Shepherd’s Purse - Capsella bursa-pastoris
This is a “weed” from the mustard family, Brassicaceae. It originated in the Mediterranean region but today is found in most temperate regions of the world. Capsella bursa-pastoris occurs throughout the U.S.A. and Canada. Shepherd's Purse is rich in polyphenols that are anti-Inflammatory and antioxidative. It is antimicrobial, and anticancer, hepatoprotective and sedative. It is being studied for use against Alzheimer’s disease, and cervical cancer.1 It is hepatoprotective and lowers cholesterol.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is considered a contraceptive. It is hemostatic, diuretic and antipyretic. It is used to treat edema, and hypertension. A tea is used as antiscorbutic, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, hemostatic, and hypotensive. It has been used for internal hemorrhages of all kinds. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh plant to be used in the treatment of nosebleeds and urinary calculus.2
The alkaloids in this plant are antimicrobial against P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, Streptococcus mutans, S. sanguis, Actinomyces viscosus, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aerogenesis, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. It is antifungal against C. albicans, C. dupliniensis C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis.
Tincture dosing: 30 drops in water 3 times a day for a maximum of 3 weeks. Start slowly as allergies and intolerances are always possible.
Contraindications: Speak to your doctor if you are taking blood thinners or have thyroid disease. Do not use it if you are pregnant.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose or treat any illness.
1Łukaszyk, Aleksandra, Inga Kwiecień, and Agnieszka Szopa. 2024. "Traditional Uses, Bioactive Compounds, and New Findings on Pharmacological, Nutritional, Cosmetic and Biotechnology Utility of Capsella bursa-pastoris" Nutrients 16, no. 24: 4390. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16244390
2THE CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND PHARMACOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CAPSELLA BURSA-PASTORIS- A REVIEW Ali Esmail Al-Snafi Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Thiqar University, Nasiriyah, PO Box 42, Iraq.