Yarrow, milfoil or nosebleed is a plant native to Europe and Asia. It is now naturalised in North America and there are several hybrids of yarrow. A. millefolium is the plant most known and has been used since the times of the ancient Chinese. It was once referred to as Englishman’s quinine. In herbal medicine the flowering tops are freshly collected and used.

Medicinal Properties of Yarrow

It contains a wide variety of compounds including volatile oil, sesquiterpene lactones, flavanoids, alkaloids, polyacetylenes, triterpenes, sterols, phenolic acids, coumarins and 3% to 4% tannins. The volatile oil contains chemicals called chamazeulines which are thought to be anti-inflammatory. The flavanoids, namely apigenin, appear to be antispasmodic in action. The alkaloids and sesquiterpene lactones give the herb digestive bitter properties, and the haemostatic effect (stops bleeding) is attributed to the alkaloid, achilleine, though the tannins may also be responsible. It is diaphoretic (reduces sweating), hypotensive, analgesic and an emmenagogue (stimulates menstruation).

Yarrow Herbal Remedies

Historically Yarrow has been used to treat a number of conditions including:

Amenorrhoea (lack of menstruation)
Colds and influenza
Colic
Chrohn’s disease
Diarrhoea
Feverish conditions
High blood pressure
Heartburn
Indigestion
Nosebleeds
Poor appetite
PMS
Skin inflammation and rashes (topically)
Ulcerative colitis
Ulcers
Vaginal discharge (suppository or injected)
Varicose veins
Wound healing (topically)

Other Yarrow Information

It can be infused and easily made into a herbal tea (take three times a day), tinctures and liquid extracts are also available (and topical creams are sometimes available for external use). It can be used in tincture for children above one year of age (a simple guide for dosage is one drop per stone of weight).

Side Effects of Yarrow

Some individuals may be sensitive to yarrow and other members of the Compositae family, other people may find that it makes them more sensitive to sunlight.

It should not be used during pregnancy and lactation.

At the time of writing there are no other well known side effects, drug interactions or contra-indications.

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