Bergitte McGovern
An investigation into whether Bellis perennis offers an effective alternative to Arnica montana in external applications
Abstract
The purpose of this paper was to investigate if Bellis perennis could offer an effective alternative to Arnica montana in external herbal preparation applications. Both plants belong to the Asteraceae family, with A. montana listed as an endangered species and B. perennis being so common that many people consider it to be a weed in their lawns. If B. perennis could offer an effective alternative to A. montana, pressure on the remaining wild stocks would be reduced, therefore aiding the survival of the species. Due to the commonness of B. perennis, herbal preparations containing it would be likely to cost significantly less then those containing A. montana.
A literature review was performed to investigate the external uses of each herb. This included consulting numerous historical and modern herbal literature texts. Various databases were also searched to ascertain what research has been done into the individual plants. A small survey of use was conducted amongst herbalists, which identified only three herb alists as having experience of using B. perennis externally. The information obtained on A. montana and B. perennis was then compared and contrasted. Very little modern information is available on B. perennis’ uses, its constituents and pharmacology. Traditional uses therefore had to be relied on in combination with the available modern information. B. perennis does appear to offer an effective alternative to A. montana in many conditions, with its use in the treatment of sprains and bruises acting as the most obvious examples. No contraindications are listed for its use and, unlike A. montana, it is safe to use on open wounds. Its homeopathic indications also highlight other potential areas of use, which require further exploration.
