History
This plant flourishes on the sunny hillsides of many regions in the world. It is so common that many people have passed it by without notice. It's other common names immortelle, and everlasting refer to the "everlasting" yellow color of the flowers once they are dried out. The derivation of the Genus name, Helichyrsum points to a reverence the ancients had for this plant; Helios, Greek for Sun, and Chrysos for Gold.
Function
It is highly concentrated in essential oils. Many of the studies done on herbal products are actually not conducted on the whole plant, rather on isolated fractions obtained from the whole plant. Such is the case with Helichrysum. Many of the constituents from the distilled oil have been studied. Research worldwide is being directed towards finding natural antioxidants of plant origin. This essential oil has an amazing 1,700 ORAC score, making it one of the most potent antioxidant oils known. It has been traditionally used to sooth bronchial irritation.
Uses of Helichrysum
This information in our Herbal Reference Guide is intended only as a general reference for further exploration, and is not a replacement for professional health advice. This content does not provide dosage information, format recommendations, toxicity levels, or possible interactions with prescription drugs. Accordingly, this information should be used only under the direct supervision of a qualified health practitioner such as a naturopathic physician.
