Bursa pastoris, Shepherds Purse

Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578

Masclef, Atlas des plantes de France, (?)

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Botanical name:

Capsella bursa-pastoris

Parts used:

Herb

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, dry. Mildly Sweet and Bitter

dries, binds, astringes

Classification:

2P. HEMOSTATIC

Uses:

1. Cools the Blood, Stops Bleeding and Leakage (TCM, West):
-internal and external bleeding.
-Menorrhagia which is prolonged and recurring with pale blood.
-chronic Diarrhea, Leukorrhea and Spermatorrhea;

2. Clears Damp Heat, Promotes Urine (TCM, West):
-Diarrhea and Dysentery, including those with blood and mucous in the stool.
-Urinary infections, reducing urinary tract irritation and Atony
-Gravel and Stones

3. Moves the Blood, Stops Wind, Regulates Circulation (TCM, West):
-Cardiac Insufficiency, Arrhythmia, Hypertension, Hypotension (it can regulate blood pressure);
-Nervous Heart Complaints;
-pain, or oppression of the chest associated with Palpitations

4. Moves the Blood, Clears Heat, Resolves Masses:
-breaks internal Abscesses.
-used for Non-Malignant Abdominal Tumors.

5. Clears and benefits the Vision. (TCM)

6. Loosens the Bowels:
-seeds were used as a laxative by ancient Greeks.
7. Externally:

i. all hot inflammations, and is, according to some (such as Maria Treben), a specific for all types of muscular disorders.

ii. Ointment is good for all wounds and bruising, esp. the head.
iii. juice dropped into the ears heals pains and noises of the ears.
iv. Good for bleeding piles.

v. fresh leaf laid to the armpits and neck to stop a Blood nose.

vi. Applied to the wrist as a poultice to stop Agues.
vii. beaten and mixed with Olive oil, it is applied to Frostbite (Galen)