Shepherd's Purse

Capsella bursa-pastoris

 

Monograph

1. Plant Family:
• Brassuacaceae, or the mustard family ^[1]
2. Habitat & Cultivation:
• Capsella bursa-pastoris is native to Europe. It is found growing as a weed in farmlands and along roadsides worldwide. Some other places it is cultivated include India, and temperate and warm regions around the world. It has naturalized to the US, and can certainly be found as a common weed in many gardens. ^[1]
3. Parts Used:
• Aerial parts ^[2]
4. Herbal Actions:
• Astringent
• Diuretic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Uterine tonic
• Uterine stimulant
• Emmenagogue
• Alterative
• Hemostatic ^[1]
5. Indications:
• Birth- postpartum hemorrhage
• Urinary- gentle diuretic to relieve water retention due to kidney problems, hematuria
• GI- diarrhea, atonic dyspepsia
• Topical- wound healing
• MSK- topical for bruised or strained muscles, rheumatism
• Cardiovascular- epistaxis, bleeding hemorrhoids
• Gynecologic- stimulate menses, reduce menstrual flow, menorrhagia ^[1]
6. Plant Constituents:
• Flavonoids, plant acids, glycosinolates ^[1]
7. System Affinities:
• All but endocrine and neurological  
8. Energetics:
• Cooling, drying, pungent, bitter ^[1]
9. Safety:
• Those with kidney stones should avoid due to oxalic acid content. ^[2]
10. Interactions:
• None known. ^[2]

Personal Experience

1. Organoleptics:
• The tincture is clear, and pale golden in color. It tastes awful. It’s not really bitter or sour, just slightly rancid and off-tasting. Maybe some notes of hay or alfalfa in there? Not a fan. The aftertaste (and subsequent doses) gets better over time, but the initial dose is pretty off-putting.
2. Preparation Method:
• Tincture: (1:5 in 25%) 1 – 2 mL 3x/day. For acute PPH: 2 droppersful sublingually.
• Infusion: 1 cup boiling water over 1 – 2 tsp dried herb. Infuse for 10 – 15 mins and drink 3x/day. For menstrual issues – drink 1 cup q 2 – 3 hrs before and during the period. ^[2]
3. Usage Notes:
• Taste aside, I did like the way this tincture made me feel. I had been having some loose stools after being sick with a stomach bug last week, and this herb really helped me feel better. It acted kind of like a binder in my GI tract. Would use this again!

Sources:

1. Zollinger, R. & Riccio, L. (2018). Week 9 Study Questions. Bastyr University: FA-18_MW5124-A Botanicals 4: Labor.
2. Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.