Cranesbill Root and Powder Profile
Also known as
Geranium maculatum, Geranium robertianum, Wild Geranium, Alum Root, American Cranesbill, Spotted Cranesbill, Old Maid's Nightcap, and Crowfoot.
Introduction
Cranesbill is a 2 foot high bush with erect, unbranched stems with "toothed" leaves and pinkish-purple flowers that grows in temperate woodlands across North America. Cranesbill is an unusually rich source of tannins. It is so rich in tannins that it is a traditional astringent for bleeding, and an essential tool of Russian herbal medicine for treating diarrhea. Dr. Samuel Waggaman wrote in his 1895 Compendium of Botanic Materia that cranesbill “main virtues lie in its powerful astringent qualities, and it is highly recommended for diarrhea and dysentery.
Constituents
Tannins, which oxidize to give the tea a red color, also gums, resins, starch, anthocyanidins, and calcium oxalate.
Parts Used
Leaves (of herb Robert) or roots (of Geranium maculatum).
Typical Preparations
Tea, tincture, and poultice.
Summary
Cranesbill is used for its tannins, compounds that cause proteins in mucous membranes and other linings of the human body exposed directly to the tea to cross-link to prevent leakage or infection. Its primary use in modern herbal medicine is to treat diarrhea in children without side effects. It is also used in poultices to treat pain from infection or inflammation and to relieve the discomfort of cyclic breast pain. The "tanning" action of cranesbill makes it useful for treating conditions as varied as sore throat, canker sores, ulcers, burns, gingivitis, leukorrhea, hemorrhoids,
Precautions
None reported
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
