Hemp Agrimony - Benefits, Uses and Side Effects

Botanical Name of Hemp Agrimony: Eupatorium cannabinum L.

The genus name Eupatorium can be traced back to the ancient Greek king Mithridates Eupator (120-63 BC), who apparently was the first to use species in this genus as a medicine. The species name cannabinum is only due to the resemblance the leaves have to hemp leaf (Cannabis sativa) because those two plant species are not related.

Other Common Names:
Common hemp agrimony, water agrimony, common Dutch agrimony, St. John's herb, Water maudlin, gravel root, weet-smelling trefoil, holy rope.

Habitat:
Hemp agrimony is found wild in most parts of Europe, but it is also found in West Asia and North Africa. It grows in moist woodlands, fens, marshes and along rivers and canals.

Description:
Hemp agrimony is a perennial plant of the Asteraceae family. It can grow up to one and half meter or five feet high. They erect stems are reddish brown covered with fine hairs. The plant flowers from June to September. The flower heads are small and consist of few tubular florets. The aromatic flowers are usually pink or violet, but white flowered plants occur.

Plant Parts Used:
The whole plant is used.

Hemp Agrimony
(Eupatorium cannabinum)
(Click on image to enlarge)
Attribution:Sander van der Molen

Therapeutic Uses, Benefits and Claims of Hemp Agrimony

• Avicenna (980-1037), a Persian physician and philosopher, wrote about the uses of hemp agrimony as a medicinal plant. This herb also was used by others who practiced Arabic herbal medicine in the early middle Ages, primarily as an invigorating tonic and detoxifying agent.
• The plant contains flavonoids, a benzofuran (Euparin), phenols, tannins, resin and inulin. The essential oil extracted from hemp agrimony contains Thymol, Azulene, Cymene to name a few. Cymene seems to have antiviral properties and the water-soluble polysaccharides found present in the herb are thought to stimulate the immune system in a positive way.

The Herb Hemp Agrimony
(Eupatorium cannabinum)
Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen
• Hemp agrimony has been used as an herbal remedy for viral infections such as colds and flu. Additionally it has been used to treat high fever.
• Some recent studies have indicated that hemp agrimony could be helpful in treating cancer but more research is needed to confirm this.
• Ailments such as poor bile flow, gallbladder inflammation and gallstones have been treated by using this herb. Hemp agrimony has otherwise been used for liver and biliary disorders and also to stimulate the excretion of toxins through the kidneys.
• Hemp agrimony may be used internally as an herbal tea to increase appetite, for indigestion and to treat rheumatic disorders such as rheumatism and arthritis.
• The root of hemp agrimony can act as both laxative and diuretic. Ingested in large doses the herb can be strongly laxative but in small doses it can, in combination with other herbs, be used for constipation.
• External uses of hemp agrimony, in the form of tincture, include treatments of minor skin infections, bleeding, bruising and wounds.
• The leaves have been added to bread to prevent mold growth and vegetable juice made from the leaves has been rubbed into the fur of animals as an insect repellant agent.

Dosage and Administration

The plant is cut when it is in full bloom and then used in herbal tea, liquid extracts and tinctures. The roots and rhizomes are dug up in the autumn and dried for later use as a decoction or in tinctures. For proper doses a trained herbalist should be consulted as the right dose of hemp agrimony depends on few factors such as age and overall health. Most therapeutic doses used today come from traditional use because at this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for this herb.

Potential Side Effects and Interactions of Hemp Agrimony

Hemp agrimony should be avoided by pregnant and nursing mothers. Higher doses than recommended could lead to irritation of the digestive tract, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Supporting References

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