General dosing guidelines for willow bark :
Dried herb (used to make tea): boil 1 - 2 tsp of dried bark in 8 oz of water and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes; let steep for 30 minutes, you can drink 3 - 4 cups daily.
Capsules or liquid: 60 - 240 mg of standardized salicin daily;
Tincture (1:5, 30% alcohol): 4 - 6 mL three times daily
The safety and efficacy of willow bark as a treatment for osteoasthritis osteoarthritis has been confirmed by a study done in Germany. Findings of this clinical trial were published in Phytotherapy Research Journal on June 2001. A total of 78 patients took part in the study. The investigators compared the effects of willow bark extract containing 240 mg salicin with placebo in a 2-week, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. The outcome was measured using the pain, stiffness and physical function dimension of WOMAC Osteoarthritis index, a set of standardized questionnaires used by doctors to evaluate osteoarthritis. Daily visual analogue scales were also used by the patients. After 2 weeks of treatment the pain score of willow bark group was reduced by 14% while in the placebo group, the score increased by 2%. The data on the visual analogue scales confirmed the superiority of willow bark over placebo. The investigators then concluded that the willow bark extract showed a moderate analgesic effect in osteoarthritis and appeared to be well tolerated.
The bark of white willow has salicin, a chemical similar to acetyl salicylic acid or aspirin. This is the substance that produce for the pain-relief and anti-inflammatory effects of the willow bark.
Willows are trees and shrubs that have about 400 different species. The use of willow bark dates back to ancient Greece, when patients were advised to chew on the bark for relief of pain and inflammation. Today, willow bark is used to relieve pain such as low back pain and osteoarthritis, headache, and for inflammatory conditions such as bursitis and tendinitis
