Shepherd's Purse Herb and Powder Profile

Also known as

Capsella-bursa-pastoris, Lady's Purse, Mother's Heart, Shepherd's Bog, Case weed, Pick Pocket, Witches pouch

Introduction

Shepherd's purse is a temperate zone weed in the mustard family, the same as cabbage, broccoli, and watercress. It is a biennial with an erect stem emerging from a rosette of leaves at its base. It bears four-petalled white flowers that produce heart or purse shaped seedpods. Its name comes from its resemblance to a shepherd's pouch in the middle ages. All of the aboveground parts of the plant are used in herbal medicines.

Constituents

Ascorbic acid, beta-sitosterol, choline, citric acid, diosmin, histamine, inositol, rutin, tannic acid, tannins.

Parts Used

Seedpods, crushed before making tea.

Typical Preparations

Teas, tinctures and encapsulations.

Summary

Precautions

Use of shepherd's purse to treat spotting during pregnancy is not recommended, since the herb can cause uterine contraction. If bleeding treated by the herb persists for more than tree days, consult a qualified healthcare practitioner. Not recommended if you have severe liver or kidney disease.