Botanical Index No. 1128

Witch Hazel

hamamelis virginiana

Medicinal Actions

Analysis pending research update.

Primary Conditions Treated

Abortion impending Abrasion Anorexia Arthrosis Asthma Backache Bite Bleeding Boil Bruise Bug Bite Burn Cancer eye Chest Cold Childbirth Cholera Cold Colitis Congestion Conjunctivosis Cough Crohn’s Disease CVI Cystosis Dermatosis Diarrhea Dysentery Dysmenorrhea Eczema Edema Enterosis Enterorrhagia Epistaxis Erythema Fever Gingivosis Gleet Goiter Gonorrhea Headache Hematemesis Hemoptysis Hemorrhoid Herpes Inflammation Insomnia Itch Lameness Leukorrhea Lumbago Menorrhagia Metrorrhagia Mucososis Myosis Nervousness Neuralgia Neurodermatosis Ophthalmia Orchosis Pain Pharyngosis Phlebitis Phthisis Poison Ivy Pulmonosis Rash Rheumatism Sore Sore Throat Sprain Stomatosis Sunburn Swelling Tuberculosis Tumor Ulcer Varicocele Varicosis VD Virus Wound Wrinkle

General Dosage

Dosages — 2 g dry leaf, or in tea, 3 ×/day; 2 g leaf or bark 3 ×/day; 7–14 ml/day fluid leaf extract; 2–4 tsp leaf decoction 1–3 ×/day; 1 tsp bark decoction 1–3 ×/day; 2–4 ml liquid bark extract 3 ×/day; 10–15 drops liquid bark extract 3 ×/day; 2–4 ml bark tincture.

Safety & Contraindications

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects — Class 1. Tannins. None known. “Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”. “It is not recommended that these extracts be taken internally because the toxicity of the tannins has not been well defined... Doses of 1 g of witch hazel will cause nausea, vomiting, or constipation”. In susceptible patients, irritation of the stomach may occur occasionally. In rare cases, witch hazel tannins may cause liver damage. In view of the tannin content, excessive use, especially during lactation and pregnancy, should be avoided. “There are no known problems with the use of witch hazel during pregnancy...”. No contraindications, drug-drug interactions, or side effects are known. “May cause minor skin irritation in some people when applied topically”. Witch hazel water is not intended for internal use. Teas can be brewed from leaves and twigs, but their safety is not defined. APA lists the carcinogen safrole, but in minimal quantities.

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