Botanical Index No. 928

Shavegrass, Great Scouring Rush

equisetum hyemale

Medicinal Actions

Astringent, Depurative, Diaphoretic, Diuretic

Primary Conditions Treated

Abortifacient Hemostat Adenopathy Backache Bleeding Cancer Carcinoma Cataract Cholecystosis Cold Conjunctivosis Constipation Cystosis Dermatosis Diarrhea Dysentery Dysmenorrhea Dysuria Embolism Enuresis Fever Fistula Gonorrhea Hemorrhoid Incontinence Lumbago Nephrosis Ophthalmia Pain Prostatosis Pulmonosis Sore Stone Syphilis Tuberculosis Urethrosis VD Water Retention

Safety & Contraindications

“Classified by the FDA as an Herb of Undefined Safety: Infusion of whole plants used sometimes in dropsical and renal diseases but the diuretic action is very feeble. Cattle overdosed for diuresis have voided blood. Said to have caused poisoning in California. Horsetails are said to develop a powerful nerve poison, aconitic acid. Sheep and cattle are poisoned by grazing the fresh plant; horses, usually by eating the dried plant in hay. It produces, especially when dried, sudden symptoms of weakness S and loss of appetite followed, after a few weeks, by loss of muscular control, excitement, and falling, and in acute cases, labored respiration, rapid, weak pulse, diarrhea, convulsions, coma, and death”.

!