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Common Name/s: |
Other Name/s: |
Botanical name/s: |
| Agrimony, Common Agrimony |
Church Steeples, Sticklewort, Cocklebur, Stickwort |
Agrimonia Eupatoria,
Agrimonia odorata |
General description and domicile:
Most of temperate parts of the northern hemisphere but claimed to have
originated in England where the plant grows abundantly. It is found in ditches,
hedges and fields.
Agrimony is perennial, has bright green, hairy leaves that are grey/silver
underneath and flowers in July to early September. It hardly grows taller than
two feet with the bottom leaves (pinnate) growing to around six to nine inches
long with progressively smaller leaves higher up the plant. Numerous, small
yellow flowers on long slender spikes. Although Agrimony belongs to the same
order as the rose the flowers are modest in shape.
Some of the plants grow abnormally big, which, in times past, were classified as
a different species (hence Agrimonia odorata) but
this is no longer a valid specie. It is more likely that it responds to better
growing environment by growing bigger.
The use of Agrimony as a medicinal herb goes back to the time of
the ancient Greeks and before. It was valued by the Greeks as a plant for
healing eye infections and wounds. As with all the healing herbs it was tried
for everything including jaundice, snake bites and gun wounds. Culpepper, like
always, praised the plant for its healing powers as a decoction from anything
from skin eruptions to ague and snake bite.
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Remedy Profile
Primary therapeutic effects:
Traditionally Agrimony has been used for diarrhea (particularly in
children) colitis and sore throat. It is also effective against Colic, gall
stones, cystitis and urinary infections.
It is used in topical application for skin infections and boils.
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Secondary therapeutic effects:
Some publications mention Agrimony as a treatment for Asthma but
I have not been able to find any real corroborative evidence.
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Minor and potential therapeutic effects:
These are differentiated from the major therapeutic effects of Agrimony for
the following reasons: either the constituent that causes the effect is relatively weak
(in other words marginal efficacy) or the constituent causing the effect is
present in Agrimony but in such small quantities that it is too low in dosage.
Potential therapeutic effects are also noted here when there is some evidence of
effect or efficacy but the information is either anecdotal or subjected to too
little testing to be conclusive. Not all herbs have minor effects noted.
Experiments and tests indicate that Agrimony may be
anti-diabetic and antiviral.
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How to choose the right remedy/Herb:
In many cases there are several herbal remedies to choose from. This can be
very confusing. Our
Choose the Herbal Remedy page explains how to refine your
choice
Cultivation of Agrimony:
Agrimony can be grown from seed. It prefers shady areas but will
also grow in direct sun. It does best in alkaline soils.
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Part used:
The entire herb.
Remedy preparation:
Because Agrimony contains a volatile oil excessive heat should not be used in
the preparation of the extract to prevent the volatile oil from evaporating.
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Contra-indications:
None
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Properties:
Diuretic
Astringent (mild)
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Constituents:
Catechins: A condensed Tannin used in the
cosmetic industry for brown and black coloring. It is astringent and may cause
allergic reactions.
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Tannins: Tannins are the largest group of polyphenols found
widely in bark, wood, leaves and even some fruit. Widely used to tan animal
hides in the leather production industry this constituent is an Astringent,
works against inflammation in mucus membranes and other skin conditions,
prevents bleeding of small wounds as well as uterine bleeding and is effective
against diarrhoea and dysentery. Tannins should be used with care as they
tend to inhibit the absorption of other nutrients and substances therefore
reducing the efficacy of other medicinal compounds in the medication. |
Ellagitannins:
A Hydrolysable tannin. Ellagitannins break down in hydrolysis
to ellagic acid and glucose. Ellagitannins are soluble in water and alcohol.
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Hydrolysable Tannins:
Hydrolysable tannins are normally compounds that have a
central core of glucose or other polyhydric alcohol esterified with gallic acid
(gallotannins) or hexahydroxydiphenic acid (ellagitannins).
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Quercetin:
A Flavonoid
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Flavonoids: Flavonoids occur (as white and yellow plant pigments
found almost as commonly as chlorophyll) as Glycosides or in a free state. In
plants it is essential for protecting plant tissue from UV radiation and acts as
antioxidants. As pigments it is also responsible for Autumn colors in leaves and
yellow/red pigmentation in flowers. Laboratory experiments have been
conducted on the beneficiary effect of Flavonoids on the heart and circulatory
system. Flavonoids are also used to mitigate stress, especially environmental
stress. Flavonoids are often used for their antioxidant effect against free
radicals. There are also strong indications that they have antiviral,
anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive properties but dosage has not been
determined which will obviously have a profound effect on their efficacy as a
component of this herb. |
Apigenin: A Flavone. Flavones are the most common substances in
the flavonoid group. Apigenins have been shown to have spasmolytic and topical
anti-inflammatory properties.
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Flavonoids: Flavonoids occur (as white and yellow plant pigments
found almost as commonly as chlorophyll) as Glycosides or in a free state. In
plants it is essential for protecting plant tissue from UV radiation and acts as
antioxidants. As pigments it is also responsible for Autumn colors in leaves and
yellow/red pigmentation in flowers. Laboratory experiments have been
conducted on the beneficiary effect of Flavonoids on the heart and circulatory
system. Flavonoids are also used to mitigate stress, especially environmental
stress. Flavonoids are often used for their antioxidant effect against free
radicals. There are also strong indications that they have antiviral,
anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive properties but dosage has not been
determined which will obviously have a profound effect on their efficacy as a
component of this herb. |
A Volatile oil
Small quantities of Triterpenes:
Triterpenes: A very wide group of compounds that include
saponins and steroids some of which could be harmful.
Salicylic Acid C7H6O3:
Salicylic Acid rarely occurs in plants. It is mostly the
glycosides like salicin that is found in plants.
Salicylic acid is a crystaline carboxylated phenol, Carboxylic acid and hydroxyl
group included in a benzene ring. It is toxic in large doses but in smaller
doses has many uses other than analgesic being a food preservative and important
component in skin care products for the treatment of acne, psoriases, dandruff
etc.
Salicylic acid must not be used by people that have an aspirin or salicytate
sensitivity. It should also not be used by people that tend to gastric
hemorrhage or suffer from low blood pressure.
Salicylic acid (in the form of Willow bark) has been used as an analgesic and
febrifuge for hundreds of years but was first extracted from meadowsweet in pure
form in 1938 and later synthesized by a German chemist (Kolbe) in 1860 (known as
Kolbe-Schmidt reaction). In 1899 the Bayer Company started manufacturing it
naming it Aspirin.
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