Helychrisum italicum / Kerryplant

Les bienfaits de l'immortelle - Helichrysum italicum

Plus puissant que l'arnica on l'utilise pour les soins des bleus et des coups et pour aider à la circulation et raffermir les tissus. L' immortelle à de nombreuses vertus mais on l'utilise essentiellement pour:

- les hématomes, les douleurs inflammatoires, les troubles de la circulation

- les allergies cutanées et la couperose

- son action cicatrisante et anti-bactérienne 

- ses propriétés anti-oxydantes et anti-rides. L'allié idéal en cosmétique pour prévenir les rides ou réduire celles plus profondes . A 40 ans je l'utilise dans mes préparations pour le visage quotidiennement et j'en suis ravie. 

Comment utiliser l'immortelle?

En massage pour diminuer les hématomes et les varices

Diluez 3 gouttes d'huile essentielle dans une huile végétale type amande douce ou argan.

Recette pour lutter contre rides: 

Appliquez quotidiennement sur le visage, le décolleté et les mains.

Attention aux femmes enceintes, l'huile essentielle d'immortelle est abortive.

Dans le bain pour ramener la paix intérieur en fin de journée

Diluez 15 gouttes environ dans 1 poignée de sel ou 1 c. à soupe d'huile végétale et mettez dans votre bain.

En infusion, pour les troubles digestifs, jetez une poignée de fleurs dans une casserole d'eau chaude pendant 5 minutes. 

En hydrolat pour les problèmes acnéiques, passez quotidiennement sur le visage. En appliquant l'hydrolat directement sur une plaie ça accélère la réparation des tissus.


J Ethnopharmacol. 2014;151(1):54-65. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.11.005. Epub 2013 Nov 14. Helichrysum italicum: from traditional use to scientific data.

Antunes Viegas D1, Palmeira-de-Oliveira A2, Salgueiro L3, Martinez-de-Oliveira J4, Palmeira-de-Oliveira R5.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:

Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don fil. (family Asteraceae) has been used for its medicinal properties for a long time and, even nowadays, continues to play an important role in the traditional medicine of Mediterranean countries. Based on this traditional knowledge, its different pharmacological activities have been the focus of active research. This review aims to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge of the pharmacological activities of Helichrysum italicum, as well as its traditional uses, toxicity, drug interactions and safety.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The selection of relevant data was made through a search using the keywords "Helichrysum italicum" and "H. italicum" in "Directory of Open Access Journals", "Google Scholar", "ISI Web of Knowledge", "PubMed", "ScienceDirect" and "Wiley Online Library". Information obtained in local and foreign books and other sources was also included.

RESULTS:

There are reports on the traditional use of Helichrysum italicum in European countries, particularly Italy, Spain, Portugal and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In these countries, its flowers and leaves are the most used parts in the treatment of health disorders such as allergies, colds, cough, skin, liver and gallbladder disorders, inflammation, infections and sleeplessness. In order to validate some of the traditional uses of Helichrysum italicum and highlight other potential applications for its extracts and isolated compounds, several scientific studies have been conducted in the last decades. 

In vitro studies characterized Helichrysum italicum as an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent. Its flavonoids and terpenes were effective against bacteria (e.g. Staphylococcus aureus), its acetophenones, phloroglucinols and terpenoids displayed antifungal action against Candida albicans and its flavonoids and phloroglucinols inhibited HSV and HIV, respectively. Helichrysum italicum acetophenones, flavonoids and phloroglucinols demonstrated inhibitory action in different pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism and other pro-inflammatory mediators. 

Regarding Helichrysum italicum in vivo activity, the highlight goes to the anti-erythematous and photoprotective activities of its flavonoids, demonstrated both in animals and humans, and to the anti-inflammatory properties exhibited by its flavonoids, acetophenones and phloroglucinols, as seen in animal models. 

Concerning its safety and adverse effects, while Helichrysum italicum does not display significant levels of cytotoxicity or genotoxicity, it should be noticed that one of its flavonoids inhibited some CYP isoforms and a case has been reported of an allergic reaction to its extracts.

CONCLUSIONS:

Helichrysum italicum is a medicinal plant with promising pharmacological activities. However, most of its traditionally claimed applications are not yet scientifically proven. Clinical trials are needed to further confirm these data and promote Helichrysum italicum as an important tool in the treatment of several diseases.


J Pharm Pharmacol. 2002 Mar;54(3):365-71. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of Helichrysum italicum.

Sala A1, Recio M, Giner RM, Máñez S, Tournier H, Schinella G, Ríos JL.

The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the aerial part of Helichrysum italicum extracts have been established in various in-vivo and in-vitro experimental models. The results obtained on the acute oedemas induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and ethyl phenylpropiolate in the mouse ear, by serotonin and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in the mouse paw, on chronic inflammation induced by repeated application of TPA in the mouse ear and on the delayed-type hypersensitivity induced by sheep red blood cells suggest that said anti-inflammatory activity is due to the effects of compounds expressed via a corticoid-like mechanism. In addition, the antioxidant activity of the extracts seems to be implicated in this anti-inflammatory activity, as the former inhibits enzymatic and non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation and has free-radical scavenger properties. 

We conclude that the anti-inflammatory activity of Helichrysum italicum can be explained by multiple effects, including inflammatory enzyme inhibition, free-radical scavenging activity and corticoid-like effects.