A few years back when I was just starting to suffer from my severe osteoarthritis, a friend of ours offered me a liniment rub that a curandero made for him. He was unsure what was in it, but I suspected a base of isopropyl alcohol and some baking soda were some of the ingredients. This friend has passed, as has his curandero, and I have been searching for the recipe ever since. It didn’t take all the pain away, but it sure did make it bearable.
Another liniment that I bought in the past but can no longer find was called “Mexican Oil” and I bought it at the Fruit Basket Market on 12th Street. They had a section of local “remedios” that I loved, but the company that was making these items has disappeared. So sad. I see Mexican Oil online, but it isn’t the same thing. Not even close.
But I am a determined sort of gal and I decided to research and try come up with something on my own. In my search I found an old remedy that came from Mexico, has been used for centuries, and is still used today, despite one of the main ingredients being illegal. Abuelitas made it up and kept it in the medicine chest. They probably still do. It is very simple…a cola stem of a cannabis plant in a bottle of isopropyl alcohol. It isn’t just soaked in the alcohol and drained off as we do when making concentrated cannabis oil, but rather the whole stem is just left in there and when you’re sore, tired and in need you just sprinkle it into your hands and rub it into the skin where you need it. It’s supposed to be great relief for sore, tired or overworked muscles. It’s easier to use than a oil based product because it absorbs quickly and isn’t greasy or slick.
Do I think cannabis is what my friend’s curandero used in his liniment? Yup. And I’m sure that’s why he never shared all the ingredients in the recipe. After all, it was the mid 1980s, and we all had to deal with “Just Say No” or Reagan would lock you up and throw away the key. Bad times for sure, so our curandero took his secret to the grave.
This is such an easy thing to make and keep in the medicine cabinet for quick inflammatory pain relief and for tired, sore muscles. It invigorates as well, and just like the alcohol/water baths that my mom used on me when I was a youngster and had a bad fever, this also works to bring down a fever. You can use isopropyl alcohol or Everclear grain alcohol. You just need to throw several grams of cannabis flowers in a bottle and add a few cups of alcohol. You can even add in some essential oils with very special anti-inflammatory properties, like German Chamomile. It will make your liniment smell better too. You may thin with water before applying so it’s not too harsh on the skin. This remedio won’t get you high. The active ingredient is THC-a, an acid form of tetrahydrocannabinol that will not break though the brain/blood barrier, but is a powerful anti-inflammatory substance that is redily accepted by other receptors in your body.
I’m still on a quest to find the ingredients of the Mexican Oil liniment that I used to purchase, but for now this alcohol/cannabis rub will be in my cabinet for when I need it.
Do we use ethyl or isopropyl alcohol? Ive read isopropyl makes it toxic.
Isopropyl alcohol is only toxic if you drink it.
Is there a certain amount of other oils you should add?
You don’t need to add anything else, but you can add any kind of essential oils you think may benefit you, remembering that less is more with EOs. Also, some EOs are NOT good for your skin so be sure to do your research first. You may also add other herbs that do not irritate skin.
I have my dad’s recipie for this rub. 12 generations of healers in my Northern New Mexico family.
We put the Cannabis leaf.. Would you happen to know if it is illegal for one to have that in your home, I live in California.. I thought since the leaf is thrown away by the growers it wouldn’t be a problem but I’m not sure .
Not illegal in Calif anymore.
Can i just put the weed inside the alchool it will work too?
Yes!
You can also put in arnic flowers.
My abuela version uses alcohol de caña , rue and arnic flowers. You let it steep for a very long time…I mean 3-6 months in a cool dark place. Then we use it.
I’m not familiar with the use of Rue for this application, but arnica would be a good addition.
Maybe garden rue, an herb
I have my dad’s recipie for this. 12 generations of healers and growing in my family.
Hello is it best to use high cbd strain or high thc strain?
Both will give you relief, and neither will get you high, so your choice!
Can you use keif or does it have to be the stem and bud and leaves
Kief is fine to use.
Have severe arthritis pain in my legs so I am finding this helps.
Hello!! I am having terrible knee pain from bone on bone arthritis. We just made some of this. Do I let it sit for 3 days? When I put it on my knee, how long to I keep it on? Any info is appreciated. Thanks so much!
Let it sit for a day or so and just keep it in a dark place like the medicine chest/closet. It last a loooong time. You don’t have to wash it off. What isn’t absorbed will evaporate.
does the cannabis have to be dry before you put it in the alcohol, or can i just cut leaves off my plant and put them in the alcohol and let it sit for a few month?
I prefer using dried plant matter as do most herbalists. Also… It is the sticky trichomes present on the plant that hold the medicine, and they are most prominent in the flowers/buds and their surrounding leaves. If the leaves are not sticky they barely have any medicine in them. Cannagramma
Great story, though you didn’t mention anything about heating the cannabis before making the maceration with the alcohol. The cannabinoids in cannabis need to be heated to at least 160 degrees to allow the acids to convert to a bio-available state.
Thanks for your comment, Melinda. I didn’t mention decarboxilating because it isn’t done with this folk remedy. While it is well know that unheated cannabis does not possess much THC if any, it does contain the THC precursor, THCa, which is much more of an anti-inflammatory than THC. The THCa interacts with other receptors than the CB1 and CB2 receptors in our body’s Endocannabinoid System. THCa interacts with the same receptors that steroids use. THCa has also been determined to work better than THC for neuropathic pain. This post explains is ain a little more detail… http://cannagramma.com/2016/05/30/cannabis-medicine-it-isnt-only-about-the-endocannabinoid-system/
I too am trying this remedy for severe arthritis pains in my legs. Anymore info would be gratefully appreciated . Thanks
Well I have my Bottle of “Abuelita” (Grandma)…Mixture… My Grandma was in her 90’s when she died. We would help her Make this Rub…
Alcohol de Cana, (Alcohol make from Sugar Cane) Marijuana, use a glass bottle or jar….No need to beak down the Weed….
Put Weed
leafs, stem and all… With Alcohol de Canada (95% Rubbing Alcohol can be us) …. Keep out of Sunlight for 2 to 3 weeks….That it…. You can add Ruda (Rue plant) or Rosemary makes it stronger also you can add Olive Oil or Avocado Oil or Sunflower Oil, ext. It helps stay on skill longer also wouldn’t dry you skin…
Well I have my Bottle of “Abuelita” (Grandma)…Mixture… My Grandma was in her 90’s when she died. We would help her Make this Rub…
Alcohol de Cana, Marijuana, use a glass bottle or jar….No need to beak down the Weed….
Put Weed
leafs, stem and all… With Alcohol de Canada (95% Rubbing Alcohol can be us) …. Keep out of Sunlight for 2 to 3 weeks….That it…. You can Ruda (Rue plant) or Rosemary makes it stronger also you can add Olive Oil or Avocado Oil or Sunflower Oil, ext. It helps stay on skill longer also wouldn’t dry you skin…
This looks like a great remedy to have on hand
Cannabis plant always amazed me. Lot of things can do to it and its very useful.
Sunwest Genetics