Slippery Elm

Slippery Elm, also known as American elm, Indian elm, moose elm, red elm, rock elm, sweet elm, and winged elm, is an American deciduous tree found planted along streets and growing in forests from Quebec to Florida, the Dakotas, and Texas. Growing to a height of 50 feet and more, its stem is covered with dark-brown, rough, furrowed outer bark; the inner bark is whitish and aromatic. Its alternate, obovate-oblong leaves are doubly serrate, very rough on top, and downy underneath. The small flowers grow in dense axillary clusters curing March and April.

Slippery elm has been used as a demulcent, diuretic, and emollient. The inner bark of slippery elm is noted primarily for its soothing properties. Internally it is helpful where inflammatory irritation exists, as in sore throat, diarrhea, dysentery, and many urinary problems. Externally it is applied as a poultice to irritated and inflamed skin and to wounds. It has also been used to make rectal and vaginal suppositories, enemas, and a vaginal douche.

Slippery elm never became a truly popular herb until the English settlers noticed its widespread use by the American Indians. The Indians obtained more mileage from this single herb than practically any other medication. Since then, medical botanists have never given up using Slippery Elm bark for just about any condition involving injured or infected tissue & bone.

Due to its high content and peculiar mucilage content, Slippery Elm is remarkably effective, both internally and externally (in poultices), against sore & inflamed mucous membranes, and is one of the best agents for combating coughs. One early American ethnobotanist described the various uses for this herb that he observed among the Indians, and among the pioneers & settlers of the West, as follows: urinary and bowel complaints, sore throat, scurvy, diarrhea, dysentery, cholera infantum, to ease childbirth and reduce the pain of labor, and externally for ulcers, tumors, swellings, chilblains, toothaches, burns and sores. In all these uses, the demulcent property of this herb was the therapeutic agent.

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