Witch Hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

Family: Hamamelidaceae Part used: Bark and leaves

Key Compounds

• Hamamelitannin
• Gallic acid
• Ellagic acid
• Proanthocyanidins
• Catechins
• Quercetin
• Kaempferol
• Safrole (trace)
• Volatile oils (eugenol, carvacrol)
• Mucilage

Traditional Use

• Haemorrhoids and varicose veins — the primary contemporary commercial application; hamamelitannin and proanthocyanidins provide venous tone (similar to horse chestnut's aescin), reduce capillary permeability, and have anti-inflammatory activity; topical witch hazel preparations are the most widely used herbal preparation for haemorrhoids in Western pharmacy; applied as pads (Tucks), creams, or suppositories; German Commission E approved for haemorrhoids; EMA accepted traditional use; the anti-inflammatory and vein-toning mechanisms are pharmacologically established
• Skin inflammation and minor wounds — hamamelitannin and proanthocyanidins reduce inflammatory cytokines and stabilise collagen in skin; the most extensively clinically studied application for witch hazel preparations; RCTs have compared witch hazel preparations to hydrocortisone cream for eczema (witch hazel showed comparable anti-inflammatory effect); approved by German Commission E for skin inflammation; widely used as a skin toner and after-shave preparation for its anti-inflammatory and astringent skin effects
• Bruises, sprains, and local inflammation — traditional North American and European application; the tannin astringency and anti-inflammatory activity reduce oedema and pain in bruised tissue; compress application of distilled witch hazel water; one of the primary traditional first-aid applications; the Indigenous North American use for musculoskeletal complaints was the historical basis for European pharmaceutical adoption
• Sore throat and mouth ulcers (internal and gargle) — tannin astringency soothes inflamed oral and pharyngeal mucosa; traditional gargle; German Commission E approved for mild inflammations of the mouth and throat mucosa; internal use requires caution due to safrole content in the distillate (see safety note)

‘Witch’ is not from witchcraft.

It is from Old English wice — flexible, pliant. The same root as ‘wicker.’ The flexible branches of witch hazel were used as divining rods for locating underground water, a practice called ‘water-witching,’ and this transferred the ‘witch’ element from a physical property to a supernatural association. The plant has no more magical character than any other tree with branches that bend.

The plant flowers in winter. The crinkled yellow ribbon-like flowers appear in November and December after the leaves have fallen, on bare branches, when nothing else in a temperate forest is in bloom. This is unusual. The seed capsules from the previous year’s flowering are present on the same branches simultaneously, which is the meaning of the genus name Hamamelis — ‘at the same time, fruit.’

Distilled witch hazel water is in every pharmacy in the English-speaking world. It has been there since the 1860s. It is one of the most commercially successful herbal preparations in Western medicine. At this point, calling it ‘herbal medicine’ is somewhat understating its position.

Meet the plant

A large deciduous shrub or small tree (3–8 metres) with alternating ovate leaves, growing in moist woodland understory in eastern North America. The leaves are similar in shape to hazel (Corylus) — hence the ‘hazel’ element of the name. The winter flowers — crinkled yellow ribbons — are unlike typical flowers and appear only on bare branches after leaf fall. The seed capsules from the previous year eject seeds explosively in autumn, up to 10 metres.

Hamamelitannin: the specific compound

Hamamelitannin is a unique ellagitannin found specifically in Hamamelis species — a marker compound for the genus. Its pharmacological mechanisms:

Venotonic: Stabilises venous walls and capillary membranes, reducing vessel permeability. Comparable mechanism to aescin (horse chestnut) for haemorrhoids and varicose vein applications.

Anti-inflammatory: Inhibits platelet-activating factor and reduces TNF-α and inflammatory cytokines. This is the mechanism behind the skin and wound applications.

Antioxidant: Scavenges free radicals; reduces oxidative damage in skin and mucosal tissues.

The 1998 Korting RCT (72 eczema patients) compared a witch hazel cream to 1% hydrocortisone cream: statistically comparable anti-inflammatory effect, superior tolerability profile for the witch hazel.

The Indigenous North American history

Hamamelis virginiana is a North American plant. Its medicinal use begins with the Indigenous peoples of eastern North America — the Mohegan, Potawatomi, Algonquin, and other nations — who used bark preparations as poultices and decoctions for musculoskeletal pain, skin inflammation, and sore throats. European colonists observed and adopted these applications. Commercial pharmaceutical production began in the United States in the 19th century.

This is one of the clearer examples of a medicinal plant that moved from Indigenous North American traditional medicine into Western pharmacy and became commercially dominant. The credit rarely follows the knowledge.

What people actually do with it

Commercial witch hazel water (topical): The most common form — the bottled distilled extract available in every pharmacy. Apply with cotton pads to haemorrhoids, skin inflammation, bruises, insect bites, and after shaving. Standard application 2–4 times daily.

Witch hazel pads (haemorrhoids): Pre-moistened pads (Tucks and similar products) applied to haemorrhoids after each bowel movement. The standard pharmaceutical form for the haemorrhoid application.

Decoction (bark): 1–2 teaspoons dried bark per cup, simmered 15 minutes, strained and cooled. Used as a compress or topical wash. This preparation contains more hamamelitannin than the commercial distillate — a stronger tannin preparation.

Gargle (throat and mouth): Cooled decoction used as a gargle for sore throats and mouth ulcers. Internal use limited to gargling, not swallowing, due to tannin content.

Compress (bruises, sprains): Cloth soaked in commercial witch hazel water applied to bruised or sprained areas. One of the most effective first-aid applications — reduces oedema and pain acutely.

Could you grow this yourself?

Hamamelis virginiana is available as a garden shrub — most commonly sold in its native form or as ornamental hybrids (H. × intermedia, the garden hybrid) with red, orange, and yellow flower varieties. It grows in partial shade, moist well-drained soil, and is extremely cold-hardy. The winter flowering is the primary ornamental quality; the plant is unremarkable the rest of the year. Growing it provides bark and leaf for preparation; the commercial distillate is so inexpensive and widely available that growing for medicinal use is rarely necessary.

Witch Hazel (マンサク) in Japan

Japan has a native Hamamelis species: H. japonica (マンサク, mansaku — Japanese witch hazel), which flowers in late winter to early spring with crinkled yellow flowers. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental in Japanese gardens. The genus name マンサク — from manzaku (filled to overflowing) — may refer to the abundant flower display.

Japanese witch hazel is investigated for similar hamamelitannin chemistry to the American species. Pharmaceutical grade H. virginiana preparations are available in Japan through Western herbal and pharmaceutical channels; Japanese traditional medicine has no specific witch hazel application for either species.

The ornamental hybrid witch hazels (H. × intermedia) are popular in Japanese gardens for their winter flowers in red, orange, and yellow — the hybrid breeding was partly developed in Europe and the plants have been adopted into Japanese garden culture.

Things you’re probably wondering

Why does commercial witch hazel have alcohol in it? Distilled witch hazel water is preserved with 14–15% isopropyl or ethyl alcohol, which serves as a preservative and extends shelf life. Without the alcohol, the aqueous distillate would require refrigeration and would have a short shelf life. The alcohol also contributes a brief cooling sensation on application. Some alcohol-free witch hazel products are available for those with alcohol sensitivity or who prefer alcohol-free formulas.

Is there a safety concern about safrole? Safrole — a naturally occurring phenylpropanoid in witch hazel’s volatile fraction — is a carcinogen in animal studies and has been banned from food use by the FDA since 1960. It is present in commercial witch hazel water at trace concentrations. The FDA has evaluated these concentrations and considers them acceptable for topical use at normal use patterns. Internal use of large quantities of witch hazel preparations over extended periods presents a higher safrole exposure that is not recommended. Standard topical use — applying witch hazel to skin with cotton pads — is not a safrole concern.

Botanical details

The full compound list

See Also

• Horse Chestnut — aescin venotonic mechanism; overlapping haemorrhoid and varicose vein applications
• Agrimony — Rosaceae tannin; overlapping wound and astringent applications
• Tormentil — high ellagitannin content; overlapping wound and digestive astringent applications

References

• German Commission E. (1990). Hamamelis virginiana L. folium et cortex. Bundesanzeiger.
• Korting, H.C. et al. (1993). Comparative efficacy of hamamelis distillate and hydrocortisone cream in atopic eczema. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 48(6), 461–465.
• Grieve, M. (1931). A Modern Herbal. Dover.
• Dauer, A. et al. (2003). Polyphenols from bark of Hamamelis virginiana. Planta Medica, 69(1), 89–91.