Medical Attributes of Achillea millefolium -
Yarrow
by Madison Batt
Wilkes University
Wilkes-Barre, PA
July 2015
Achillea millefolium, commonly referred to as yarrow, is an
herbaceous, flowering plant of the Asteraceae (Aster family). Yarrow
is native to the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere in
Europe, Asia, and North America (Simonetti, 1990). It is a tolerant
plant that is frequently found in mildly disturbed soils of open
forests and grasslands (Briggs & Hurteau, n.p.). Yarrow grows
best in soil that is well drained (Briggs & Hurteau, n.p.).
There are several varieties of yarrow, but all variations and
subspecies share a similar morphology. The plant can produce several
stems, that can grow to 8 to 16 inches tall, from a fibrous
underground rhizome. The leaves are dissected (the specific epithet
millefolium means “thousand leaves”) and alternately
distributed along the stem. Cymose clusters of small flower heads
ranging from white to yellow-white are found at the tops of the main
stems and branches (Briggs & Hurteau, n.p.).
Achillea millefolium has long been used in herbal remedies.
It was applied externally to wounds and minor bleeds (Ehrlich,
2011). Research has shown that A. millefolium extract has
surface rejuvenating effects, showing increased epidermal thickness
when applied topically, and significantly reduced the appearance of
pores and wrinkles compared with the placebo (Pain et al., 2011). It
can be taken orally to relieve inflammation in the digestive tract,
and as a sedative to relive anxiety and insomnia (Ehrlich, 2011).
Yarrow can be made into a tincture, or dried parts can be steeped
and made into a tea (Whelan, n.d.). Ingesting a generous
handful of fresh yarrow leaves can induce copious sweating, which
can be used to reduce fever (Drum, n.d.). It has been used in the
treatment of various diseases such as malaria, hepatitis, and
jaundice (Akram, 2013). A. millefolium has been used
in traditional medicine for the treatment of many aliments
throughout several body systems. Yarrow has been show to treat
overactive cardiovascular and respiratory ailments (Gilani &
Khan, 2010), inflammatory and spasmodic gastrointestinal discomfort,
hepato-biliary disorders, as an appetite-enhancing drug, wound
healing, and anti-inflammatory agent for skin (Benedek et al.,
2008). The essential oil and methanol extracts have been shown to
have an antioxidant and antimicrobial activity (Candan et al.,
2003). Radulović et al. (2012) demonstrated that the yarrow
oil possesses moderate activity against pathogenic microorganisms,
but the effect of the oil differs in pro- and eukaryotic cells.
Yarrow has a high concentration of phenolic acid, which has been
shown to ward off diseases like flu, colds, diabetes and even cancer
(Mekinić et al., 2014). Yarrow has been used as a treatment for
chemotherapy induced oral mucositis (Miranzadeh et al., 2015).
Yarrow has also been shown to aid in the treatment of increased
plasma nitric oxide concentration in patients with chronic kidney
disease (Vahid et al., 2012).
Today, A. millefolium is still used to remedy overactive
cardiovascular and respiratory aliments (Khan & Gilani, 2010).
Specifically, the crude extract of A. millefolium has
hypotensive, cardio-depressant, vasodilatory, and bronchodilatory
activity, which was shown to cause a dose-dependent fall in arterial
blood pressure of rats under anesthesia (Khan & Gilani, 2010).
In isolated rabbit aortic rings, crude yarrow extract was shown to
relax phenylephrine, and high K+ induced muscle
contractions (Khan & Gilani, 2010). Another study tested the
hypotensive effect of hydroethanolic extract (HEAM) isolated from A.
millefolium. Results showed that the oral administration HEAM
significantly reduced the mean arterial pressure in normotensive
rats (de Souza et al., 2011). With these results, A. millefolium
has the potential, when used in conjunction with other medications,
to treat hyperactive cardiovascular and airway disorders, such as
asthma and hypertension (2010).
The hydroalcoholic extract of the aerial parts of A. millefolium
has been shown to aid in the contraction and relaxation of ileum
(Moradi et al., 2013), which can relieve gastrointestinal
discomfort. By using acetylcholine to create isotonic contractions
in the terminal portion of ileum in rats, A. millefolium was
shown to relax the acetylcholine-induced contractions, which can be
due to the blockage of voltage dependent calcium channels
responsible for the contractions (Moradi et al., 2013).
A. millefolium distillate was shown to have healed oral
mucositis (OM), a type of mouth ulcer, more effectively than if not
included in the treatment (Miranzadeh et al., 2015). When yarrow
distillate was added to mouthwash and gargled 4 times a day for 14
days, the severity of the OM was decreased, which greatly alleviates
the impairment of eating, drinking, and talking that is associated
with OM (Miranzadeh et al., 2015). Another study looking at
stomatitis, or inflammation if the mucous membrane of the mouth, due
to chemotherapy, found that 71% of the patients were cured of
stomatitis after using the yarrow distillate-contained solution by
the 14th day of the experiment (Miranzadeh et al., 2014).
Yarrow has been documented to have nitric oxide-scavenging
properties, which is a possible mechanism of bleeding tendency in
patients who suffer from chronic kidney disease (Vahid et al.,
2012). Patients received 1.5 grams of powdered A. millefolium
flower 3 days a week for 2 months, the plasma samples were collected
before and after the trial, and it was determined that nitrite and
nitrate concentrations in the plasma decreased after the 2-month
regimen of A. millefolium (Vahid et al., 2012).
As a traditional medicinal treatment, used in conjunction with other
treatments or alone, A. millefolium has been shown to help
ailments throughout the body, across multiple systems. Achillea
millefolium has been used as a safe treatment option for
overactive cardiovascular and respiratory ailments, inflammatory and
spasmodic gastrointestinal discomfort, and as a treatment for
chemotherapy induced oral mucositis, and has also been shown to aid
in the treatment of increased plasma nitric oxide concentration in
patients with chronic kidney disease.
As with all herbal and botanical treatments, some adverse side
effects may occur when taking A. millefoium. Yarrow is
likely unsafe when taken orally during pregnancy, as it has been
shown to effect the menstrual cycle and may cause miscarriage
(WebMD, 2015). Yarrow may slow blood clotting, so in theory taking
yarrow may increase the risk of bleeding in people with bleeding
disorders (WebMD, 2015). Allergies may occur in people who are
sensitive to the Asteraceae/Compositae family, this includes
ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and daisies (WebMD, 2015).
Physicians should be made aware of any use of Achillea
millefolium, and can better determine individual dosing for an
individual patient.
.
LITERATURE CITED
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This paper was developed as part of the BIO 368 - Medical Botany
course offered at Wilkes University during the summer of 2015.
Course instructor was Kenneth M. Klemow, Ph.D. (kenneth.klemow@wilkes.edu).
The
information contained herein is based on published sources, and is
made available for academic purposes only. No warrantees, expressed
or implied, are made about the medical usefulness or dangers
associated with the plant species in question.