Medicinal Tree Harvest 2:
Cramp bark, guelder rose, snowball tree - the tree bark that offers help for menstrual cramps
In this post I look at the antispasmodic effects of cramp bark (Viburnum opulus), also known as the guelder rose or snowball tree, and give recipes for making a tincture or pills.
About cramp bark
Most people in Europe know the cramp bark as an ornamental shrub, and it is often called the snowball tree for the varieties with white pompom flowers and good autumn colour. The European cramp bark shrub or small tree is in the Adoxaceae family, previously called Caprifoliaceae, and it is related to the elder tree. It is a deciduous shrub growing fast up to 5 m tall with opposite leaves which are palmately lobed, with white flowers followed by red fruits in the autumn. A closely related plant, sometimes hard to distinguish from the European cramp bark, is the high bush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum or V. opulus var. americanum) found as a native in North America.
Herbal actions
Cramp bark is mainly used for relief of pain arising from tension such as menstrual cramps, muscle spasm, backache, spastic constipation and Raynaud's syndrome in the hands. Various Viburnum species have been used worldwide for these painful conditions and some are particularly known for helping to alleviate a range of female conditions from menstrual pain to threatened miscarriage. The herbal actions of cramp bark are antispasmodic, mild sedative, astringent, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, antimicrobial and vasodilatory. The beneficial effects are largely symptomatic, and it should be noted that underlying conditions are not always resolved.
How it works
Cramp bark contains viburnin, valeric and isovalerianic acids, salicin, coumarins, hydroquinones, iridoid glycosides, resin, tannins and triterpenes. There have been some clinical studies. One research study found that patients with urinary stones required fewer painkillers when given cramp bark extract (Gok et al., 2021). Further research suggests that there could be other uses of cramp bark as there are effects on enzyme activity which may be useful in controlling diabetes (Kajszczak et al., 2022).
What to use
Look for younger stems and side branches. The young bark is usually taken in spring when easier to strip off the stems. If you are able to obtain fresh cramp bark then it can be made into a tincture or dried for later use. A typical dose of the dried whole or powdered bark would be up to 6-12 g per day. However, I cannot imagine anyone taking the bark neat as it tastes incredibly bitter, and it is preferable to use the bark to make a bark tincture - see below.
Safety and cautions
There is a lack of data on effectiveness, interactions and toxicity of cramp bark. Traditional use is extensive with no reports of harm, but cramp bark is best avoided without professional advice in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Cramp bark has been used in prevention of miscarriage because of its ability to reduce muscular cramps. In such cases, or if on orthodox medication, it is essential to take professional advice. As cramp bark can lower blood pressure due to relaxation of the walls of blood vessels it is not advisable to take alongside prescribed medications for hypertension. Cramp bark is not advised for use with young children.
Recipe for cramp bark tincture
200 g chopped fresh cramp bark (or up to 100 g dried bark)
500 ml vodka (or other spirit with 40% alcohol)
Chop the bark as finely as possible and place in a glass jar. Pour on the spirit and mix well. Stand for 4-6 weeks shaking every few days. Then strain and bottle the liquid and label.
This recipe makes a tincture of around 25% alcohol which has excellent preserving properties, a shelf life of 3-4 years. The recipe strength is approximately 1 part of bark to 5 parts of liquid, usually written as 1:5, and is a typical strength for home-made tinctures. For dosage, 1-2 teaspoons of tincture in water can be taken every 3-4 hours for an adult on a short-term basis (up to 4 or 5 days) for colicky muscular pain or period pains. If you purchase a readymade tincture then it is likely that the alcohol strength will be higher, say 45%, and a somewhat lower dosage will be needed for effective anti-spasmodic relief. Using dried bark reduces the water content in the recipe and allows for use of a slightly less alcohol-rich mixture of equal parts of vodka and white wine to cover the bark (this is cheaper too).
Looking for alcohol-free?
Another way with cramp bark is to make a glycerol tincture by substituting glycerol for the spirit in the tincture recipe. You can use 100% glycerol instead of vodka with fresh cramp bark, although it is likely that the strength of the glycerite will be somewhat reduced, as the range of constituents extracted will be narrower. This is suitable for people who want to avoid alcohol, but the dosage may need to be increased for an equivalent effect.
Other ways to take cramp bark
It is possible to make a decoction of cramp bark, by simmering 1 teaspoon of powdered bark in a cup of water for 15 minutes, then strain and drink, but I don't recommend it. The taste is really hard to take, even with sweeteners such as honey. It is much easier to swallow commercially available capsules or tablets of cramp bark, though organic suppliers can be hard to find. One alternative is to dry and powder your own bark and make it into pills with honey and a recipe is given here.
Recipe for cramp bark honey pills
Cramp bark, finely powdered, 20 g
Runny honey, 20 g
Caster sugar to coat
Add the powder to the honey in a bowl little by little using a wooden spoon to incorporate it. The mixture will become increasingly stiff but persevere. Finally roll the mixture into a pencil-like tube and cut into slices about 0.5 cm wide. Roll each slice into a ball in your fingers and then roll each ball in caster sugar to coat. Store in a labelled jar for up to 12 months. Take two at a time every 2-3 hours for menstrual cramps.
What about the fruits?
The cramp bark fruits are beautiful but very very very bitter and somewhat smelly, although they are technically edible and some brave souls do make a jelly. If you feel brave then try Robin Harford's recipe at Eatweeds
Sustainability and harvesting
The cramp bark species is a plant that readily grows in acid soils in Europe and it can be coppiced to provide 2-3 year old long stems for easy harvest of the bark. This sustainable approach is detailed in Medicinal Tree Harvest 1.
In the USA a close relative of cramp bark is Black haw (Viburnum prunifolium). This is an understorey tree which also offers bark with antispasmodic properties (Cometa et al., 2009). Black haw has a long tradition of use for women’s complaints. However, according to United Plant Savers there is a problem that black haw is threatened by loss of habitat and overharvesting. The obvious alternative is to use cramp bark. While much of the cramp bark available for sale is wild harvested, it can also be readily obtained through coppicing. I think there are future opportunities for growers who have suitable sites for establishing cramp bark as a sustainable crop.
Conclusion
Cramp bark is an incredibly useful plant medicine, offering relief in a range of complaints where there is muscular spasm. It does not 'cure' but can be helpful alongside other forms of treatment. Self-help with a cramp bark preparation such as a home-made tincture is a way to deal with common problems such as menstrual cramps. Surprisingly few growers cultivate cramp bark for a sustainable harvest, and this could be something for the future!
Quick tip!
When making the tincture use an eggcup or small weight to press the bark below the liquid surface. This avoids oxidation and spoiling of bark above the liquid.
References
Cometa MF, Parisi L, Palmery M, Meneguz A, and Tomassini L. 2009. In vitro relaxant and spasmolytic effects of constituents from Viburnum prunifolium and HPLC quantification of the bioactive isolated iridoids. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 123(2):201-207.
Gok B, Atik YT, Uysal B, Koc E, Tastemur S, and Cimen HI. 2021. Gilaburu extract (Viburnum opulusLinnaeus) is as effective as Tamsulosin in medical expulsive therapy of distal ureteral calculi. Int J Clin Pract 75(12):e14950.
Kajszczak D, Kowalska-Baron A, Sosnowska D, and Podsędek A. 2022. In vitro inhibitory effects of Viburnum opulus bark and flower extracts on digestion of potato starch and carbohydrate hydrolases activity. Molecules 27(10):3118.