Arnica montana is a rich source of phytochemicals that include flavonoids (quercetin, and quercetin glucosides), sesquiterpene lactones (arnicolide, helenaline and dihydro-helenaline), alcohols (arnidiol, arnilenediol, isoarnilenediol), carotenoids, essential oil, inuline, and tannins. Some of these phytochemicals may contribute towards the anti-inflammatory effects of arnica that have been reported in scientific studies. For example, in one study, researchers administered an arnica preparation to rats and then experimentally induced inflammation in the paws of the rats. The results showed that those rats which had been administered arnica had significantly lower levels of inflammation in their paws compared to control rats that received no arnica. The authors concluded that the arnica was able to reduce inflammation because it was able to block the action of histamine to cause vascular permeability and thereby limit the ability of inflammatory mediators to reach the tissues of the rats.
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