Grindelia Uses and Plant Monograph
Budding grindelia flowers ooze a thick, creamy resinous latex that has an invigorating, pungent aroma. A sight to behold, the milky latex often traps small insects in the budding flowers. When harvesting grindelia buds, the sticky latex adheres to your hands and pruners, so plan to have an alcohol-spray on hand for clean-up. Its vibrant, beautiful, golden, Aster-family flowers emerge following the buds.
Grindelia Uses & Plant Profile Summary
- Botanical Name: Grindelia camporum, G. robusta, G. squarrosa, G. integrifolia, G. humboldtii, G. hirsuta (syn. G. humilis), G. rigida
- Other Common Names: gumweed, field gumweed, hardy grindelia, California gum plant, gum plant, scaly grindelia, resinweed, rosin weed, tarweed, August flower, and Spanish gold
- Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)
- Parts Used: the resinous buds and flowering tops
- Energetics: warm and slightly drying
- Taste: pungent and mildly astringent
- Plant Properties: expectorant, antitussive, bronchodilator, antispasmodic, astringent, antibacterial, urinary tract disinfectant, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and vulnerary
- Plant Uses: Highly valuable for treating respiratory and urinary tract infections, and for the long-term treatment of asthma and periodontal disease. Applied topically, it is an effective vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agent.
- Plant Preparations: tincture, oil, salve, tea, honey
If you have not worked with grindelia, I encourage you to experiment with it soon! It is one of my personal favorite herbs for the lower respiratory system, especially for easing wheezing and managing asthma. Grindelia can be incorporated into compounds for improving oral health and for treating urinary tract infections. As a versatile topical treatment, it has many similar properties to calendula.
Deepens Respiration and Expels Mucus
Grindelia is an aromatic expectorant and antitussive. It aids in treating a dry, irritable cough or sore throat accompanying a cold, flu, bronchitis, hay fever, and whooping cough.1,2,3,4,5 It contains aromatic resins that stimulate respiratory secretions.6 Grindelia is also indicated for a moist cough or humid asthma aggravated by a cold, damp environment. As a long-term tonic, grindelia deepens respiration and reduces respiratory spasms; it also reduces wheezing, asthma, emphysema, and allergies that trigger lower respiratory spasms.7 When addressing an unproductive cough or difficulty breathing, combine grindelia extract with elecampane (Inula), spikenard (Aralia), anise seed (Pimpinella anisum), Senega snakeroot (Polygala), and/or licorice root (Glycyrrhiza)—formula listed below in Plant Preparations and Dosage Suggestions section. When treating acute and sub-acute lower respiratory infections, combine grindelia extract with other expectorant and antimicrobial herbs such as spikenard (Aralia), balsam root (Balsamorhiza), biscuit root (Lomatium), thyme (Thymus), and/or Usnea.
Caution: In case of a severe allergic reaction and bronchiole constriction, seek emergency medical treatment immediately.
Inhibits Bacterial and Fungal Overgrowth
Alcohol (ethanolic) extracts of grindelia contain resins, polyphenols, and phenolic acids that inhibit bacterial growth.8 Combine grindelia extract with usnea, elecampane (Inula), spikenard (Aralia), thyme (Thymus), Propolis, and/or licorice (Glycyrrhiza) to ease symptoms of bacterial bronchitis. Grindelia also contains saponins that have fungistatic effects.9 Incorporate grindelia into all-purpose first aid salves to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth. A salve that I make frequently using the alcohol-intermediary oil method includes equal parts of grindelia (or calendula), usnea, chaparral, and rosemary. I often add low doses of essential oils (up to 10 drops per ounce of infused oil) to enhance the antimicrobial effects. To learn how to do the alcohol-intermediary method, see the “Plant Preparations and Dosage Suggestions” section below.
Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant
Grindelia extract and/or secondary metabolites demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory actions.3 Inflammatory mediators, including prostaglandins, interleukins, and tumor-necrosis factor, are inhibited by grindelia.10 In grindelia, the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol were attributed to the anti-inflammatory actions.11 The essential oil of grindelia was found to have considerable antioxidant activity.12 The anti-inflammatory effects are beneficial for supporting inflammatory conditions including gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis), seasonal allergies, and allergy-induced asthma.13
Adjunct Antibacterial for Urinary Tract Infections
Grindelia extract aids in helping slowly resolving bladder and urinary tract infections.14,15,16 It contains aromatic resins that are excreted in the urinary tract, having antibacterial actions.17 Grindelia combines effectively for this purpose with extracts of yerba santa (Eriodictyon), yerba mansa (Anemopsis), Usnea, juniper (Juniperus), and/or buchu (Barosma).
Enhances Wound-Healing
Due to the resin and flavonoid content, alcohol-based extracts of grindelia hasten wound healing, regenerate skin cells, inhibit microbial growth, and have rubifacient actions.18 The alcohol-intermediary infused oil or salve, and the diluted alcoholic extract can be applied to cuts, abrasions, sores, wounds, burns, insect bites, rash, dermatitis, poison oak, or poison ivy.19,20,21,22
Herb Pharm, an herbal extract business based in Oregon, produces a topical compound called “Soothing Oak and Ivy; Grindelia – Sassafras” that alleviates itching from insect bites, as well as poison-oak and ivy rashes. Apply it in the first stages of a poison-oak or -ivy rash to dry out the pustules and reduce itching. If the skin is broken, the application may cause a burning sensation because it contains camphor crystals and alcohol; however, frequent applications hasten skin-healing and quell itching. Keep a bottle in your first aid kit if you are susceptible to poison oak or ivy dermatitis.
Historical Uses
North American Indigenous tribes utilized grindelia for respiratory, urinary, kidney, digestive, and skin conditions.23 Southwest Indigenous peoples consumed grindelia to treat asthma, as well as bladder and kidney problems.24 Blackfoot Indigenous peoples consumed a decoction of the dried roots as a spring purge and for liver problems.25 Nevada Indigenous peoples applied a topical wash to measles and smallpox.26,27 Costanoan Indigenous peoples bathed the skin with grindelia tea to treat boils, burns, wounds, and poison oak.28 Southwestern tribes applied warm preparations of grindelia for burns, blisters, skin eruptions, sore joints, paralysis, and “cold in the bones.”29 The resin was rubbed on the eyes to treat snow blindness.30
Note: Research is ongoing regarding the use of botanical medicine by Indigenous people. Therefore, in keeping with the original source material, past tense was used in Historical Uses.
Grindelia was included in the Pharmacopoeia of the United States from 1882 to 1926 and remained in the U.S. National Formulary until 1960.31 Eclectic physicians administered grindelia to alleviate a dry labored cough, whooping cough, asthmatic breathing, and emphysema, as well as acute and subacute bronchitis.32,33 They recommended smoking the leaves mixed with other herbs, such as Lobelia or Stramonium, to relieve spasmodic asthma.34 Grindelia was applied topically to hasten the healing of skin conditions such as wounds, indolent ulcers, insect bites, vesicular eczema, poison oak, or poison ivy rash.35,36 It was administered as an antimalarial to reduce spleen congestion and poor digestive system health.37,38 In Europe, grindelia was utilized similarly for respiratory complaints; however, it was also administered to treat cystitis and urinary catarrh.39
Constituents
Grindelia contains resin, volatile oil, an alkaloid, flavonoids (luteolol, quercetol, kaempferol, and quercetin), tannins, saponins, and phenolic acids.40,41,42,43,44,45
What’s in a Name?
Grindelia is named in honor of German botanist, David Grindel (1717-1783).46 The epithet camporum derives from the Latin word campus (“plain, field, open country, or level place”).47 The epithet hirsuta means “covered with hair;” integrifolia (“with entire leaves”) describes the uppermost leaves of the plant; and rigida refers to the stiff leaves.48,49,50 Humboldtii was named for Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander, Baron von Humboldt (1769-1859), a German geographer.51 The epithets squarrosa (“rough”) and robusta (“strong, hard, oaken”) derive from Latin.52 Gumweed, gum plant, and resinweed refer to the bracts that are coated with sticky, resinous latex.
Botanical Description and Habitat
Grindelia is a varied genus containing up to 80 or more species of tap-rooted perennials and subshrubs native to North America and South America.53 The erect, often resinous stems can be branched and are hairy or smooth.54 The alternate leaves vary in shape depending on the species, and can be glabrous, hairy, or sticky to the touch.55,56The lower leaves are petiolate (have a leaf stalk/petiole); the upper leaves are sessile (lack a leaf stalk) with bases that often clasp the stem.57 The inflorescence (flower) is found in clusters or singly, and is a radiate or discoid head with a sturdy, globose involucre that exudes a white, sticky gum.58 There are up to 60 yellow ray flowers and usually over 100 yellow disk flowers.59
Plant Preparations and Dosage Suggestions
Due to its resin content, grindelia is most efficiently extracted in alcohol-based extracts or using alcohol-intermediary methods. To do the alcohol-intermediary method, lightly mist and coat the surface area of grindelia with ethanol alcohol and place in a sealed container for 12–24 hours prior to infusing it in oil, tea, or honey.
Tincture: Fresh flowering tops [1:3 or 1:4, 95% alcohol]; dry [1:5, 70% alcohol]; consume 15-60 drops, three to five times daily.
Tea: Pre-soak the buds, flowers, and leaves in ethanol alcohol prior to preparing the tea for optimal extraction. Prepare a standard infusion of the flowering tops and consume eight ounces, up to four times daily. In order to evaporate the small quantity of alcohol coating the herb, avoid placing a lid on the vessel, once the hot water is poured over the herb. Allow the herb to steep for 10–-15 minutes before consumingg (it?). An alternative method to ensure that the alcohol is evaporated is to decoct the plant matter for ten minutes, then allow the tea to steep without the lid. For individuals highly sensitive or allergic to alcohol, completely avoid misting grindelia with alcohol and prepare an infusion. Some constituents, but not all of them, will be extracted.
Topical Use: Prepare oil with the fresh or dry buds, flowers, and leaves using the alcohol intermediary oil method. Dilute the tincture in water or apply it undiluted to the affected area.
Respiratory Antispasmodic Compound
Directions: Combine the following single extracts. Consume 30–90 drops (1-3 droppers full), three to four times daily in 2–4 ounces of water.
- 2 parts grindelia (Grindelia)
- 1 part aralia (Aralia)
- 1 part elecampane (Inula)
- 1 part anise (Pimpinella)
- ½ part yuan zhi (Polygala)
- ½ part licorice (Glycrrhiza) – omit with hypertension
Actions: Antispasmodic, antitussive, bronchodilator, decongestant, deepens respiration, demulcent, and expectorant.
Note: Avoid using this compound during pregnancy and/or lactation.
Special Considerations
When consumed frequently in high doses or in doses higher than recommended, grindelia has the potential to irritate the urinary and digestive tract.60,61 In rare circumstances, it can cause allergic sensitivity in individuals with Asteraceae family allergies. Until this herb is more thoroughly researched, consume a low to moderate dose range (10–30 drops, 1–3 times daily as needed), for acute use during pregnancy and lactation. Note: Based on clinical observations, internal use of grindelia has never caused complications during pregnancy; it is a non-toxic plant. The author considers grindelia safe for short-term use during pregnancy (one to two weeks) and in her opinion, its effects of grindelia are far less problematic than the use of steroidal inhalers.
Footnotes
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