The Amazing Greater Burnet Plant: Nature’s Remedy

The greater burnet plant was discovered and used from the Renaissance onwards. Since its flower spikes look like blood clots, it was supposed to be helpful in hemorrhage treatment, and it has been used for centuries with this aim. However, it was not until recently that this supposition was proven true.

Greater Burnet Scientific Facts

1. Scientific Name – Sanguisorba officinalis L.
2. Other Names – Italian pimpernel.
3. French – Grande pimpernelle.
4. Spanish – Pimpinela mayor.
5. Environment – Wet meadows in Europe and North America.
6. Description—A vigorous plant of the Rosaceae family, it can grow up to one meter high and has small purple flowers in oval clusters. It has a sweet smell and a slightly sour flavor.
7. Parts of the plant used medicinally – The whole plant, including its root.

Healing Properties

The whole plant is rich in tannin and contains saponins, flavonoids, and vitamin C. These substances explain its astringent, antihemorrhagic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to its astringent action, it dries the skin surface and mucosa cells and coagulates small blood vessels.

1. Internally used, it is recommended for acute and chronic diarrhea, dysentery, and gastritis (including bleeding gastritis).
2. Externally used, both as a decoction and as fresh juice, it is applied in compresses to heal wounds and ulceration of the skin; in gargles for stomatitis (mouth inflammation) and pharyngitis (sore throat); in anal cleansing, to help fight hemorrhoids (it reduces inflammation and stops bleeding), and in vaginal irrigations, for vaginitis and leucorrhea.

How to use Greater Burnet

1. Make a decoction with 100 grams of root per liter of water, boiling for 15 minutes. You can also add aerial parts of the plant to this decoction. Drink three or four cups daily.
2. The aforementioned decoction, however, is more concentrated. Fresh juice of the plant (mashed) can be also used. Both this decoction and the juice are applied in any of the following ways; compresses, rinsings and gargles, and vaginal irrigations.

DISCLAIMER: All content on this website is presented solely for educational and informational objectives. Do not rely on the information provided as a replacement for advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified medical expert. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have any preexisting medical concerns, talk to your doctor before using any herbal or natural medicines.

REFERENCES

1. George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. “Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants.” George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Ed. Francesc X. Gelabert. vols. 2 San Fernando de Henares: Editorial Safeliz, 2000. 534. Print. [greater burnet]
2. National Institutes of Health (NIH) study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22762013/
3. Review in ‘Frontiers in Pharmacology: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2019.00593/full