Yerba Mansa

Yerba Mansa, with Osha, is another of the Southwest’s most revered herbs. It is used for many of the same infectious conditions, such as sore throats and sinus problems, but while Osha’s effect is heating and moisturizing, Yerba Mansa is cooling and drying.

These properties are useful not just in cases of infection, but also when injury has caused inflammation and tissue congestion. Yerba Mansa is used to both directly shrink inflamed tissues and help transport the fluid buildup out of them, it also has aspirin-like effects.

This spectrum of actions, as well as its benefit in removing built-up nitrogen-based wastes from the deep tissues and joints, make it a popular remedy for arthritis as well. Its antibacterial effects can also be helpful to long-standing or difficult intestinal infections.