Botanical Index No. 942

Slippery Elm

ulmus rubra

Medicinal Actions

Antioxidant, Antiseptic, Antitussive, Astringent, Depurative, Diuretic, Expectorant, Laxative, Analgesic, Antidiarrheal

Primary Conditions Treated

Demulcent Emollient Vermifuge Vulnerary Abscess Adenopathy Bleeding Boil Bronchosis Burn Cancer Carcinoma Cardiopathy Caries Catarrh Chilblain Childbirth Cholera Cold Cold Sore Colitis Conjunctivosis Constipation Cough Cramp Crohn’s Disease Cut Cystosis Dermatosis Diarrhea Duodenosis Dysentery Dyspepsia Dysuria Eczema Enterosis Erysipelas Esophagosis Felon Fever Fistula Fracture Gangrene Gastrosis Gonorrhea Gout Heartburn Hemoptysis Hemorrhoid Herpes Infection Inflammation Mastosis Mucososis Nephrosis Ophthalmia Pharyngosis Pleurisy Pulmonosis Quinsy Rheumatism Sore Sore Throat Stomach Distress Stomatosis Strangury Swelling Synovosis Syphilis Tapeworm Toothache Tuberculosis Tumor Typhoid Ulcer UTI VD Water Retention Whitlow Worm Wound Acne Aphthous Ulcer Asthma Backache Celiac Disease Consumption Convulsion Cracks Diphtheria Earache Fissure

General Dosage

1–3 tsp powdered herb/cup water 1–3 ×/day; 1–2 g bark in tea 3–4 ×/day; 0.25–0.5 cup fresh bark; 2–4 tsp dry bark; 3 tsp dry bark/4 cups boiling water; 0.5–2 g powdered bark/cup 2–3 ×/day; 4 g powdered bark in 500 ml decoction 3 ×/day; 4–16 ml powdered bark decoction 3 ×/day; 5 ml liquid bark extract 3 ×/day; 5 ml bark tincture 3 ×/day; 2 capsules as needed; 2 capsules as needed.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 1. “Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”. None known. While I consider slippery elm safer than coffee, LRNP says, “preparations of slippery elm had been used as abortifacients.” Perhaps they refer to Foster and Duke, who note slivers of bark being used mechanically to induce an abortion, sort of the herbal coat hanger. Oleoresins from several elm species can cause dermatosis. Pollen is allergenic. But even conservative CAN says, “it would appear to be non-toxic.”

!