Occidental tree of life

The Occidental tree of life, botanically known as Thuja occidentalis, is an evergreen tree from the cypress family (Cupressaceae). Originally from North America, it is now widespread in many parts of the world as an ornamental plant. In addition to its use in parks and gardens, it plays a significant role in traditional medicine, especially in homeopathy. There, its antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immune-strengthening properties are particularly valued.

What benefits can the Occidental tree of life offer?

There are only a few clinical studies on the exact effects of the Occidental tree of life. However, some laboratory and animal studies show potential health benefits:

  • Immunomodulation: Studies suggest that the Occidental tree of life contains constituents that could modulate the immune system. This immunomodulation could help strengthen the body's own defenses against infections (1, 2).
  • Antiviral effect: In studies, Thuja occidentalis showed antiviral properties, which are attributed to the constituent thujone. This could help in fighting cold and flu viruses (1,2,3,4).
  • Anti-inflammatory effect: The Occidental tree of life contains substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect. This property could be particularly useful in the treatment of rheumatic complaints and skin inflammations (5,6).

Use and dosage forms

In homeopathy, the Occidental tree of life is mainly used for the treatment of skin conditions such as warts and rashes. It is often applied in the form of drops, ointments, or tinctures. It is also used in the treatment of respiratory infections and gastrointestinal complaints.

Safety and side effects

The safety of Thuja occidentalis is controversial. Thujone, one of the main active compounds, can be neurotoxic in high doses and lead to cramps, nausea, low blood pressure, asthma, seizures, dizziness, and even death. It is therefore recommended to use Thuja products only under medical supervision, especially in sensitive groups such as pregnant women, breastfeeding women, or children (4, 5).

Precautions

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Since the safety of taking Thuja occidentalis during pregnancy or breastfeeding has not been sufficiently studied, its use is discouraged (4).

Autoimmune diseases” such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, or others: The Occidental tree of life could cause the immune system to become more active, and this could worsen the symptoms of autoimmune diseases. For this reason, it is best to avoid products made from the Occidental tree of life if you suffer from one of these diseases.

Seizures: Taking the Occidental tree of life could cause seizures in some people. People who are prone to seizures should not use the Occidental tree of life.

Sources:

  1. Sunila, E. S., Hamsa, T. P., & Kuttan, G. (2011). Effect of Thuja occidentalis and its polysaccharide on cell-mediated immune responses and cytokine levels of metastatic tumor-bearing animals. Pharmaceutical biology, 49(10), 1065–1073. https://doi.org/10.3109/13880209.2011.565351
  2. Lee, M. M., Cho, W. K., Cha, M. H., Yim, N. H., Yang, H. J., & Ma, J. Y. (2023). The antiviral activity of Thuja orientalis folium against Influenza A virus. Virus research, 335, 199199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199199
  3. Naser, B., Lund, B., Henneicke-von Zepelin, H. H., Köhler, G., Lehmacher, W., & Scaglione, F. (2005). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical dose-response trial of an extract of Baptisia, Echinacea and Thuja for the treatment of patients with common cold. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, 12(10), 715–722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2005.03.002
  4. Naser, B., Bodinet, C., Tegtmeier, M., & Lindequist, U. (2005). Thuja occidentalis (Arbor vitae): A Review of its Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Clinical Properties. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2(1), 69–78. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/neh065
  5. Stan, M. S., Voicu, S. N., Caruntu, S., Nica, I. C., Olah, N. K., Burtescu, R., Balta, C., Rosu, M., Herman, H., Hermenean, A., & Dinischiotu, A. (2019). Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of a Thuja occidentalis Mother Tincture for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 8(9), 416. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8090416
  6. Irismara S. Silva, Lucas A.D. Nicolau, Francisca B.M. Sousa, Simone de Araújo, Ana P. Oliveira, Thiago S.L. Araújo, Luan Kelves M. Souza, Conceição S. Martins, Pedro E.A. Aquino, Lucas L. Carvalho, Renan O. Silva, Pedro J. Rolim-Neto, Jand Venes R. Medeiros, Evaluation of anti-inflammatory potential of aqueous extract and polysaccharide fraction of Thuja occidentalis Linn. in mice, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Volume 105, Part 1, 2017, Pages 1105-1116, ISSN 0141-8130, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.07.142.
  7. Gohla, S. H., Haubeck, H. D., & Neth, R. D. (1988). Mitogenic activity of high molecular polysaccharide fractions isolated from the Cupressaceae Thuja occidentale L. I. Macrophage-dependent induction of CD-4-positive T-helper (Th+) lymphocytes. Leukemia, 2(8), 528–533.
  8. Dogan, G., Kara, N., Bagci, E. & Gur, S. (2017). Chemical composition and biological activities of leaf and fruit essential oils from Eucalyptus camaldulensis. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C, 72(11-12), 483-489. https://doi.org/10.1515/znc-2016-0033