willow
Salix · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Sparse (73 studies) · ★★☆☆☆
Willow, scientifically known as Salix, is a versatile genus of shrubs and trees renowned for its medicinal properties. Long used in traditional healing, its bark contains salicin, a natural precursor to aspirin. This potent botanical resource remains fundamental in managing pain, reducing inflammation, and treating various febrile conditions worldwide.
Names
Common Names
- willow
- Sallow
- Willows
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Anemocoria
- Sauces
- Sauce
- sauces
- Sauce
German:
- Weiden
- Weidenbaumrinde
- Weidenrinde
- Weide
- Weide
- Weiden
French:
- saule
- Marsaul
- saules
- Saule
Scientific Names
Accepted name
SalixSynonyms
- Amerina
- Chosenia
- Chalebus
- Chamitea
- Biggina
- Disynia
- Gruenera
- Diplopia
- Ripselaxis
- Oisodix
- Vimen
- Nectusion
- Vetrix
- Usionis
- Melanix
- Toisusu
- Lusekia
- × Toisochosenia
- Knafia
- Telesmia
- Pleiarina
- Diplima
- Capraea
- Urnectis
- Amerix
- Argorips
- Psatherips
- Opodix
- Nectolis
- Nestylix
- Sokolofia
- Ripsoctis
- Nectopix
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malpighiales. Finally, it resides in the family Salicaceae and is identified by the genus Salix.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Salicaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Salix | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across various regions of Northern Europe. Specifically, it can be found growing in the landscapes of Denmark and Finland. Its presence extends to the island of Iceland as well. Furthermore, the species is common throughout Great Britain. Finally, its geographical range includes the Faroe Islands, known as Føroyar.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Føroyar | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Iceland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Svalbard | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
Chemicals
Salix has 35 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include salicin, salicylic acid, Salicylates, 2-(Hydroxymethyl)phenyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside, BA.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| salicin | 6 supporting sources | ★★★☆☆ |
| salicylic acid | 4 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Salicylates | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 2-(Hydroxymethyl)phenyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| BA | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CATECHIN | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CD | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CR | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CU | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ERIODICTYOL | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
salicin
- Phytotherapy research : PTR
- Frontiers in pharmacology
- Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
- Planta medica
- Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
View 1 additional sources
- European journal of clinical pharmacology
salicylic acid
- Frontiers in pharmacology
- The American journal of cardiology
- Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
- European journal of clinical pharmacology
Salicylates
- Advances in biochemical engineering/biotechnology
- Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
2-(Hydroxymethyl)phenyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside
- Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
BA
- Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
CATECHIN
- Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
CD
- Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
CR
- Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
CU
- Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
ERIODICTYOL
- Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
Activities
Salix has 12 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antiinflammatory, Antimicrobial.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiinflammatory | Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiobesity | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antipyretic | Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antirheumatic | Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Salix has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include analgesic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antipyretic, headaches.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| analgesic | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| antidiabetic | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antipyretic | Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| headaches | Therapie (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| osteoarthritis | Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pain | Avicenna journal of phytomedicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| platelet aggregation | Seminars in thrombosis and hemostasis (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| bark extractions | Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cortex | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| saliva-stimulating lozenge | Current medical research and opinion (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |