Health Benefits of Usnea: What You Need to Know

Usnea, a nutrient-rich herb used for centuries in traditional medicine, offers numerous health benefits. It has the potential to fight microbial infections, promote wound healing, combat cancer cells, and support weight loss.

When you stumble upon long, green, fuzzy strings hanging from a tree during a walk in the woods, chances are it’s a type of lichen known as Usnea. This herb, rich in nutrients, has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. However, not all of its reported benefits have been scientifically proven. Moreover, some compounds found in Usnea can cause severe side effects when taken orally. Therefore, it’s essential to consult with a doctor before incorporating any Usnea products into your routine.

Usnea, a type of lichen, grows on rocks, bushes, soil, and the bark or branches of trees, especially pine trees. It thrives in regions with a humid or temperate climate.

Although lichens like Usnea may resemble a single plant species, they are actually a combination of algae and fungus. The fungus provides structure and protection, while the algae supply nutrients.

Usnea lichen has a distinctive appearance, resembling long, tangly grayish-green masses of hair, leading to its common nickname “old man’s beard.” It is known by various names worldwide, including tree moss, beard moss, bear’s beard, beard lichen, trees’ dandruff, and woman’s long hair.

Usnea belongs to the Parmeliaceae family and includes approximately 600 closely related lichen species found worldwide. Some of the most well-known species include:

The Usnea herb has a history of use in ancient times. The Greeks used it to treat urinary problems, while the Chinese used it to remove phlegm. In South African folk medicine, it was utilized to treat wounds and inflammation in the throat and mouth.

Even today, Usnea is commonly found in herbal teas, tinctures, medical creams, dietary supplements, and personal care products. Its deodorant and preservative-like properties make it a popular ingredient in cosmetics.

The Active Ingredients in Usnea

Usnea contains a wide range of bioactive ingredients, including sterols, usnic acid, terpenes, depsides, fatty acids, flavonoids, depsidones, polyphenols, benzofurans, phenolic acids, diffractaic acid, norstictic acid, and polysaccharides. Polyphenols, usnic acid, and depsides are primarily responsible for the herb’s health benefits. Benzofurans and depsidones may also have medicinal effects, but further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Usnic acid, isolated in 1844, is one of the most extensively studied metabolites found in lichens. It makes up around 1% to 3% of the herb’s dry weight. Usnic acid acts as a protective agent against the sun’s rays and deters animals from feeding on the plant due to its bitter taste.

Studies indicate that Usnea, with its usnic acid and other active ingredients, possesses several properties, including antibiotics, antifungals, antiprotozoals, antipyretics, anticancer, antiseptics, antioxidants, antivirals, antiulcers, anti-genotoxic, anti-inflammatory, laxative, digestion-stimulating, and immunostimulating functions.

The Health Benefits of Usnea

Usnea has been used for various medical purposes for thousands of years. Although research has confirmed only a few of its health benefits, some science-backed benefits include:

1. May help with microbial infections: Usnea has long been used in herbal formulas to treat skin, urinary tract, lung, and vaginal infections, as well as wounds, colds, and sore throats. Studies have proven its effectiveness as an antimicrobial herb. For instance, Usnea extract has been found to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria responsible for skin infections. It also shows efficacy against harmful fungi that cause ringworms and athlete’s foot, as well as fungal imbalances in the gut, mouth, and vagina.

2. May help to heal wounds: Usnic acid found in Usnea has wound healing properties. Test-tube studies have shown that it can promote wound closure and reduce inflammation. A study conducted on rats demonstrated a correlation between usnic acid and an increase in collagen formation, a significant indicator of wound healing. However, further research is needed to determine if usnic acid in skincare products benefits humans in the same manner.

3. May help fight cancer cells: Usnea contains bioactive compounds with potent anticancer properties. Usnic acid, in particular, has demonstrated the ability to kill cancer cells and inhibit their growth without affecting non-cancerous cells. A study conducted on four different lichens found Usnea intermedia to be a promising candidate for cancer treatment. However, additional human-based research is required to understand Usnea’s anti-tumor capabilities fully.

4. May help with weight loss: Usnic acid, often found in fat burners and weight loss supplements, is believed to aid in weight loss by increasing fat metabolism and basal metabolic rate. However, many weight loss solutions containing usnic acid have severe adverse effects on the liver. Therefore, caution is advised, and it is recommended to avoid weight loss products with usnic acid.

Are There Side Effects of Usnea?

Most of the side effects associated with Usnea are related to the oral intake of usnic acid. Studies have indicated that oral consumption of usnic acid can lead to severe liver failure, requiring emergency liver transplants and potentially resulting in death. In 2001, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned against the use of a specific weight loss supplement that contained usnic acid due to numerous cases of acute hepatitis, liver failure, and irreversible liver damage. Diffractaic acid, another compound present in Usnea, can also cause liver toxicity in large quantities.

As a safer alternative, experts recommend applying Usnea products topically rather than ingesting them orally, as only a minimal amount of usnic acid is absorbed through the skin. Nevertheless, skin contact with Usnea can still cause allergic reactions and rashes. Due to limited safety research, Usnea is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

How to Use Usnea

If you intend to use Usnea, consider making a tincture or a salve. Due to Usnea compounds’ poor solubility in water, it is advisable to make a tincture in alcohol. You can incorporate immunity-boosting herbs like yerba mansa, echinacea, and osha in the tincture. Follow the guidelines provided by the manufacturers since different Usnea tincture brands may vary in strength. Consult your doctor before using Usnea products for an extended period.

To create a Usnea salve, infuse dried lichen powder into oil and gently heat it until the oil absorbs the characteristic scent of Usnea. After straining, you can use the filtered product to make a salve for topical application on wounds, provided they are not infected.

It is important to note that the effects of Usnea on internal tissues have not been extensively researched.

Sources:

• Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology: “Usnic Acid: Potential Role in Management of Wound Infections.”
• Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy: “The effects of sodium usnic acid by topical application on skin wound healing in rats.”
• Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment: “Hepatoprotective effect of diffractaic acid on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in rats.”
• Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology: “Acute liver failure caused by ‘fat burners’ and dietary supplements: a case report and literature review.”
• Herbal Remedies Advice: “The Usnea Herb.”
• Herb Foundation of New Zealand: “Lichen Usnea barbata & other species.”
• International Journal of Molecular Sciences: “Biological activities of Toninia candida and Usnea barbata together with their norstictic acid and usnic acid constituents.”
• Institute for Traditional Medicine: “Safety Issues Affecting Herbs Usnea: an herb used in Western and Chinese medicine.”
• Journal of Environmental Science and Health: “Review of usnic acid and Usnea barbata toxicity.” PeaceHealth: “Usnea.”
• Planta Medica: “Biochemometric analysis reveals complimentary bacterial inhibitory functionalities of the medicinal lichen Usnea barbata.”
• RSC Advances: “The genus Usnea: A potent phytomedicine with multifarious ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology.”
• Woodland Trust: “Beard lichens.”