Lady's Mantle
Botanical Name
Alchemilla vulgaris
Common Name
Lady’s mantle, lion’s foot, bear’s foot, nine hooks, greater sanicle, padelyon, syndaw, leontopodium, stellaria
Family
Rosaceae
Parts Used
Leaf, stem
Native To
Western and Central Europe and Northern Asia
Harvesting Guidelines
Harvest lady’s mantle leaves and stems in early summer, just as the plant begins to bloom.
Lady's mantle, also known as Alchemilla, has been associated with magic and alchemy for centuries. Its cup-like leaves were used by ancient alchemists to collect morning dew, which was then used as a base for their formulas. The water that accumulates in its leaves was also believed to have healing properties and was used for cleansing and purifying illnesses. Today, lady's mantle is still used in herbal medicine for its various health benefits.
Lady's mantlehas a long history of use in traditional medicine for various female health concerns. It has been used to tone the abdominal area after childbirth and to restore breast tissue after lactation. Additionally, it has been used to address menstrual irregularities, uterine prolapse, and hernias. The plant's tannins are believed to help reduce heavy menstrual bleeding, while its high salicin content may help alleviate menstrual pain. (1)
Lady's mantle, a herbaceous plant native to Europe and Asia, has a long history of medicinal use. In Sweden, it was used to treat dysentery, while in Italy, the roots were combined with red wine to create a poultice for external wounds. The plant's fresh leaves were also believed to have the ability to heal broken bones in infants. Lady's mantle has been used for a variety of other ailments as well, including oral discomforts, rheumatism, and enteritis. Its versatility and effectiveness have made it a popular choice in traditional medicine for centuries.(2)
Lady's mantle, despite being known as a minor astringent herb, has been found to have remarkable healing properties. According to Matthew Wood, lady's mantle has the ability to reseal and restore tissue, making it useful for wounds, ulcers, fistulas, and sores. Its drying capabilities help to "mop up" dampness in wounds, while also encouraging cohesions of the cell wall and muscle wall throughout the body. In fact, there have been cases where lady's mantle has even helped to reseal perforated eardrums. More recently, lady's mantle has been used to address endometriosis, fibroids, and incompetence of the cervix.(3)
Adult Dose (4)
Infusion: 2 teaspoons of the leaves in 1 cup of water, steeped for 10 to 15 minutes 3 times/day.*
Tincture: 30 to 90 drops of a 1:2 up to 3x/day.
infections and onset of cold and flu: 30 drops an hour of a 1:5 in 70%.**
Safety
No known precautions.
Actions
Energy
References:
(1)Gladstar, R. (1993). Herbal healing for women. New York, NY: Fireside
(2)Lust, J. (1974).The herb book: The most complete catalog of herbs ever published. New York, NY: Benedictine Lust Publications.
(3)Wood, M. (1997). The book of herbal medicine: Using plants as medicine. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
(4)Hoffmann, D. (1997/1998/1998). The herbal handbook: A user’s guide to medical herbalism. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.
Scientific Research:
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