Evidence supporting the use of: Slippery Elm
For the health condition: Itching (rectal)

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) has a long history of use in North American traditional herbal medicine, particularly among Indigenous peoples and later in Western herbalism. It is primarily valued for its mucilaginous inner bark, which forms a soothing, gel-like substance when mixed with water. Traditionally, Slippery Elm has been used both internally and externally to relieve various types of irritation and inflammation, including gastrointestinal discomfort, sore throats, and skin conditions.

For rectal itching, the traditional application involves using Slippery Elm in topical poultices or as a component in suppositories. The soothing mucilage is thought to coat irritated tissues, providing a protective barrier that reduces further irritation and potentially promotes healing. However, while its use for general skin irritation and as a demulcent for mucous membranes is well documented in herbal texts, direct evidence or specific documentation of its use for rectal itching is limited but present in some traditional herbal references.

There is minimal scientific research directly investigating the efficacy of Slippery Elm for rectal itching. Most evidence remains anecdotal or based on the inferred benefit from its general demulcent and anti-inflammatory properties. As such, the use of Slippery Elm for rectal itching can be considered traditional, with weak to moderate support (hence a rating of 2), grounded more in historical practice than in modern scientific validation.

More about Slippery Elm
More about Itching (rectal)

Products containing Slippery Elm

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.