Old Mans Beard in Herbal Medicine

Other Common Names:Usnea barbata

Range: North American, Asia and Europe

Habitat: Hanging from trees in forests.

Usnea is not a plant but a lichen�a symbiotic relationship (a combination of two organisms which live together intimately) between an algae and a fungus. Because of its bitter taste and ability to stimulate digestion, usnea was historically used to treat indigestion.

Many species of usnea are used medicinally, including U. hirta, U. barbata, U. florida, U. longissima and U. dasypoga. The herb's use dates back to ancient Egypt, Greece and China where it was called Sun-lo and was used to cool an overheated system and treat surface infections. The Formulary of Al-kindi, circa A.D. 850, even documents the use of usnea.

Usnic acid gives usnea its bitter taste and also acts as an antibiotic. It is used in treating colds, flu, and bronchitis. Usnea is good for respiratory, urinary tract, sinus, and lung infections including staphylococcus and streptococcus and pneumonococcus. It is an anti-fungal useful in treating athlete's foot, vaginal infections and candida.

Herbal antimicrobials work in much the same way as their drug counterparts do--by destroying or preventing the growth of micro-organisms. Even so, other herbs are usually prescribed in conjunction to perform a variety of functions, including strengthening mucous membranes where infections tend to enter the body; improving the condition and quantity of mucus produced; encouraging a mildly elevated temperature to fight the microbes; enhancing immune function; and increasing expectoration--all of which amplify the healing process.

Traditional uses of usnea include dusting the powdered herb directly onto open or infected wounds, making strong decoctions, and tincturing the herb in alcohol. The salve form is also effective. Usnic acid is poorly water soluble, so ethyl alcohol is used to produce a tincture. A 1:3 dilution in 70 percent alcohol is standard, and the adult dose is 3 ml three times daily, or more in acute cases.