What are the effects of yarrow?
The stems, leaves and flowers of yarrow (Achilles millefolium) contain valuable ingredients such as essential oil (with 1,8-cineole), bitter, tannic and mineral substances.
Overall, yarrow exerts various healing effects:
- promotes the flow of bile
- appetizing
- antibacterial (against bacteria)
- antispasmodic
- astringent on mucous membranes (astringent)
When used externally, the wound-healing, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory and germ-inhibiting effect of yarrow comes into play. Due to this spectrum of action, yarrow is medicinally recognized in the following areas of application:
- Internal use: Loss of appetite, digestive complaints (upper abdominal complaints such as mild cramps, flatulence, etc.)
- external use: painful cramps due to nervous reasons in the pelvis of women, mild skin and mucous membrane inflammations
Yarrow also seems to be able to help women during menopause. The medicinal plant contains a phytoestrogen that can relieve typical symptoms such as nervousness or headaches during menopause.
Research results from animal studies suggest that yarrow may reduce symptoms of certain brain diseases such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. However, human studies have yet to confirm this as well.
Folk medicine also uses yarrow internally for liver and gallbladder disorders, bladder and kidney disorders, menstrual disorders, diarrhea, fever, and pain, and externally for hemorrhoids, bleeding, bruising, and burns. However, there is no scientific evidence of efficacy.
Yarrow action is similar to that of chamomile because the essential oils of both plants have some of the same components.
How is yarrow used?
To prepare tea, pour about 150 milliliters of boiling water over two teaspoons of yarrow herb. Strain the herb after ten minutes of infusion. Unless otherwise prescribed, you can drink a freshly prepared cup of yarrow tea warm between meals three to four times a day.
Painful cramps in the area of the female pelvis, for example during menstruation, can be treated with sitz baths. First make an infusion: add 100 grams of yarrow to one to two liters of boiling water and mix well.
Let it steep for 20 minutes and then strain the plant parts through a cloth. Pour the infusion into a sitz bath with about 20 liters of warm water.
Home remedies based on medicinal plants have their limitations. If your symptoms persist for a long time, do not improve or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
What side effects can yarrow cause?
People who have a general allergy to daisy plants are particularly at risk. These include arnica, mugwort and chamomile.
What you should pay attention to when using yarrow!
If you have a known allergy to daisy plants, you should not use yarrow products, either internally or externally.
Before using yarrow during pregnancy, breastfeeding and in children, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
How to obtain yarrow products
In your pharmacy or drugstore you can get the dried yarrow herb as well as various dosage forms of the medicinal plant such as yarrow tea, capsules, drops or fresh plant press juice.
For proper use, please read the respective package insert and ask your doctor or pharmacist.
What is yarrow?
Yarrow is readily eaten by sheep, hence its German name. Common yarrow (meadow yarrow, Achillea millefolium) is a usually 30 to 60 centimeters high, perennial, herbaceous plant of the composite family (Asteraceae).
The plant forms underground runners from which upright stems branch off in the upper part. These bear multiple pinnately lobed leaves with numerous narrow pinnules – hence the Latin species name “millefolium” (= thousand-leaved).
At the end of the branched stems are numerous, small basket flowers arranged in a panicle-like pseudo umbel. The flower structure is typical for this plant family: an inner basket of tubular flowers is surrounded by ray florets. The former are white to gray in color in yarrow, while the latter are white to pink.
The plant owes its scientific generic name Achillea to Greek mythology: Achilles is said to have used the plant to heal wounds, which is why it was given the name “Herb of Achilles” (Achillea).
