Yarrow Herbarium
Latin Name: Achillea millefolium
Common Names: Milfoil, bloodwort, and nosebleed (Petersen, 2018, p 19)
Family: Asteraceae
Descriptive Characteristics:
Part of the plant used: The leaves and flowers are used.
Texture: like straw
Color: green and brown
Aroma: Smells like hay
Flavor: Very bitter
Constituents: The volatile oil contains azulene, cineol, borneol, and traces of thujone and chamazulene. The leaves and flowers also contain achillein and achilleic acid as well as tannin. (Petersen, 2018, p 21) Chevallier (2016) adds volatile oil (linalool, camphor, sabinene, azulene); sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, alkaloids (achillene), triterpenes, phytosterols, tannins (p. 56).
Therapeutic Actions: Anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, expectorant. (Petersen, 2018, P 22) Hemostatic (Griffin, 1997, p. 358) Chevallier (2016) adds antispasmodic, astringent, bitter tonic, increases sweating, lowers blood pressure, reduces fever, mild diuretic/urinary antiseptic, stops internal bleeding, promotes menstruation, anti-inflammatory (p. 56).
Indications: Yarrow can be used as an antiviral and help with fevers. It can be used to detoxify the blood stream as well as for angina and hypertension. Yarrow also can be used for bronchitis, colds, fevers, heart and the circulatory system, nosebleeds, and wounds and cuts (Petersen, 2018, p 21). Chevallier (2016) add reduces heavy menstrual bleeding and eases the pain. Combined with other herbs it can aid digestion (p. 56).
Formulary:
Kennedy (2007, p. 30)
Anti-inflammatory/anti-bacterial poultice for swelling, abscess, and healing: 1T freshly chopped leaves. Apply leaves to area and wrap with soft cloth. Leave on 10-15 minutes. Do 2-3 times per day until healed.
Griffin (1997)
Bath for bruises internal/external (p. 27): The whole plant, steeped in hot water
Bleeding/wounds (p. 34, 304): crush and apply leaves.
Burns (p. 34): grind in cool water, apply.
Headaches (p. 111): In medieval days, dried/powdered leaves were snorted.
Varicose veins (P. 111): wine, honey and yarrow leaf juice, drank warm.
(p. 160): 2T each witch hazel bark, marigold flowers, yarrow leaves, comfrey leaves, burnet root, horse chestnut (optional). Steel in 2C boiled water for 20 min. Strain. Refrigerate. Apply cold.
Vein integrity (p. 160): 1 c hawthornberry tea several times weekly, eat buckwheat often.
Cold and fever tonic (p. 147): 4T spearmint leaves, 1T yarrow flowers, 1T basil leaves or elder flowers, 1T lemon balm leaves. Steep, covered, for 10-15 min in 2c boiled water. Strain. Drink ½ c at a time.
Fever (p. 233): drink a tea
Chevallier (2016)
Cleaning wounds (p. 304): Make a yarrow lotion, cool. Use as a wash.
Colds and flu (p. 311): equal parts yarrow, peppermint, and elderflower. Infuse 1t in ¼ c hot water for 10 minutes, 3/day
Digestive Infection (P. 305): Mix equal parts yarrow, peppermint, and catnip. Add 2t to ¾ c hot water. Drink 1 ¼ c/day
Fever (p. 311): High fever: Make infusion with 1 t each yarrow and boneset. Add a pinch of cayenne. Steep 5 min in 3/4c hot water, strain and drink hot. Take up to 2 1/3c/day. Mild: ½ t each yarrow and elderberry to 1/3 c hot water. Steep 10 min. Drink 2 1/3 c/day.
Varicose veins (p. 302): External: wash in cool infusion or apply ointment 1-2/day, internal: Make infusion, steep 10 minutes. ¾ - 1 ¼ c / day up to 10 weeks.
Dosage:
Petersen (2018, p 20-21)
3-4 times daily
Decoction: 2-4T
Extract: ½-1 t
Infusion: 4-8 T
Juice: 2-4 T
Essential Oil: 5-20 drops
Powder: ¼-1/2 t
Tincture: 2 t
Hoffman (p. 523-4)
1:5 25% Tincture: 2-4 ml 3 times per day
Infusion: 1-2t in 1 cup boiling hot water, steep 10-15 minutes 2 times per day/ hourly if feverish
BHC
2-4g dried herb
2-4 ml tincture
1:1 25% fluid extract: 1-2 ml
Pressed Juice: 3-5 ml from fresh herbs 3 times daily
Commission E
Pressed Juice: 3t
Fresh Flowers: 3g daily
Chevallier (2016, p. 56)
Tincture: 20 drops 3/day
Essential oil: made from the flowers, treats congestion.
Safety/Contraindications: There are none known at this time. (Petersen, 2018, p 23)
Lab, Notes And Media:
Yarrow Infusion: 1/2-oz Yarrow Achillea millefollium flowers and leaves, 1/2 pt distilled water, Honey to taste.
Administration and Dosage:
Oral use: Use one tablespoon three to four times daily.
First, I made sure everything was clean.
I placed an empty mason jar on my scale and zeroed it out then put ½ ounce of yarrow into the jar and set it aside.
I measured out 1 cup (1/2 pint) of distilled water and put that in my glass tea pot. I set it to medium because I fear heating my pot too quickly and don’t want it to break. I think I’m over cautious on this but safety first!
As the water heated up, I had to rescue my sample from my 2-year-old who loves “helping”.
After the water was boiling, I poured it into my waiting jar. I noted the herbs were floating. I then chased down my child because she had taken a piece of her desk off and it has nails in it… I then came back and set the timer for 15 minutes. Now we get to see if I can actually check my lab at the 15 minute mark…
While 15 minutes is a “short” period of time, I decided to put the clothes in the dryer. The dryer decided to make a LOUD clunk and though the drum is now turning, it smells like smoke so… I decided to go to the bathroom then check my timer. My child then decided to fall … By the time I got back to my infusion, I can only estimate about an hour had gone by. So I got it strained into a short amber jar I use flour towels for all my straining). I forgot what size the jars are.
My daughter wanted to help but I just let her smell then I tasted it. It was extremely bitter and I didn’t even want to swallow. Somehow I did then reached for my new jar of raw honey. Anyone who had class with me last semester knows I hate the taste of honey but when I saw the raw honey, I decided to give it a go. I added 2 teaspoons of honey and it has barely made a dent in the flavor. I don’t know why it smells pleasantly of hay but the taste is such a shock. I also don’t know why all my samples seem to smell like hay to me… LOL I have decided it will take a LOT of this honey to make it taste good which is probably why cough syrup is so thick and sticky… Since we never get sick and it will go bad in 48 hours, I will reserve the honey ($8 a jar) for if we do actually get sick.
I made a tincture with this herb (yes, it’s my favorite way to use herbs). Though the recipe says 1:5, the ratio didn’t wet the herbs well enough so I used 1:10. I used 25% alcohol as the recipe but the one I used was 40% so I had to dilute it. I used 22g of herb. I used 140ml of alcohol. I used 80 ml of distilled water. It was ready in 14 days. The yield was 125ml. I wrote here he smell was amazing. Since colds are the most common illness, I wanted this for the antiviral properties and fever-busting ability.
Common Names: Milfoil, bloodwort, and nosebleed (Petersen, 2018, p 19)
Family: Asteraceae
Descriptive Characteristics:
Part of the plant used: The leaves and flowers are used.
Texture: like straw
Color: green and brown
Aroma: Smells like hay
Flavor: Very bitter
Constituents: The volatile oil contains azulene, cineol, borneol, and traces of thujone and chamazulene. The leaves and flowers also contain achillein and achilleic acid as well as tannin. (Petersen, 2018, p 21) Chevallier (2016) adds volatile oil (linalool, camphor, sabinene, azulene); sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, alkaloids (achillene), triterpenes, phytosterols, tannins (p. 56).
Therapeutic Actions: Anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, expectorant. (Petersen, 2018, P 22) Hemostatic (Griffin, 1997, p. 358) Chevallier (2016) adds antispasmodic, astringent, bitter tonic, increases sweating, lowers blood pressure, reduces fever, mild diuretic/urinary antiseptic, stops internal bleeding, promotes menstruation, anti-inflammatory (p. 56).
Indications: Yarrow can be used as an antiviral and help with fevers. It can be used to detoxify the blood stream as well as for angina and hypertension. Yarrow also can be used for bronchitis, colds, fevers, heart and the circulatory system, nosebleeds, and wounds and cuts (Petersen, 2018, p 21). Chevallier (2016) add reduces heavy menstrual bleeding and eases the pain. Combined with other herbs it can aid digestion (p. 56).
Formulary:
Kennedy (2007, p. 30)
Anti-inflammatory/anti-bacterial poultice for swelling, abscess, and healing: 1T freshly chopped leaves. Apply leaves to area and wrap with soft cloth. Leave on 10-15 minutes. Do 2-3 times per day until healed.
Griffin (1997)
Bath for bruises internal/external (p. 27): The whole plant, steeped in hot water
Bleeding/wounds (p. 34, 304): crush and apply leaves.
Burns (p. 34): grind in cool water, apply.
Headaches (p. 111): In medieval days, dried/powdered leaves were snorted.
Varicose veins (P. 111): wine, honey and yarrow leaf juice, drank warm.
(p. 160): 2T each witch hazel bark, marigold flowers, yarrow leaves, comfrey leaves, burnet root, horse chestnut (optional). Steel in 2C boiled water for 20 min. Strain. Refrigerate. Apply cold.
Vein integrity (p. 160): 1 c hawthornberry tea several times weekly, eat buckwheat often.
Cold and fever tonic (p. 147): 4T spearmint leaves, 1T yarrow flowers, 1T basil leaves or elder flowers, 1T lemon balm leaves. Steep, covered, for 10-15 min in 2c boiled water. Strain. Drink ½ c at a time.
Fever (p. 233): drink a tea
Chevallier (2016)
Cleaning wounds (p. 304): Make a yarrow lotion, cool. Use as a wash.
Colds and flu (p. 311): equal parts yarrow, peppermint, and elderflower. Infuse 1t in ¼ c hot water for 10 minutes, 3/day
Digestive Infection (P. 305): Mix equal parts yarrow, peppermint, and catnip. Add 2t to ¾ c hot water. Drink 1 ¼ c/day
Fever (p. 311): High fever: Make infusion with 1 t each yarrow and boneset. Add a pinch of cayenne. Steep 5 min in 3/4c hot water, strain and drink hot. Take up to 2 1/3c/day. Mild: ½ t each yarrow and elderberry to 1/3 c hot water. Steep 10 min. Drink 2 1/3 c/day.
Varicose veins (p. 302): External: wash in cool infusion or apply ointment 1-2/day, internal: Make infusion, steep 10 minutes. ¾ - 1 ¼ c / day up to 10 weeks.
Dosage:
Petersen (2018, p 20-21)
3-4 times daily
Decoction: 2-4T
Extract: ½-1 t
Infusion: 4-8 T
Juice: 2-4 T
Essential Oil: 5-20 drops
Powder: ¼-1/2 t
Tincture: 2 t
Hoffman (p. 523-4)
1:5 25% Tincture: 2-4 ml 3 times per day
Infusion: 1-2t in 1 cup boiling hot water, steep 10-15 minutes 2 times per day/ hourly if feverish
BHC
2-4g dried herb
2-4 ml tincture
1:1 25% fluid extract: 1-2 ml
Pressed Juice: 3-5 ml from fresh herbs 3 times daily
Commission E
Pressed Juice: 3t
Fresh Flowers: 3g daily
Chevallier (2016, p. 56)
Tincture: 20 drops 3/day
Essential oil: made from the flowers, treats congestion.
Safety/Contraindications: There are none known at this time. (Petersen, 2018, p 23)
Lab, Notes And Media:
Yarrow Infusion: 1/2-oz Yarrow Achillea millefollium flowers and leaves, 1/2 pt distilled water, Honey to taste.
Administration and Dosage:
Oral use: Use one tablespoon three to four times daily.
First, I made sure everything was clean.
I placed an empty mason jar on my scale and zeroed it out then put ½ ounce of yarrow into the jar and set it aside.
I measured out 1 cup (1/2 pint) of distilled water and put that in my glass tea pot. I set it to medium because I fear heating my pot too quickly and don’t want it to break. I think I’m over cautious on this but safety first!
As the water heated up, I had to rescue my sample from my 2-year-old who loves “helping”.
After the water was boiling, I poured it into my waiting jar. I noted the herbs were floating. I then chased down my child because she had taken a piece of her desk off and it has nails in it… I then came back and set the timer for 15 minutes. Now we get to see if I can actually check my lab at the 15 minute mark…
While 15 minutes is a “short” period of time, I decided to put the clothes in the dryer. The dryer decided to make a LOUD clunk and though the drum is now turning, it smells like smoke so… I decided to go to the bathroom then check my timer. My child then decided to fall … By the time I got back to my infusion, I can only estimate about an hour had gone by. So I got it strained into a short amber jar I use flour towels for all my straining). I forgot what size the jars are.
My daughter wanted to help but I just let her smell then I tasted it. It was extremely bitter and I didn’t even want to swallow. Somehow I did then reached for my new jar of raw honey. Anyone who had class with me last semester knows I hate the taste of honey but when I saw the raw honey, I decided to give it a go. I added 2 teaspoons of honey and it has barely made a dent in the flavor. I don’t know why it smells pleasantly of hay but the taste is such a shock. I also don’t know why all my samples seem to smell like hay to me… LOL I have decided it will take a LOT of this honey to make it taste good which is probably why cough syrup is so thick and sticky… Since we never get sick and it will go bad in 48 hours, I will reserve the honey ($8 a jar) for if we do actually get sick.
I made a tincture with this herb (yes, it’s my favorite way to use herbs). Though the recipe says 1:5, the ratio didn’t wet the herbs well enough so I used 1:10. I used 25% alcohol as the recipe but the one I used was 40% so I had to dilute it. I used 22g of herb. I used 140ml of alcohol. I used 80 ml of distilled water. It was ready in 14 days. The yield was 125ml. I wrote here he smell was amazing. Since colds are the most common illness, I wanted this for the antiviral properties and fever-busting ability.
Research:
Rezatofighi et al. (2014) wanted to see if natural remedies work against Newcastle Disease which is present in chickens. Since vaccination has not been working, a treatment plan that would not endanger the birds was needed. They looked at thyme and yarrow, both were effective. They therapeutic actions they called out for yarrow were anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiviral. They also said this plant has been used for centuries, originating in Europe and it spread to Asia.
Griffin (1997) states there are fossils of this herb that date back over 60k years (p 15).
References
Chevallier, A. (2016). Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine: 550 Herbs and Remedies for common Ailments. New York, NY: DK, a Division of Penguin Random House, LLC. p. 56.
Gladstar, R. (2012). Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing. 9, 15-7, 47, 106, 137, 163, 190-1, 212-6.
Griffin, J. (1997). Mother Nature’s Herbal: A Complete Guide for Experiencing the Beauty, Knowledge, & Synergy of Everything that Grows. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications. P. 8, 10, 15, 27, 34, 35, 76, 111, 147, 160, 233, 250, 261, 279, 281, 285, 304-5, 338, 358, 360, 363.
Hoffman, David. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press. P. 523-4.
Kennedy, A. (2007). Herbal Medicine: Natural Remedies, 150 Herbal Remedies to Common Ailments. Berkeley, CA: Althea Press. p. 30, 221
Petersen, D. (2018). Herb 503: Advanced Herbal Materica Medica II. American College of Healthcare Sciences. p 19-23.
Rezatofighi, S. E., Seydebadi, A., Mansour, S., and Nejad, S. (2014). Evaluating the Efficacy of Achillea millefolium and Thymus vulgaris Extracts Against Newcastle Disease Virus in Ovo. Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology. 2014 February; 7(2): e9016. DOI: 10.5812/jjm.9016
Rezatofighi et al. (2014) wanted to see if natural remedies work against Newcastle Disease which is present in chickens. Since vaccination has not been working, a treatment plan that would not endanger the birds was needed. They looked at thyme and yarrow, both were effective. They therapeutic actions they called out for yarrow were anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiviral. They also said this plant has been used for centuries, originating in Europe and it spread to Asia.
Griffin (1997) states there are fossils of this herb that date back over 60k years (p 15).
References
Chevallier, A. (2016). Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine: 550 Herbs and Remedies for common Ailments. New York, NY: DK, a Division of Penguin Random House, LLC. p. 56.
Gladstar, R. (2012). Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing. 9, 15-7, 47, 106, 137, 163, 190-1, 212-6.
Griffin, J. (1997). Mother Nature’s Herbal: A Complete Guide for Experiencing the Beauty, Knowledge, & Synergy of Everything that Grows. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications. P. 8, 10, 15, 27, 34, 35, 76, 111, 147, 160, 233, 250, 261, 279, 281, 285, 304-5, 338, 358, 360, 363.
Hoffman, David. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press. P. 523-4.
Kennedy, A. (2007). Herbal Medicine: Natural Remedies, 150 Herbal Remedies to Common Ailments. Berkeley, CA: Althea Press. p. 30, 221
Petersen, D. (2018). Herb 503: Advanced Herbal Materica Medica II. American College of Healthcare Sciences. p 19-23.
Rezatofighi, S. E., Seydebadi, A., Mansour, S., and Nejad, S. (2014). Evaluating the Efficacy of Achillea millefolium and Thymus vulgaris Extracts Against Newcastle Disease Virus in Ovo. Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology. 2014 February; 7(2): e9016. DOI: 10.5812/jjm.9016
The image at the top of this page is from the lesson from American College of Healthcare Sciences. The rest of the images are the personal property of the site owner. All rights reserved.