Linden (Tilia species).Plant Part Used: Flower and attached leaf bract.Dominican Medicinal Uses: Flower and leaf bract: infusion, orally, for relief from anxiety, insomnia, nervousness, stress; women’s health: menorrhagia, uterine fibroids, menopausal hot flashes. Given to children.Safety: Considered relatively safe; no adverse effects known; if taken in excess or for a long time, may be harmful to the heart.Laboratory & Preclinical Data: In vivo: antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory (leaf flavonoids); anxiolytic (flower extract).In vitro: antigenotoxic, antioxidant, GABAa receptor inhibition (water plant extract), iron-absorption promoting (flower extract).* See entry for Tilo in “Part 3: Dominican Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this book for more information, including references.
Tilia platyphyllos Scop. Tilia cordata Mill. German: Lindenbaum. French: Tilleul. Spanish: Tilo. Italian: Tiglio. Part used: dried flowers.
Constituents: volatile oil, mucilage, tannins, phenolic acids, flavonoids.
Action: antispasmodic, diaphoretic, diuretic, sedative, hypotensive, anticoagulant, anxielytic, immune enhancer. One of the few herbs with very low tannin content. Tannins present in ordinary tea inhibit true protein digestibility thus favouring Lime, or Linden tree flowers for efficient digestion.
Uses: Headache from high blood pressure. Hardening of the arteries. Nervous excitability, hysteria, insomnia. Once had a reputation for reducing severity of epileptic attacks. Teabag or loose-leaf infusion is a substitute for caffeine drinks in coronary heart disease and arterial complaints (temporal arteritis). To aid digestion. Muscular weakness of the eyes.
For relief of early stages of influenza, colds, and fevers of childhood (Lime blossom tea drunk hot and freely). Combines well with Lemon Balm to reduce nerve tension.
Preparations: Average dose: 2-4g dried flowers or equivalent. Thrice daily.
Tea: 1 teaspoon to each cup or, 1oz to 1 pint boiling water; infuse 10 minutes; dose, 1 cup. Teabags available.
Liquid Extract: 1:1, in 25 per cent alcohol. Dose 2-4ml in water.
Home tincture: 1 part to 5 parts white wine (25 per cent) alcohol. Macerate 8 days, shake daily. Decant. 4-8 teaspoons.
An ingredient of blood pressure mixtures. ... lime flowers
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