An herbal remedy originally prescribed to pregnant women suffering from anxiety, motherwort accepted its name from this original purpose – referring to “mothers herb” or “mother wort.” Since its initial prescription, however, the herb has taken on many different purposes. Today, motherwort is an oft used herb that offers a variety of benefits for the nervous system as well as the cardiovascular system.
What is Motherwort?
Scientifically known as Leonurus cardiac, motherwort is a plant native to Europe and Asia. It is believed that the colonists introduced the traditional herbal remedy to North America, which now serves as an amiable environment for the plant.
A member of the mint family, motherwort has a square stem that separates it from other common herbs. Likewise, it has a hardy root system that spreads readily, making it a fairly easy plant to grow.
The herb has a number of medicinal applications that center on the herb’s natural tendency to relax the body. The herb also acts as a mild diuretic and a limited antibacterial agent.
Health Benefits of Motherwort
Motherwort has a number of innate characteristics that situate it as an effective treatment option and herbal remedy. The plant contains a natural chemical alkaloid leonurine, which serves as a mild vasodilator. This property makes motherwort an effective anti-spasmodic that relaxes the muscles, particularly the heart. The herb also aids in decreasing blood clotting, cleansing the fat in the blood, and decreasing blood pressure.
In addition to its effects as a cardiovascular treatment, motherwort also eases stress and anxiety. As it naturally calms the body and relaxes the muscles, the herb also relieves the neurons and nervous system. The herb is also capable of elevating mood, relieving nervous debility, and improving sleep.
As such, motherwort is often used to treat a variety of common conditions. Multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, neuralgia, hypothyroidism, menopause, premenstrual syndrome, insomnia and a variety of other conditions have been effectively treated using the herb.
Motherwort is an herb with a long history of effective medical use. While it initially was used in treating a singular condition, its use has greatly expanded today, making it an effective option for a wide range of conditions.
Continue reading to learn how Earth Clinic readers have used Motherwort for various ailments and whether it helped them or not!
Hi EC, I am 49 years old and has not had a period for the past six months. I always use motherwort for mild anxiety on and off so yesterday I decided to take a dropperful and what do you know….. I got up this morning with a period. I was stunned to put it lightly. I thought I was over with this. Anyone knows what’s going on? Any input would be appreciated. Thank you guys.
Try alcohol-free hawthorn extract and the lowest alcohol content motherwort extract, read the bottle for dosage, don’t bother with water, take equal quantities, and I think it will promptly cure your palpitations.
Please look at my submission under Tachycardia, titled Motherworth and Hawthorn, to get my remedy for heart palpitations. This is fast heartbeat, a sudden rise to 150 beats per minute or more, even to the 200 beats per minute range. The remedy I found and have tested over years is very fast for me, and very reliable. My submission under Tachycardia, titled Motherwort and Hawthorn, gives details. I think the medical community should know about this but I think the pharmaceutical industry would find a way to make money off a chemical variation. The herbs themselves do a remarkable job.
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I have found hawthorn and motherwort together to be a reliable cure for my PSVT's (paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia) in which my heart would race at speeds of 160 to even over 200 per minute.
First, I use a liquid extract, alcohol free if possible. I used to use an alcohol extract but it did not work anything like the alcohol-free. After experimenting with different manufacturers I settled on Nature's Answer alcohol-free hawthorn and Nature's Answer low-alcohol motherwort. These people are based in Hauppauge, New York, and I have no connection with them whatever except as happy user of their products. After a couple years, Nature's Answer turned their hawthorn into hawthorn berry (which it was originally), leaf and flower. On the Net I found this combo supposedly reinforced the properties of the hawthorn berry. I found it had no different ability to stop my cardiac arrhythmia. Same speed.
Nature's Answer motherwort is about 15 percent alcohol. Some experimentation with different manufacturers years ago made it clear you can't put motherwort in solution without using some alcohol, or it will come out of solution. Even so, you still need to shake the motherwort extract to get it evenly distributed.
This stuff can get rid of an attack of PSVTs like lightning. I keep a quarter ounce bottle with glass eye dropper on me at all times, mixed with a 50% hawthorn-50% motherwort mixture. That 50 percent is by volume, not weight, say a full level teaspoon of each. And I shake each one thoroughly before adding to the mix.
Once in a while I will get a warning jump in my chest saying my heart could go into fast heartbeat. I will sit down as soon as possible, take out my bottle of herbs, shake it well, and fill the dropper about 1/3 to 1/2 full. I always sit or lie down whenever I get a heart incident so I don't have any strain on the heart, and I will stay down for maybe ten minutes.
If I have gone into full tachycardia, where my heart is beating 160-200 beats a minute, I don't care where I am, I lie down. I get my bottle of herbs out, shake it thoroughly, and put a dropper full into my mouth. How fast is it? Once when I couldn't lie down, I was in my car on the freeway, I parked it as soon as I could and took my dropper full. I couldn't get the dropper back in the bottle fast enough to beat my heart getting back to normal. It took one second for my heartbeat to resume normal beating.
This remedy has NEVER failed me. I have gotten into the habit, over the years, of taking 1/3 dropper full after breakfast, 1/3 dropper full after lunch, and 1/3 dropper full after supper. I have noticed that scars that seemed to be getting deeper with age began to disappear, to where they are barely noticeable nowadays. I am 81.
Symptoms that might accompany this remedy being more effective: the tongue is red compared to a fresh cut pork chop. The left pulse between the wrist crease and the head of the radius tends to be weak, perhaps weaker than the pulse at any other position.
I can't guarantee this will work for you. I can tell you it is greased lightning working on me. My incidence of heart palpitations has dropped from several bouts per week to perhaps one every two to five years. I NEVER leave my hawthorn-motherwort on the dresser at home. It is in my pocket at all times.
Thanks Jerry from Seal Beach, Cal. I have had episodes of Tachycardia for close to 30 years and I really appreciate the advice you gave on Motherwort and Hawthorn. I will have to do a little more research into these two herbal treatments but it sounds like a good answer to my heart palpitations. Right now I use cayenne pepper in warm water to help slow down my racing heart. Thanks again and God Bless!
Your comments on Motherwort and Hawthorn tinctures for the heart is an answered prayer – thank you for sharing.
Hi,
First I want to thank you for the info.
I had the high rate of palpitations to the point they woke me up, Have to say when that happened it scared me to almost ..well you know.
After taking these two extracts together, I have not had a single episode since. I make sure to have ample supply on hand. Don't want those palpitations racing like that.
Again.. the motherswort and Hawthorne combo suggested works for me perfectly.
Thank you from my heart that works better since following your help.
May the lord bless and keep you safe,
Don