Walnut
Juglans regia
Juglans nigra
According to legend, when the gods
walked upon the earth, they lived on walnuts;
hence the name Juglans or Jovis glans, Jupiter's nut. The tree has been
cultivated in Europe since Roman times for its
nuts; these yield an important
oil containing essential fatty acids, such as alfa -linolenic, that are vital for healthy
cell function and prostaglandin development.
The white walnut, or butternut (J. cinerea),
from eastern North America is a useful laxative.
Other names
Parts used
Leaves, nut, casing, inner bark.
Constituents
Walnut contains quinones, oils, tannins; nuts contain essential fatty acids,
including cis-linoleic and alfa-linolenic.
Applications
- LEAVES:
- INFUSION - Use for skin problems
and eye inflammations, and as a
digestive tonic for poor appetite.
- WASH - Use the infusion for eczema
or for wounds and abrasions.
- EYEWASH - Use either a well -
strained infusion or 5 drops tincture
in an eyecup of water for
conjunctivitis and blepharitis.
- OUTER NUT RIND:
- INFUSION - Use for chronic diarrhea
or as a tonic in anemia.
- HAIR RINSE - Use the infusion as
a rinse for hair loss.
- NUT:
- OIL - Take 2 tsp unrefined walnut
oil daily as a dietary supplement for
menstrual dysfunction or for dry,
flaky eczema.
- INNER BARK:
- DECOCTION - Use for constipation,
sluggish digestion, as a liver
stimulant, and for skin diseases.
- TINCTURE - Take up to 5 ml daily for
the same ailments as the decoction.
Walnut leaf
Walnut leaves have been used in herbal medicine for thousands of years. The
Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder reported the cultivation of walnut trees in the
first century, the trees having reached Rome from the Middle East. The famed
seventeenth-century English herbalist Nicholas Culpepper
combined walnut leaf with honey,
onion, and salt to draw
out venom from the bites of snakes and spiders.
During the last century, walnut leaf has been known as one
of the "most mild and efficacious laxatives" available.
White walnut also is used in homeopathy as a treatment
for liver disorders and intestinal sickness.
Another species of walnut, the black walnut (Juglans
nigra), is used to treat athlete's foot and
parasitic infections.
Black walnut bark helps relieve constipation and is
useful against fungal and parasitic infections. It is used to
expel, rather than kill, worms during the normal course of
laxative-induced cleansing of the body. It may also help to
eliminate warts, which are growths caused by
viruses. Use
externally, black walnut is beneficial for eczema,
herpes,
psoriasis, and skin parasites. Black walnut is also used to
balance blood-sugar levels and to burn up toxins and fatty
materials. It has been shown to exhibit anticancer
properties due to the acids and
alkaloids it contains.
Benefits of walnut leaf for specific health conditions
include the following:
- Acne, eczema, and
ringworm. Walnut leaves contain
astringent tannins. These tannins cross-link skin cells, making
them impermeable to allergens and infectious
microorganisms. Walnut leaves contain two antibacterial agents,
walnut essential oil and juglone, which act directly on
infectious microorganisms. Walnut leaves also contain
relatively large concentrations of vitamin C, which helps to
fight infection.
- Excessive sweating. Walnut leaf washes "shrink" the
sweat glands, reducing perspiration. The herb's tannins
cause proteins in the cells lining the sweat glands to
crosslink, effectively forming a barrier to the excretion of sweat.
Walnut leaf teas can be made into baths, compresses, and
skin washes. This herb product is more likely to be obtained
from herb shops and other herb suppliers. There are many
products that are made with walnut hulls combined with
other herbs in tinctures for use as a harsh laxative. You
should not use walnut hulls instead of walnut leaf for the
conditions discussed above.
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