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Open Source Apothecary At Home / The herbs
A soothing inner-bark mucilage — and a plant whose wild supply is under real pressure. — Ulmus rubra
remedySlippery elm (Ulmus rubra) inner bark is a mucilage demulcent like marshmallow, used for sore throat, cough, gastritis and gut irritation. The evidence is traditional and mechanistic rather than trial-based.
The conservation issue is the thing to act on. Slippery elm bark is harvested by stripping the inner bark from wild trees, which kills them, and Ulmus rubra has been under pressure across its range. Marshmallow root gives you the same mucilage effect from a plant you can grow in a damp corner of the garden. For a handbook that recommends growing your own, this is the obvious substitution to make.
If you do buy slippery elm, buy from a supplier who states responsible sourcing.
Practical note: like marshmallow, cold infusion preserves the mucilage better than a hot decoction, and it coats the gut and delays drug absorption.
This is the first stage study and forthcoming clinical studies with larger participants are needed to confirm these findings.PubMed 34697783 ↗
The NC Gut Relief Formula significantly improved GI symptoms and associated quality of life over 3 months while reducing intestinal permeability, improving the microbial profile, reducing the need for reflux medication, and enabling the consumption of previous food triggers.PubMed 32151878 ↗
This review investigates the therapeutic effects of Ulmus species extracts, traditionally used as tea ingredients in East Asia, on bone health and inflammatory conditions.PubMed 39153558 ↗
This landscape of popular treatments nevertheless raises several interesting mechanistic hypotheses and compelling opportunities for future research.PubMed 31289950 ↗
| | | |---|---| | Life | Large deciduous tree | | Propagation | Seed or cuttings; slow | | Substitute | Grow marshmallow instead — same effect, no conservation cost | | Note | Bark harvest kills the tree and the species is under pressure |
This is the one plant in the pharmacopoeia where the recommendation is not to grow or buy it, but to use marshmallow root, which performs the same mucilage function and grows easily.
Powder in water or food — the common form; a spoonful in warm water or porridge.
Cold infusion — as for marshmallow, to preserve the mucilage.
Lozenges — commercial throat products; check the sourcing.
The better choice — marshmallow root, cold-infused.