Usnea
Parts Used & Where Grown
Usnea, also known as old man’s beard, is not a plant but a lichen—a symbiotic relationship between an algae and a fungus. The entire lichen is used medicinally. Usnea looks like long, fuzzy strings hanging from trees in the forests of North America and Europe, where it grows.
How It Works
Usnic acid gives usnea its bitter taste and also acts as an antibiotic in test tube studies.1 Test tube studies have suggested an anti-cancer activity for usnic acid. However, this action has not been sufficient to warrant further investigation in humans.2 Usnea also contains mucilage, which may be helpful in easing irritating coughs. Again, this has not been studied in humans.