I wanted to share with you all about a bioregionally abundant plant that’s often misunderstood, Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). You’ll see it flowering right now throughout the northeast, midwest, and pacific northwest, especially in wet medaows, roadsides, lakesides, estuaries and marshes. To many, it’s a maligned “invasive” plant with little to no value, however this plant has been worked with medicinally since ancient times throughout it’s native range and many herbalists are well aware of its medicine.

Read on to learn more!

Materia Medica

Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Family Lythraceae

Other Names: Lythrum, Purple Willow Herb, Spiked Loosestrife, Salicaire, Braune, Rother Weiderich, Partyke, Lysimaque rouge, Flowering Sally, Blooming Sally, Purple Spiked Willowstrife, Potonjak (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Qian Qu Cai (China), kyprij obecný (Czech Republic), pilebladet kattehale (Denmark), rantakukka salicairé à épi; lysimachie rouge; salicaire officinale; salicaire (Finland), Blutweiderich; Gemeiner Weiderich; Stolzer Heinrich, Kattsteert (Germany), füzény (Hungary), Coda rossa; Riparella; Salcerella commune; Salicaria; Verga rossa; Salcerella (Italy), misohagi (Japan), raudoklé (Lithuania), kattehale krwawnica pospolita; płaczek; biedrzeniec; sowia strzała; wodohlad (Norway), wilczy ogon; lisia ogonia; wierzbienica (Poland), erva carapau (Portugal), Arroyuela; Frailecillo; Salicaria (Spain), tibbi hevhulma (Turkey)

Part Used: Flowering tops + aerial portions

Collection: Harvest when in flower in late summer/early fall. May be harvested as needed before flowering if the medicine is needed. Care must be taken to harvest from areas where the soil isn’t pollute

Habitat & Range: Native to Europe, Asia, the SWANA region, and Australia. Now widely found throughout the northeast, midwest, and pacific northwest. Prefers wet areas like roadside ditches, marshes/wetlands, wet meadows, lake and stream sides, and estuaries. Is tolerant of less moist soils as well. Prefers full sun.

Cultivation: No need to cultivate this one due to its abundance, plus it’s illegal to cultivate in most (if not all) states where it’s listed as invasive

Description: Herbaceous perennial that spreads by runners and root fragments and makes clonal communities. Spreads by seed as well. Can grow 3-6 ft tall. Lanceolate leaves, 3–10 cm long and 5–15 mm broad, downy and sessile (attached directly to the stem). Leaves can be opposite or be in whorls of three. Plants can vary greatly in terms of leaf shape and hairiness. Flowers are bright magenta and arise on distinctive terminal spikes. Flowers are 10–20 mm diameter, with six petals (occasionally five) and 12 stamens. They arise on spikes there are three different flower types- the stamens and style can be different lengths (short, medium or long); each flower type can only be pollinated by one of the other types, not the same type. This ensures cross-pollination between different plants. Forms big stands in wet places, lighting-up the landscape with pink in late summer and red foliage in the fall.

Herbal Ecology: On the invasive species list in many states. Was introduced to the US at some point from Europe and/or Asia but was already so abundant here by the early 1800’s many botanists considered it to be native. Grows in already threatened habitats such as estuaries and wetlands and there is evidence to suggest it is actually cleaning our soils and water ways. It’s a bioremediator and can take-up excess phosphorous and nitrogen from the water (from agricultural fertilizer run-off) and has even been shown to remove PCBs. Helps prevent erosion by stabilizing soil and can grow in polluted soils (including Lead) other plants can’t withstand. One study showed that Purple Loosestrife helped aerate the soil and enhance the nutrient uptake of the plants around it. Excellent pollinator plant that is beloved by honeybees and native pollinators alike and is a food source for numerous insects. Massive efforts are made in the US to control this plant’s spread, including both biological and chemical methods. Two species of leaf beetle are commonly used for biological control- Galerucella calmariensis and Galerucella pusilla. And three species of weevil are used as well- Hylobius transversovittatus, Nanophyes breves, and Nanophyes marmoratus. The chemical most commonly applied to control Purple Loosestrife is Glyphosate aka Roundup. There are many claims that this plant is detrimental to the ecology of the wetlands and marshes it occupies however not all scientists agree that current research backs this claim. From an empirical point of view, some folks have observed it staying in balance in an ecosystem when the area itself is fairly healthy and free of pollutants and “taking over” when the area has suffered degradation and is quite polluted. Timothy Lee Scott, author of Invasive Plant Medicine writes about Purple Loosestrife acting like an antioxidant in an ecosystem, the same way it does in our bodies. In the inland northeast it prefers wet meadows and can often be found with other medicinals such as Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata), Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), Gravel Root/Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum), and Goldenrod (Solidego canadensis).

Taste: Bitter, slight sour, slightly salty, astringent

Energetics: Cold, Dry to Moist

Constituents: Anthocyanins, cholin, butyl-phthalate, chologenic acid, ellaguc acid, glycoside salarin, loliolide, malvin, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, pectin, salicarin, tannins

Herbal Actions: Antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, astringent, demulcent, styptic, vulnerary

Medicinal Use: Purple Loosestrife has a long history as an important medicinal throughout its native range and has been utilized as medicine since ancient times. Written about by Dioscorides in Materia Medica (c. ~70AD), Pliny the Elder in Naturalis Historia (c. ~80AD), Hildegard von Bingen in Causae Curae (c. ~1100 AD) and many more.

One of the key ways it has traditionally been used is for any infectious diarrhea and outbreaks of dysentery, which is most often caused by bacteria from Shigella genus. And it can be employed in chronic diarrhea too. The combination of its antimicrobial, astringent, vulnerary and demulcent actions make it perfect for this condition. It was effectively used in dysentery epidemics in Sweden (1793), Boulogne (1858) and around Lyon (1773). During WWI, Doctor Henri Leclerc, in the First Battle of the Marne (1914) used an infusion (tea) of Purple Loosestrife to treat diarrhea among soldiers who weren’t responding to other treatments. Also during WWI, Dr. Gougeon documented successful treatment of dysentery with this herb in soldiers in a hospital on the military front in Rennes. Other traditional uses include typhus, cholera, piles (hemorrhoids), ulcers, skin eruptions, wounds, to stop bleeding, ophthalmia, liver disease, and leukorrea. Has been traditionally been used for infant cholera and is considered safe for children and infants.

As an astringent it is also beneficial topically and for wound healing and makes a good gargle for a sore throat and as an ingredient in throat sprays. Beneficial topically for hemorrhoids and varicose veins. It has styptic properties as well and has been used for gastrointestinal bleeding, bleeding ulcers, bloody diarrhea and even spitting blood. Excellent as an eye wash for irritated eyes and is a good analog for Eyebright (Euphrasia spp), which is on the United Plant Savers “At-Risk” list of plants. Maude Grieves writes in A Modern Herbal, “It has been stated to be superior to Eyebright in preserving the sight and curing sore eyes.” Its combination of both astringent and demulcent properties make it wonderful for restoring tone to the digestive tract while also supporting the health of the mucous membranes. Useful in a gut heal tea and intestinal infections.

Has antimicrobial properties and has been demonstrated to have activity in vitro against Candida albicans, Staphyllococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, E. coli, Microccocus luteus, and Cladosporium cucumerinum. It’s believed that its oleanic acid and ursolic acid conrtribute to its anti-fungal properties and the compound vescalagin contributes to its antibacterial properties. Herbalists Katja Swift and Ryn Midura work with Purple Loosestrife as an anti-fungal for athlete’s foot and find it to be synergistic with Usnea Lichen (Usnea spp) for this use. It’s a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, likely due to its flavonoids isovitexin and isoorientin. Vulnerary herb that has been traditionally used on wounds- can be used topically in salves, oils, honey, diluted tincture or internally as a tea for inflammation and irritation in the gut.

Modern herbalists most often work with Purple Loosestrife in allergy formulas- enlisting its astringent and demulcent properties. Often combined with Nettles (Urtica dioica, U. membranaceous), Goldenrod (Solidego canadensis, Solidego spp), and Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum, G, tsugae) for this use.

Smoke medicine- the plants may be used in burning bundles or in loose incense.

History of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), known as Qia qu cai or Herba Lythum. TCM considers it to be cold, bitter and astringent and it’s associated with the Liver, Small Intestine, and Lungs and classically used to treat dysentery.

Preparations & Dosage: Leaf & Flower- Bath, Infusion- 1 tbsp: 1 cup water, steep 10-15 minutes, strain, drink 3 cups/day, Infused Oil, Infused Honey, Salve, Tincture (40%-50% Alcohol)- 1/2-1 tsp 3x/day, Poultice & Compress, Vinegar (100% raw apple cider vinegar), Oxymel (75% vinegar, 25% raw honey), Smoke Medicine

Contraindications: No known herb-drug interactions. Unknown if its contraindicated in pregnancy so best to avoid it.

More:

The Latin name Lythrum is thought to be from the Greek luthron, meaning 'gore,' from the color of the flowers or maybe the foliage which turns red in the fall

A recipe for a salve from A Modern Herbal:

“An ointment may be made with the water 1 OZ. to 2 drachms of May butter without salt, and the same quantity of sugar and wax boiled gently together. It cleanses and heals ulcers and sores, if washed with the water, or covered with the leaves, green or dry according to the season.”

It has been used to tan leather, likely due to the tannin content.

Dioscorides wrote in De Materia Medica (c. ~70 AD):

“The herb is tart and strong in taste, of an astringent and refrigerant nature, good for stanching both outward and inward bleeding; sap extracted from the leaves and drunk stops blood-spitting and dysentery, and sour wine in which the leaves have been boiled when taken internally will have the same effect; and if the plant is set afore it gives off a pungent vapor and smoke that drives away serpents; and flies cannot stay in a room where this smoke is.”