Updated 2009

Slippery Elm - Ulmus Fulva

Slippery Elm is a member of the Elm (Ulmus) family. Native to Canada and the US, it can be found growing in the Appalachian Mountains. The inner bark is collected from trees which are at least 10 years old, and is mainly powdered for therapeutic use.

Soothing Slippery Elm was traditionally used by Native Americans as a poultice for boils, ulcers and for wounds in general. Internally, it was commonly used for colds or fevers and to soothe an irritated digestive system - one of its main uses today.

Slippery Elm - Uses Today

The major use for Slippery Elm today is for soothing the bowel in conditions of inflammation - especially colitis and IBS - irritable bowel syndrome. It is also similarly helpful in other inflammatory bowel conditions such as diverticulitis and diverticulosis.

Slippery Elm is such a specific remedy for helping these conditions that it is almost a crime that doctors and hospital don't make more use of it. It will often soothe the pain of patients suffering these ailments within a couple of hours. This is not a case of the slippery elm hiding the pain; by soothing the inflamed area, the pain - a signal from the body that something is wrong - simply goes away because there is no need for it.

Now, of course, the cause of the condition must still be dealt with - may be it's a congested colon; maybe it's a constitution which is easily stressed; but the slippery elm is a great herbal 'tool' to help deal with the symptoms, while the cause is being sorted out. Appropriate practitioners might be need to help sort out the causes.

For inflammatory bowel conditions like this, the Slippery Elm is made into a thin type of 'porridge' type of drink. It is sometimes called 'gruel' - which sounds pretty awful; and sometimes called 'tea' - which sounds as if it is thin; but it is not - it's quite glutinous.

But this is the benefit of slippery elm - its glutinous nature helps it adhere to the inside stomach/intestine walls, and do its job of nourishing and soothing.

Slippery Elm is a very safe herb, so the risk of using it is almost zero. However, you must treat the cause of the problem, as indicated above, or the symptoms will just keep recurring.

You can take slippery elm in capsules - but much better to use the powder to make a drink if you can. Just avoid any slippery elm products with any additives - such as sugar. It simply needs no additives at all.

The Nature Of Slippery Elm

The 'Slippery' part of Slippery Elm refers to the texture of the herb. This is because of the large mucilage content of Slippery Elm, which is also responsible for its wonderful healing and soothing action. In most herbal literature this is termed a 'demulcent' or an 'emollient' agent, which means it is a soothing substance.

• Slippery Elm makes a wonderfully soothing and healing poultice, applied locally to the problem, for drawing out toxins, especially those associated with boils, spots or abscesses and can assist the removal of splinters.
• Applied to wounds, burns and inflammation of any kind, Slippery Elm is soothing and helps heal, and reduce swelling and pain.

<Tip> 'A Modern Herbal' by Mrs Grieves, written in the 1930's, gives different preparations and combinations of Slippery Elm for poultices and ointments. Go to
www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/e/elmsli09.html
to find the online version of Mrs Grieves' text on Slippery Elm and its uses.

Because of the mucilage content of Slippery Elm, it can be just as valuable internally as externally.

[Next: Use of Slippery Elm Internally]

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