Motherwort Tincture

Overview

Extracted from: Dried leaves and flowers
Herb:Alcohol Ratio- 1:2

Introduction

 

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)  has been used to help with heart problems since ancient times. It was traditionally used to treat angina on effort, high blood pressure and an overactive, racing heart rate.

Motherwort has a wide range of historical indications.  The name motherwort shows us that it was obviously used to help with women’s troubles such as pain in the womb area or menstrual issues.  It was also been used when a woman’s menstrual cycles are off.  A saying from the Middle Ages goes, “Drink motherwort tea and live to be a source of continuous astonishment and frustration to wanting heirs!”

Packaging and Shipping

2 fl. oz., and 4 fl. oz. extracts come in amber glass bottles with a dropper.

Typical Preparations

*Dosage suggestion: 10-20 drops as needed as needed under the tongnue or in water.

A tincture is a concentrated liquid form of an herb.  Tinctures preserve and concentrate the properties of the herb, which makes the effects of the herb stronger and longer lasting.  Our alcohol based tinctures have a shelf life of several years and can be consumed in water or under the tongue.

Summary

•  In German official medicine Motherwort is recommended to treat nervous cardiac disorders and as an adjuvant therapy for thyroid disorders (Blumenthal M et al, eds: German Commission E monographs therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, Austin, 1998)
• Motherwort contains a substance called leonurine that has been shown to encourage uterine contractions lending support to its traditional use in childbirth and as a promoter of menstruation (Cheng KF et al: Experientia 35(5):571-572, 1979)
•  Motherwort has been used in Chinese medicine to treat coronary heart disease in people with favourable results and laboratory studies in China have shown it has an anti-spasmodic action on heart muscle cells (Kuang PG et al: J Tradit Chin Med 8(1):37-40, 1988)
•  In laboratory experiments Motherwort extracts have been shown to reduce high blood pressure and to exert a mild sedative and antispasmodic effect (Arustamova FA: Izv Akad Nauk Arm SSR Biol Nauki 1963,16(7):47-52)
•  Laboratory experiments in 1990 showed a mixture of Hawthorn and Motherwort could prove an effective prevention or treatment for atherosclerosis but this has not been followed up, presumably like so many other herbal studies showing great promise for application to humans but not being able to be patented by anyone, due to a lack of funding.

Precautions

Motherwort is often advised against during pregnancy in some texts but in fact it is generally regarded as an extremely safe herb to take at any age and whilst breast-feeding or during pregnancy. The caution re pregnancy likely comes from something of an over-reaction to studies on its constituent Leonurine, which has increased tone and contractions in isolated uterine muscle. The German Commission E advises that there are no known contraindications for this herb in pregnancy.

 

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For educational purposes only.