Yarrow – Achillea millefolium
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Achillea
Achillea millefolium, also known as yarrow, grows in dry slopes and fields. It is often considered to be a weed, but is well known as a medicinal herb. This herb has gone by many names throughout the centuries, but its Latin name, Achillea millefolium is derived from the Trojan war hero, Achilles.
Yarrow's many names
Achilles is said to have used yarrow’s medicinal powers to stop his men from bleeding to death. Accounts of the herb’s medical applications are also found from other eras. Dioscorides, a doctor in the Roman legions, recommended that the pulverised herb be rubbed into wounds. In fact, many of the common names of Achillea millefolium allude to its ability to stop bleeding, such as;
- Soldier’s woundwort
- Knight’s milfoil
- Bloodwort
- Sanguinary
- Nose-bleed
Chinese medicine mentions the use of Achillea millefolium to treat inflammation and bleeding, whereas ayurvedic doctors in India used it to combat fever.
When Europeans began colonising North-America they brought yarrow with them. Native Americans used it both for internal and topical application. They used yarrow for burn wounds and bleeding, against cold and sore throat, arthritis, tooth ache, insomnia and indigestion.
Yarrow as a herbal remedy in Iceland
Achillea millefolium has been used as a herbal remedy for hundreds of years in Iceland. Its flowers and leaves are gathered in early summer and used for herbal infusions, heat applications and ointments for external use. Achillea millefolium has been used in Iceland to treat the following diseases:
- Flu
- Cold and fever
- Indigestion
- Diarrhea
- Hypertension
- Arthritis
Yarrow has also been thought to be useful in cases of uterine cramps and pain, to stimulate menstruation and against hot flashes and insomnia during menopause.
Bathing in yarrow solution has been considered a good way to treat various dermatological conditions, such as allergic dermatitis and eczema. Yarrow has also been considered one of the best herbs for healing sores. For that application, it has long been popular to use ointments prepared from flowers of the yarrow herb. Also, it is possible to dip a gauze into yarrow infusion and using it to dress wounds.
Yarrow research
SagaMedica has researched yarrow, along with a large number of other Icelandic medicinal herbs. We have discovered many chemical compounds which support the anecdotal evidence of its use.
Yarrow’s essential oil contains a- and b-pinenes, borneol, bornyl acetate, thujone and many other compounds.
The herb also contains a variety of flavonoids, such as apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, rutin and others.
Two yarrow compounds, achilletin and achilleine stimulate external blood-clotting, explaining yarrow’s use as “herbal band-aid”. This also explains the different names of the herb relating to bleeding, as mentioned earlier.
Yarrow contains other bioactive phytochemicals which explain other types of use through the course of history. Azulene, camphor, chamzulene, eugenol, menthol, quercetin, rutin and salicyl acid reduce pain and inflammation. Other constituents reduce the spasmodic contractions in smooth muscle and this may explain yarrow’s use for indigestion as well as cramps and pain in the uterus.
Achillea millefolium contains small amounts of thujone, which elicits sedative effects. Thujone’s efficacy has been likened to marijuana. Large doses of thujone are to be avoided, but the amounts found in yarrow are too small to cause damage.
Research in the Science Institute of the University of Iceland has identified antiviral compounds in the yarrow herb, which can explain its efficacy against cold. This research has also revealed antitumor phytochemicals in yarrow which are an interesting topic of study in cancer research.
Yarrow supplement planned
SagaMedica does not currently use yarrow. However, a number of possible applications are being looked into and yarrow will be used in some of our herbal remedies in the future.
Consult your doctor before using herbal medicine. Yarrow can help to fight diseases but does not substitute regular medication or medical advice. Using plants for healing purposes should be safe for most, but we advise people to consult a healthcare professional before trying any type of alternative medicine.