Arnica Flowers Whole (Heteroteca inuloides)

No. Arnica flowers — both Heterotheca inuloides and Arnica montana are NOT intended for internal consumption. Do not brew as a drinking tea. Do not ingest in any form. This product is for external topical use. Only prepared as an infused oil, compress, salve, or herbal bath preparation applied to intact skin.

Heterotheca inuloides has been used for generations in Mexican traditional medicine (medicina tradicional mexicana) as an external topical preparation — traditionally applied to intact skin in the form of infused oils, compresses, and salves. It is the arnica found in Mexican botanical markets (mercados de yerbas) and is the species most commonly sold as "arnica" in the United States in dried whole flower form. These are traditional use associations — not FDA-evaluated health claims.*

Cold infusion (4–6 weeks in sunlight) is the traditional folk method — slow, gentle, and less likely to degrade heat-sensitive volatile oil constituents like camphor and borneol.

Warm infusion (slow cooker at 95–110°F, 48–72 hours) is faster and more commonly used in modern herbal oil making. Cold infusion is traditionally preferred when time allows; warm infusion is practical when a finished oil is needed sooner. Both methods produce a usable infused oil.*

No. Arnica flowers — both Heterotheca inuloides and Arnica montana are NOT intended for internal consumption. Do not brew as a drinking tea. Do not ingest in any form. This product is for external topical use. Only prepared as an infused oil, compress, salve, or herbal bath preparation applied to intact skin.

No. Arnica preparations should only be applied to intact, unbroken skin. Do not apply to open wounds, cuts, abrasions, broken skin, mucous membranes, or near the eyes. This is a standard safety precaution for arnica preparations across both Heterotheca inuloides and Arnica montana.