Condition
Treatment Support
bitter digestive stimulant
Application
tincture, tea
Iceland Moss
(Cetraria islandica)
Also know as Lichen islandicus
Botanical Information
An gray-green lichen with a forked, chestnut- brown thallus (often reddish at the base); epiphytic on trees.
Working with Iceland Moss
Part(s) Used
Thallus
Herb Forms
Tincture, bulk herb, powder.
Iceland moss is a demulcent herb with nutritive, antibiotic, and expectorant properties. A traditional cough remedy and expectorant, it is often used for respiratory tract ailments such as bronchitis, asthma, colds, and laryngitis. A highly effective herb for respiratory infections with thick yellow mucus because of its cooling and mucus-cutting nature. It has a bitter principle which causes the secretion of gastric juices and is used for loss of appetite. Iceland moss is said to promote the flow of milk. It has been proven to have strong antibacterial activity because of the lichen acids it contains.
Iceland Moss has a taste of ACRID, SWEET and a temperature of COOL.
Cautions
The dried powder can causes throat irritation if inhaled. Both the tincture and powder are contraindicated in gastro-duodenal ulcers.
Conditions treated with Iceland Moss
Condition
Treatment Support
Application
Condition
Treatment Support
expectorant
Application
tincture, tea
Condition
Treatment Support
demulcent
Application
tea, tincture
The information given here is designed to help you make informed choices about your health. The information is drawn from numerous sources—both traditional medicine practice, from the clinical experience of many herbalists currently practicing, and supported by decades of scientific research from the author. The research most consulted includes human clinical trials that help to determine the most effective and safe herbs for various needs, the best doses, and types of preparations.
The information offered in this database is not intended as a substitute for any that may have been prescribed by your health practitioner or physician.
