Ligustrum

Other names of Ligustrum: Privet, Common Privet, Wild Privet, European Privet

Useful Parts of the Plant: Fruit of the plant, Bark, Leaves

Ligustrum comes from a genus of about forty different species and is commonly known as privet. This herb is found across the globe, especially in its different forms. The flowers have a slightly unpleasant and strong odor. These plants grow fast and are dense. They do not grow very tall and are easily maintained. This evergreen shrub bears fruit in abundance but most of them are normally eaten up by birds. The leaves are known to be wavy and can be easily pruned as required.

Nutritional information and Properties: The primary ingredient in lingustrum is lingustrin. This is a form of oleanolic acid which is primarily helpful in boosting the immune system.

Health Benefits and Therapeutic Uses

The herb is useful in making a tonic that is commonly used as an immune booster.

The fruit that is derived from this herb can be used by women in the treatment of menopause and its symptoms.

Ligustrum is also very good to improve vision. It can help combat spots in front of the eyes, wavering vision and even improve vision. It is also known to reduce macular degeneration.

The herb is an effective remedy option in the treatment of tinnitus or the ringing of the ear.

The herb can also be used in the treatment of dizziness and soreness in muscles including sore lower back muscles.

Ligustrum is also known to arrest premature graying of hair.

This herb is also a part of the traditional remedy for treating vertigo and other related problems.

This herb is often given to patients of cancer or HIV as it helps towards improving their immunity. In some cases, it has shown that regular ingestion can even help in the prevention of cancer. It has also shown promise suppressing inflation though there is little scientific evidence to back this claim.

Ligustrum is also known to have an antibacterial and antiviral effect.

It has also known to prevent liver damage and protect the organ from further damage from chemicals. It is considered a great herb to combat Hepatitis C. It is important to not self medicate and consult your doctor before taking these herbs as you do not want the herbs to reverse the effect of the medications.

The herb in its different forms can help many types of various ailments which result from chronic infection and inflammation.

This herb can also be an expectorant and help expel phlegm. It can help sore throats, mumps, and chapped lips and can be used as a mouthwash for gargling.

Other Uses

This herb can be taken like a powder, a tincture, tablet or even encapsulated powder. The crushed flowers can also be brewed like a tea. A typical dose is 5 milligrams of berries every day. You can also get a host of ready made health products which have lingustrum. Today this herb is also a very popular ornamental plant in the United States of America.

The leaves and bark can also be used in treatment and are used to treat tumors but the success rate is not known. There are hospitals using their in their treatment but none have provided data on how effective it is.

There are no apparent or reported adverse effects of this herb. It does not seem to have any contraindications with other medications. There isn’t enough research done on this herb and for that reason, you need to ingest it carefully. Pregnant women and women who breast feed should best avoid this herb.