What is it?
The leaves of Cleavers, a straggling, short-lived plant that pushes itself through gaps in bushes and hedges and finds any piece of available earth to take a foothold on and then grow sticky leaves to catch a hold of any passer-by in order to spread itself some more. Cleavers is not the most popular plant in the human world, but it is most certainly a survivor!
How has it been used?
In reviewing the literature on Cleavers, one has to come to the conclusion that this herb has an astonishingly powerful reputation for such an unprepossessing plant!
In the ancient world Cleavers was used to treat cancer. Gerard wrote of Cleavers as a marvellous remedy for the bites of snakes, spiders and all venomous creatures. One of the founders of Roman medicine, Galen, described it as a cure for obesity writing 'it can make fat folk lean'. Cleavers is an old treatment for one of the toughest of all skin problems; psoriasis, it has even thought to be able to help dissolve small kidney stones!
Ellingwood writes 'Galium is a sedative remedy in acute inflammation or irritation of the urinary tract. Given in fever it impresses the temperature favourably, stimulates the excretion of all urinary constituents and the fever is shortened by its use. It is given for its general tonic influence upon the urinary tract'
Lyle writes 'this herb is a soothing, relaxing, diffusive diuretic. It materially increases the urine and relieves irritation. It is valuable in scalding urine, and irritable bladder and urethra. Clivers acts as a solvent of stone in the bladder. In hot infusion this is a diaphoretic and may be used to good advantage in fevers where there is a necessity to favour a good free outward circulation and it relieves the nervous system'
King's Dispensatory writes: 'Cleavers is a most valuable diuretic, and will be found very beneficial in many diseases of the urinary organs, as suppression of urine, calculous affections, inflammation of the kidneys and bladder, and in the scalding of urine in gonorrhoea. Growth or deposits of a nodular character in the skin or mucous membranes are regarded as indications for its use. It has also been found useful in many cutaneous diseases, as psoriasis, eczema, lichen sclerosis & cancer'
The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia (BHP) describes the actions of Cleavers as 'diuretic & mild astringent and says it is indicated for 'dysuria (painful or difficult urination), lymphadenitis (inflammation of the lymph nodes) & psoriasis and specifically indicated for 'enlarged lymph nodes' The BHP recommends doses of 2-4 grams or by infusion and the extract at a dose of 2-4 mls.
Thomas Bartram writes that the actions of Cleavers include 'lymphatic alterative and detoxifier, diuretic, astringent tonic, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, adaptogen, anti-neoplastic. He suggests uses for it including enlarged lymph nodes, especially cervical neck nodes, cystic and nodular changes in the glands, nodular goitre, dry skin disorders, psoriasis etc. Bartram suggests doses of 1 tsp to a cup of boiling water, infused for 5-15 minutes or 2-4 mls of the extract.
Safety of Cleavers
There are no adverse reactions in the medical literature with Cleavers. If needed, then it can be a herb that is used in strong doses for extended periods for all ages including children, pregnant or breastfeeding women.
The leaves of Cleavers, a straggling, short-lived plant that pushes itself through gaps in bushes and hedges and finds any piece of available earth to take a foothold on and then grow sticky leaves to catch a hold of any passer-by in order to spread itself some more. Cleavers is not the most popular plant in the human world, but it is most certainly a survivor!
How has it been used?
In reviewing the literature on Cleavers, one has to come to the conclusion that this herb has an astonishingly powerful reputation for such an unprepossessing plant!
In the ancient world Cleavers was used to treat cancer. Gerard wrote of Cleavers as a marvellous remedy for the bites of snakes, spiders and all venomous creatures. One of the founders of Roman medicine, Galen, described it as a cure for obesity writing 'it can make fat folk lean'. Cleavers is an old treatment for one of the toughest of all skin problems; psoriasis, it has even thought to be able to help dissolve small kidney stones!
Ellingwood writes 'Galium is a sedative remedy in acute inflammation or irritation of the urinary tract. Given in fever it impresses the temperature favourably, stimulates the excretion of all urinary constituents and the fever is shortened by its use. It is given for its general tonic influence upon the urinary tract'
Lyle writes 'this herb is a soothing, relaxing, diffusive diuretic. It materially increases the urine and relieves irritation. It is valuable in scalding urine, and irritable bladder and urethra. Clivers acts as a solvent of stone in the bladder. In hot infusion this is a diaphoretic and may be used to good advantage in fevers where there is a necessity to favour a good free outward circulation and it relieves the nervous system'
King's Dispensatory writes: 'Cleavers is a most valuable diuretic, and will be found very beneficial in many diseases of the urinary organs, as suppression of urine, calculous affections, inflammation of the kidneys and bladder, and in the scalding of urine in gonorrhoea. Growth or deposits of a nodular character in the skin or mucous membranes are regarded as indications for its use. It has also been found useful in many cutaneous diseases, as psoriasis, eczema, lichen sclerosis & cancer'
The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia (BHP) describes the actions of Cleavers as 'diuretic & mild astringent and says it is indicated for 'dysuria (painful or difficult urination), lymphadenitis (inflammation of the lymph nodes) & psoriasis and specifically indicated for 'enlarged lymph nodes' The BHP recommends doses of 2-4 grams or by infusion and the extract at a dose of 2-4 mls.
Thomas Bartram writes that the actions of Cleavers include 'lymphatic alterative and detoxifier, diuretic, astringent tonic, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, adaptogen, anti-neoplastic. He suggests uses for it including enlarged lymph nodes, especially cervical neck nodes, cystic and nodular changes in the glands, nodular goitre, dry skin disorders, psoriasis etc. Bartram suggests doses of 1 tsp to a cup of boiling water, infused for 5-15 minutes or 2-4 mls of the extract.
Safety of Cleavers
There are no adverse reactions in the medical literature with Cleavers. If needed, then it can be a herb that is used in strong doses for extended periods for all ages including children, pregnant or breastfeeding women.
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