Description
Barba de Viejo or Old Man’s Beard (Usnea spp.) is a lichen that grows in our forests and has immunostimulating and analgesic actions. Usnea is antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antipyretic, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal so it’s no wonder that for millennia it’s been considered a cure-all remedy for cold/flu, respiratory and sinus infections, pneumonia, and more. It’s also used as a kidney tonic as it promotes excretion and its antiseptic properties help clear infections. There are several Usnea species in New Mexico which can be used interchangeably. Our tincture is made with locally wild harvested Usnea cavernosa. We use a Soxlet extractor which is a type of still that can be used to create a potent tincture through cyclic percolation.
