The 6 Best Anti-Inflammatory Plants from a Naturopath's Perspective

June 10, 2025

Inflammation is a critical aspect of our immune function. When a part of the body deteriorates, whether due to trauma or infection, inflammation is triggered to repair the damage and restore normal function. Just as a car accident on the street can temporarily disrupt traffic, local businesses, public safety, and other issues, local trauma can cause pain, difficulty moving, and slowed function of body tissues.

Acute inflammation is likened to first responders arriving on scene to assist the injured, assist in the removal of damaged vehicles and hazardous debris, and ultimately restore safety, efficiency, and traffic flow to the surrounding area.

In an urban environment, if damage is slow to be repaired (e.g., broken glass and twisted metal left in the street due to a lack of firefighters or tow trucks), the area risks experiencing ongoing or chronic problems.

The same is true of chronic inflammation, the persistence of impaired circulatory flow and functional status, associated with the typical "Western diseases" of osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, dementia and diabetes.

In this sense, while acute inflammation is a beneficial process when it remains fully effective in a balanced immune system, chronic inflammation can be detrimental to health if allowed to fester over the long term.

However, many medicinal plants can be used to support the necessary balance of the body's inflammatory reactions, so as to heal damaged tissues for the general good of the entire organism.

1. Turmeric

Turmeric, perhaps the most well-known botanical anti-inflammatory of all, contains a host of compounds that help calm chronic inflammation. While curcumin is the most well-known active ingredient, dozens of other compounds isolated from turmeric have also demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects, including various forms of turmerone and bioflavonoids, suggesting that a whole-plant extract is best used. Turmeric is particularly useful for its anti-inflammatory action in the digestive tract, but it also relieves inflammation throughout the body.

2. Reishi

Reishi mushroom supports immune balance and nicely straddles the line between boosting infection-fighting immune function and reducing inflammation by calming other aspects of the immune system. Reishi is helpful in cases of inflammation related to autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, as well as supporting cardiovascular health, which can suffer from prolonged inflammation elsewhere in the body.

3. Boswellia

Boswellia serrata is a plant with direct anti-inflammatory effects that can provide relatively rapid pain reduction and improved mobility in people with osteoarthritis . It is also beneficial against inflammation of the respiratory tract, particularly in cases of chronic bronchitis or asthma.

4. Chaga

Chaga, another anti-inflammatory mushroom that helps balance the immune system, has been shown to be most effective in treating inflammation in tissues that come into contact with the outside of the body, specifically the skin, lungs, and digestive tract. This makes this mushroom useful for related conditions ranging from psoriasis to Crohn's disease.

5. Calendula

Easily recognized by its pretty flowers, commonly known as "marigolds," which are found in many gardens, calendula is a wonderful anti-inflammatory plant that can be used both internally and externally. When applied topically, calendula oil relieves local inflammation on the skin, whether due to trauma or infection, and whether the tissue is abraded (cuts and scrapes) or not (bruises and muscle strains). When used internally, calendula also plays an anti-inflammatory role by promoting lymphatic circulation. Lymph is a circulatory fluid similar to blood. It carries immune cells throughout the body and is responsible for the swelling associated with inflammation.

6. Licorice

Licorice can work in a variety of ways to relieve inflammation in the body. Just as aloe vera gel soothes sunburn, licorice contains "softening" compounds that directly soothe irritated tissues in the digestive tract (from the throat to the intestines). Other active ingredients in licorice are similar in structure and function to cortisol, an anti-inflammatory hormone produced by our own adrenal glands (think hydrocortisone cream for eczema, or asthma pumps). So, licorice can also be useful in helping us respond well to stress, including that caused by chronic pain and the inflammatory response!

N.B. Licorice may increase blood pressure. Please consult a healthcare professional before taking it to ensure it is suitable for your condition.

Inflammation is a complex process involving a variety of transients and chemical compounds. To soothe it, various herbal remedies address different aspects of the body's inflammatory response. Therefore, it may be necessary to combine several of these herbs to fully support your personal healing journey.

This blog post was originally published on February 9, 2017