BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
Also known as: Mouse-ear hawkweed, Pilosella officinarum
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.
Urinary elimination
Traditional use as a mild diuretic for minor urinary problems.
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?
Mouse-ear hawkweed is documented as a dried herb with part of the root, in comminuted or powdered form. The final EMA revision of 2024 maintains a traditional urinary use. Laboratory studies have explored more properties, but the preparations and routes used do not always correspond to those of a herbal tea. This distinction prevents a diuretic signal in rats from being turned into a promise of fluid elimination or weight loss.
Constituents to know.
Their presence and quantity depend on the plant part and preparation.
- Coumarins and polyphenols
- The report describes umbelliferone, luteolin, and caffeic and chlorogenic acids, among other compounds. None of these compounds alone establishes clinical efficacy.Read the reference
Traditional increase in urination
Preparations of cut or powdered plant material are recognised for minor urinary use; this does not demonstrate elimination of “toxins”.
Read the referenceExperimental diuresis
A hydroalcoholic extract increased excretion of urine and certain ions in rats; it was administered intraperitoneally, an essential difference from oral use.
Read the referenceWhat this means for preparation.
Look for the part including the root and the form used. A commercial promise of “drainage” may refer to a preparation different from that in the dossier.
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 model with limited transferability to an infusion
- Type of research
- Animal study by Beaux et al. summarized in the EMA report.
- Preparation concerned
- Hydroalcoholic extract of aerial parts, administered by intraperitoneal injection.
- Observed results
- Increased diuresis and excretion of sodium and potassium were observed.
- Limitations to consider
- The report found no direct pharmacodynamic study of the fragmented or powdered forms; this protocol does not validate a herbal tea.
What can we take from this?
Antioxidant or antibacterial laboratory tests demonstrate neither weight loss nor treatment of an infection. Traditional recognition does not indicate the magnitude of a clinical effect.
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.
InfusionAerial parts with root · Route: oral
Dried, cut plant material.
Please note: Follow the product's package leaflet; preparations are not interchangeable.
Read the sourcePowderAerial parts with root · Route: oral
Solid preparation of powdered plant.
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 Asteraceae.
- 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 — Pilosellae herba cum radice: 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 Pilosella officinarum, final revision 1, 2024Accessed 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
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Myriam
