Heart team

Latin name: Leonurus cardicaGenus: Labiate family: Heart-gold, heart-shaped, lion’s tail protected! Plant description: Up to over knee-high plant, stem square-grooved, leaves densely hairy and serrated at the edges. The small flowers pale red. Flowering time: July to AugustOrigin: In Europe, North America, Central Asia wild on fences, roadsides dry meadows. Cultivated in Eastern Europe.

Medicinally used plant parts

The flowering herb (without roots, without the rough, woody stem parts). Harvested at flowering time, gently dried. The seeds.

Ingredients

Bitter substance, little essential oil, tanning agents, small amounts of alkaloids.

Healing effects and use of heart team

Menopausal symptoms with hot flushes and anxiety, strong palpitations, nervous restlessness with difficulty breathing. Heart tonic together with valerian and hawthorn. Possible also for flatulence and irritation in the stomach and intestinal area.

Preparation of heart team

Heart tea: Pour 1⁄4 l boiling water over 2 level teaspoons of the dried herb, leave to infuse for 10 minutes, strain. Drink one cup lukewarm and unsweetened every morning and evening. A cure over several weeks is recommended.

Combination with other medicinal plants

To stimulate the blood circulation in elderly people who suffer from insomnia, mood swings, anxiety due to vascular calcification, the following tea mixture is possible: Heart Tension Weed 20.0 g/St. John’s Wort 15.0 gHawthorn Blossoms 10.0 g/Melissa Leaves 10.0 gBaldrian Root 5.0 gTwo teaspoons of this mixture with 1⁄4 l boiling water, strain after 5 minutes. To calm down nervousness and anxiety: Heart-shaped weed 20.0 gMelissa leaves 10.0 gJohn’s wort 10.0 gBaldrian root 10.0 gTwo teaspoons of this mixture with 1⁄4 l boiling water, let it stand for 5 minutes, strain.

Side effect

Large quantities in overdose can cause vomiting and abdominal pain.