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Common Yarrow

Hand-drawn image of common Yarrow
This image is taken from John Parkinson’s Theatrum Botanicum of 1640, which describes more than thirty-eight hundred plants and is the most complete English herbal of its time.  This book is available from the John R. Martin Rare Book Room in Hardin Library.

Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Achillea millefolium, commonly known as Yarrow or Milfoil, is a perennial member of the Aster Family that has been used in medicine for more than three thousand years (Radušiene and Gudaityte 2005). Growing throughout the Northern Hemisphere, it was named for its supposed use in treating the Trojan hero Achilles, and for its finely divided leaves (Benedek and Kopp 2007). Common Yarrow is thought to have numerous health benefits, possessing anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hemostatic, antidiabetic, antitumor, antioxidant, antifungal, and antiseptic properties (Ali et al. 2017). It is commonly used in teas, essential oils, and extracts (Ali et al. 2017). 

Historical Use

John Gerard’s The Herball, in an edition of 1633, includes multiple recommendations for using Common Yarrow, including: chewing it to help relieve toothache, putting its leaves up the nose to relieve migraines, drinking a decoction to relieve dysentery, and applying it to wounds to prevent inflammation and reduce pain.  

Excerpt from John Parkinson’s Theatrum Botanicum of 1640   

Latest Research

  • Cytotoxic effects of five Iranian medicinal plants on pancreatic cancer cell lines and investigation of induced changes in the expression of several key genes
    by Sahar Akrami on July 22, 2025 at 10:00 am

    Cancer is a deadly and fast-spreading disease that is a growing health problem worldwide due to a lack of comprehensive screening and appropriate medication. However, natural products derived from medicinal plants have gained attention as potential sources of bioactive compounds that selectively remove cancerous lesions and are nontoxic and safe. Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a major therapeutic challenge and is predicted to surpass breast cancer as the third leading cause of cancer death. This…

  • Assessment of Trace and Macro Elements in Medicinal Plants: Implications for Safety and Phytoremediation
    by Ziba Hurseresht on July 2, 2025 at 10:00 am

    The utilization of medicinal plants in Iran and other parts of the world is increasing, and there is a need to study the levels of macro and trace elements, including toxic elements, in medicinal plants. This study analyzed trace and macro elements in 42 medicinal plant samples from a medicinal plant garden in Hamadan city, western Iran. The average trace element contents (mg kg^(-1) dry weight) in the aerial parts were 1.29 mg kg^(-1) for Cd, 10.5 mg kg^(-1) for Cu, 75.5 mg kg^(-1) for Fe, 41.3…

  • Trace Element and Mineral Content in Medicinal Plants Collected in the Altai Mountains Foothills
    by Alexey A Tinkov on April 21, 2025 at 10:00 am

    The objective of the present study was to assess the patterns of trace element and mineral accumulation in 21 medicinal plants collected in the Altai Mountains foothills. The levels of trace elements and minerals in Hippophae rhamnoides, Aronia melanocarpa, Sorbus aucuparia, Viburnum opulus, Rosa canina, Crataegus sanguinea (fruits), Chamaenerion angustifolium, Echinacea purpurea, Fagopyrum esculentum, Trifolium pratense, Origanum vulgare, Achillea millefolium, Mentha piperita (herbs), Plantago…

  • Total Mineral Content in Raw Materials of Ten Medicinal Plants from Roadside Biotopes of Voronezh Oblast
    by N A Dyakova on August 11, 2024 at 10:00 am

    The total mineral content was studied in medicinal plants from roadside and railside biotopes of the Voronezh region. Pharmacopoeial plant raw materials of 10 species were evaluated: roots of Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg and Arctium lappa L.; herb of Polygonum aviculare L., Artemisia absinthium L., Leonurus quinquelobatus Gilib., and Achillea millefolium L.; leaves of Urtica dioica L. and Plantago major L.; and flowers of Tanacetum vulgare L. and Tilia cordata Mill. Plant raw materials were…

  • Revolutionizing Wound Healing: Unleashing Nanostructured Lipid Carriers Embodied with Herbal Medicinal Plant
    by Aditya Jain on April 3, 2024 at 10:00 am

    Wound healing is crucial for maintaining skin integrity and preventing complications from external threats. Various plants, such as Achillea millefolium, Aloe vera, Curcuma longa, Calendula officinalis, Camellia sinensis, Azadirachta indica, and Plantago, have demonstrated wound healing capabilities and have been used in herbal medicine for wound care. NLCs are second-generation lipid nanoparticles, blending solid and liquid lipids to improve medication loading and limit leakage. NLCs have been…

References

Ali, S. I., et al. (2017). “Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Properties of Achillea millefolium L.: A Review.” Phytother Res 31(8): 1140–1161. 

Benedek, B., and B. Kopp (2007). “Achillea millefolium L. s.l. revisited: recent findings confirm the traditional use.” Wien Med Wochenschr 157(13–14): 312–314. 

Radušiene, J. and O. Gudaityte (2005). “Distribution of proazulenes in Achillea millefolium s.l. wild populations in relation to phytosociological dependence and morphological characters.” Plant Genetic Resources 3(2): 136–143. 

Other References

Natural Medicines record: Yarrow 

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