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Latin Name: Leonurus cardiac
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Leonurus
Common Names: motherwort, hrow-wort, lion's ear, and lion's tail
Origin: Originally from Central Asia and southeastern Europe
Distribution Area: it is now found worldwide
Botanical Information: The height of an adult plant is from 30 to 200 cm. The root is stalky. The stem is erect, sometimes branched. Leaves are petiolate. The lower leaves are palmately lobed or palmatisected, and the upper leaves are whole. They are the largest ones, up to 15 cm in length; closer to the top the leaves gradually decrease. Flowers are small. Inflorescences are spiked, located at the ends of stems and branches. Cups are naked or hairy. There are four stamens. Flowering time is throughout the summer.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF MOTHERWORT
The stems and leaves of the motherwort contain:
- carbohydrates
- alkaloids (0.035-0.4%)
- essential oil
- tannins (up to 2%)
- bitter principle
- flavonoids (rutin, 7-glucoside quercetin, quinqueloside, cosmosin, hyperoside)
- saponins
- glycosides
- paracum and ascorbic (23.6-65.7 mg%) acids
- beta-carotene
- minerals
The flowers also contain the alkaloid stachidrine (up to 0.4%).
The seeds of the motherwort are rich in fatty oils (up to 30%).
“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”
Frank Lloyd Wright
*This article is for informational purposes only. We suggest consulting with a physician before using these or any other herbal supplements.
