BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
Also known as: Motherwort
Check the scientific name and the part used; a photograph is not sufficient for foraging plants intended for consumption.
An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.
01 · UNDERSTAND
Properties & uses.
Nervous tension
Traditional use for nervous tension and palpitations of nervous origin, only after medical exclusion of a serious cause.
Read the sourceThe traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.
02 · UNDERSTAND THE ACTION
How does the plant act?
The name “cardiac motherwort” may suggest a medicine for heart rhythm, whereas the recognized framework is narrower: nervous tension and the perception of nervous palpitations, after a doctor has excluded a serious cause. One human study provided signals, but its lack of a control group prevents the effect of the preparation from being distinguished from the course of the symptoms. Recognition remains based on traditional use.
Constituents to know.
Their presence and quantity depend on the plant part and preparation.
- Iridoids
- The oil extract studied contained measured iridoids; this analytical marker does not demonstrate that they explain a cardiovascular benefit.Read the reference
Nervous tension
Traditional use concerns mild nervous discomfort, with defined oral preparations of flowering aerial parts.
Read the referencePalpitations of nervous origin
Prior exclusion of heart disease is part of the conditions of use. The plant is not presented as an antiarrhythmic.
Read the referenceWhat this means for preparation.
Do not interpret the word “cardiac” as an invitation to treat new palpitations. Check the form and the contraindication during pregnancy.
03 · EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE
What the research shows.
A laboratory or animal result alone does not demonstrate a benefit in humans. Each result must be read alongside the preparation studied and its limitations.
A before-and-after study without a comparator
- Type of research
- Study of 50 hypertensive patients, 28 days, described by the EMA.
- Preparation concerned
- Leonurus cardiaca extract prepared in soybean oil.
- Observed results
- Blood pressure and some anxiety or sleep scores decreased compared with baseline; no significant effect on heart rate.
- Limitations to consider
- Without a control group and over a short period, the study does not allow a conclusion of efficacy; the extract is not equivalent to an herbal tea.
What can we take from this?
Results for Leonurus japonicus or traditional medicine mixtures are not those of L. cardiaca alone. No indication for replacing an antihypertensive is recognised.
Documentary review dated 09/10/2026. The references remain available to check the context.
04 · CHOOSE A PREPARATION
One plant, several preparations.
Only forms documented in this profile’s sources are presented.
InfusionFlowering aerial parts · Route: oral
Cut flowering parts.
Please note: Follow the product's package leaflet; preparations are not interchangeable.
Read the sourcePowder or liquid extractFlowering aerial parts · Route: oral
Documented preparations with a package leaflet.
Please note: Follow the product's package leaflet; preparations are not interchangeable.
Read the source05 · BEFORE ANY USE
Precautions & contraindications.
This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.
Contraindications
- Allergy to motherwort.
- Pregnancy: contraindicated.
Medicine interactions
- No established interaction is included in this entry; this does not guarantee compatibility with a treatment.
Adverse effects
- Adverse effects insufficiently documented in the sources used here.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Contraindicated during pregnancy; breastfeeding use not recommended due to lack of data.
Children & adolescents
For adults only in this leaflet; insufficient pediatric data.
If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.
06 · PUTTING KNOWLEDGE INTO PRACTICE
Preparations & recipes.
No home recipe is provided in this profile. For an appropriate preparation, refer to the product leaflet and ask your pharmacist for advice.
07 · CHECK THE SOURCES
Sources for this profile.
- EMA — Leonuri cardiacae herba: assessment and documentsAccessed on 09/10/2026
- ANSES — summary of precautions for food supplements (June 2023)Accessed on 09/10/2026
- EMA — assessment report on Leonurus cardiaca, aerial partsAccessed on 09/10/2026
Illustration: Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz — Otto Wilhelm Thomé (1885), via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.
A TOUCH OF SOLÉA
Myriam’s tip
Myriam is reviewing the tip for this profile.
Myriam
