any type of medication.  Be sure you know the proper dose – and don’t exceed it.  If you experience unusual symptoms – or if the effectiveness decreases over time – stop using the herbal medicine.

·         No medicine is effective for everyone.  This is true for herbal and Western medicines, alike.  So don’t be surprised if an herbal medicine that’s effective for a friend does nothing for you.  Make a small first batch.  If the medicinal works for you, then make more.

·         Be sure to clearly label plant-based medicines and store them safely. Treat them like the medicines they are!

·         Most herbal medicines have not been evaluated for safety and efficacy by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  So know that you are using these medicines without the safety net provided by the lengthy evaluations required by the FDA for licensed drugs.  Follow the precautions list above and listen to your body’s signs.   Stop using a plant-based medicine if your body signals that something is wrong.

 

Some Definitions

Most medicinal plants must be processed to be used effectively.  Like the natural dye chemicals (http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/10/garden-crafts-colors-of-california-dyes.html), medicinal chemicals are produced and sequestered in plant tissues.  While some are excreted on the surface, many are found only in the deeper plant tissues.   Their release requires breaking the plant tissues and cell walls, either by mechanical means (grinding or pounding to create a poultice), by drying, by applying heat or by using extraction solvents.  

Extractions using cold or hot/boiling water are common in traditional healing practices. Those made from softer plant parts (flowers, leaves), which require shorter extraction times and less heat, are properly called infusions.  When you make a cup of tea, you’re making an infusion.

Water-based extractions from harder plant materials (bark, roots, tough leaves, seeds) require longer extraction times. The result is properly termed a decoction.  Both infusions and decoctions are either drunk as a medicinal teas or applied externally to the skin, to swellings, painful muscles/joints, or to wounds.  Most healing cultures use water-based extractions extensively; and many teas enjoyed today had their beginnings as medicinal teas.

An alternative extraction method is to create a tincture, using alcohol or another solvent to break down the plant tissues and extract medicinal chemicals.  Strictly speaking, tinctures are alcohol extractions; but extractions using vinegar and food-grade glycerin are sometimes also called ‘tinctures’.   

Tinctures also have a long history of use in traditional medicine.   They have the advantage of being more concentrated than water-based extractions, making them easier to store and transport.  They also last longer – at least several years if stored properly.   They are often more fast-acting than infusions (due to the alcohol) and the chemicals extracted may differ from those extracted using water.  Thus, a tincture may have entirely different medicinal properties than an infusion/decoction made from the exact same plant material.

The types of alcohol used to make home tinctures are most often either vodka or brandy, with vodka being used most often.  Both are readily available and tinctures made from them can be used externally or taken (with caution and at the proper dose) internally.   Vodkas should be 80- or 100-proof (40 or 50% alcohol) to properly extract the plant chemicals.

 

Anemopsis californica - medicinal plant used for muscle & joint pains

 

California Native Plants for Muscle and Joint Aches/Pains

Several California native plants provide relief for painful joints and muscles.  Some only relieve the pain (are analgesic).  Others work by reducing the swelling in inflamed tissues, or both.  The plant extractions we’re concentrating on here are those that can be applied externally – either applied directly to the painful area or dissolved in warm water for a soak or bath.

The table below gives some of the most commonly used species in S. California.  Fortunately, these are also plants grown in local gardens – you may already have a good supply right in your own garden.  Fall is a good time to prepare tinctures or to dry plant parts obtained from fall pruning.  

Name	Plant part used	Preparation	Other notes
Anemopsis californica Yerba mansa	Root (fresh or dried); best collected in fall/winter. Chop into pieces.	Tincture: fresh root 1:2* ; dried root 1:5	Can be used with Heterotheca
Arctostaphylos species Manzanitas	Leaves (fresh or dried)	Infusion: standard infusion  2-6 oz. plant material/dose   Tincture: 1:2 fresh; 1:5 dried	Use in warm water or bath+
Artemisia californica CA Sagebrush	Foliage, branch trimmings (dried; then strip off leaves/flowers)	Decoction: strong (1:3 parts hot water)	Apply warm decoction with moist cloth
Artemisia douglasiana Mugwort	Leaves (dried). Collect summer or fall	Infusion: hot or cold water extraction Tincture: 1:5 in cider vinegar	Apply directly to skin with moist cloth.  Good for larger joints.
Clematis species Virgin’s bower	Foliage (fresh or dried)	Infusion: standard (2-6 oz.) Tincture: fresh 1:2; dry 1:5	Apply directly to skin with moist cloth. Try for larger joints, tendonitis.
Croton setigerus Turkey mullein	Whole plant when in bloom (fresh or dried). Chopped. Wear gloves**	Tincture: 1:2 in vinegar  Wear gloves**	Use in warm water or bath. Use only infrequently.
Eriodictyon species Yerba santa	Leaves (current year’s); fresh or dried	Infusion: standard (2-6 oz.) Tincture: fresh 1:2; dry 1:5	Use in warm water or bath
Gutierrezia species	Flowering stems (fresh or dried)	Decoction: steep 30 min. In hot water Tincture: 1:2 fresh; 1:5 dried	Use in warm water or bath.
Heterotheca species	Leaves (fresh or dried); collect summer or fall. Chop fresh leaves.  Do not wash.	Infusion: standard (2-6 oz.) Tincture: fresh: 1:2 or just cover with alcohol ; dried: 1:5 crushed leaves	Best in warm water, but can apply directly. Works well for hands, fingers.

* 1:2 = 1 part plant material:2 parts alcohol (by volume)

 

** tiny hairs will cause rash

 

⁺ For infusions/decoctions, use entire dose in basin of warm water or in bath.  For tinctures, use 6-10 drops in a basin of warm water or 8-20 drops in a bath.  Start with lowest dose – increase only if needed.

 

To learn more about the plants featured above see:

·         Anemopsis: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2015/09/plant-of-month-september-yerba-mansa.html 

·         Arctostaphylos: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2015/02/plant-of-month-february-vine-hill.html  and http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/01/plant-of-month-january-bigberry.html 

·         Artemisia californica: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/11/plant-of-month-november-california.html 

·         Heterotheca: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2015/08/plant-of-month-august-telegraph-plant.html

The foliage of Heterotheca grandifolia makes a tincture for hand pains

 

Making a tincture

 

Materials, supplies & equipment

Fresh or dried medicinal herb (see table for correct plant part)

Vodka or vinegar (see table, above)

Glass jar with tight lid (for extraction)

Dark colored glass bottles(s) (for storage) (see note, below)

Plastic wrap (if needed)

Glass measuring cup (2 or 4 cup that’s used for measuring liquids is best)

Knife

Canning funnel (wide mouth – fits jars)

Regular funnel (for filling bottles)

Small, fine-textured sieve (or cheesecloth for straining)

Plastic/rubber gloves

 

Preparing the tincture

1.   Collect the plant materials.  Be sure to collect the correct plant part – and collect at the best time of year.   Choose clean, unblemished plant materials if possible. 

2.   Prepare the plant materials.  Wash if dirty (except Heterotheca).  Chop plant parts into ½ to ¼ inch pieces. 

3.   Place plant materials into the measuring cup.  Push down firmly to compact.    Measure the amount of plant material; write it down.   

4.   Transfer the plant materials to the extraction jar. Check to be sure that the jar is large enough to hold the correct amount of vodka (if not, use a larger jar).  Be sure to use a glass jar (not plastic or metal). 

5.   Measure the vodka (or vinegar) using the measuring cup.   For example, if you have 1 1/2 cups of fresh leaves, you’ll need 3 cups of vodka (see recipe in the table, above). 

6.   Add the vodka to the extraction jar.  Be sure that the vodka completely covers the plant material. 

Steeping bottles should be properly labelled

 

7.   Cover the extraction jar with a double layer of plastic wrap and screw on the lid.  We like to use plastic wrap to insure a good seal, even when using plastic lids.  If you are using a metal lid, you should always use plastic wrap. 

8.   Label jar with plant name, part used, solvent and date started. 

9.   Place in a cool dark place. 

10.  Swirl material every day for the first 4-6 days. 

11.  Let steep for 2 weeks (longer if using very hard plant materials) 

12. Using the canning funnel, decant the liquid into a clean jar.  We like to place a small sieve inside the canning funnel to catch the plant materials.  

 

 

Decanting a tincture of Heterothica grandiflora

 

13.  Wearing gloves, squeeze the plant materials to extract the remaining liquid.  Add to the liquid in the jar. 

14. Using the regular funnel, decant the tincture into the dark-colored glass bottles.  Cap and seal.  

15.  Label with plant name, plant part, extraction solvent, date started and date bottled. 

16.  Store in a cool, dry place. 

17.  Use as directed.

 

Note: amber-colored medicine bottles, caps and dropper caps can be obtained from your local pharmacist, from Specialty Bottle Supply (http://www.specialtybottle.com/) or from other on-line sources.

 

Tinctures from California native plants

 

The information in this blog post is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.   Always see your doctor for any symptoms that are new, unusual, alarming or bothersome.  Be sure to ask your doctor before beginning any new medication, including herbal medications.

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General resources on making tinctures

http://inhabitat.com/diy-how-to-make-your-own-herbal-tinctures/?theme=responsive

http://www.almanac.com/blog/natural-health-home-tips/making-herbal-tincture

http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/October07/wisewoman.htm

 

Resources specific to Southwestern & California native plants

Garcia, C & Adams, JD. 2012.  Healing with medicinal plants of the west - cultural and scientific basis for their use, 3^rd ed.  Abedus Press, La Crescenta CA. ISBN-10: 097630919X ; ISBN-13: 978-0976309192 

Kane, CW.  2011.  Medicinal Plants of the American Southwest (Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest). Lincoln Town Press; Reissue edition (August 1, 2011).  ISBN-10: 0977133370

ISBN-13: 978-0977133376

 

Largo D, McCarthy DF, Roper M. 2009. Medicinal Plants Used by Native American Tribes In Southern California. Malki-Ballena Press.   ISBN-10: 0879190000; ISBN-13: 978-0879190002  

Moore, M. 1989. Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West. Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, NM. ISBN-10: 0890131821 ; ISBN-13: 978-0890131824 

Moore, M. 1993. Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West. Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, NM. ISBN-10: 9780890135396; ISBN-13: 978-0890135396 

Moore, M. 2003. Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West. Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, NM. ISBN-10: 0890134545; ISBN-13: 978-0890134542

 

http://www.swsbm.com/ManualsMM/MatMed5.pdf

 

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We welcome your comments, below.  If you have questions, please e- mail us at: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

 

Plant of the Month (October) : Scarlet monkeyflower – Mimulus cardinalis (Erythranthe cardinalis)

Scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis) in Mother Nature's Garden of Health

October is traditionally a dry month in Southern California gardens.  While water-wise plants are mostly dormant, some natives are still green and even producing a flower or two.  One such plant is the Scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis.  We have one, with a few fall blooms, in Mother Nature’s Garden of Health.

Scarlet monkeyflower is native to the Western United States from Southern Oregon to Baja California, Mexico and as far east as Nevada, Utah and western New Mexico.  In California, it grows throughout the California Floristic Province (west of the Sierra Nevada Range), as well as in the desert mountains (Providence, White, Inyo and Panamint Mountains). 

Like the other moisture-loving monkeyflowers, Mimulus cardinalis grows in wet or moist places like stream banks, seeps and seasonal wetlands below 8000 ft. (2500 m.) elevation.  Locally it still grows in the Santa Monica Mountains, on Santa Catalina Island and in the San Gabriel Mountains.  It once also grew along the banks of the Los Angeles River and its tributaries.

Scarlet monkeyflower, along with other native Mimulus and Diplacus species, was formerly located in the family Scrophulariaceae (the Figworts) and is still placed there by the USDA Plants database [1].  Recent molecular genetic studies have radically changed our notions about this family. Many taxonomists now place Mimulus and Diplacus in the family Phrymaceae, the Lopseeds.  Formerly a small, obscure family, the Phrymaceae are now considered to include over 200 species, mostly native to North America and Australia.  Most favor moist conditions and several are widely cultivated as garden flowers.

The genus Mimulus has also undergone recent taxonomic revision.  As it currently stands, the herbaceous, moisture-loving California Monkeyflowers (annuals and perennials) are usually called Mimulus and the part-woody, drought-tolerant species are now placed in the genus Diplacus. Some taxonomists have argued that the N. American herbaceous species deserve their own genus, Erythranthe.  

Whatever the outcome, evolving names cause lots of confusion in the horticultural trade. The name Mimulus cardinalis is widely used in California, and we’ll use that name here – at least for the present. For more on the early botany of this species see reference 2.  The USDA Plants database separates out plants growing in N. AZ and Colorado as Mimulus eastwoodiae, honoring Alice Eastwood [1].  If you’d like to learn more about the amazing life of California botanist Alice Eastwood see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/alice-eastwood-2015 . 

 

Scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis) - herbaceous perennial

 

Scarlet monkeyflower is an herbaceous perennial, standing 1-3 ft. (0.3 to 1 m.) to perhaps 4 ft. tall, with a spread of 2-4 ft.  Plants may be erect (in sun) or more sprawling in shadier locations.  A mature plant will have many stems. The leaves are opposite, roughly oval shaped, usually with strongly toothed margins and 3-5 prominent veins.   The foliage is yellow-green to medium green (occasionally darker), very hairy and sticky.   If you look closely, you can see both the small, soft hairs and the secretory glands in the photo below.



Scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis) - close-up of foliage.
Note fine, soft hairs and small, round glands.

 

The flowers of Mimulus cardinalis are bilaterally symmetric, like a snapdragon. As seen in the photograph below, the petals are highly modified into five lobes.  The upper two – which form the ‘upper lip’ – are bent forward.  The lower three (the ‘lower lip’) – are bent backward.  The flower is very narrow compared to other Mimulus, giving the impression that the entire flower has been squeezed from the sides (see photo of Mimulus guttatus, below, for comparison).

 

Scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis) - flower

 

Seep monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus).  Compare the floral structure of this
 monkeyflower to Scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis), above

 

When seen from the side (below) the unique characteristics of the flower become even more apparent.  First, the flower has a rather long, tubular calyx (the green part – composed of the sepals), which will later become the seed capsule. The calyx covers a long floral tube.  Second, the positions and shapes of the floral lobes are quite unusual.  Third, the sexual organs are located near the upper lip, but extend beyond it (see arrow).   The single pistil (female part) is green; the stamens (male parts that produce the pollen) are hairy in the photo. 

 

 

Scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis) - side view of flower

 

The location of the sexual organs, the long tubular shape and the flower color all relate to specialized pollinators – the hummingbirds. The floral architecture insures that hummingbirds brush against the sexual parts while retrieving nectar hidden deep in the floral tube.   Pollination is a by-product of feeding, transferring pollen from anther to stigma.  To learn more about the interesting relationships between native Mimulus and their pollinators, see reference 3.

 

The flowers’ bright color, which ranges from scarlet to orange-red, is the most striking feature of Mimulus cardinalis.  In our local plants, there is often also some yellow in the center of the tube.  The foliage provides a strong color contrast with the flowers, making both green and red appear more intense.  This is a good example of Mother Nature’s use of complimentary colors (those opposite on the color wheel) to ‘intensify’ colors, often to make the flowers or fruits more visible to pollinators or seed dispersers.   

Scarlet monkeyflower is classified as an obligate wetland plant in California.  It’s not at all particular about the type of soil it grows in, but it does like its water.  Clay soils can be an advantage in growing Mimulus cardinalis because they are easier to keep moist.   The plants can even be grown in places with seasonal flooding – or in a pot in a pond (best to keep the crown just above the water level). Scarlet monkeyflower can be grown in full sun or – we think better – with some afternoon shade in warm L.A. Basin gardens. 

Scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis) in a pot
 Mother Nature's Garden of Health

 

We grow our Mimulus cardinalis in a large fired-clay pot.  It’s easier to give it the water it needs, in a garden that’s otherwise quite drought tolerant.  We water our pot once or twice a week when it’s really hot and dry.  This plant will spread via rhizomes in moist soil. It can form dense colonies and it also re-seeds on moist ground.  So growing this plant in a container makes sense in terms of control as well as water needs.

Other than watering, Scarlet monkeyflower needs little care.  Cut the stems back by about 2/3 after flowering to keep the plant from getting rangy.   If you cut back after the first blooming, plants will often produce a second set of flowers.  Pull up the unwanted seedlings in winter or spring – they are distinctive with their light green color and fuzzy leaves.  That’s about it.



Scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis) - seed capsules

 

Scarlet monkeyflower seeds are tiny – like finely-ground pepper.  You can shake them out of dry seed capsules.  Or, if you want to collect them for growing, simply cut off stems with mature capsules, invert them in a glass jar or bowl, and let the seeds drop out.  

Mimulus cardinalis is a relatively short-lived perennial (3-5 years in most gardens), so you may want to grow some backup plants.  They are easy to grow from seed, and summer/fall are good times to start them.  Wet the potting soil, sprinkle seeds, water in well and keep the soil moist.  We start our plants in small recycled pots, in an area with bright shade.  You can place the pots in a tub with a little water to keep them moist.

So, how to use Scarlet monkeyflower?  It’s appropriate for any moist area of the garden – places with sprinkler overspray, fountain splash, around ponds/pools, watered swales/rain gardens and other green oases.  These plants remind us of cool woodland streams.  We love them in larger wetland pots (http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/05/guilt-free-gardening-grow-wetland-in-pot.html) and alone in pots as accent plants.  They add a wonderful touch to patios with bright shade or sun. 'Santa Cruz Island Gold’ is an attractive natural cultivar with golden yellow flowers.



Scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis)
Native plant garden, Madrona Marsh Nature Center

 

Of course, place them where you can see the hummingbirds.  If you enjoy these special pollinators – and who doesn’t - plant Scarlet monkeyflower along with the Mints, Woodmints and other hummingbird plants for year-round pleasure.  Mimulus cardinalis foliage is larval food for the Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia), another special garden visitor. 

Both the foliage and the flowers are edible.  The foliage tends to be salty – try using the young foliage as cooked greens. You may enjoy their unique flavor.   An infusion (water extraction) was used as a wash for babies in past times, and to ‘cool’ sunburns and minor skin irrigations. 

In summary, Mimulus cardinalis is an interesting wetland plant that adds a lovely green touch to local gardens.  Plants are not only pretty, they attract hummingbirds and Buckeye butterflies.  While not a major food or medicinal plant, this plants other fine qualities argue for its inclusion in more Southern California gardens.  So snap one up at the fall plant sales (if you can find one)!

Scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis)

 

For a gardening information sheet see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/gardening-sheet-mimulus-cardinalis

For more pictures of this plant see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/mimulus-cardinalis-web-show

For plant information sheets on other native plants see: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/gallery-of-native-plants_17.html

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1. http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=MIEA
2. https://www.ventanawild.org/news/fall10/pdf/mimulus_cardinalis.pdf

3.      Schemske & Bradshaw. Pollinator preference and the evolution of floral traits in monkeyflowers (Mimulus).  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 96 (21): 11910-11915, 1999 - http://www.pnas.org/content/96/21/11910.full

 

 

 

We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com