The Benefits of Viburnum opulus plant (Cramp Bark)-Getintegrativehealth

Viburnum opulus is a plant long used in herbal medicine. Also known as cramp bark, the extract of the bark of viburnum is available in dietary supplement form. In addition, the berries of the viburnum plant are sometimes consumed as food

Viburnum bark contains several compounds found to enhance health, including ellagic acid (a chemical with antioxidant benefits). The berries of the viburnum plant also contain a number of antioxidants, including vitamin C.

Flower and Fruit
The flowers are white and richly blossomed, flat and apical cymes. Central florets are campanulate and fertile. Lateral ones are much larger, rotate and infertile. The calyx margin is small and five tipped. The corolla of the fertile florets is 5-petalled and campanulate. There are five stamens, 3 sessile stigmas and a semi inferior ovary. The fruit is a shiny, black and juicy berry.
Leaves, Stem and Root
Black Haw has gray to brown bark and green as well as grooved branches. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, roughly dentate, 3 to 5 lobed, green on both surfaces and softly pubescent beneath.

Uses

•Arthritis
•Chronic pain
•High blood pressure
•Inflammation
•Low back pain
•Menopausal symptoms
•Menstrual cramps
•Restless legs syndrome
•Tension headaches

In alternative medicine, viburnum bark is touted as a natural remedy for the following health problems:
In addition, viburnum bark is said to reduce fluid retention and improve eye health.

Benefits

In studies conducted in the 1960s and 1970s, scientists found that certain compounds present in viburnum bark may help suppress muscle spasms and reduce muscle tension. Although viburnum bark is commonly used for conditions involving muscle spasms and muscle tension (such as menstrual cramps and low back pain), there is a lack of more recent research on viburnum bark's effectiveness against such conditions

While recent research on viburnum bark is lacking, there's some evidence that the fruit of the viburnum plant may offer certain health benefits. For example, a preliminary study published in Toxicology and Industrial Health in 2012 found that the juice of viburnum fruit may help fight colon cancer

For the study, scientists induced colon tumours in mice by injecting the animals with a carcinogen called 1,2-dimethylhydrazine. Compared to a DMH-injected control group given only drinking water, DMH-injected animals fed viburnum juice had a significantly lower rate of colon cancer. Although the study's authors concluded that viburnum juice "may be useful for the prevention of colon cancer at the initiation stage," more research is needed before viburnum can be recommended for colon cancer prevention

In addition, a 2006 study on rats (published in the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology) determined that antioxidants found in viburnum fruit may help protect against the gastrointestinal damage associated with ulcer development.

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