The willow tree is a very important source of healing. The bark of the willow tree has been used in herbal treatment methods for centuries. The inner bark of White Willow (S. alba) is also a unique source of salicin, a chemical which turns into salicylic acid in the body. Salicylic acid is closely associated with aspirin, which is one of the most commonly used medicines in the world.
Many medicines and antibiotics are made from the willow tree bark.
The use of willow bark for pain relief is an old experience. Like the Chinese, the Egyptians and Assyrians used this plant since 500 BC. A hundred years later, Hippocrates praised the therapeutic power of willow bark and advised his patients to use it to treat fever and inflammation.
Recent studies show that willow bark has components that have antioxidant, antiseptic and immune-boosting properties in addition to salicin.