Tilia tomentosa
Linden is an age-old perennial tree, native to central and eastern Europe. Its flowers and leaves are widely used since the Greco-Roman era for medicinal purposes. Dioskourides mentions the use of leaves for snake bites, while there are references to the herb by Pliny, Theophrastus, Virgil and healers of the Middle Ages for a variety of uses, such as diuretic, sedative, antispasmodic properties against infections, respiratory problems, headaches, etc.
A herb with anxiolytic, sedative action
Studies have shown that Linden has strong sedative properties, mimicking the action of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical of the brain that inhibits stimulation in the human nervous system. The results of the study seem to justify the use of the herb as a sedative since antiquity to the present day.
A herb to protect against infections?
A recent study showed that Linden contains immunomodulatory polysaccharides that could support the weakened immune system, a property associated with the traditional use of the herb for colds.