HAMAMELIDACEAE

The witch hazel family consists of 23 genera of deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs of warm temperate regions of Asia, North America, Africa, Australia and Madagascar. Liquidambar spp. and Hamamelis virginiana are the best known medicinal plants of this family.

Hamamelis virginiana

Witch hazel

Family Hamamelidaceae

Description

A deciduous shrub or small tree to 5 m often with several crooked, branching trunks from the same root. Leaves hazel-like, alternate, elliptic-ovate, short petioled, acuminate, serrate, light green. Flowers small, yellow, in clusters in the leaf axils, appearing in late autumn often among the dry autumn leaves. Calyx lobes 4, brownish. Petals 4, strap-like. Fruit a woody capsule, ripening in the following autumn.

Odour—leaves slight; bark odourless; taste—leaves astringent, slightly aromatic and bitter; bark astringent and slightly bitter.

Habitat and cultivation

Native to Eastern North America growing in damp, well-drained soils and semi-shade. Propagated by seed or cuttings. Drought and wind tender, frost resistant.

Parts used

The bark, twigs and the leaves, fresh or dried, collected in autumn.

Active constituents1

1) Tannins (3–10%) mainly condensed. Leaf tannins are composed of gallic acid (10%), hydrolysable hamamelitannin (1.5%) and condensed polymeric proanthocyanidins (88.5%) and catechins. Bark is richer in tannin, its constituents are similar to the leaf, but the level of hamamelitannin is much higher2,3

2) Flavonoids including quercitin, kaempferol and astragalin

Also contains small amounts of saponins, volatile oil, soluble polysaccharides⁴ and resin.

Actions

1) Astringent

2) Antihaemorrhagic

3) Anti-inflammatory

Scientific information

Hamamelis is an official preparation in a number of countries²² and is approved by German Commission E for the treatment of local inflammation, haemorrhoids, varicose veins and minor skin injuries. It has mainly been used topically to treat bruises and inflammation and to stimulate wound healing. It is also much used in the cosmetics industry as an astringent.

In vitro—The leaves have a range of good antibacterial activity against periodontal Gram-positive and Gram-negative infective pathogens.⁵ A distillate of witch hazel is antimicrobial against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans^6,7 whilst the procynanidin fraction is antiviral against HSV-1.

The whole extract is anti-mutagenic/desmutagenic in the standard Ames assay, an action due to the proanthocynanidin fraction,⁸ and the tannins are antigenotoxic partly mediated through increased detoxification by glutathione-S-transferase.⁹

The extract and hamamelitannin have strong anti-oxidant activity^10–13 as does the procynanidin fraction which also inhibits α-glucosidase and leukocyte elastase¹⁴ and increases keratinocyte proliferation.⁴

The anti-haemorrhagic action of the herb seems due partly to the inhibition by hamamelitannin of TNF-α¹⁵ whilst its anti-inflammatory action, and that of the tannins, may be due to their potent inhibition of 5-LOX.¹⁶

In vivo—A 10% Hamamelis distillate, used as a cream or lotion, showed significant anti-inflammatory properties in the treatment of both UV radiation damage and physically irritated skin.^17–19

The herb is a vasoconstrictor, an action which would augment its anti-inflammatory effect.¹ Various extracts have been used topically to treat:-

• eczema—it effectively reduced the symptoms associated with endogenous and attrition eczema,¹ giving the same benefits as a pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory cream,²⁰ although it did not seem to significantly improve atopic eczema²¹
• sodium lauryl sulphate skin irritation—reduced transdermal water loss and erythema⁴
• stage 1 haemorrhoids—symptoms were significantly improved¹
• episiotomy—the benefit was comparable to that of using an ice pack or hydrocortisone cream containing a local anaesthetic¹
• HSV-1 infection¹—inflammation was significantly reduced

Medicinal uses

Cardiovascular system

In all situations where an astringent action would be beneficial e.g. for bleeding and lax vessels:

• haemorrhoids
• haemorrhage
• varicose veins

Respiratory tract

• haemoptysis

Gastro-intestinal tract

The tannins help reduce bowel overactivity.

• diarrhoea
• enteritis
• gastritis
• mucous colitis
• haematemesis

Externally

• bruises
• wounds
• bleeding or infected gums
• nasal catarrh (snuff)
• sprains
• eczema
• sore throat (gargle)
• burns including sunburn
• ulcers
• styes (eyebath)
• leucorrhoea (douche)
• haemorrhoids (suppositories)

Pharmacy

Three times daily
Infusion of dried leaves	–   1–4 g
Decoction of dried bark	–   1–4 g
Tincture 1:5 (25%)	–   2–4 ml (suggested guidelines)
Fluid Extract (45%)	–   2–4 ml

Distilled witch hazel can be used neat or diluted 1:3.1

Distilled witch-hazel or Hamamelis Water (B.P.C.) sold in pharmacies is produced by a fairly complicated process involving steam distillation of a water macerate using the leaves and twigs, collected in spring to early summer, and adding alcohol to a level of 14%.²² It will have excluded the majority of tannins which are considered central to the herb's action, however an astringent activity is still achieved and must be due to some constituent carried over in this process.

Precautions and/or safety

There are rare cases of contact dermatitis reported.²³

Historical uses

In America used as a poultice for tumours and painful swellings. Also for phthisis; gleet; ophthalmia; menorrhagia and to aid recovery from abortion; haematuria and kidney pains; epistaxis; as a tonic and for insect bites.