Oatstraw and Oat Tops Profile
Also known as- Avena sativa, Oats, Common Oats, and sometimes referred to as "avena."
Introduction
Oat straw is, as its name suggests, the above-ground parts of the oat plant left after harvesting the grain. In Europe, oat straw is a long-trusted additive to soaps and skin conditioners.
Constituents
Carbohydrates, silicic acid.
Parts Used
The threshed and dried stem and leaf, and the dried or fresh milky tops.
Typical Preparations
Baths, tinctures, teas, and skin care products.
Summary
Modern European herbal medicine, paid for by insurance, uses oat straw as a nervous system restorative and to strengthen a weakened constitution, as well as to treat genital herpes and shingles. There is no doubt that the silicic acid in the herb is soothing on skin.
What about the use of oat straw as a sexual stimulant? A single scientific study a number of years ago found that oat straw stimulates the release of luteinizing hormone, however there is no scientific evidence that oat straw has an effect on the human body's use of testosterone. On the other hand, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that it doesn't.
Precautions
None, unless you are allergic to oats. Gluten sensitivity will not be activated by use of oat straw on the skin.
