Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

as a local anti-inflammatory in the form of a
tincture of the dried flower heads as a compo-
nent (5–25% v/v) of salves, ointments, com-
pressed, gels, and creams for external applica-
tiontosprainsandbruises26,38,39andinvarious
dilutions in homeopathic preparations;^32 also
used in hair tonics and antidandruff prepara-
tions; oil occasionally used in perfumes and
other cosmetic preparations.37,40

Food. Used (though not widely) as a flavor
ingredient in alcoholic (ca. 0.03%) and non-
alcoholic (0.02%) beverages, frozen dairy
desserts (0.03%), candy (0.04%), baked goods
(0.08%), and gelatins and puddings (0.04%),
with reported average maximum use levels in
parentheses. These figures apparently cannot
apply to the crude flowers as they are too high
to be safe in all categories, except perhaps
alcoholic beverages because of their limited
volume of intake.

Dietary Supplements/Health Foods. Vari-
ous ointments, salves, lotions, tinctures, and
homeopathic products for external use only
(FOSTER AND CARAS;LUST;WREN).

Traditional Medicine. Used as a diaphoret-
ic, diuretic, stimulant; externally antiphlogis-

tic, analgesic, antiseptic, vulnerary for hema-

tomas, dislocations, contusions, fracture-in-

duced edema, and insect bites.^26

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Crude, tincture, and extracts. Crude, tincture,

and fluid extract were formerly official in N.F.;

crude flowers and root formerly in U.S.P. In

the United States in 1998, Arnica Montana

extract was reported to be used in close to 100

body care formulations including bubble

baths, hair conditioners, hair dyes, deodor-

ants, skin fresheners, moisturizers, shaving

creams, and various others such products.^37

Regulatory Status. Flowers GRAS as a natu-

ral flavoring (§172.510). External applica-

tions of preparations containingA. montana

flower are the subject of a positive German

monograph that includes inflammatory con-

ditions (superficial phlebitis, insect bites, fu-

runculosis, oral cavity, and throat conditions),

injuries, contusions, hematomas, joint pro-

blems, rheumatism, and edema resulting from

bone fractures (BLUMENTHAL1).

REFERENCES

See the General Reference forAPPLEQUIST;ARCTANDER;BARNES;BISSET;BLUMENTHAL1;DER MARDEROSIAN
AND BEUTLER;FEMA;FOSTER AND CARAS;GRIEVE;LUST;MARTINDALE;MCGUFFIN1&2;WICHTL;WREN;
YOUNGKEN.

1. G. Willuhn,Planta Med., 21 , 221 (1972).


2. H. Kating et al.,Planta Med., 18 , 130
   (1970).


3. G. Willuhn,Planta Med., 22 , 1 (1972).


4. G. Willuhn,Planta Med., 21 , 329 (1972).


5. R. Schmitz and H. Kating,Planta Med.,
   31 , 310 (1977).


6. H. D. Herrmann et al.,Planta Med., 34 ,
   299 (1978).


7. G. Willuhn et al.,Planta Med., 50 ,35
   (1984).
   8. G. Willuhn et al.,Planta Med., 49 , 226
   (1983).
   9. M. Vanhaelen, Planta Med., 23 , 308
   (1973).


8. I. Merfort,Planta Med., 50 , 107 (1984).


9. I. Merfort and D. Wendisch,Planta Med.,
   53 , 434 (1987); 54 , 247 (1988).


10. H. P. H€ormann and H. C. Korting,
    Phytomedicine, 1 , 161 (1994).


11. L. Swiatek and J. Gora,Herba Pol., 24 ,
    187 (1978).

44 Arnica