Meadowsweet

Botanical:  Filipendula ulmaria  (also known as Spiraea ulmaria)
Family: Rosaceae (rose)

Other common names: Pride of the Meadow, Spiraea,  Bridewort, Lady of the Meadow, Meadsweet, Dolloff, Queen of the Meadow*

*Note:  Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) is also sometimes called "Queen of the Meadow" and should not be confused with Boneset (Eupatorium purfoliatum) or Gravel Root (Eupatorium purpureum), two entirely different herbs that are frequently also called Queen of the Meadow, but have entirely different properties and applications.

Meadowsweet is considered a mild antispasmodic and sedative.  This herb is a forerunner of aspirin, as salicylic acid was first synthesized from Meadowsweet in 1835.  It is gentler on the stomach than aspirin, because Meadowsweet contains natural buffering agents. Meadowsweet also helps to reduce inflammation.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Viable Herbal Solutions is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

History and Uses:
Meadowsweet is a perennial herb that is found growing in damp meadows, ditches and bogs, at the edges of ponds, on river banks and in damp open woodlands.  Common throughout Europe, it is also found in the eastern United States and Canada.  The name, Meadowsweet, is said to be derived from an earlier name, Meadwort, as Meadowsweet

was long used to flavor the drink, mead.  The species name, ulmaria, was given for the resemblance of its leaves to those of the elm (Ulmus).  Meadowsweet was a sacred herb amongst the Druids (Vervain and Watermint being the other two).  In 1597, John Gerard said of Meadowsweet in his Herbal: "the smell thereof makes the heart merry and joyful and delighteth the senses," and it was also used as a strewing herb during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.  Meadowsweet was used historically by herbalists for a wide variety of conditions, including treating rheumatic complaints of the joints and muscles.  Nicholas Culpeper, a seventeenth-century English pharmacist, mentioned its use to help break fevers and promote sweating during a cold or flu.  In 1838, the Italian, Rafaele Piria, first produced salicylic acid from the flower buds of Meadowsweet and from Willow Bark (Salix alba), and in 1899, the drug company Bayer formulated a new drug (acetylsalicylic acid) and called it aspirin, a name which is derived from the old botanical name for Meadowsweet, Spiraea ulmaria. The primary chemical constituents of Meadowsweet include essential oil (salicyladehyde, methylsalicylate, hyperoside), salicylic acid, spireine, gaultherine, spiraeoside, flavonoids (rutin, spiraeoside), vanillin, glycoside, mucilage, tannin, coumarins and vitamin C.  The presence of aspirin-like chemicals explains Meadowsweet's action in reducing fever and relieving the pain of rheumatism in muscles and joints.  Meadowsweet is also considered an excellent digestive remedy.  This herb combines well with Marshmallow and Chamomile, with which it is very soothing for a whole range of digestive problems.  It protects and soothes the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, reducing excess acidity and alleviating nausea, and it can be used in the treatment of heartburn, hyperacidity, gastritis and peptic ulceration.  For musculo-skeletal conditions, consider combining Meadowsweet with Black Cohosh, Willow Bark and/or Celery Seed for their anti-inflammatory effects.  The anti-inflammatory action of the salicylates in Meadowsweet makes it effective against rheumatic pain, while the tannins and mucilages appear to buffer the adverse effects of isolated salicylates which can cause gastric bleeding (excessive aspirin can cause gastric ulceration).  Phenolic glycosides, such as monotropitin, yield salicylic aglycones, which contribute to the anti-inflammatory and diuretic actions.  The astringent tannins make Meadowsweet a useful remedy in the herb's treatment of diarrhea in children. Topical applications of this herb have included its use as an eyewash for conjunctivitis and sore eyes and as a compress for rheumatic joints.  Oil from the buds was used in perfume, and flowers were soaked in rainwater as a complexion water.  The flowers were also used as paint brushes.

Recommended Dosage:
Take two (2) to three (3) Capsules, two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Contraindications:
Those who are allergic to aspirin should not use Meadowsweet.  It is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women without first consulting a physician, and children under the age of sixteen years of age with symptoms of flu, chicken pox or other types of viral infection should not use Meadowsweet, because, like aspirin, there may be a risk of developing Reye's syndrome. Do not take Meadowsweet and bloodthinning medicine together, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents; this may cause your blood to be too thin, making you bleed or bruise more easily.

Capsule Information:
Our Meadowsweet supplements are encapsulated in 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose, Certified Kosher, size "00" Capsules. (click here for size comparison) Each capsule contains approximately 600 mgs.