Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)
Medicinal Profile of
Slippery Elm
(Ulmus rubra)
Slippery Elm comes from the inner bark of a North American tree and has long been valued as both a medicine and a survival food. Traditionally made into gruel, poultices, and teas, it is best known for its soothing, mucilaginous quality that coats, protects, and nourishes irritated tissues. At therapeutic doses, Slippery Elm shines in hyperreactivity of mucous membranes (inflamed throat, stomach, intestines) and dryness/atrophy of tissues where fluids are lacking. It is one of the gentlest herbs, often used in children, elders, and recovery states.
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👉 Tastes describe the initial impression a herb leaves on the tongue, and they reveal its deeper actions in the body, shaping digestion, circulation, and tissue response.
Sweet – Nutritive, building, restoring.
Mucilaginous (demulcent texture, not a classical taste) – Slippery, coating, soothing.
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👉Qualities describe the felt nature of a substance or practice, and how it acts in the body beyond nutrients or chemistry.
Immediate / Short-Term (first effects):
Moistening – Restores lubrication to dry, irritated tissues.
Cooling – Soothes heat and inflammation.
Heavy – Grounds, slows irritation, creates a protective layer.
Long-Term / Daily Heavy Use:
Nourishing – Provides bulk nutrition (mild starches, minerals).
Stagnating – In very weak digestion, may feel too heavy or dampening if overused.
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👉 Terrain patterns describe the body’s functional state, showing when a herb is most helpful or aggravating, while affinities identify the organ systems or tissues where its actions are most directly felt.
Hyperreactivity – Inflamed or irritated mucous membranes.
Digestive System (Affinity) – Soothes gastritis, acid reflux, stomach irritation.
Respiratory System (Affinity) – Calms sore throat, laryngitis, bronchial inflammation.
Form & Application: Cold infusion of inner bark powder or tea.
Dose: 1 tsp bark powder in cool water or gruel 1–3x daily.Dryness / Atrophy – Thin, depleted, under-lubricated tissues.
Digestive & Urinary Systems (Affinity) – Provides moisture and bulk in constipation, dry gut, or irritated urinary tract.
Form & Application: Bark gruel or porridge for nourishment.
Dose: 1–2 tsp bark powder cooked into gruel 1–2x daily. -
1. Hypofunction (Primary Indicated Terrain Pattern)
Hypofunction in the Nervous System (Affinity):
mild to moderate depression, seasonal affective disorder (winter depression), low mood with heaviness, sluggish brain function, mental dullness, slow nerve repair, low energy linked to nervous system weaknessHypofunction in the Circulatory System (Affinity):
cold extremities, poor microcirculation, slow-healing skin or tissues due to weak blood flow———————————————————
Skin / Integumentary (Affinity):
burns, wounds, cuts, abrasions, inflamed rashes, herpes lesions, cold sores, sunburn, skin redness, bruisesMusculoskeletal & Nerve Tissue (Affinity):
nerve pain, sciatica, shingles pain, post-herpetic neuralgia, muscle soreness with nerve irritation, minor trauma pain -
1. Cold infusion – Powdered bark in cool water, best for acute irritation.
Note: Hot water causes the mucilaginous polysaccharides (mainly complex sugars like arabinose, galactose, and rhamnose) to swell and gelatinize too rapidly. When this happens, the mucilage clumps instead of dissolving evenly, which reduces its ability to form a smooth, uniform coating along irritated mucous membranes.
2. Gruel/porridge – Bark powder simmered gently, used for recovery or nourishment.
3. Poultice – Applied externally for burns, wounds, ulcers.
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👉 Medicinal actions describe the specific ways a food influences organ systems and body functions.
Digestive System
Demulcent – Coats and soothes irritated stomach and intestines.
Nutritive restorative – Provides starches and minerals in recovery states.
Respiratory System
Demulcent – Relieves sore throat, cough, bronchial irritation.
Urinary System
Demulcent – Soothes irritation, mild support for urinary tract inflammation.
Integumentary System (Topical)
Vulnerary – Poultice heals burns, ulcers, wounds.
Soothing emollient – Reduces inflammation on skin surface.
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👉 Constituents are the natural compounds in a food that give rise to its actions in the body.
Mucilage polysaccharides – Soothing, coating, moistening.
Starch – Nutritive.
Tannins – Mildly astringent, protective.
Minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc) – Replenishing.
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First to Second Degree – Gentle, food-like nourishment and soothing effect; strong enough to calm acute irritation, but safe even for sensitive terrains.
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Absorption Interference – The mucilage in Slippery Elm can coat the stomach and intestines, which may reduce absorption of oral medications or supplements if taken at the same time.
This doesn’t inactivate the drug, but it can delay or lower bioavailability.
Common advice: take Slippery Elm 1–2 hours before or after prescription medications.
No known direct pharmacological interactions – Unlike herbs with strong enzyme-inducing or inhibiting effects (like St. John’s Wort), Slippery Elm does not alter liver metabolism (CYP enzymes). Its only concern is physical binding/delayed absorption.
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Very safe – Traditionally used in infants, elderly, and debilitated.
Caution – May interfere with absorption of medications if taken simultaneously (space 1–2 hours apart).
Sustainability note – Slippery Elm populations are threatened; use responsibly and seek ethically harvested sources.
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Traditional Sources
North American Indigenous medicine – Used for sore throats, wounds, burns, nourishment.
Eclectic physicians – Valued as a demulcent for gastritis, coughs, and urinary irritation.
Modern Sources
Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism.
Mills, S. & Bone, K. (2013). Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy.
Natural Medicines Database (2024). Monograph: Ulmus rubra.
