YARROW: A Journey from Mythology to Modern Herbalism

 

The Northern hemisphere of the Earth harbours unique vegetation due to a wide range of climates, biomes, and geographical features. Most plant species growing in the cold climate of this region are abundant in unique phytochemicals and are extensively used in traditional medicinal systems practised there. Yarrow, botanically known as Achillea millefolium (Family: Asteraceae), is a common herbaceous plant naturally growing and cultivated in the temperate and sub-temperate regions of Asia, Europe and North America in the Northern hemisphere. The botanical name Achillea is derived from the legendary Greek hero Achilles, who used yarrow plants to treat wounds of his soldiers during the Trojan War (a legendary conflict in Greek mythology). The specific name millefolium stands for thousands of leaves, owing to its highly dissected leaves. It was used for wound healing, headaches, fevers, to combat influenza and in religious rituals by the ancient Greeks, Romans and native Americans since antiquity.

 

Common Names

English: Yarrow, Common yarrow, Milfoil, Thousand leaf, Thousand seal, Soldier's Woundwort, Staunch weed, Sanguinary, Old man’s pepper, Bloodwort, Carpenter’s weed, Sneezewort, Soldier's friend, Devils nettle, Nosebleed, Badman’s plaything, Death flower, Field Hops, Hundred leaved grass, Knight’s milfoil, Oldman’s mustard, Tansy Hindi: Gandrain, Biranjasipha, Gandana, Gandmar Pahari: Foa, Gandan, Losar, Chabu (Lahaul & Spiti), Chuabu (Parvati valley Kullu), Shugumentog (Lahaul & Spiti), Chuang (Bharmour, Chamba), Saijum (Parvati valley Kullu), Merri (Tirthan valley Kullu), Kashmiri akarkara Uttarakhand: Momoduru Ladakhi: Chuang Kashmiri: Momadru, Chopandiga, Pahelgass Urdu: Tukhm-e gandana, Buiranjasif, Brinjasuf

 

Yarrow is a herbaceous perennial that can grow up to a height of one meter. It perennates through branched underground rhizomes. Short sterile branches develop from the leaf axils above the middle of the stem, which are usually covered with fine white hair. Leaves are simple, arranged spirally and evenly along the stem, with the largest and most petiolate towards the base. They are 5-20 centimetres long and divided bipinnately or tripinnately. Inflorescence is a terminal flat-topped panicle with many capitula. Each capitulum has 4 to 9 phyllaries and contains both ray and disk florets, which are white, pink, or red in colour. Fruit is a greenish, oblong, ca. 2 mm long achene with white lateral ribs. 

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

Monoterpenes (Camphene, α-pinene, β-pinene, Limonene, 1,8-cineole), Monoterpenoid (Linalool), Terpenoid ketones (Camphor), Flavonoids (Quercetin, Luteolin, Kaempferol), Estrogenic flavonoid (Apigenin), Polyols (Isochlorogenic acid), Phenolic glycoside (Caffeic acid), Alkaloids (Betonicine), etc. 

I.                HORTICULTURAL USE

Yarrow is one of the beautiful herbaceous perennials recommended for colder areas of the world. It is admired for its attractive feathery leaves and colourful pink, red and white flowers. 

II.              CULINARY USES

Young yarrow leaves and flowers are used as a unique and mild seasoning and flavouring agent in dishes and salads in some culinary traditions of the world.

 III.           SPIRITUAL AND RITUAL USES

Yarrow has been used for purification, protection and as an offering to deities and spirits in sacred practices in many cultures of the world, especially in Greece and Rome. Yarrow stalks were used for divination and guidance in Chinese rituals. In European folklore,  yarrow plants are hung above the doorways and placed under the pillows to ward off evil spirits and malevolent forces.

Scott Cunningham has assigned yarrow a feminine gender and associated it with planet Venus, which gives courage, love and psychic powers. He has mentioned that when worn or carried along, yarrow protects, stops all fear and grants courage. Yarrow flowers used in wedding decorations are mentioned to ensure a love lasting for years. Carrying yarrow not only brings love, but it also attracts friends you wish to contact. Its flower tea is suggested to improve psychic powers.

Susan Gregg has mentioned that when dried yarrow is placed under the pillow, it will protect you as you sleep and will invite prophetic dreams. It banishes all fear and infuses you with courage to face whatever issues are holding you back. She suggests burning some dried yarrow as incense to fill your home with love and happiness. 

Katya Wesely has regarded yarrow as a sacred plant, and recorded it for the decoration of altars, to ward off negative energies, and evil spirits, to strengthen romantic relationships, and to aid in astral travel. It was believed to have the ability to enhance the power of magical spells in ancient times.

IV.           MEDICINAL USES

Yarrow is widely used in traditional medicinal systems of the world for treating a wide range of diseases and disorders. Some of them are discussed below:

i. Wound Healing

The paste and juice of yarrow leaves have historically been applied to wounds to stop bleeding and it also aids in quick healing throughout the world.

 ii. Useful in Fever

Yarrow tea is recommended as a trusted remedy for fever in traditional systems of medicine.

 iii. Cures Inflammation

The phytochemicals present in yarrow have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. The paste and juice of yarrow leaves, when applied topically on skin and wounds, reduce inflammation.

iv. Relieves Gastric Ailments

Yarrow juice is used as a remedy to relieve problems like heartburn, dyspepsia, flatulence and colic in traditional systems of medicine.

v. Useful in Dysmenorrhea

Experimental studies with yarrow tea have reported to decrease the abdominal cramps and pain in dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual cycles).

vi. Useful in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is one of the most common chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system. Experimental trials with 250 and 500 mg daily doses of yarrow in people with multiple sclerosis have reported fewer acute attacks and annual relapses.

 vii. Anti-microbial Properties

Hydroalcoholic extract of yarrow leaves exhibits a strong antibacterial effect against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus,  a common bacterium involved in skin infections.

 viii. Uses in Unani Medicine

Yarrow is used in the Unani system of medicine as muhallile warm (anti-inflammatory) musakine dard (analgesic), dafia’h huma (antipyretic), mudire boul (diuretic), mudire haiz (emmenagogue) and qatil kirme shikam (anthelmintic).

ix. Uses in Homeopathic Medicine 

Yarrow is used in homoeopathic medicine for treating various haemorrhagic conditions such as bleeding haemorrhoids, haematuria, epistaxis (bleeding nose), haemoptysis, menorrhagia, etc. 

TOXICITY

Yarrow is generally regarded as safe when taken in small quantities. It can cause contact dermatitis, like other members of the family Asteraceae.