The Benefits of Labrador Tea, a Scientific Look

A mild narcotic prescribed in huge quantities

Considered a mild narcotic, it has been prescribed for whooping cough, dysentery and bladder conditions. The leaves are recommended to act as a liver drainer and a regenerator of liver cells. In fact, it has been used to treat liver poisoning of circulatory origin, liver failure, the after-effects of viral hepatitis, enteritis, toxemic or microbial nephritis, gravel, infectious prostatitis, toxemic adenitis. It has also been used to help with insomnia, nervousness, solar plexus spasm and thyroid imbalance.

The benefits of Labrador tea welcomed by science

On the one hand, recent scientific studies tend to corroborate these facts attributed to tradition. Dufour et al. found that Labrador tea leaves and branches possessed powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (Dufour et al., 2007). Indeed, it would be good against migraines, arthritis and muscle pain (Chartier, Staub, & Goetz, 2005). Also, the twigs of the plant are effective against cancer cells such as lung and colon carcinoma (Dufour et al., 2007). In addition, Giraud-Robert discovered that the oil inside Labrador tea helped tolerance and response against Hepatitis B and C (Giraud-Robert, 2005).

Labrador tea as a potential treatment

On the other hand, the leaves of the ledum groelendicum are good for helping against upper respiratory tract infections (cough, bronchitis, asthma), fever and stomatological infections (Marion, 2018). Indeed, according to recent ethnobotanical data, Labrador tea would have a potential for treating the symptoms of type II diabetes (Fraser et al., 2007; Leduc, Coonishish, Haddad, & Cuerrier, 2006; Spoor et al., 2006; Tendland, Pellerin, Haddad, & Cuerrier, 2012). Thus, Labrador tea would be very good against diabetes and obesity, which is why Ouchfoun et al. write:

"Labrador tea exerts a potential antidiabetic action by improving insulin sensitivity and attenuating obesity and hyperglycemia induced by a high-fat diet. They validate the safety and efficacy of this plant (trans.)" (Ouchfoun et al., 2016)

What are other uses for Labrador tea?

Labrador tea contains a large amount of flavonoids, which have several important benefits for human health such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant (Harmon & Harp, 2001), anti-genotoxic (anti-genetic mutagenic) (Eid et al., 2016), anti-carcinogenic (McGill et al., 2018) and anti-atherogenic (Pinent et al., 2005) (lipid, carbohydrate and limestone plaques deposited in the arteries) properties. In addition, Labrador tea is an antiseptic, anti-allergic (Vo et al., 2012) and anti-apoptotic (programmed cell death) (Rho et al., 2011).

Even more benefits

The essential oil contained in Labrador tea could be beneficial for allergies, bronchitis, fever, laryngitis, lymph node inflammation, skin problems of all kinds and regulation of the thyroid gland. Indeed, Labrador tea would be very good for the urinary tract, the immune system while being an excellent regenerator and cleanser of the liver (Higley, 1998). It has also been used and shown to be good against prostate infection (Rogers, 2015).

In addition, Labrador tea produces an antispasmodic, analgesic, anti-flatulent, expectorant effect and stimulates digestion (Chartier et al., 2005). Ultimately, it is a very good sedative to alleviate insomnia and sleep disorders (Dampc & Luczkiewicz, 2015). So, it is obvious that Labrador tea users no longer want to do without it when they start to get used to consuming it and perceive positive changes in their physical well-being.