Queen-Of-The-Meadow
Botanical Description & Habitat
Eupatorium purpureum
Family
Compositae
Common names
| Gravelroot | Joe-pyeweed |
| Kidney root | Purple boneset |
| Trumpet weed |
Habitat
Indigenous to North America. It flourishes in moist soils, meadows, and woods.
Description
Has a perennial, woody root which produces one or more green or purplish leafy stems. The stems grow from 3 to 10 feet in height and bear oblong, coarsely serrate leaves growing in whorls of three to six. The flowers range from purplish to whitish, and bloom from August to September, growing in loose terminal cluster.
Medicinal parts
Rootstock, fresh or dried, collected in autumn
Historical Properties & Uses
American and European uses for this herb have differed somewhat. In America it has been used mainly as diuretic in the treatment of kidney and urinary ailments, especially when uric acid deposits are present, with other application in cases of dropsy, rheumatism, and neuralgia. It is occasionally used as an astringent, and for a time gained notoriety as a cure for typhus. In Europe, the herb has been applied as an analgesic, antipyretic, laxative, and cholagogue. As an antipyretic and febrifuge, it was and is used to treat bronchitis, chronic rhinitis, and related ailments.
In homeopathy, queen-of-the-meadow is used to treat the flu, acute gastritis, and feverish infections like nephritis and cystitis. The herb's diuretic, analgesic, and antipyretic properties have all been at least partially substantiated experimentally. In addition, an anti-cancer principle has been isolated from the plant.
Method of Action
Queen-of-the-meadow is diuretic
In American folk medicine, queen-of-the-meadow is universally recognized as an important diuretic, being neither too powerful nor too mild. It is noted for its reliability.
This herb contains antipyretic and analgesic chemicals
Though queen-of-the-meadow has not itself been investigated for analgesic and antipyretic properties, it contains a number of chemicals having such properties, including salicylic acid compounds. While not present in large amounts, they could nevertheless account for the mild analgesic and slight fever-reducing effects having been observed clinically.
Queen-of-the-meadow has an anti-cancer principle
Eupatorin, a component of this herb, has demonstrated some anti-cancer action in standard screening tests (i.e. with sarcoma 180, Ehrlich carcinoma and leukemia SN35).
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Known Interactions
Since queen-of-the-meadow's diuretic action increases the renal excretion of sodium and chloride, the herb may potentiate the hyperglycemic and hyperuricemic effects of glucose-elevating agents.
Diuretics such as this may also potentiate the action of antihypertensive, ganglionic or peripheral adrenergic blocking drugs, tubocurarine and, to a lesser degree, norepinephrine. It should be noted the effects of dopamine and diuretic agents are additive.
Possible Interactions
Due to presence of salicylates, queen-of-the-meadow may potentiate the effects of other anticoagulant agents, such as heparin. In addition, the presence of salicylate-like constituents in the herb may potentiate para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) toxicity in patients using aminosalicylate drugs.
It should also be noted by competing for renal tubular secretion, salicylates prolong the half-life of penicillin G, increasing both its effectiveness and its toxicity.
In conjunction with corticotropin (ACTH) or corticosteroids, this diuretic herb is more prone to produce hypokalemia. The use of diuretics in general may require dosage adjustments of antidiabetic drugs.
Diuretic action of this herb in particular may reduce renal clearance of lithium. An initial dose of the antihypertensive captopril may cause a severe drop in blood pressure within three hours if a strong diuretic such as queen-of-the-meadow is also being used.
The topical application of this astringent herb, in conjunction with the acne product Tretinoin (retinoic acid, vitamin A acid), may adversely affect the skin.
Queen-of-the-meadow's analgesic effects may be additive with other analgesics and anesthetics. The CNS-depressant tendency of this analgesic may be potentiated by chlorpoxthixene HCl, haloperidol and tranquilizers.
Conversely, the analgesic effects of this herb may be inhibited by barbiturates, despite any CNS-depressant effects which may occur. In addition, the analgesic property of the herb may be reversed or even eliminated by P-chlorophenylalanine, cyproheptadine HCl, and phenobarbital.
Comments
Queen-of-the-meadow's ability to increase insulin production and secretion may be antagonized by heparin. The antidiabetic ability of the herb may be decreased by concomitant use of acetazolamide, oral contraceptives, corticosteroids, dextrothyroxine, epinephrine, ethanol, glucagon, and marijuana.
The antidiabetic effects of the herb may also be decreased when used in conjunction with phenothiazines, rifampin, thiazide diuretics, and thyroid hormones.
Conversely, the antidiabetic action of queen-of-the-meadow may be enhanced used with allopurinol, anabolic steroids, chloramphenicol, clofibrate, fenfluramine,guanethidine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI's), phenylbutazone, probenecid, and phenyramidol. The antidiabetic action of this herb may also be enhanced when used in conjunction with salicylates, sulfinpyrazone, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines.
The strong diuretic action of queen-of-the-meadow may produce digitalis toxicity if digitalis glycosides are being used. When used in conjunction with aminoglycoside antibiotics it may also produce ototoxicity. In combination with ethyl alcohol, barbiturates or narcotics, it may produce orthostatic hypotension.
Strong diuretics such as this, in conjunction with indomethacin, may produce natriuretic effects. This herb may also enhance the nephrotoxicity of cephaloridine.
It should be noted the prolonged use of this diuretic herb may affect certain laboratory test results such as electrolytes, and especially potassium and sodium, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid, glucose, and protein bound iodine (PBI).
The salicylate action of queen-of-the-meadow will increase the renal clearance of naproxen, and inhibit uricosuric effect of sulfinpyrazone. Salicylates block renal tubular secretion of methotrexate, a cancer drug, thereby increasing the amount of active drug.
Plasma salicylate concentration may be increased by ammonium chloride, vitamin C, and para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), and they may be decreased by antacids.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
The toxicity level of queen-of-the-meadow has not been determined at this time.
Preparation & Administration
Three times a day
Dried rhizome and root
2-4 grams
Tea
made from 1 tsp dried rhizome and root
Fluid extract
1:1 in 25% alcohol, 2-4 ml
Tincture
1:5 in 45% alcohol, 1-2 ml
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
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