Gifts of Siberia: Wintergreen

A chapter on how a delicate plant boasting pink flowers and significant potential helps treat and prevent a variety of ailments...

If you are walking through the wintry woods and spot bright green leaves peeking out from beneath the snow, chances are you have stumbled upon a wintergreen. Even in the cold season, this evergreen beauty knows how to delight us. What other benefits does it offer?

Umbellate wintergreen is a low-growing, perennial wild plant belonging to the heath family, that thrives in the forest zones, primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. In Russia, the mistress of winter can be found in Siberia, the Far East, and it is listed in the Red Book in the Komi Republic.

Wintergreen features a branched stem reaching up to 15 cm in height, along with strong creeping roots that enable it to survive on the surface even in low temperatures. Pinkish bell-shaped flowers are arranged in umbrella-like inflorescences containing 8–12 blooms each, emitting a sweet menthol fragrance.

Plant with a history

The indigenous peoples of North America were the first to recognize the medicinal properties of wintergreen, treating the plant with reverence. They utilized its leaves to staunch bleeding, its flowers to alleviate back pain, and brewed decoctions to address inflammatory eye conditions. In the language of Native Americans, the term "wintergreen" translates to "grinding into small pieces", underscoring the plant's knack for breaking down and expelling kidney stones.

According to scientists, the initial European settlers learned from Native Americans about the medicinal properties of wintergreen, which they then employed extensively for kidney diseases and rheumatism. They substituted the brilliant green and iodine solution with the herbal infusion. During the American Civil War, soldiers afflicted with typhoid fever were treated with a decoction of wintergreen. Today, wintergreen is listed as an official medicinal plant in the United States and Germany, recognized for its tonic and antirheumatic properties.

In Siberian traditional medicine, wintergreen has been extensively utilized for centuries to alleviate painful uterine bleeding, reduce edema, treat internal organ swelling, manage diabetes mellitus, and address stomach and liver ailments.

The plant brimming with riches

The evergreen semi-shrub stands out as a leader in the concentration of antioxidants and beneficial micronutrients. Wintergreen is rich in vitamins and contains flavonoids, glycosides, resins, tannins, essential oils, organic acids, and methyl esters.

Due to its rich chemical composition, wintergreen has a variety of beneficial properties:

Anti-inflammatory effect: Effectively alleviates bodily inflammation, diminishes discomfort, and fosters wound healing.

Diuretic effect: Removes excess fluid from the body and prevents edema.

Immunomodulatory effect: Stimulates the function of immune cells, enhancing the body's defense mechanisms and bolstering its ability to combat infections.

Antioxidant activity: Helps neutralize free radicals and prevent oxidative stress in cells, slowing down the ageing process.

Hepatoprotective effect and enhanced digestion: Wintergreen's unique bitterness shields liver cells, facilitating detoxification and improving intestinal peristalsis, normalizes metabolism, thereby promoting weight loss.

Modern medicine acknowledges the particular benefits of the plant for the female body, which accounts for its extensive utilization in gynecology. It can stabilize hormone levels and regulate the activity of the endocrine glands, exerting a positive influence on the reproductive organs and preventing the development of pathologies.

Due to these beneficial properties, wintergreen is included in the Ortilia and Wintergreen herbal complexe by Essential Botanics series. This formula is specifically designed to offer comprehensive support for women's health.

How does it work?

• Minimizes the risk of inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs;
• Has an antimicrobial effect;
• Boosts local immunity;
• Normalizes the function of the reproductive system;
• Reduces the risk of inflammation in the premenopausal and menopausal periods.

Orthilia and Wintergreen is a ready-made solution for the gentle protection of women's health and the prevention of inflammation.

Did you know about wintergreen and its remarkable properties?