Mullein and Lobelia is one of the simplest combinations I know, just two herbs, and one of the most surprising. Dr. Christopher called it his glandular formula, and we first made it into a salve for support of the glandular system. We had no idea what else it could do until our very first batch had just cooled in the jars.
What It Contains
This is a two-herb combination:
- Mullein, 3 parts. Mullein has a special affinity for the glands and the respiratory organs. It calms and quiets inflamed, irritated tissue, and it supports the movement of excess lymph fluid out of an injured area.
- Lobelia, 1 part. To my mind, the best antispasmodic there is. It works to release muscles and joints that have locked up.
“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for both herbs. By weight, 3 ounces of Mullein go with 1 ounce of Lobelia.
The same two herbs can be taken internally as an extract for glandular support, but the salve is where this combination really surprised me.
Making the Salve
The herbs are extracted in extra virgin olive oil in a 150-degree oven for three hours. With most salves I swap the spent herbs for fresh ones and run them through three times, but Mullein is the problem child. It’s a sponge and soaks up far too much of the oil, so this one only goes through once. The finished oil is thickened with beeswax.
The olive oil isn’t just a carrier. It is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants and nourishes the skin on its own. The beeswax adds vitamin A and forms a protective, moisturizing seal, so the salve stays put and does its work.
A Frozen Knee
I slid off our bed one morning to find my right knee locked. It was frozen, I was in a lot of pain, and I couldn’t get back up on the bed or move. I have no idea how a jar of our new Mullein and Lobelia salve happened to be on my night table, but there it was. I was strongly impressed to put a bit on my knee. I knew Lobelia was an antispasmodic, so the idea wasn’t completely out of left field.
What happened next can only be described as miraculous. I smeared a small amount over my knee, and instantly the knee released. I was able to walk away without pain. It just let go.
My husband Michael was his normal skeptical self when I told him, until the summer his own knee locked up. I handed him the jar, and his knee released instantly too. Now he sings its praises.
Other Ways We’ve Used It
- Frozen fingers: A member in California had overused her hands until her fingers were frozen in a claw. She called five minutes after the salve arrived to say her fingers had released.
- Massage support: Massage is an important part of any natural healing program, because toxins need to be encouraged out of the tissues. Apply the salve over the difficult areas and give the muscles a few minutes before the work begins. They relax quickly in response.
- Stiff neck and tension headaches: The salve relaxes the muscle spasm in my neck and shoulders. When there’s nerve pain too, I pair it with a nerve-calming salve, and together they work like a charm.
- Sore feet: One of our members uses it daily on her sore feet and finds that steady use keeps her foot pain away.
How to Use It
Apply directly to the area as needed.
This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.
