Hemp agrimony carries a long European folk record — bile complaints, coughs and colds, slow-healing wounds, aching joints. Herbals have recommended it for centuries, and the plant is common enough along wet ditches and riverbanks that people still gather it.
Here is the part most pages skip. The leaves and roots of Eupatorium cannabinum contain 1,2-unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids — the same class of compound that pushed the FDA to ask supplement makers to pull oral comfrey from the US market in 2001 [NIH LiverTox on comfrey, 2022]. And a search of the published human literature turns up no controlled trials of the plant at all.
So the honest version of hemp agrimony plant benefits looks like this: a real traditional record, a handful of interesting laboratory findings, and a liver risk that makes drinking it a poor trade.
What hemp agrimony is
Eupatorium cannabinum L. is a tall perennial in the daisy family (Asteraceae), often reaching five feet, topped with dense clusters of dusty-pink flowerheads in late summer. The leaves are divided into three to five toothed lobes — which is where “hemp” in the name comes from. The plant has no relationship to cannabis and contains no cannabinoids.
It is native across Europe, northwest Africa, and east into Iran and Central Asia. In North America it appears only as an introduced plant, recorded in a scattering of eastern states and British Columbia [Plants of the World Online, Kew]. If you are in the US and someone hands you “agrimony,” it is far more likely to be a different plant entirely.
The four plants people mix up
Common names do real damage here. Four different species get shuffled together in herbal writing, and only one of them is hemp agrimony.
| Plant | Botanical name | Family | Where it grows | Worth knowing |
| Hemp agrimony | Eupatorium cannabinum | Asteraceae | Native to Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia | Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids |
| Common agrimony (sticklewort) | Agrimonia eupatoria | Rosaceae | Europe, N. Africa, east to Afghanistan | Rose family — unrelated despite the name |
| Boneset | Eupatorium perfoliatum | Asteraceae | Eastern North America | Same genus; also carries the alkaloids |
| Joe Pye weed | Eutrochium purpureum | Asteraceae | Eastern US and southeast Canada | Formerly Eupatorium purpureum; not boneset |
Common agrimony belongs to the rose family and shares nothing with hemp agrimony beyond a name [Plants of the World Online, Kew]. It is the plant behind most agrimony tea, and also behind the Bach remedy — we cover the difference in our guide to agrimony flower essence.
Joe Pye weed and boneset are also two different plants, despite being routinely conflated. Joe Pye weed is Eutrochium purpureum, reclassified out of Eupatorium and still listed under its old name in older texts [NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox]. Boneset is Eupatorium perfoliatum, a separate species with its own traditional history.
What’s inside the plant
Hemp agrimony contains bitter sesquiterpene lactones — eupatoriopicrin is the best known — along with flavonoids, tannins, a little volatile oil, and polysaccharides. The bitterness is genuine, and bitter plants have historically been reached for whenever digestion or bile was the complaint. That is most of the rationale behind the traditional uses.
It also contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Analysis of both aerial parts and roots identified lycopsamine, intermedine, echinatine isomers, supinine, and amabiline, plus a range of their esters [Hendriks et al., Planta Medica, 1987]. A separate analysis of hemp agrimony as a Chinese medicinal herb found viridiflorine, cynaustraline, amabiline, supinine, echinatine, and rinderine [Edgar et al., American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 1992]. That matters because the traditional preparations use exactly those two plant parts — leaves and fresh root.
Hemp agrimony benefits: what tradition claimed, what evidence shows
| Traditional claim | Evidence status |
| Increases bile flow; helps liver complaints | No human studies. Traditional use only, and the plant’s own chemistry works against it |
| Loosens chest congestion in colds and bronchitis | Traditional use only; no clinical trials |
| Eases rheumatic and joint pain | Traditional use only; no clinical trials |
| Heals wounds and skin ulcers when applied externally | Traditional use only; sesquiterpene lactones may sensitize skin |
| “Purifies the blood” | Not a measurable outcome; no meaningful way to test it |
| Anticancer activity | Cell-culture findings only; not a treatment |
Liver and bile complaints
This is the oldest and most repeated claim, and the one with the sharpest problem. European herbals recommended hemp agrimony for jaundice, sluggish bile, and liver congestion. No controlled human study has ever tested it.
The bitterness makes the traditional logic understandable — bitters have a long history as digestive stimulants. But recommending a plant that carries hepatotoxic alkaloids for a struggling liver inverts the risk-benefit calculation. A damaged liver is less able to handle the very compounds the plant delivers.
If bile flow is what you are after, artichoke leaf is the better-studied option, with actual human data behind its choleretic effect — we go through what that data does and does not show in our guide to artichoke health benefits, and cover the wider category in herbs for the gallbladder and liver.
Colds, flu, and chest congestion
The immune-support angle has a plausible-sounding origin. Polysaccharide fractions isolated from hemp agrimony showed immunostimulating activity in early laboratory assays back in the 1980s [Wagner et al., Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1984], and that finding still circulates.
Plausible is not the same as demonstrated. Those were preliminary tests of an isolated fraction, not of a tea, and they were never followed by human trials. When researchers reviewed the same immunostimulant claim for boneset, they concluded the postulated immunostimulating properties “have not been confirmed by in vitro data” [Hensel et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2011].
Joint and rheumatic pain
The traditional record is consistent — hemp agrimony appears in old formulas for gout and rheumatic aches — and the evidence is empty. There are no human trials, no animal pain models specific to this plant, and no plausible dose-response data to work from.
Wounds, ulcers, and skin
Compresses of the decoction were a standard folk treatment for stubborn wounds. Tannins are astringent, so there is a mechanism, but no trial has tested it.
External use also carries its own catch. Two sesquiterpene lactones isolated from hemp agrimony — eupatoriopicrin and a compound named 3β-peroxyeucannabinolide — acted as skin sensitizers in guinea pig testing, though the researchers rated them weak sensitizers compared with related compounds from other plants [Rücker et al., Natural Toxins, 1997]. Anyone who reacts to ragweed, chrysanthemums, or other daisy-family plants has reason to be cautious with it on skin.
The laboratory findings that get quoted as benefits
An ethanolic extract of hemp agrimony killed HT29 human colon cancer cells in culture, and increased the effect of doxorubicin when the two were combined [Ribeiro-Varandas et al., BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014]. Findings like this get recycled online as evidence the plant fights cancer.
Cells in a dish are not a person. Enormous numbers of plant extracts kill cancer cells in culture, including plenty that are simply toxic to all cells. Nothing in that study says anything about what happens when a human being drinks hemp agrimony tea.
The safety problem: pyrrolizidine alkaloids
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids with a 1,2-unsaturated structure are metabolized in the liver into reactive compounds that bind to proteins and DNA. Over repeated exposure they damage the small blood vessels draining the liver, producing sinusoidal obstruction syndrome — historically called veno-occlusive disease.
It rarely announces itself. The NIH’s LiverTox database describes chronic low-dose exposure as presenting with “the insidious onset of fatigue, abdominal distension and signs and symptoms of portal hypertension,” and notes that some patients arrive with cirrhosis already established [NIH LiverTox on sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, 2019]. Much of the historical human evidence comes from people drinking herbal “bush teas” made from alkaloid-containing plants.
There is a second concern. The US National Toxicology Program lists riddelliine, a pyrrolizidine alkaloid, as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen,” and notes that any pyrrolizidine alkaloid metabolized to the reactive intermediate DHP will be carcinogenic in rodents [NTP Report on Carcinogens: Riddelliine].
An honest limitation
No case report in the medical literature blames liver injury on hemp agrimony specifically. The concern here is inferred — from the alkaloids the plant is known to contain, from what those alkaloids do in humans and animals, and from the well-documented history of the closely related comfrey, where injury typically appeared within one to two months of starting a product or drinking large amounts of tea [NIH LiverTox on comfrey, 2022].
Not all of these alkaloids are equally dangerous, either, and that cuts in hemp agrimony’s favor. When eleven structurally different pyrrolizidine alkaloids were ranked for genotoxic potency in human liver cells, the cyclic and open diesters came out strongest and the monoesters weakest — with lycopsamine, one of the main alkaloids in hemp agrimony, among the least genotoxic of the set [Haas et al., Archives of Toxicology, 2023].
Set against that: nobody is systematically looking for hemp agrimony liver injury, sinusoidal obstruction syndrome is easy to miss and easy to misattribute, and “less potent” is not “safe” — the same study still found measurable genotoxicity across the monoesters. Regulators treat 1,2-unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids as a class of concern rather than sorting them into safe and unsafe. With no benefit established on the other side of the scale, there is nothing to weigh the uncertainty against.
Why tea is not a safer route
A reasonable instinct is that a mild tea must be gentler than a concentrated extract. The analytical work says otherwise. When researchers measured pyrrolizidine alkaloids across 49 samples of boneset — hemp agrimony’s American relative, and the closest thing to a directly measured comparison — they found alkaloids in every sample, and the highest levels turned up in alcoholic tinctures and hot-water preparations [Colegate et al., Phytochemical Analysis, 2018].
Hot water pulls these alkaloids out efficiently. Tea is not a workaround. Comfrey follows the same pattern: it is considered acceptable on unbroken skin for short periods, and not acceptable by mouth in any form — the reasoning is laid out in our guide to comfrey root.
Side effects, interactions, and who should avoid it
Short-term effects reported for Eupatorium preparations are dose-related and unremarkable: nausea and diarrhea with large amounts [Drugs.com professional monograph on boneset, 2026]. The serious risk is not the immediate reaction. It is cumulative liver exposure that produces no symptoms at all until damage is advanced.
Do not use hemp agrimony internally if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids pass into milk — demonstrated in cattle grazed on alkaloid-containing plants [NTP Report on Carcinogens: Riddelliine] — and the professional monograph for the closest related species states the position bluntly: avoid use, citing documented adverse effects and cytotoxic constituents [Drugs.com professional monograph on boneset, 2026].
Also avoid internal use if you:
- have any liver condition — hepatitis, fatty liver, cirrhosis, or unexplained elevated liver enzymes
- drink alcohol heavily, which adds to the same organ’s workload
- take medications that are processed by the liver or that induce liver enzymes; a pharmacist can tell you in a minute whether yours qualify
- are considering giving it to a child, whose smaller body size raises exposure per pound
- already take another herb known to contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids — comfrey, butterbur, coltsfoot, or borage
Interaction data for hemp agrimony specifically does not exist. The cautions above come from what is known about pyrrolizidine alkaloids and liver metabolism, not from studies of this plant. That is a gap in the research, not a reassuring silence.
For skin use, the daisy-family allergy caution applies: test a small patch first, keep it off broken skin, and stop if you develop redness or itching.
When to see a doctor
Talk to a doctor before using hemp agrimony or any pyrrolizidine-containing herb — and talk to one promptly if you have been using it and notice anything below.
Signs that need medical attention soon:
- yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes
- dark urine or pale, clay-colored stools
- persistent pain or fullness under the right ribs
- swelling of the abdomen or legs
- unexplained fatigue, appetite loss, or weight loss
- itching without a rash
Go to the ER or call 911 for severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, black tarry stools, or new confusion and drowsiness. These can signal advanced liver problems and are not situations for a wait-and-see approach.
Separately, if you are treating something with an herb because you are avoiding a diagnosis — jaundice, ongoing joint swelling, a cough that has run past three weeks, a wound that will not close — the herb is not the thing that needs your attention. Each of those needs a doctor’s eyes on it.
Boneset, and the rest of the Eupatorium family
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) is the North American member of this group and has its own following. Indigenous nations and later European settlers used it as a sweat-inducing fever remedy, mainly for influenza and the aches that come with it [Hensel et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2011].
The evidence picture is the same as hemp agrimony’s, only better documented. There is no clinical evidence supporting boneset’s use; laboratory studies suggest anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and cytotoxic activity, all of it experimental. The FDA classifies boneset as an “Herb of Undefined Safety,” and the professional guidance is that unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids should not be ingested [Drugs.com professional monograph on boneset, 2026].
The Colegate analysis put numbers on it: dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids in all 49 boneset samples tested, at 0.0002% to 0.07% by weight, dominated by lycopsamine and intermedine [Colegate et al., Phytochemical Analysis, 2018]. The elevated levels showed up in alcoholic tinctures and hot-water preparations, which makes the concentrated commercial forms the least advisable option rather than the most convenient one.
Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum) was one of the three related species examined alongside boneset in that same alkaloid survey. Whatever its merits in a pollinator garden, apply the same caution to internal use.
| Health disclaimer: This article is for general education and is not medical advice. It cannot substitute for diagnosis, treatment, or guidance from a doctor who knows your history. Herbal products are not reviewed by the FDA for safety or effectiveness before they reach the shelf, and their strength and purity vary between brands and batches. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking prescription medication, or living with a liver condition or any other ongoing health problem, talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using any herbal preparation. Never delay medical care for a symptom that concerns you because you are trying an herb first. |
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The name refers to the shape of the leaves, which are divided into narrow toothed lobes resembling hemp foliage. Eupatorium cannabinum is in the daisy family and contains no cannabinoids and no THC.
Is hemp agrimony tea safe to drink occasionally?
No safe intake level has been established, and hot-water preparations extract pyrrolizidine alkaloids efficiently. Risk from these alkaloids builds with repeated exposure rather than arriving in a single cup, so a one-time taste is a different situation from a daily habit — but with no proven benefit on the other side, there is little reason to start.
Can I use hemp agrimony on my skin?
Topical use avoids the liver concern that drives the warnings about drinking it, and this is how the plant was most often applied in folk practice. Two of its sesquiterpene lactones acted as weak skin sensitizers in animal testing, so patch-test first, keep it away from open wounds, and skip it altogether if daisy-family plants give you trouble.
What’s the difference between hemp agrimony and boneset?
They are separate species in the same genus. Hemp agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) is European and was used mainly for liver, bile, and skin complaints. Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) is North American and was used as a fever and flu remedy. Both contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and neither has clinical trial support.
Why do herbals still recommend it if it’s risky?
Most herbal texts in circulation were written before analytical chemistry could identify these alkaloids at trace levels and before the mechanism of pyrrolizidine liver injury was understood. Traditional records document what people did, which is worth preserving — they were never designed to assess long-term organ toxicity, which is a different question entirely.
Are there gentler herbs for the things hemp agrimony was used for?
Yes, with better safety records. For bile and digestion, artichoke leaf has human data behind it. For a dry, irritated cough or irritated skin, the mucilage in high mallow is soothing and low-risk. For a broader comparison of another traditional plant with a thin evidence base, see horseweed.
References
- Plants of the World Online. Eupatorium cannabinum L. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:205581-1
- Plants of the World Online. Agrimonia eupatoria L. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:316550-2
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Eutrochium purpureum. NC State Extension. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/eutrochium-purpureum/
- Hendriks H, Balraadjsing W, Huizing HJ, Bruins AP. Investigation into the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Eupatorium cannabinum by means of positive and negative ion chemical ionization GC-MS. Planta Medica. 1987;53(5):456–461. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-962772 — PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17269067/
- Edgar JA, Lin HJ, Kumana CR, Ng MM. Pyrrolizidine alkaloid composition of three Chinese medicinal herbs, Eupatorium cannabinum, E. japonicum and Crotalaria assamica. American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 1992;20(3–4):281–288. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0192415X92000291 — PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1471612/
- Colegate SM, Upton R, Gardner DR, Panter KE, Betz JM. Potentially toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Eupatorium perfoliatum and three related species: implications for herbal use as boneset. Phytochemical Analysis. 2018;29(6):613–626. https://doi.org/10.1002/pca.2775 — PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29968391/
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- Wagner H, Proksch A, Riess-Maurer I, et al. Immunostimulant action of polysaccharides (heteroglycans) from higher plants. Arzneimittel-Forschung. 1984;34(6):659–661. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6541484/
- Ribeiro-Varandas E, Ressurreição F, Viegas W, Delgado M. Cytotoxicity of Eupatorium cannabinum L. ethanolic extract against colon cancer cells and interactions with bisphenol A and doxorubicin. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2014;14:264. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-14-264 — PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25056133/
- Rücker G, Schenkel EP, Manns D, Mayer R, Hausen BM, Heiden K. Allergenic sesquiterpene lactones from Eupatorium cannabinum L. and Kaunia rufescens. Natural Toxins. 1997;5(6):223–227. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1522-7189(1997)5:6%3C223::AID-NT1%3E3.0.CO;2-R — PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9615309/
- LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury. Sinusoidal Obstruction Syndrome (Veno-occlusive Disease). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; last update May 4, 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548032/
- LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury. Comfrey. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; last update May 24, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548370/
- Haas M, Wirachowski K, Thibol L, et al. Potency ranking of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in metabolically competent human liver cancer cells and primary human hepatocytes using a genotoxicity test battery. Archives of Toxicology. 2023;97(5):1413–1428. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-023-03482-8 — PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36928417/
- National Toxicology Program. Riddelliine. In: Report on Carcinogens, 15th Edition. US Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK590754/
- Boneset — professional monograph. Drugs.com; last updated January 1, 2026. https://www.drugs.com/npp/boneset.html
