Agrimony
Quick Facts
- What it is: A yellow-flowered European herb, taken as an astringent tea, gargle or tincture.
- Main uses: Mild short-term diarrhoea, Gargle for sore throat and mouth irritation, Wash for minor cuts, Bitter tea for mild indigestion
- Active ingredients: Tannins, Flavonoids, Phenolic acids, Triterpenes, Vitamin K
- Forms: Dried herb for tea, Tea bags, Tincture, Capsules, Gargle or mouthwash, Skin wash
- Time to effect: Minutes for a gargle; a day or two for gut use, if anything.
- Side effects: Usually mild: constipation, stomach upset and dry mouth; rare rash.
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What is Agrimony?
Agrimony is a tall, yellow-flowered herb from fields and hedgerows. Herbalists use the dried leaves and flowering tops. It is taken mainly as a tea, a tincture (an alcohol extract) or a gargle.
In parts of the United States it is called cocklebur, after its hooked seed burrs. That nickname causes trouble. True cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) is a different plant, and it is poisonous.
Folk use was mostly for loose bowels, sore throats and small wounds. Human evidence for any of this is very thin. No claim on this page is proven in people.
Long traditional use is not proof that a remedy works, and it is not proof that it is safe. Please read the rest of this page with that in mind.
How does Agrimony work?
No one has shown what agrimony does in the human body. The main idea rests on its tannins, which are plant compounds that bind to protein.
In test tubes, tannins make surface proteins pull tight. Herbalists call this an astringent effect, meaning tissue feels tight and dry. It is the usual reason given for the old use in diarrhoea and mouth rinses.
In laboratory tests, agrimony extracts soak up free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells. In cell and animal work, extracts have also lowered some markers of inflammation (swelling and irritation).
Animal studies have reported small drops in blood sugar. Whether that happens in people is not known. Do not treat agrimony as a blood sugar medicine.
Lab tests show some activity against bacteria and viruses in a dish. That is a long way from an effect in a person drinking tea.
What forms does Agrimony come in?
Dried leaf and flowering top is the common form. You will find it loose or in tea bags.
Forms you swallow include:
- Loose dried herb for an infusion (a strong tea) - Tea bags, often blended with other herbs - Capsules of powdered leaf
Liquid and skin forms include:
- Liquid tincture in alcohol or glycerine - Gargles and mouthwashes - Skin washes and compresses for minor cuts
You may also see flower essence drops. They hold no measurable plant material.
Strength is not standardised across brands. Check that the label names Agrimonia eupatoria.
Avoid any product that only says "cocklebur". That word is also used for a poisonous plant.
Where it comes from:
Agrimony has a long record in European folk medicine. Greek and Roman writers mentioned it, and settlers carried it to North America.
American Eclectic doctors of the 1800s listed it as an astringent and a mild bitter tonic. They gave it for loose bowels and sore throats. They also used it as a wash for slow-healing wounds.
English country practice brewed it as a spring tea. Some healers claimed it helped the liver and kidneys. Others gave it to children who wet the bed.
These were practitioner reports, written down long before controlled trials existed.
German herbal guidance has allowed the dried herb for mild diarrhoea and for irritation of the mouth and throat. That permission rests on long use and plausibility, not on strong trial results.
Who should avoid Agrimony?
- Never use the plant sold as true cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) in its place, because that plant is poisonous.
- Do not use if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.
- Do not use if you are breastfeeding.
- Do not give it to a child unless a doctor has advised it.
- Do not use if you take warfarin or another anticoagulant (blood-thinning drug), unless your doctor agrees.
- Do not use if you take insulin or diabetes tablets, unless your doctor is checking your blood sugar.
- Do not use if you are constipated or have been told you have a bowel blockage.
- Do not use if you have iron-deficiency anaemia (low iron in the blood) without medical advice.
- Avoid it if you are allergic to roses, strawberries or other plants in the rose family.
- Do not keep taking it in the two weeks before planned surgery.
When should you see a doctor?
Stop agrimony and see a doctor if any of these happen:
- Diarrhoea lasts more than two days, or you see blood in your stool. - You have a fever, or signs of dehydration such as dizziness and very dark urine. - A sore throat lasts more than a week, or you struggle to swallow or breathe. - You bruise easily, bleed from the gums, or notice unusual bleeding. - Your skin or eyes turn yellow. - You feel shaky, sweaty or confused and take diabetes medicine.
Get emergency help for swelling of the face, lips or throat, or for sudden trouble breathing.
Is Agrimony legal where you live?
In the United States agrimony is sold as a dietary supplement. It is not approved as a drug there. In the United Kingdom and the European Union it is sold as a food supplement or herbal tea, and German herbal guidance has allowed the dried herb for mild diarrhoea and mouth irritation.
Evidence grades and traditional-use labels are explained in our methodology. Nothing here is medical advice.
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