Yarrow: Benefits, Dosage, Contraindications
Other name(s)
Common Yarrow
Scientific name(s)
Achillea millefolium
Family or group:
Plants
Indications
Rating methodology
EFSA approval.
Skin Wound Healing ✪✪✪✪✪
Yarrow is traditionally used for supporting minor wound healing. A preliminary clinical study focusing on treating nipple inflammations and fissures in breastfeeding patients revealed promising results. The study involved topically applying a yarrow preparation twice daily immediately after breastfeeding over a seven-day period. To obtain this preparation, 30 g of yarrow was boiled in a liter of water for ten minutes. The observed results were encouraging: a noticeable reduction in redness and pain, indicating an improvement in the initial inflammatory state. The beneficial effects observed from applying yarrow were not significantly different from those achieved through the topical application of honey or breast milk, two other natural remedies traditionally recommended for similar symptoms. Other clinical research conducted on postpartum women with episiotomy revealed that applying a 5% yarrow ointment on the clean and dried suture area twice a day for ten days reduced pain, redness, and perineal swelling 1 to 2 weeks after the intervention compared to a placebo ointment or no treatment. These results confirm the traditional use of yarrow in the care of minor wounds and support the interest for more in-depth studies on its healing properties. The essential oil is also used in combination with a cream or vegetable oil for topical application.
Posologie
Topically: flowering tops
1.5 - 2 g
essential oil, ointment, mother tincture
The Effect of Achillea Millefolium and Hypericum Perforatum Ointments on Episiotomy Wound Healing in Primiparous Women
Comparing the Effects of Yarrow, Honey, and Breast Milk for Healing Nipple Fissure
E/S/C/O/P: 2nd Edition of the ESCOP Monographs
Dysmenorrhea ✪✪✪✪✪
The effectiveness of yarrow in treating symptoms related to menstrual periods is linked to its antispasmodic action. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has officially classified it as a traditional herbal medicine, specifically for its action on minor spasms associated with menstruation. This recognition is supported by scientific research, including a preliminary clinical study focusing on patients suffering from dysmenorrhea. The study revealed that regular consumption of a yarrow tea can help alleviate these pains. The specific method employed consisted of taking 4 g of yarrow as tea, three times daily during the first three days of two consecutive menstrual cycles. The results demonstrated a modest but significant reduction in dysmenorrhea-related pain compared to a placebo tea. The essential oil can also be used in combination with vegetable oil, applied in a massage on the abdomen.
Posologie
Topically, orally: flowering tops
4 g
essential oil, tea/infusion
Irritable Bowel Syndrome ✪✪✪✪✪
Clinical research shows that taking a capsule containing ginger, boswellia, and yarrow three times daily for 30 days improves pain by 46% and gastrointestinal symptoms by 60% compared to placebo in patients with mild to moderate IBS. Patients also noted an improvement in overall mood compared to placebo.
Posologie
Orally: flowering tops
1.5 - 2 g
tea/infusion
Synergies
Appetite Stimulation ✪✪✪✪✪
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP) recommend the use of yarrow as a traditional herbal remedy, specifically intended for the treatment of temporary episodes of appetite loss.
Posologie
Oral: flowering tops
1.5 - 2 g
herbal tea/tea/infusion
Digestive disorders ✪✪✪✪✪
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recognizes yarrow as a traditional herbal therapeutic option effective for the symptomatic treatment of mild, spasmodic gastrointestinal disorders, including bloating and flatulence. Similarly, the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP) highlights its utility in managing dyspeptic disorders, specifically to soothe mild spasmodic complaints in the abdominal region. The essential oil can also be used when mixed with a vegetable oil, applied as a massage on the abdomen.
Posologie
Cutaneous, oral: flowering tops
1.5 - 2 g
essential oil, herbal tea/tea/infusion
Properties
Antispasmodic
Yarrow is traditionally used in folk medicine for its antispasmodic properties, particularly in treating gastrointestinal disorders. The antispasmodic mechanism is primarily attributed to its flavonoid content. Studies have shown that yarrow extracts act similarly to known antispasmodic drugs, inhibiting intestinal contractions in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, yarrow offers interesting potential as a natural antispasmodic treatment, primarily by blocking calcium channels and involving the nitric and adrenergic systems, thanks to the presence of active flavonoids like apigenin.
Usages associés
Gastroprotective
Yarrow is traditionally used for stomach ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems. In animal research, yarrow extract protects the gastric mucosa against ulcers by inhibiting gastric secretion or increasing mucosal blood flow.
Usages associés
Antimicrobial
Yarrow is effective against various bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. Research has revealed that the essential oil has notable antimicrobial activity against 8 bacteria, 14 fungi, and the yeast C. albicans, while the methanolic extract is inactive. Additionally, the essential oil proved effective against Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium involved in dental caries. Extracts from several yarrow species, including A. millefolium, have demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, effective against bacteria such as S. aureus, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and Salmonella enteritidis, as well as fungi A. niger and C. albicans. These results suggest yarrow could be particularly useful in treating antibiotic-resistant infections, such as certain extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli strains responsible for urinary and bloodstream infections. The antimicrobial activity of yarrow doesn't stop there. Studies have also shown that this plant's extracts inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium associated with gastric and duodenal ulcers and gastric cancer.
Hematological Effect
Achilleine, an alkaloid constituent of yarrow, may decrease coagulation time and be responsible for its hemostatic properties.
Microcirculatory Effect
Yarrow may improve exchanges through capillaries and venules. Often added in blends to improve venous return. No studies to date support this property.
Estrogenic Action
Yarrow is commonly used in traditional medicine to promote and regulate the menstrual cycle. Laboratory studies indicate that extracts of this plant possess slightly estrogenic properties, mainly attributed to compounds like apigenin and luteolin.
Safety dosage
Adult from 18 years: 600 mg (dry extract)
- Herbal tea: 1.5-2 g of ground plant material in 250 ml of boiling water infused 2 times a day. For the indication "loss of appetite," the tea should be taken 30 minutes before meals. - Tincture TM: 20-30 drops in 50 ml of water, 2 times a day half an hour before meals. - Dry extract: 600 mg/day.
Plantes ou autres actifs
Yarrow: weak interaction
Concomitant use may increase the risk of Thujone toxicity. Herbs containing Thujone include sage, cedar, and wormwood.
Yarrow: weak interaction
Concomitant use may increase the risk of Thujone toxicity.
Precautions
Child from 12 to 18 years: avoid
Use in children under 12 years has not been established due to lack of data.
Breastfeeding woman: avoid
Safety during breastfeeding has not been established.
Allergies: use with caution
Hypersensitivity to the active substance and other plants in the Asteraceae family.
Contraindications
Pregnant woman: prohibited
Yarrow is reputed to be abortive and affects the menstrual cycle.
