Botanical Index No. 268

Cleavers

galium aparine

Medicinal Actions

Alterative, Antibacterial, Antidyscratic, Antiinflammatory, Antipyretic, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Depurative, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Emmenagogue, Hypotensive, Immunostimulant, Laxative, Larvicide, Litholytic, Lymph Tonic, Tonic

Primary Conditions Treated

Aperient Demulcent Hemostat Poison Adenopathy Ague Amenorrhea Ascites Bacteria Bleeding Bite Burn Calculus Cancer breast gland skin throat tongue Catarrh Cholecystosis Constipation Cramp Cystosis Dermatosis Dropsy Dysuria Eczema Enuresis Epilepsy Epistaxis Exanthema Fever Freckle Gastrosis Gonorrhea Gout Gravel Hemoptysis Hepatoma High Blood Pressure Hysteria Immunodepression Induration Inflammation Ischuria Itch Jaundice Kernel Kidney Stone Leprosy Leukemia Lichen Lithiasis Lymphadenosis Mastosis Nephrosis Obesity Otosis Phthisis Poison Ivy Psoriasis Scarlet Fever Scrofula Smallpox Sore Stomatosis Stone Swelling Tonsilosis Tuberculosis Ulcer UTI VD Water Retention Wen Wound Yeast

General Dosage

1 oz leaf/pint water 3 ×/day; 5–10 ml herb tincture 3 ×/day; 2–4 g herb as tea 3 ×/day; 3–4 tsp/day in tea; 2–4 ml liquid extract 3 ×/day; 2–4 ml liquid herb extract; 3–15 ml expressed juice 3 ×/daily; 3.75–7.5 g expressed sap; 4 tsp in 2 glasses water.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 1. “Hazards and/or side effects not recorded for proper therapeutic dosages”. None known. Diabetics should use the expressed juice only with caution. Excessive use of cleavers should be avoided, especially during pregnancy. Lower arterial blood pressure in canines with no slowing of heart and no toxic effects. Like other iridoids, asperuloside is a mild laxative. It can be converted to prostanoid intermediates. I was surprised to find harmine, 1-hydroxydesoxypeganin, 8-hydroxy-2,3-dehydrodesoxypeganin, and protopine listed for this plant by the Herbal PDR. I am reluctant to enter them in my database without checking their original sources.

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