Benefits of Usnea or Old Mans Beard.
 
Usnea Lichen is a powerful antibiotic, anti-fungal, antimicrobial, and antiviral.   Used when travelling a spray of the tincture on the back of your throat can prevent illness from taking hold.  Its also very effective used topically as a wound dressing.   Usnea contains antibiotic compounds that rival penicillin.  For gram-positive bacteria like Streptococcus, Pneumono-coccus, MRSA and tuberculosis it works extremely well.  It doesn't work so well for gram negative bacteria like ecoli. 
Usnea is very effective in treating viral infections such as herpes, simplex and the Epstein Barr virus that is implicated in so many modern diseases.
Usnea helps heal respiratory problems such as bronchitis, pneumonia, sinus infections, strep throat, colds, flus and other respiratory complaints.  It is very effective in healing urinary tract, bladder and kidney infections.  
In Chinese medicine, usnea’s cool, drying tendency helps the body clear damp heat.