Page 273 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

Lungwort Lichen,
Lobaria pulmonaria

Lungwort lichen is a lobed lichen with leaf-like struc-
tures that resemble the human lung. It is known for its
use in lung diseases but has many other uses. Lung-
wort lichen grows in old growth humid forests on coni-
fers and hardwood trees. In its habitat, it is quite com-
mon to find the lichen hanging from trees and rocks.
All lichens are organisms that were formed via symbi-
osis. Lungwort is actually a mutualistic relationship
between three different organisms. It consists of an as-
comycete fungus, a green alga, and a cyanobacterium.
(Note this is different that the Common Lungwort
plant, also in this book). Lungwort Lichen,Bernd Haynold [CC BY-SA 3.0]
Lungwort lichen has high mucilage content and it is
Identification: Lungwort lichen is large lichen with soothing on a sore throat or for laryngitis.
leaf-like lobed structures that measure 2 to 6 inches (5
cm to 7.5 cm) in length. The top of the lichen is bright Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-
green, while the underside is pale with dark pockets. It Ulcer: Lungwort lichen contains high levels of anti-
is leathery in texture with a pattern of ridges and oxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that work
creases on the surface. Its thallus is loosely attached to together to protect and heal the body. Antioxidants
the growing surface. Lungwort turns brown when protect the body from free radicals that cause serious
dried. diseases like heart disease and cancer. Free radicals are
also responsible for most of the symptoms of aging. Re-
Medicinal Use: The leaf-like thallus is harvested search on lungwort lichens as an anti-inflammatory
and dried for medicine. I use it in its double-extracted, show that, unlike many pharmaceutical anti-inflam-
tinctured form (page 39 or page 268).
matories (NSAIDs) it does not cause gastric distress. It
Respiratory Conditions, Asthma, Bronchi- even showed an anti-ulcer effect and may be useful for
tis, Whooping Cough, Tuberculosis, and ulcerative colitis.
Laryngitis: Lungwort lichen is mostly used to treat Degradation of Prions – Creutzfeldt-Jakob
respiratory issues such as asthma, bronchitis, whoop- Disease: Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is caused
ing cough, and tuberculosis. It is a natural antibiotic, by prions. Prions also cause Mad Cow Disease in cattle
and is ideal for treating bronchial and chest infections. and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and elk
It is excellent at clearing mucous from the bronchial (note that these are different diseases that CJD). The
passages. It reduces inflammation in the airways. fungal part of the lungwort lichen has been shown to
degrade prion proteins using a serine protease enzyme.
This is a great find as prions are very hard to kill.
Anti-Bacterial: Staphylococcus, Pneumonia, TB,
and Salmonella. Lungwort lichen contains powerful
antibacterial agents. It is useful for treating staph in-
fections and the bacteria that cause bacterial pneumo-
nia and tuberculosis. It is also effective against Salmo-
nella bacteria.
Digestive Health: Lungwort lichen is an effective
remedy for digestive problems like constipation, stom-
ach pain, indigestion, diarrhea, and bloating. It has

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