Yarrow

Legend has it that during the Trojan War, Achilles stopped the bleeding of his fellow soldiers’ wounds by applying yarrow’s fern-like leaves. Scientists have discovered that the hero may have been onto something.

The herb has many popular names including herbe militaire, nosebleed wort, soldier’s woundwort, and bloodwort. The word “wort” meant “plant” in Old English. It has been used for centuries as a method to stop bleeding and repair wounds. Native Americans adopted the use of yarrow for the same reasons, but also for the treatment of toothaches, sore throats, arthritis, insomnia, and indigestion.

Yarrow contains substances that may stop bleeding and may have pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties helpful in wound treatment. Yarrow also appears to have potential as a digestive aid, menstrual remedy, and mild sedative.

Yarrow Medicinal Uses

If Achilles had had some yarrow on hand when his vulnerable heel was wounded, he might have survived the Trojan War. Yarrow contains many chemicals that support its traditional use as a wound treatment. Two of these chemicals - achilletin and achilleine - spur blood coagulation. Several more, azulene, camphor, eugenol, menthol, quercetin, rutin, and salicylic acid, have anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. Several others, tannins, terpeniol, and cineol, are antiseptic.

Yarrow helps relax the smooth muscle tissue of the digestive tract. This makes the herb an antispasmodic. It has been endorsed as a digestive aid. This property of yarrow also soothes the uterus muscles, which lends credibility to yarrow’s effectiveness in treating menstrual cramps.

Yarrow also contains a small amount of a hypnotic chemical called thujone, which has been compared to marijuana in its effects. The thujone in yarrow accounts for its use as a sedative.

Animal studies have shown that yarrow protects the liver from toxic chemical damage, and a scientific trial in India found that yarrow helps treat hepatitis. If you have liver disease, ask your doctor about using yarrow in addition to standard therapies.

Yarrow Dosage

To treat wounds, press fresh leaves and flowers into cuts and scrapes until you can wash and bandage them. To help promote healing, apply the herb externally to clean wounds and inflamed skin.

For yarrow tea to soothe stomach upset and possibly act as a tranquilizer, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain. Drink up to 3 cups a day. Yarrow tastes tangy and bitter, with some astringency. To improve the flavor, add honey, sugar and lemon or mix it with another herbal drink.

As an extract, use ½ to 1 teaspoon up to 3 times a day to treat skin infections and wounds.

Yarrow Safety

In large amounts thujone is poisonous, but the recommended amounts of yarrow do not supply enough thujone to cause harm.

High doses of yarrow may turn urine dark brown. This is harmless and should not cause alarm. For adults who are not pregnant or nursing and are not taking tranquilizers or sedative drugs, yarrow is considered safe in regularly recommended dosages. If it causes rash or diarrhea consult your doctor.