Dictionary:

motherwort

  (mŭTH'ər-wûrt', -wôrt')

Any of several Eurasian plants of the genus Leonurus, especially L. cardiaca, a weed having clusters of small purple or pink flowers and spine-tipped calyx lobes.

[Middle English moderwort : moder, mother, womb (from its use in treating diseases of the uterus); see mother¹ + wort, wort; see wort¹.]

Description

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) is a perennial plant native to Europe and temperate parts of central Asia. It has been introduced into North America and now grows wild there. A different species, called Chinese motherwort (Leonurus heterophyllus), is used by Chinese herbalists in many of the same ways as Leonurus cardiaca is used in the West.

Motherwort grows mainly in poor soil or on wastelands, although it is sometimes cultivated in gardens. The plant grows to about 3 ft (1 m) tall. It has a stem that is often red-violet in color and hairy. The hairy, palm-shaped leaves are a dull green, with the upper surface darker than the under surface. The small flowers range from white to pink to red depending on the plant. Flowers and leaves are dried and used medicinally. The leaves are at their most potent when harvested just after the plant flowers. Motherwort is also the source of a dark green dye. The plant has astringent properties and an unpleasant smell. Other names for motherwort include lion's tail, lion's ear, throw-wort, heartwort, and yi mu cao.

General Use

Motherwort has a long history of traditional uses in many different cultures. The Latin name, cardiaca refers to the heart, and motherwort has traditionally been used to treat heart-related conditions. These include nervous heart complaints such as palpitations, cardiac arrhythmia (irregular beat), and fast heartbeat. It has also been used as a general tonic to strengthen the heart and to treat cardiac insufficiency. Modern herbalists continue to prescribe motherwort for these conditions.

Motherwort is also used as a mild general sedative, as a calming agent, and as a treatment for epilepsy. Scientists have isolated many different active compounds in motherwort. Leonurine and stachydine, both found in the herb, have been show to lower blood pressure and calm the central nervous system in studies using laboratory animals and animal hearts. Scientific investigation into the central nervous system and cardiac effects of motherwort is ongoing with mixed results. The German Federal Health Agency's Commission E, established in 1978 to independently review and evaluate scientific literature and case studies pertaining to herb and plant medications, has found that there is adequate evidence to suggest that motherwort is effective in the treatment of certain cardiac conditions.

Motherwort is also used to treat female conditions related to menstruation and childbirth. The herb is often given to stimulate menstruation when it is absent (amenorrhea) or irregular and delayed (dysmenorrhea). At childbirth it is taken to aid labor, and after childbirth it is given to help the uterus relax and return to normal. There appear to be no scientific studies that specifically relate to the effects of motherwort on the reproductive system, so these traditional uses of the herb can be neither confirmed nor denied. Other Western uses of motherwort include as a treatment for asthma, hyperthyroidism, prevent gas, and treat insomnia. It is also used externally as a douche for vaginitis.

Chinese herbalists use Chinese motherwort to treat problems of the heart, liver, and kidneys. In addition to the heart and reproductive uses known to Western herbalists, Chinese practitioners use motherwort to treat water retention, in conjunction with other herbs, such as hawthorn, to prevent stroke and to treat certain kinds of eczema. Some Chinese researchers have reported that Chinese motherwort, Leonurus heterophyllus, can prevent blood clots.

Motherwort is an ingredient in several common Chinese herbal formulas, including leonuris and achyranthes. In a 1999 study published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, researchers reported that a traditional Chinese remedy of 21 herbs, including motherwort, successfully treated symptoms of chronic nephrotic syndrome and lupus nephritis in an adolescent girl. The results were promising enough that studies are ongoing to test the effectiveness of these herbs in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Preparations

Motherwort is normally prepared by adding about 1 tsp of leaves to 1 cup (8 oz or 250 ml) of boiling water. The resulting infusion is taken twice a day. This infusion has a bitter and unpleasant taste. Honey, lemon, or other flavorings may be added to make its taste more acceptable. Motherwort is also available as a tincture. The normal dose is 1 ml (39 drops) three times a day.

Precautions

Pregnant women should not take motherwort because of its effects on the uterus. Women who have heavy menstrual flow should also avoid motherwort. Anyone who has a heart disorder or who is taking any medication for a heart condition should consult a doctor before taking motherwort. People who are taking medication for thyroid disorders should also consult a doctor before using this herb.

Side Effects

Motherwort has a long history of use without any negative side effects being reported when the herb is taken internally as an infusion or tincture. However, some people break out in a rash when handling motherwort leaves.

Interactions

There has been little scientific study of the interaction of motherwort and pharmaceuticals. As noted above, however, people who are taking medications for heart, thyroid, or other serious medical conditions should consult a doctor before taking motherwort. The herb has been used in herbal mixtures for centuries without any known herbal interactions.

Resources

Books

Peirce, Andrea. The American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1999.

PDR for Herbal Medicines. Montvale, New Jersey: Medical Economics Company, 1998.

Weiner, Michael A and Janet Weiner. Herbs that Heal. Mill Valley, California: Quantum Books, 1999.

Periodicals

Yap, Hui-Kim, et al. "Improvements in Lupus Nephritis Following Treatment with a Chinese Herbal Preparation." Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine v153i8 (1999).

[Article by: Tish Davidson]

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: bitter Old World herb of hedgerows and woodland margins having toothed leaves and white or pale pink flowers
  Synonym: Leonurus cardiaca

Leonurus cardiaca
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Genus: Leonurus Species: L. cardiaca
Binomial name
Leonurus cardiaca L.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. Other common names include Throw-wort, Lion's Ear, and Lion's Tail. The latter two are also common names for Leonotis leonurus. Originally from Central Asia it is now found worldwide, spread largely due to its use as a herbal remedy.

L. cardiaca, a member of the mint family, has a square stem and opposite leaves. The basal leaves are wedge shaped with 3 points while the upper leaves are more latticed. Flowers appear in leaf axils on the upper part of the plant and it blooms between June - August. The flowers are small, pink to lilac in colour often with furry lower lips. The plant grows to about 60-100 cm in height. It can be found along roadsides and in vacant fields and other waste areas.

Medicinal uses

Motherwort has a long history of medicinal use. The plant, and its use as a medicinal herb, originated in Central Europe and Asia, although it has long been in use in the North America as well. It is very useful for a variety of ills, and is very nourishing, much like stinging nettle or dandelion. The herb contains the alkaloid leonurine, which is a mild vasodilator and has a relaxing effect on smooth muscles. For this reason, it has long been used as a cardiac tonic, nervine, and an emmenagogue.

Among other biochemical constituents, it also contains bitter iridoid glycosides, diterpinoids, flavonoids (including rutin and quercetin), tannins, volatile oils, and vitamin A. Midwives use it for a variety of purposes, including uterine tonic and prevention of uterine infection. Susun Weed recommends it for combating stress and promoting relaxation during pregnancy and says that, given during labor, it prevents hemorrhage.

Michael Tierra, on the other hand, contraindicates it for internal use during pregnancy, as it does have the tendency to cause bleeding and may induce miscarriage. It was historically used in China to prevent pregnancy and to regulate menstruation. Motherwort is also used to ease stomach gas and cramping, menopausal problems, and insomnia, although Susun Weed warns it may be habit forming if used regularly to combat sleeplessness. According to Tierra, the traditional Chinese medicine energy and flavors are bitter, spicy, and slightly cold, and the systems affected are the pericardium and liver. The fresh or dried leaves are used, and the recommended dosage is the standard infusion of one ounce herb to one pint boiling water or 10-30 drops of tincture three times daily.

References

• Blanchan, Neltje (2005). Wild Flowers Worth Knowing. Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. 
• Lust, John The Herb Book (1974) New York, New York: Bantam.
• Moore, Michael Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West (1979) Santa Fe, New Mexico: The Museum of New Mexico Press
• Tierra, Michael The Way of Herbs (1980) New York, New York: Pocket Books.
• Weed, Susun S. Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year (1986) Woodstock, New York.hsb:Somoćana křižowka

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