Botanical Index No. 854

Red Clover

trifolium pratense l.

Medicinal Actions

Alterative, Antiangiogenic, Anticancer, Anticarcinogenic, Antiinflammatory, Antiosteoporotic, Antirheumatic, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Cholagogue, Decongestant, Depurative, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Estrogenic, Expectorant, Mastogenic, Progesterogenic, Sedative, Tonic

Primary Conditions Treated

Aperitif Bitter Vulnerary Anorexia Asthma Athlete’s Foot Bright’s Disease Bronchosis Burn Caked Breast Cancer breast colon pancreas stomach tonsil Carcinoma Cardiopathy Catarrh Cholecystosis Cold Congestion Conjunctivosis Constipation Corn Cough Cramp Dermatosis Dysmenorrhea Eczema Dyspepsia Dyspnea Gout Epithelioma Hepatosis Hot Flash Inflammation Insomnia Jaundice Laryngosis Leprosy Leukorrhea Mastosis Measles Menopause Nephrosis Nervousness Ophthalmia Osteoporosis Pertussis Phthisis Psoriasis Pulmonosis Respirosis Rheumatism Scrofula Sore Spasm Splenosis Swelling Syphilis Tuberculosis Tumor VD Water Retention Wound

General Dosage

10–30 drops flower tincture 2–6 ×/day; 1–3 tsp dry flowers/cup water/up to 3 ×/day; 4 g dry flowers, or in tea, 3 ×/day; 1.5–3 ml liquid flower extract 3 ×/day; 1–2 ml flower tincture 3 ×/day; 3 capsules 3 ×/day; 1–2 tbsp fresh flower; 2–3 g dry flower; 3 g dry flower:15 ml alcohol/15 ml water; 2.5–10 ml liquid flower extract; 2–4 ml flower tincture 3 ×/day; 2–6 g dry flowers 3 ×/day.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b. Not covered by Commission E. CAN cautions that the isoflavonoids are estrogenic. Because of estrogenic activity, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. Safe at levels normally consumed by humans, clovers have so much estrogenic activity that pregnant animals grazing heavily on them may suffer miscarriage. Estrogenic compounds, especially formononetin, may cause growth disorders, infertility, and urticaria. Apparently, healthy clovers may be fungally infected with much higher levels of estrogens, rarely even slaframine, a toxic fungal metabolite. Avoid fermented clover. Coumarins and isoflavonoids may interfere with coagulant and hormonal therapy. Biochanin is chemoprotective, inhibiting carcinogenic activity in cell cultures. A small 1994 study found increases in teat size and certain measurements of the uterus, along with other suggestive estrogen-like reactions, in three heifers fed large amounts of red clover silage for fourteen days.

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