Common names  |  Yerba santa, Mountain balm, Holy plant
Scientific name  |  Eriodictyon californicum
Used part  |  Leaf
Known active compounds  |  eriodictyol, homoeriodictyol, sakuranetin
Potential benefits in cosmetics  |  anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory 

Product name  |  Yerba Santa-ANB

 

Plant Story

Yerba santa (Eriodictyon californicum) is a perennial evergreen shrub native to California and Oregon in USA. It is also called mountain balm, Palo Santo, or holy plant. Yerba Santa was highly valued by many California tribes, who used this plant for various medicinal purposes. The leaves, stems, and flowers are used medicinally and made into tea, decoction, or poultice. The infusions of leaves and flowers were used for the treatment of fever, cough, cold, asthma, and rheumatism. Topically, the leaves were applied to cuts, wounds, and sore muscles to relieve pain and reduce swelling.

 

Phytochemical studies isolated and identified flavonoids from the leaves of E. californicum, which include homoeriodictyol, eriodictyol, sakuranetin, 6-methoxysakuranetin, and jaceocidin. Eriodictyol, a tetra hydroxy flavanone, exhibits anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting nitric oxide production. It also showed cellular anti-oxidant activity in macrophages and enhanced natural killer (NK) cell activity.