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Arnica

Scientific Name(s): Arnica chamissonis subsp. foliosa (Nutt.) Maguire, Arnica cordifolia Hook., Arnica fulgens Pursh., Arnica montana L., Arnica sororia Greene
Common Name(s): Arnica flos, Leopard's bane, Mountain snuff, Mountain tobacco, Sneezewort

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on May 8, 2023.

Clinical Overview

Use

Arnica and its extracts have been widely used in folk and homeopathic medicine as a treatment for acne, boils, bruises, rashes, sprains, pains, and wounds. There does not appear to be sufficient evidence to support the use of arnica as an anti-inflammatory or analgesic agent or in the prevention of bruising. Heterogeneity of doses, delivery forms, and indications in available clinical studies also makes generalization difficult.

Dosing

Arnica is classified as an unsafe herb by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because of its toxicity and should not be administered orally or applied to broken skin where absorption can occur. No consensus exists on topical dosing, and evidence from clinical trials is lacking to support therapeutic dosing. In homeopathic use, less concentrated strengths, such as 12C, 200C, 1M (1,000C), and 10M (10,000C) (C = centisimal dilution [1 part in 100]; M = millesimal dilution [1 part in 1,000]), are recommended for use before and after surgery.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Uterine stimulation has been documented.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Homeopathic doses of arnica are unlikely to result in any adverse reactions because of the small amount ingested. Arnica irritates mucous membranes and causes stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Allergy and contact dermatitis have been reported.

Toxicology

The plant is poisonous and ingestion can cause gastroenteritis, dyspnea, cardiac arrest, and death. The flowers and roots of the plant have caused vomiting, drowsiness, and coma when eaten by children.

Scientific Family

Botany

Arnica, a perennial native to the mountainous regions of Europe and southern Russia, grows from 0.3 to 0.6 m tall. Oval-shaped, opposite leaves form a basal rosette at the soil surface. Arnica has bright yellow, daisy-like flowers that, when dried, are the primary parts used medicinally. Roots and rhizomes may also be utilized. Arnica is sometimes called wolf's bane; however, this name more commonly refers to the unrelated plant monkshood (Aconitum spp.). Lychnophora ericoides is known as false arnica or arnica-da-serra.1, 2, 3

History

Internal and external preparations made from the flowering heads of arnica have been used medicinally for hundreds of years. Arnica was used extensively in European folk medicine, and alcoholic tinctures were produced by early North American settlers to treat sore throats, as a febrifuge, and to improve circulation. Homeopathic uses include the treatment of surgical or accidental trauma, use as an analgesic, and the treatment of postoperative thrombophlebitis and pulmonary emboli. Arnica has been applied externally to acne, bruises, sprains, and muscle aches. In addition, it has been used as a general topical counterirritant and a CNS stimulant, as well as an antibacterial for abrasions and gunshot wounds. Arnica is also an ingredient in hair tonics, dandruff treatments, perfumes, and cosmetics. A. montana and A. chamissonis subsp. foliosa have been approved for external use in the Complete German Commission E Monographs.2, 4, 5 However, arnica is classified by the FDA as an unsafe herb.

Chemistry

A number of flavonoid glycosides have been identified in arnica. Flavonoids (0.4% to 0.6%) include betuletol, eupafolin, flavonol glucuronides, hispidulin, isorhamnetin, luteolin, patuletin, spinacetin, tricin, 3,5,7,-trihydroxy-6,3′,4′-trimethoxyflavone, kaempferol, quercetin, kaempferol and quercetin derivative, jaceosidin, and pectolin-arigenin. Isomeric alcohols include arnidiol and foradiol. Terpenoids in arnica include arnifolin, arnicolide, and the sesquiterpenes helenalin (and derivatives) and dihydrohelenalin. The pseudoguaianolide ester helenalin methacrylate has been isolated from the flowers. The quantity of sesquiterpene lactones varies widely among species and geographical locations, making standardization of preparations difficult. The European Pharmacopoeia recommends a minimum sesquiterpene lactone content of 0.4% in A. montana preparations used as herbal medicines.6

Amines in the plant are betaine, choline, and trimethylamine. Coumarins include scopoletin and umbelliferone. Carbohydrates, such as mucilage and polysaccharides (eg, inulin), are found in arnica. Two homogeneous polysaccharides, an acidic arabino-3,6-galactan-protein, and a neutral fucogalactoxyloglucan have been isolated. Further polysaccharide isolation has been performed on a group of water-soluble acidic heteroglycans. Volatile oils (0.3% to 1%) may be obtained from rhizomes and roots or from flower parts and are used in perfume. Constituents in the oil include thymol, its derivatives, and fatty acids (eg, palmitic, linoleic, myristic, linolenic). The fatty acid content in arnica leaf essential oil has been evaluated as well. Other components found in arnica include the bitter compound arnicin, caffeic acid, carotenoids (alpha- and beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein), phytosterols, resin, tannins, lignans, and anthoxanthine.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Uses and Pharmacology

Controversy exists concerning evaluations of the clinical efficacy of homeopathic arnica. Criticisms of clinical trials include publication bias, sample size, and intention-to-treat analysis. Although topical arnica preparations differ from homeopathic arnica, outcome measures such as pain, inflammation, and coagulation assays have been used as a standard measurement of effect.14, 15, 16 Heterogeneity of doses, delivery forms, and indications in available clinical studies also makes generalization difficult.

Bruising/Ecchymosis/Wounds

Animal data

The sesquiterpene lactones helenalin and 11-alpha, 13-dihydrohelenalin inhibited platelet aggregation by interacting with platelet sulfhydryl groups in vitro.33, 34 Wound healing following topical application of arnica has been studied with limited success in rats.35

Clinical data

A case report of extensive bleeding during orthognathic surgery attributed to previous consumption of arnica exists.36 However, arnica did not affect blood coagulation parameters in a randomized, controlled trial.15, 37, 38

No difference was found between arnica and placebo for laser-induced or surgical bruising,22, 39, 40, 41 despite arnica being widely recommended for this purpose.42, 43 Following rhytidectomy (face-lift), a decrease in bruising was observed on days 1 and 7, but not days 5 and 10.15 Another study in patients with upper eyelid dermatochalais undergoing blepharoplasty found no benefit in size or severity of ecchymosis or ease of recovery with A. montana compared with placebo; results were confirmed by a double-blind, randomized controlled trial44, 64. An open-label study evaluated the use of arnica powder in umbilical cord care. No infections were noted and stump detachment was unaffected; however, the study had no comparator agent.45

Arnica was one of the 3 most common herbs used by certified or licensed midwives for perineal healing and discomfort based on state-wide surveys in California, Texas, and North Carolina.65

Exercise

Animal data

The availability of clinical trial data makes findings from animal studies less important, although limited studies in rodents show effects of arnica on inflammatory markers.17, 46

Clinical data

Pooled data from 2 trials evaluating muscle soreness and cell damage in marathon runners reached statistical significance for muscle soreness but showed no difference in relevant cellular enzymes.47 A subsequent trial reported no difference for muscle soreness in marathon runners.25 A small (N = 22) study found reductions in pain 3 days after exercise but no effect on markers of muscle damage or inflammation with topically applied arnica.48 In a study of 53 participants, topical arnica increased calf muscle pain at 24 hours after exercise but not at 48 hours.49

Inflammation

Animal data

Animal models show positive and negative anti-inflammatory responses to arnica.17, 18, 19

Clinical data

A systematic review of trials prior to October 1997 found no evidence for arnica in reducing inflammation.20 Additional trials revealed no difference in swelling or wrist circumference compared with placebo following carpal tunnel surgery,21, 22 equivalence (no difference) to diclofenac 50 mg 3 times daily for swelling after foot surgery,23 and no difference in swelling after knee surgery except for cruciate ligament surgery (pooled data from 3 individual trials).24 In 1 study in postrhinoplasty ecchymosis and edema, patients who received arnica had less edema during the early postoperative period compared with controls, suggesting that arnica has a beneficial effect on postrhinoplasty inflammation.25 Overall, there is insufficient evidence to support the use of arnica as an anti-inflammatory agent.8, 15, 20, 26

Pain

Animal Data

The availability of clinical trial data makes findings from animal studies less important.

Clinical data

A systematic review of trials prior to October 1997 found no evidence for arnica as an analgesic.20 Studies evaluating the efficacy of arnica gel compared with ibuprofen gel in osteoarthritis suggest equivalence.27, 28 However, methodological weaknesses exist in the studies.26, 29 No difference in pain following knee or foot surgery, tonsillectomy, or surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome has been found between arnica and placebo.21, 22, 23, 30, 31, 32

Other uses

Immune modulation has been observed in animal studies and in vitro.17, 50, 51, 52 Antioxidant effects53, 54 and in vitro cytotoxic effects34, 54, 55, 56 have been reported.

Of 31 complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) remedies, arnica as well as chamomile were the most often recommended remedies for dental issues (64%) made by German dentists and maxillofacial surgeons according to a prospective, cross-sectional survey (N=250). As one might expect, perceived effectiveness was rated higher among CAM proponents than opponents.66

Dosing

Arnica is classified as an unsafe herb by the FDA because of its toxicity and should not be administered orally or applied to broken skin where absorption can occur.4, 57

Oral

A review of practice patterns of facial plastic surgeons found a commonly cited regimen of A. montana 500 mg capsules taken orally every 8 hours on the day of surgery and continued for 3 days.42

Topical

No consensus exists on topical dosing, and evidence from clinical trials is lacking to support therapeutic dosing.8, 15, 20 Experiments show that absorption of active chemical constituents is dependent on the concentration and form of preparation. Microemulsion preparations exhibit greater absorption, as do more concentrated forms of the tincture.6, 58 Creams typically contain arnica oil 15% and salves have arnica oil 20% to 25%.8

Homeopathic

Clinical evidence is lacking to support therapeutic dosing. Less concentrated strengths, such as 12C, 200C, 1M, and 10M, have been used in surgery. Because paradoxical effects, such as causing bleeding instead of preventing bruising, can be observed, pre- and postoperative homeopathic use of arnica should be limited.57 (C = centesimal dilution; potency is based on the ratio of 1 part substance to 99 parts dilution.) Designated with a C (or left blank in Europe) after the remedy name, C potencies are considered medium potencies. C potency is often used for seasonal problems and chronic conditions. M = millesimal dilution; potency is based on the ratio of 1 part substance to 1,000 parts dilution. Designated with an M after the remedy name, M potencies are considered high potencies. M potency is used by practitioners for constitutional treatment.16, 44

Pregnancy / Lactation

Avoid use. Uterine stimulation has been documented. Arnica was traditionally used as an abortifacient, possibly due to oxytocic action of constituent sesquiterpene lactones.2, 4 Homeopathic arnica is widely used after childbirth to reduce bruising and postpartum bleeding.59, 60

Interactions

None well documented. The potential for interactions with anticoagulants has been described; however, no evidence of increased bleeding times or changes in coagulation assay tests were observed in healthy volunteers.15, 34, 38, 61

Adverse Reactions

Homeopathic doses of arnica are unlikely to result in any adverse reactions because of the small amount ingested15; however, a case report exists of toxic optic neuropathy following ingestion of homeopathic arnica.62 Oral ingestion of arnica (eg, tincture, flowers, roots, rhizomes) has caused stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting and irritates the mucous membranes, although no adverse events have been reported in clinical trials.2, 15, 38 Numerous cases of allergy and contact dermatitis related to arnica have been described; sesquiterpene lactones helenalin, helenalin acetate, and helenalin methacrylate are the primary sources of contact dermatitis. Chemical and animal experimentation found a topical sensitizing effect.2, 17

Toxicology

Arnica is classified as an unsafe herb by the FDA because of its toxicity. Internal use of arnica and its extracts is not recommended because the plant is considered poisonous.2, 4, 15 The cardiotoxicity of the plant's helenolide constituents has been determined in animal studies.61 Gastroenteritis has occurred with high oral dosages, and dyspnea, cardiac arrest, and death may occur.63 The flowers and roots of the plant have caused vomiting, drowsiness, and coma when eaten.2, 4, 15

References

Disclaimer

This information relates to an herbal, vitamin, mineral or other dietary supplement. This product has not been reviewed by the FDA to determine whether it is safe or effective and is not subject to the quality standards and safety information collection standards that are applicable to most prescription drugs. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this product. This information does not endorse this product as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this product. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this product. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. You should talk with your health care provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this product.

This product may adversely interact with certain health and medical conditions, other prescription and over-the-counter drugs, foods, or other dietary supplements. This product may be unsafe when used before surgery or other medical procedures. It is important to fully inform your doctor about the herbal, vitamins, mineral or any other supplements you are taking before any kind of surgery or medical procedure. With the exception of certain products that are generally recognized as safe in normal quantities, including use of folic acid and prenatal vitamins during pregnancy, this product has not been sufficiently studied to determine whether it is safe to use during pregnancy or nursing or by persons younger than 2 years of age.

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