# Survival > Bushcraft Medicine >  Natural Aspirin

## Kayos

If you can find a willow tree also know as a weeping willow, you can use it to your advantage. The leaves on a willow are a remedy for aches and fevers. This is because it contains *salicylic acid*, the precursor to *aspirin*. Bayer was the first company to use a willow tree for there aspirin. also willows make great hand drills and bow drills for making fire.

----------


## gryffynklm

Hi Kayos, I didn't know that. I understand white birch bark has similar properties. 

While you are here why don't you drill on down the the introduction section and introduce your self. 

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14 

There is a sticky offering suggestions for what you can say. This will help other members get to know you and helps us in answering any questions you post in the future.

----------


## Sourdough

> If you can find a willow tree also know as a weeping willow, you can use it to your advantage. The leaves on a willow are a remedy for aches and fevers. This is because it contains *salicylic acid*, the precursor to *aspirin*. Bayer was the first company to use a willow tree for there aspirin. also willows make great hand drills and bow drills for making fire.



WOW, that is COOL........"ACID" wow acid.....dude heavy stuff man, wow you be talking Salicylic Acid, acid man, thats heavy....I can dig-it, or should I say I can shovel it. Right-on man, or is it right arm man. Like man don't that Bayer Co. use synthetic salicylic acid, it is like not the same "SH!T" man. But you be cool........You like teach this stuff man..........you cool. You do some heavy "cut and Paste" man.......Peace.

----------


## canid

salicins are found in the cambium of a great many shrubs. i have not had an easy time figuring out which, but aspens and alders seem to be candidates as well.

incidentally, it is salicin, and several related glycosides that are found in the shrubs/trees, and they are all precursors for salicylic acid, which is in turn a precursor for Aspirin [acetylsalicylic acid] , though they have their own efficacy, and in some applications may be safer and more effective as an anti-inflamatory

----------


## your_comforting_company

and just to toss it in, it was white willow, not weeping willow that was used in making the old aspririn, and for firemaking I use black willow.
They look completely different from one another.
I have not found good use for weeping willow, ... yet.

----------


## canid

they still contain usefull salicins, as far as i know, and they are good basketry material.

they contains ample tannins, which could be concentrated and use for dying and tanning, though there are far better sources.

----------


## your_comforting_company

dangit.. I forgot about baskets.. thats a good use for weeping willow for sure!!
There is one growing at the head of my grandad's grave. Maybe when I go clean up the site in the spring I'll have a few branches to try making things out of. I'll taste some of the bark to see if it has enough tannins (in my opinion) for tanning. I'm looking for a very light color for deer leather, if you happen across any good information  :Wink: 
and to be a bit more specific.. orangey-golden to almost white.


As I type this I remember we are on opposite sides of the country... anyway, if you do come across the info, please share lol

----------


## Beo

Haaaaa Haaaaaa Haaaaa Haaaaaa Haaaaa Haaaaaa!!!
He is pulling this stuff off of our site and others, he doesn't it, what kid would know Bayer was the first to it, what a numpty... instead of trying to teach everything why don't you first do the intro, so we can know something about the dork teaching us, even in the military, in wilderness survival schools around the globe, and ON HERE the person speaking introduces themselves and goves a brief background. Just some food for thought. 
Then do a search and read what is already here before you post, repost, steal from others and try to teach. 
Beo,

----------


## phenigma

Hey man i heard when Willow had contact on skin it irritates the skin(its just what ive heard)

----------


## your_comforting_company

I've had no adverse reaction to any of the willows I've touched. I'd definately recommend doing a skin test with anything to check for allergies before using it.. you sure don't want to eat something that causes swelling or you'll turn smurf colors.

----------


## phenigma

> I've had no adverse reaction to any of the willows I've touched. I'd definately recommend doing a skin test with anything to check for allergies before using it.. you sure don't want to eat something that causes swelling or you'll turn smurf colors.


I agree with you definitely

----------


## Loreseed

Random, Weeping Willow bark and Catkin do work as Aspirin substitute and also seem to have a sedative qualitity to them. Big thing is with all herbcraft you need to be carefull and crossreference EVERYTHING. Dosage is a big thing that I can't help you with. Be carefull with it.

(I have three weeping willows in my yard, Great beautifull trees)

----------


## mdoutdoorsmen

Wow I new to all the bush craft stuff but I spend a lot of time in the outdoors I normaly aint far from my truck were I keep advil but it is nice to know this stuff how do you use the willow tree and how much u never know when u might be in an emergency of impresse a freind by knowing something like this could someone explain more

----------


## your_comforting_company

You want the inner bark of the tree. Look for a tree that is already damaged, if possible, but still alive, or freshly dead. Rain soaking the bark will leech out the good stuff if it's not still living.
there are essentially 3 layers to a tree. outer bark. inner bark, wood.
You want the layer outside the wood, and inside the scaly stuff we recognize as bark. It will resemble wood, but is clearly not fully attached to the wood itself. cutting a cross section will reveal this.
Probably the easiest way is to remove both layers of bark, then scrape the inner bark away from the outer scaly stuff. What you have will be the stuff aspirin used to be made of.
I can't tell you how much to chew. I have no idea, but try a little at a time, and be sure to do a skin test first, sometime before you actually need the medicine, to at least check that you aren't allergic. If you pass the test, still only sample a little to be real sure you don't have any reaction, then, provided you are certain it is a willow, and you are certain you aren't allergic, ramp up the dosage a little till your headache goes away.
Don't take chances. you say you are new to bushcraft, and you need to remember that some things out there can kill you. period. Keep that in the forefront of your mind always when using plants. 
Hope that helps.

----------


## Beans

We had weeping willows on our farm when i was gowing up. Made baskets, hats, played like they were whips.

One of the  things i was warned about was what we called hedge apples Large green fruit? with a white sap. However the thorns off the hedge tree made good needles and the wood made outstanding fence post.

----------


## esp

Willow also makes a great "rooting hormone" for trying to make new plants from cuttings.

----------


## Artzi

> I can't tell you how much to chew. I have no idea, but try a little at a time, and be sure to do a skin test first, sometime before you actually need the medicine, to at least check that you aren't allergic. If you pass the test, still only sample a little to be real sure you don't have any reaction, then, provided you are certain it is a willow, and you are certain you aren't allergic, ramp up the dosage a little till your headache goes away.
> Don't take chances. you say you are new to bushcraft, and you need to remember that some things out there can kill you. period. Keep that in the forefront of your mind always when using plants. 
> Hope that helps.


Our recipe has been very simple:

1. You need handful of willow bark chips. 

2. Boil those in water like you would make a cup of tea.

3. Let bark chips stay in water around 5 - 10 minutes.

4. Drink it ... if you can ...  :Cool:

----------


## charibelle18

I recommend "The Herb Book" by John Lust

It has over 2,000 listings with over 275 line drawings.  It is referenced, & cross referenced.  It tells the Common Names, Medicinal Parts, Descriptions, Properties & Uses, as well as Preparation & Dosage.  It starts at the basics, even explaining how to make a decoction, infusion, tincture,...
It even lists plant dyes by plant, or color.  It is a must for health survival, in the field.

btw, white willow bark is what is suggested. I find that the Globe Willow, & other straight growing willows work better than weeping willow.  Also I used to have bad migraines, & found that picking a twig, & chewing on it would stop it no matter what stage it was in.  My own $.02 worth.  :nurse:   :Smile:

----------


## wareagle69

i have treid both willow and aspen(poplar) both for eatin and medicinal purposes, but cannot fins a way to make it paltable, to me it taste just like putting several asprins in your mouth dry and chewing on them
Has anyone found a way to make it taste gooder(SD) or is like buckleys -tastes aweful but it works?

----------


## charibelle18

I usually when not just chewing on the twigs, put some in a tea, with peppermint tea.  The peppermint seems to mask the flavor of the willow bark.  Sometimes it takes two bags of peppermint, depending on the person, & their preferences.

----------


## wareagle69

i do have lots of mint growing on my property-good suggestion thanks

----------


## charibelle18

Your welcome.  This is one of my areas, if you read my intro.  It is something I learned years ago because of no health insurance, & has become somewhat of a passion.

----------


## amateur survivalist

> WOW, that is COOL........"ACID" wow acid.....dude heavy stuff man, wow you be talking Salicylic Acid, acid man, thats heavy....I can dig-it, or should I say I can shovel it. Right-on man, or is it right arm man. Like man don't that Bayer Co. use synthetic salicylic acid, it is like not the same "SH!T" man. But you be cool........You like teach this stuff man..........you cool. You do some heavy "cut and Paste" man.......Peace.


Bayer has been around before the fda. I believe it was FDR that founded the fda. And. Before that all natural remedies wear fully legal. And common knowledge to everyone. Since then all companies had to find a means to keep the people healthy. Therefore they had to go synthetics.

----------


## hunter63

> Bayer has been around before the fda. I believe it was FDR that founded the fda. And. Before that all natural remedies wear fully legal. And common knowledge to everyone. Since then all companies had to find a means to keep the people healthy. Therefore they had to go synthetics.


You not likely get a comment for Sourdough....as you can see he was banned some time back.

Haven't really ever tried using willow medically.....and there are all kinds of different willow....but do know that when stripping the back to make a willow back,(kind of a  Native American chair back)....fingers got all tingly and I didn't feel well.......

----------


## ace_maveric

To prepare aspirin, salicylic acid is reacted with an excess of acetic anhydride or ethanoic anhydride. A small amount of a strong acid is used as a catalyst which speeds up the reaction. The excess acetic acid will be quenched with 
the addition of water. The aspirin product is not very soluble in water so the aspirin product will 
precipitate when water is added. The melting point range of pure aspirin is 138-140 C and the melting point range of the salicylic acid. If impurities are present in your crude sample, the melting point range 
for your product will be lower than the range of pure aspirin.  Then compress or place in a gel cap.

----------


## Rick

Seems like an awful lot of work to save $3 for a bottle of 100.

----------


## hunter63

> Seems like an awful lot of work to save $3 for a bottle of 100.


I agree.....good to know how to make your own though.....just in case the first aid kit gets "gone".

Just a note....the aspirin carried around in your FAK seems to go bad real fast...open the container and the sour smell will hit you.
Prepackaged singles seem to last a lot longer.

----------

