MedicinalSourced entry

Linden

Tilia cordata

Flowers of the lime (linden) tree, traditionally made into tea for colds, stress and nervous heart complaints.

What is Linden?

Plant family: Malvaceae, the mallow family
Parts used: The dried flowers
Where it grows: Native throughout Europe, as far north as about 65° latitude; also cultivated in Europe and North America
Genus: Tilia
Species: cordata

Lime Flower, Lime Tree

Where Linden appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.

Colds and Nasal Congestion
Recognized in Europe as a traditional medicine to relieve cold symptoms.
Heart Palpitations
Traditionally drunk as a tea for heart palpitations.
High Blood Pressure
Traditionally used for high blood pressure linked to nervous tension. This use hasn't been confirmed by research.
Stress
Recognized in Europe as a traditional remedy for mild symptoms of mental stress.

European Folk Medicine
Recognized by the European Medicines Agency as a traditional herbal medicine for cold symptoms and mild mental stress. Traditionally drunk as a tea for anxiety-related indigestion, heart palpitations and vomiting.

Some herbal references advise people with an existing heart condition to avoid lime flower, because heavy use may affect the heart. The scientific basis for this warning is not known.[2]
Don't use lime flower if you're allergic to it. For stress, it's not recommended for children under 12; for colds, not for children under 4. See a doctor if cold symptoms last more than a week or get worse, or if you become short of breath or develop a high fever or pus-like mucus.[1]

Allergy to lime tree pollen is one of the more common pollen allergies. Some allergic reactions to lime flower have been reported; how often is not known.[2]

Lime flower is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, because its safety hasn't been established.[1]

European guidance for adults and teens: as a tea, 1.5 g of dried flowers in 150 ml of boiling water, 2–4 times a day (3–6 g a day).[1]

These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

The European Medicines Agency recognizes lime flower as a traditional herbal medicine, based only on long-standing use, for:
- Relief of common cold symptoms
- Relief of mild symptoms of mental stress
[1]
Herbal references describe lime flower as traditionally used for migraine, feverish colds, and high blood pressure linked to hardened arteries and nervous tension. It has also been drunk as a tea for heart palpitations, anxiety-related indigestion and vomiting, and has been reported to lower high blood pressure caused by stress.[2]
Technical detail: traditionally described as sedative, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, hypotensive and diuretic; "arteriosclerotic hypertension" (Barnes et al. 2007); Blumenthal et al. 1998, as cited in the EMA assessment report.

Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.

In lab tests, lime flowers strongly blocked enzymes that break down starch into sugar. Researchers suggested this may be relevant to preventing high blood sugar and high blood pressure in type 2 diabetes.[2]
Technical detail: α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition (Ranilla et al. 2010, as cited in the EMA assessment report).

Some sources advise people with heart conditions to avoid it; not recommended during pregnancy.

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.