Agrimony - Agrimonia eupatoria

Detailed Description

A traditional herb with a wide range of uses, suitable even for newborns.

Botanical Information

Agrimony is a dark green perennial herb, reaching heights of up to 150 cm, with numerous soft hairs covering the whole plant. The flowers of agrimony exude an aromatic scent reminiscent of apricots.

This perennial features an upright stem, simple or sparsely branched, and has three types of hair. The leaves are interruptedly pinnate, green above and grey-woolly below. At the base of the stem, leaves form a rosette. The inflorescence is a spike-like raceme with dozens of leaflets. The petals are obovate, rounded at the top, and yellow. The fruit is a cup-shaped achene with straight to slightly spreading hooks.

Origin and Distribution

Agrimony is widely distributed through much of Europe, southeastern Asia, and North America. It thrives in foothill areas, lowlands, forest edges, meadows, and pastures. Agrimony grows especially well in areas with a Mediterranean climate, preferring open, dry, and sunny locations.

This Euroasian species ranges from the Canary Islands across North Africa and Europe to western Siberia. It has also been introduced by humans to the Azores, North America, southern Africa, and New Zealand. In the Czech Republic, agrimony is common in warmer regions, rarer in colder areas, and absent in mountainous zones.

Usage / Dosage

Agrimony has long been a valued and widely used medicinal plant, with records of use since ancient times. It is still employed today for treating stomach catarrh, gallbladder issues, as a gargle for sore throat, and is added to relaxing baths. It was also historically used as a dye plant.

Numerous studies have investigated the antimicrobial activity of various Agrimonia eupatoria extracts, with very promising results, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria from the acetone extract. This extract also contains the highest concentration of flavonoids, total phenols, and procyanidins.

In traditional medicine, agrimony was cited in cases of internal bleeding or to relax the bowels, and it has a great reputation for treating jaundice and other liver diseases. It was also once recommended for snakebites, gout, skin rashes, pharyngitis, blood disorders, blotches, pimples, and more. The plant is commonly used as a gargle for throat and mouth inflammations, and mixed with fat as a poultice for drawing out boils.

Traditional Uses

In official European Union documentation, agrimony is recognized as a traditional herbal medicinal product for (i) the symptomatic treatment of mild diarrhea, (ii) as a gargle for symptomatic relief of minor inflammations of the mouth and throat, and (iii) for relief of minor skin inflammations and superficial wounds. This use is based solely on long-standing tradition and experience in medical practice, rather than clinical trials.

Historical sources mention that agrimony boiled in milk was used as a remedy for male impotence, though there are also references suggesting the contrary effect when boiled in beer. In traditional phytotherapy, agrimony has been recommended for insomnia and was commonly included in herbal pillow mixtures.

Modern herbalists still prescribe agrimony for kidney, liver, bladder disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome. It has a mildly astringent effect, making it useful for mild diarrhea. It is also beneficial for gallbladder complaints and has both anti-inflammatory and drying qualities.

Active Compounds

Substances identified in Agrimonia eupatoria include tannins (mainly ellagitannins and procyanidins) and a broad spectrum of flavonoids, with luteolin, apigenin, quercetin, and kaempferol derivatives being primary components.

Comprehensive studies of polyphenolic constituents have provided a detailed evaluation of Agrimoniae herba; phenolic acids, flavan-3-ol derivatives, ellagitannins, and flavonoids are reported as the main tannin constituents.

Tannins account for about 11% proanthocyanidins and a smaller proportion of ellagitannins. Notable acids present include palmitic, salicylic, silicic, and stearic acid. More than 20 distinct flavonoids have been identified. Other ingredients include triterpenoids, phenolic acids, minerals, vitamins, and volatile compounds. Additional constituents are beta-sitosterol, polysaccharides, and unspecified coumarins.

Dosage

Agrimony is administered in the form of herbal tea, tincture (1:5 in 45% ethanol V/V), or liquid extract (1:1 in 25% ethanol V/V).

For the first application (see Uses), herbal infusions are made with 1.5–4 g of the cut aerial parts in a maximum of 250 ml of boiling water, taken 2–3 times daily. Tincture is used in doses of 1–4 ml three times a day, and the 1:1 extract is dosed at 1–3 ml three times a day.

For the second application, 1.5 g of the herb is boiled in 150 ml of hot water, 2–4 times daily as a gargle, or 3–4.5 g in 250 ml of water, 2–3 times daily. Tincture is dosed at 1–4 ml three times a day, and the liquid extract at 1–3 ml, 3 times daily. For the third use, 3–10 g of the herb is used in a maximum of 250 ml of water, either alone or added to bath water.

Internal use of agrimony is recommended for a maximum of 3 days before consulting a physician. For external use, it is advised around one week, or longer with the guidance of a healthcare professional.

It is generally not recommended for children under 12 years of age; however, traditional practice indicates that agrimony infusions are often included in baths for newborns experiencing inflammatory skin reactions.