BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
Also known as: Rupturewort, rupturewort
The dossier covers Herniaria glabra, hirsuta and incana; this profile includes only the glabra taxon.
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.
Urinary elimination
Traditional adjunctive use to increase urine output in minor urinary complaints.
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?
Smooth rupturewort is included in a shared monograph with H. hirsuta and H. incana. The use concerns flowering aerial parts in herbal tea as an aid to urinary elimination. Chemical documentation is more abundant than clinical evidence: identifying saponins or flavonoids does not demonstrate stone dissolution. In particular, results obtained with another rupturewort must not be transferred to H. glabra.
Constituents to know.
Their presence and quantity depend on the plant part and preparation.
- Saponins and flavonoids
- The shared dossier describes triterpene saponins and quercetin and isorhamnetin derivatives. Proportions and analyses vary by species.Read the reference
- Phenolic acids
- Caffeic and chlorogenic acids are reported in H. glabra, among others; their presence does not define a measured therapeutic activity.Read the reference
Support for urinary elimination
The traditional role is to increase urine output in support of minor urinary complaints, not to replace anti-infective treatment.
Read the referenceComposition to be interpreted by species
Analysis of a H. hirsuta preparation does not automatically describe that of a H. glabra herbal tea. A shared monograph does not erase this difference.
Read the referenceWhat this means for preparation.
Prefer material whose identity and part are explicit. The full formula matters when a herbal tea contains several plants.
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.
What is actually grouped together in the dossier
- Type of research
- 2020 EMA report and review of available products.
- Preparation concerned
- Dried flowering aerial parts of three species, alone or mixed according to the pharmacopoeial definition cited.
- Observed results
- The report distinguishes identification and composition data; many historical products are herbal combinations.
- Limitations to consider
- A result obtained with a combination does not allow the effect to be attributed to rupturewort alone.
What can we take from this?
Traditional use is not evidence of treatment for stones, infections or kidney failure. Restricting fluid intake is incompatible with this rationale for use.
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
Dried and fragmented flowering parts.
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 the plant.
- Do not use if fluid restriction is prescribed, particularly for severe heart or kidney disease.
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
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: medicinal use is not recommended because of insufficient 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 — Herniariae herba: assessment and documentsAccessed on 09/10/2026
- EMA — assessment report on Herniaria glabra, H. hirsuta and H. incana, 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
