Motherwort has been a popular therapeutic herb in Europe and Asia for centuries. The aerial parts, or leaves and flowers, are used for various medicinal purposes and in some cuisines.
The herb was traditionally used for strengthening the heart and calming the nervous system.
This article will look at the health benefits of motherwort herb, its safety, and history.
Table of Contents
What is Motherwort?
The motherwort plant is a historically loved herb with a wide range of therapeutic properties. It is best known for its incredibly bitter taste and similarity to the plant mugwort.
The scientific name for motherwort is Leonurus cardiaca. Motherwort is a highly-revered herb in many traditional medicinal systems, including European, Chinese, and Native American.
Traditional accounts suggest motherwort for “restlessness” and “wakefulness” and as a condiment for soup stocks and flavoring for beer.
Modern research indicates that motherwort supports heart health, aid in various gynecological issues, and provides pain-relieving effects.
Motherwort’s constituents, including alkaloids, diterpenoids, and iridoids, are thought to be responsible for some of these health-supporting effects.
Health Benefits of Motherwort:
Clinical scientific research, traditional medicine systems, and contemporary herbalists have observed a variety of motherwort benefits. Below are the primary health benefits of motherwort and its main constituents.
1. May Benefit Mental Health
Research indicates that motherwort benefits the nervous system and may have potential health benefits for anxiety and depression.
Anxiety and depression are mental health disorders that affect the brain. Both conditions can affect mood and behavior and often trigger symptoms like low energy, fatigue, and trouble sleeping.
In a clinical study observing patients with anxiety and sleep issues, researchers observed that motherwort oil extract significantly improved anxiety and depression in 32% of patients and moderately improved these symptoms in 48% of patients. The extract also reduced blood pressure levels.
In a review of motherwort, researchers discovered that motherwort tincture reduces anxiety in animals. The study attributed these effects to the amino acids present in motherwort.
Animal research has found that leonurine, an active constituent in common motherwort, has an antidepressant effect on mice with stress-induced depression. These results were attributed to the leonurine’s ability to decrease inflammation in the brain.
The European Medicines Agency observed that motherwort is an herb that is “traditionally used to reduce nervousness in adults and children, notably in cases of [sleep disorders].” They recommend a tincture for “symptoms caused by stress, anxiety, [and] hypersensitivity of [the] nervous system.”
Herbalist David Hoffman writes that motherwort “may be used in all heart conditions associated with anxiety and tension.”
Traditional herbalist Maude Grieve says motherwort is an herb that “allay[s] nervous irritability and induc[es] quiet and passivity of the whole nervous system.”
The 17th-century herbalist and botanist Nicholas Culpepper wrote that motherwort is “useful for removing melancholy vapors from the heart, improving cheerfulness, and settling the wombs of mothers.”
Summary:
Both clinical research and traditional herbalism indicate that motherwort may be beneficial in reducing anxiety and depression.
2. May Support Gynecological Issues
A variety of sources suggest that motherwort benefits and supports the female reproductive system and menopausal symptoms.
Gynecology is the study of women’s biology and diseases that often affect the female reproductive organs. These organs produce eggs and certain sex hormones, and support a fertilized egg until birth.
A review observing the benefits of motherwort for preventing postpartum hemorrhages after cesarean sections or vaginal deliveries discovered that motherwort significantly increases the rate of recovery compared to an oxytocin injection. Women’s recovery time until normal menstruation was also significantly shorter in the motherwort groups.
Another review involving women experiencing postpartum hemorrhages observed that the combined injection of motherwort and oxytocin lowers the risk of bleeding compared to just oxytocin. Researchers mentioned that some active constituents extracted from this herb also had a soothing effect on the uterus.
A lab-based study observing Leonurus japonicus’ constituents (which are similar to Leonurus cardiaca’s chemical composition) may help to regulate menstruation. These results suggest that motherwort may be helpful in managing menstrual disorders.
In David Hoffmann’s Medical Herbalism, he mentions motherwort as “valuable for stimulating delayed or suppressed menstruation” and “a useful relaxing tonic for menopausal changes”.
Celebrated herbalist Rosemary Gladstar explains that motherwort is “valued for many women’s problems, including delayed menstruation, uterine cramps associated with [suppressed menstruation], water retention, and hot flashes and mood swings during menopause.”
The American Botanical Council writes that there is “widespread use [of motherwort] as a childbirth aid and menopause aid, and for gynecological and reproductive issues.”
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