Herbs & Supplements

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Uses

Note: Arnica is widely available?especially in Europe?as both an herbal product and a homeopathic preparation. Homeopathy is a form of alternative medical treatment that is practiced more in other countries than in the United States. In homeopathy, individuals take a very small amount of a natural product that in higher doses would produce symptoms similar to the condition being treated. In small studies done in Europe, oral doses of homeopathic arnica lessened swelling for some individuals after knee surgery. It is important to note, however, that herbal arnica generally consists only of plant material while homeopathic arnica has been mixed with inactive ingredients. Herbal arnica is, therefore, usually much stronger than homeopathic arnica. Taking herbal arnica by mouth is strongly discouraged because it may result in potentially dangerous increases in blood pressure.

Most often, herbal arnica is used topically to relieve the pain and inflammation of soft-tissue injuries such as boils, bruises, hemorrhoids, and sprains. Inflammation is a response to irritation, injury, or infection. It usually includes pain, redness, and swelling in the area of the damage and it can occur within body tissues as well as on the surface of the skin. In a study of 204 Swiss patients with arthritis in their hands, an arnica gel was about equally as effective at controlling pain as a 5% ibuprofen gel. The type of base used to make the gel may alow more of arnica's active chemicals and potentially harmful chemicals to enter the skin. More research is needed, therefore, before arnica can be recommended for topical use.

Due to possible antiseptic and slight antibacterial properties, topical arnica has also been used to treat acne, insect bites, and minor skin wounds. It may be effective, as well, in mouth rinses to control some bacteria commonly found in the mouth. Scientific studies show little effectiveness, however, for topical arnica in preventing or relieving bruising or in relieving muscle soreness among long-distance runners. A recent analysis of eight previously published studies found little evidence that topical arnica preparations were more effective than placebo (preparations with no active ingredients) for treating any soft-tissue conditions.