Herbs & Herbal Remedies @ Green Papaya

Not Exactly Empty

Family: Cruciferae; (includes Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower)

Genus and Species: Capsella Bursapastoris

Also known as: Lady’s Purse, Rattle Pouches, Rattle Weed

Parts used: Leaves and flower tops

Shepherds never get much respect. In the ancient world, theirs was a humble calling. And in the Old West. cattle ranchers looked down on “sheep herders.” So perhaps we should not be surprised that the herb named for shepherds has shared a similar fate.

Sadly Rejected

More than 300 years ago, Nicholas Culpeper wrote: “Few plants possess greater virtues than this, and yet it is utterly disregarded.” And as recently as 1988, the British scientific herb guide, Potter’s New Cyclopaedia of Botal1ical Drugs, bemoaned the lack of research into its effects. No one is interested, some authorities say, because this common weed is medically worthless. But the few scientific studies done to date have revealed some intriguing possibilities fortreating bleeding and inducing labor.

Ancient Greek and Roman physicians recommended shepherd’s purse seeds as a laxative. But it was not widely used until the 16th century, when an Italian physician promoted it to stop bleeding, particularly to eliminate blood in the urine. Some physicians adopted the plant, but most others dismissed it as worthless.

The Pilgrims introduced shepherd’s purse into North America, where it quickly became a weed. Folk herbalists used it to stop bleeding, while physicians generally dismissed it as useless.

Fresh or Dried?

The Eclectic text, King’s American Dispensatory, attempted to explain the shepherd’s purse controversy by observing “the fresh herb is decidedly more active than the dried.” King’s called it “very efficient” for treating bloody urine and recommended it to stop excessive menstrual flow, and to treat diarrhea, dysentery, and bleeding hemorrhoids.

During World War I, when other blood stoppers were in short supply, wounded soldiers were given shepherd’s purse tea.

Contemporary herbalists recommend dried shepherd’s purse- not the fresh herb–internally for bloody urine, nosebleeds, bleeding after childbirth, and diarrhea, and externally as an astringent to treat wounds and hemorrhoids.

This herb won’t set the herbal Healing world on fire, but it may help some people with gastrointestinal disorders, women with heavy menstrual flow, or pregnant women waiting to go into labor-if they can stomach its taste.

Bleeding - Shepherd’s purse contains substances that hasten the coagulation of blood, according to an article in the British journal Nature. German medical herbalist Rudolph Fritz Weiss, M.D., writes it “definitely has haemostatic [blood-stopping] properties … [but they are] not very great.”

First-aid authorities recommend treating bleeding with sustained pressure on the wound. Blood in phlegm, urine, or stool requires prompt professional treatment. Shepherd’s purse is no substitute for standard treatments. However, people with ulcers, colitis, Crohn’s disease, or bleeding disorders or women with heavy menstrual flow might try shepherd’s purse in consultation with their physicians, and see if it helps.

Labor Inducer - Shepherd’s purse also contains some substances that may help stimulate uterine contractions as effectively as the drug oxytocin (Pitocin). Oxytocin is often given to trigger labor. Pregnant women should not use shepherd’s purse, except at term and in consultation with their physicians.

Astringent - The herb also has some minor anti-inflammatory astringent action, lending some credence to its traditional uses for wounds and hemorrhoids.

Rx for Shepherd’s Purse

To possibly help stop bleeding or hasten labor, use I teaspoon of dried herb per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 minutes. Drink up to 2 cups a day. The taste of shepherd’s purse is biting and unpleasant. Add sugar. honey, and lemon, or mix it with an herbal beverage blend to improve flavor.

In a tincture, use ¼ to ½ teaspoon up to twice a day. Shepherd’s purse should not be given to children under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with lowstrength preparations and increase strength if necessary.

If this herb does in fact stop bleeding, no one is sure exactly how. It might strengthen blood vessel walls. Or it might stimulate clotting. Internal blood clotting may trigger heart disease, stroke, or thromboembolism. Those with a history of these conditions should not take shepherd’s purse.

To use shepherd’s purse externally on wounds or hemorrhoids, soak a clean cloth in either an infusion or tincture. The medical literature contains no reports of harm from this herb.

Other Cautions

For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults who have no history of heart attack, stroke, or thromboembolism, shepherd’s purse is considered relatively safe in amounts typically recommended.

Shepherd’s purse should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If shepherd’s purse causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you ex-perience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Don’t Let the Contents Spill

Shepherd’s purse is a foul-smelling annual that reaches 18 inches. Its slender stem rises from a rosette of deeply toothed leaves similar to dandelion. The stem bears a few small leaves and terminates in small white flowers. The fruits are wedgeshaped seed pods, containing literally thousands of yellow seeds, hence the herb’s names.

Shepherd’s purse grows easily from seeds planted in spring under full sun. It prefers well-drained sandy loam but tolerates most North American soils. If unchecked, it can become a garden and lawn pest To avoid this, clip the seed pods before they open. The young leaves have a peppery taste and may be added to soups and stews or eaten like spinach.

Harvest the leaves and flower tops as the flowers open.