Meadowsweet Plant Health Benefits

The leaves of the meadowsweet plant resemble the elm tree, after which the herb is named in some Latin-rooted languages. From the 17th century onwards, it was used to treat rheumatic aches. Recently, other virtues of this plant have been discovered.

Meadowsweet Plant Scientific Facts

1. Scientific Name: Filipendula  ulmaria (L.) Maxim.
2. Other Names: Queen of the Meadow.
3. French: Ulmaire, barbe de bouc, reine-des-prés.
4. Spanish: Reina de los prados, ulmaria, filipéndula.
5. Environment: Wet meadows all over Europe, except in the Mediterranean area. Also, in some cold regions of North and South America.
6. Description: This vibrant plant of the Rosaceae family grows up to 1.5 m high. It has upright stems and silver-colored leaves on its underside, as well as small, aromatic white-cream-colored flowers that gather in terminal bouquets.
7. Parts of the plant used medicinally: The flowers (bouquets).

Meadowsweet Healing Properties

The flowers of the meadowsweet plant, in lesser proportion to its leaves, contain glycoside: monoterpene, which, employing hydrolysis on the fresh plant, becomes methyl salicylate, and once the herb is dried, it turns into free salicylic acid and alkaline salicylates. All those salicylic compounds provide, like acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and febrifuge actions. The plant also contains flavonoid substances whose action is diuretic. Here are its applications:

• Rheumatic aches – produced by arthrosis, polyarticular acute rheumatism, or uric arthritis (gout).
• Different aches – The plant also eases osteoarticular pains (lumbago, torticollis, backaches) and neuralgic aches (sciatica, headaches). This painkiller activity of meadowsweet is improved when, besides drinking an infusion of the plant, it is locally applied in compresses on the affected area.
• Diuretic—Strong but not irritant, it is helpful for cellulite and edema (fluid retention) caused by heart failure, which usually appears in ankles and feet. It diminishes ascitis (liquid retention in the abdomen) in persons with liver disorders.
• Depurative – The meadowsweet plant is an excellent eliminator of uric acid, uric salts, and other toxins since it increases the excretion of these substances through the kidneys (uricosuric action). The plant filters these gout-producing substances, which can also produce arthritis and many rheumatic aches in the blood. Thus, its anti-inflammatory and analgesic action makes it an ideal plant for people suffering from gout.
• Kidney stone solvent – The plant is suitable for those suffering from kidney stones and gravel, especially those formed by uric salts since it promotes the dissolution and elimination of these salts.
• General invigorating—The plant increases appetite, stimulates the heart, and provokes a general sensation of well-being. It is recommended for colds, influenza, and people recovering from rehabilitation diseases.

How to use Meadowsweet

1. Infusion (tea): Use 30 to 40 grams of flowers per liter of water, and drink up to five cups daily.
2. Compresses soaked in a more concentrated infusion than that made for internal use (up to 80 grams) are applied to the painful or cellulite-affected area for 10 minutes, two or three times a day.

Because its content includes an acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) precursor, Meadowsweet has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. It eases osteoarticular (bone and joint) aches, such as torticollis and lumbago, widespread and nasty backaches, and neuralgic pains. To achieve better effectiveness, it should be used in external applications of compresses while drinking tea.

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. 667, 668. Print. [meadowsweet plant]
2. Healthline: Meadowsweet Herb: Benefits, Uses, Tea, and More (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/meadowsweet-herb
3. National Institutes of Health database – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/