Information About The Herb Flax

General Information

Botanical Name: Linum usitatissimum

Plant Family: Linaceae

Common Names: Common Flax, Flaxseed, Linseed, Lint Bells, Winterlien

Origin: It has been found in all temperate and tropical regions since earliest history

History: Seeds and cloth have been found in Egyptian tombs as far back as 23rd century BC. It is mentioned in the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments and is mentioned by Homer in the Odyssey as being used for sail cloth and cords

Tradition: Flax

• flowers were protection against sorcery in the Middle Ages
• was thought to make children beautiful if they danced among the plants in Bohemia
• was under the protection of the Teutonic Goddess, Hulda who is said to have taught mortals how to grow, spin and weave flax

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Plant Constituents

Contains:

• acetic acid
• chlorides of calcium, magnesium and potassium 
• fixed oil
• Linamarin, a glucoside
• mucilage
• phosphates
• proteids
• resin
• sugar
• sulphates
• wax

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Usage

Medicinal Parts Used: Seed and Oil

Flax is used for:

Gastrointestinal Conditions

• constipation  (Oil)
• digestive disorders
• encourages elimination by increasing the amount of fecal matter

Genitourinary Conditions

• gravel and stone (Oil)
• irritation of the urinary organs
• urinary disorders

Inflammatory Conditions

• catarrh

Liver Conditions

• gallstones

Respiratory Tract Conditions

• colds
• coughs
• lung and chest problems
• pleurisy (Oil)

Externally in a poultice for:

• abscesses
• boils
• bronchitis (alone or with mustard)
• deep-seated inflammation
• drawing out swellings
• removing spots or blemishes from the face, mixed with honey 
• rheumatic complaints
• ulcers

Flax Oil is used externally in a poultice for:

• burns
• scalds

Other Uses:

• as a gruel
• bird seed
• cattle conditioner (Linseed Meal)
• to make Linen

Action:

• demulcent [a substance that soothes inflamed mucous membranes and protects them from irritation]
• emollient [an agent used externally to soften and soothe]
• laxative [an agent promoting evacuation of the bowels; a mild purgative]
• pectoral [remedy for pulmonary or other lung and chest diseases]
• purgative [an agent that produces a vigorous emptying of the bowels, more drastic than a laxative or aperient]

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Precautions

Caution:

• Use only ripe seeds as immature seed pods can cause poisoning

Products

Global Herbal Supplies has Flax available in the following forms:

• Omega Flax
• Flaxseed Oil
• Flaxseed Oil Poly
• Flaxseed Essential Oil
• Omega Pet Flaxseed
• Omegacare Flaxseed
• Omega Gold Flaxseed Oil
• Flaxseed Capsules Blue Label
• Flaxseed Capsules Green Label
• Flaxseed Capsules - Blackmores, Nature's Sunshine, Thompsons

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Research

Information given by our website  is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by a physician or other medical professionals. You should not use the information given for diagnosing a health problem or disease. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. The above information is just a guide to general circumstances and in no way should it contradict the advice that you have been given by your naturopath, medical doctor or specialist.

More Herb Information: 

A: Adhatoda Vasica  ||  Agrimony   || Albizia  ||  Alfalfa  ||  Allspice  ||  Aloe vera  ||  Amaranth  ||  Andrographis paniculata   ||  Angelica  ||  Anise  ||  Arnica  ||  Astragalus  || 

B: Baical Skullcap  ||  Barberry  ||  Basil  ||  Bay Laurel  ||  Bayberry  ||  Bergamot ||  Bilberry  ||  Bistort   ||  Black Cohosh  ||  Blackberry  ||  Bladderwrack  ||  Blessed Thistle  || Blue Cohosh  ||  Boneset  ||  Borage  ||  Brahmi  ||  Buchu  ||  Bupleurum  ||  Burdock  ||  Butcher's Broom  || 

C: Calendula  ||  Californian Poppy  ||  Caraway  ||  Cascara  ||  Catnip  ||  Cats claw  ||  Cayenne  ||  Cedar  ||  Celery seed || Chamomile german ||  Chamomile roman   ||  Charparral  ||  Chickweed  ||  Cinnamon  ||  Cloves  || Coleus forskohlii  ||  Coltsfoot  ||  Comfrey  ||  Commiphora mukul  ||  Cornflower  ||  Cornsilk  ||  Corydalis ambigua  ||  Crampbark  ||  Crataeva nurvala  ||

D: Damiana  ||  Dandelion  ||  Devil's claw  ||  Dill  ||  Dong quai  ||  Dragon blood  ||

E: Echinacea  ||  Elder tree ||  Elecampane  ||  Ephedra  ||  Eucalyptus  ||  Evening primrose  ||  Eyebright  ||

F: False unicorn  ||  Fennel ||  Fenugreek  ||  Feverfew  ||  Flax  ||  Frankincense  ||

G: Garlic  ||  Gentian  ||  Ginger  ||  Ginkgo biloba  ||  Ginseng american  ||  Ginseng korean  ||  Ginseng siberian  ||  Ginseng tienchi  ||  Goat's rue || Goldenrod ||  Goldenseal   ||  Gotu kola  ||  Gravel root  ||  Green tea  ||  Guaiacum resin  || Gymnema  ||

H: Hawthorn  ||  Hemidesmus indicus ||  Hops  ||  Horehound white  ||  Horseradish  ||  Horsetail  ||  Hyssop  ||

I-J-K-L: ||  Inula || Juniper ||  Kava kava || Lavender  ||  Lemon balm ||  Licorice  ||

M-N-O: Marshmallow  ||  Meadowsweet ||  Mistletoe  ||  Mugwort  ||  Myrrh  || Neem  ||  Nettles || Oats  ||  Olive tree ||

P-Q: Paeonia lactiflora  ||  Passionflower  ||  Pau_D Arco  ||  Peppermint  ||  Phyllanthus amarus  ||  Picrorhiza kurroa  ||  Plantain  ||  Polygala tenuifolia  ||  Polygonum multiflorum ||  Queens delight ||

R: Raspberry leaves  ||  Red clover  ||  Rehmannia glutinosa  ||  Rheum palmatum  ||  Ribwort  ||  Rosehips  ||  Rosemary  ||  Rue  ||

S: Sage  ||  Salvia militiorrhiza  ||  Sarsaparilla  ||  Saw palmetto  ||  Senna ||  Shepherd's purse  ||  Skullcap  ||  Slippery elm  ||  Squaw vine ||  St john's wort  ||  St mary's thistle ||

T-U-V: Thyme  ||  Thyme wild ||  Uva ursi || Valerian  ||  Vervain  ||  Violet  ||  Vitex agnes castus  ||

W: Walnut  ||  Wild cherry  ||  Wild yam  ||  Willow bark  ||  Willow herb  ||  Witch hazel  ||  Withania  ||  Wormwood  ||

Y-Z: Yarrow  ||  Yellow dock || Zizyphus ||