Here are the top 10 topics visitors are searching. Heart Disease 8. Elecampane is indigenous to Europe and Asia and is now grown in the United States. The herb has also been used to treat poor digestion and general complaints of the intestinal tract. 2 Most of these volatile oils are composed of sesquiterpene lactones, of which alantolactone is a member.
Most herbal texts attribute the actions of elecampane to alantolactone.
This use is only by prescription and is only approved in some European countries. The German Commission E monograph on elecampane states the historical use of elecampane has not been adequately proven to recommend using it. This is partially based on the potential side effects listed below. For traditional use, elecampane is typically recommended as a tea. Boiling water is poured over 1 gram of the ground root and rhizome and left to steep for ten to fifteen minutes after which it is strained.