Common Yarrow

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.

Latest Research
- Investigation of some endophytic fungi from five medicinal plants with growth promoting ability on maize (Zea mays L.)by Sareh Hatamzadeh on January 10, 2023 at 11:00 am
CONCLUSIONS: Plant fungal colonization frequency increased with orthometric height. Sampling location Chahar Bagh at 2230 m contained the most endophytic fungi. Fusarium and Alternaria were the most frequently isolated endophytic genera. Therefore, medicinal plants are potential hosts for endophytic fungi that may be suitable biofertilizer agents in agriculture.
- Exotic Medicinal Plants Used in Brazil with Diuretic Properties: A Reviewby Luísa Nathália Bolda Mariano on May 11, 2022 at 10:00 am
Several exotic plants (non-native) are used in Brazilian traditional medicine and are known worldwide for their possible diuretic actions. Among the wide variety of plants, standing out Achillea millefolium L., Camellia sinensis L. Kuntze, Crocus sativus L., Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn., Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) A.W. Hill, Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber, and Urtica dioica L., whose effects have already been the subject of some scientific study. In addition, we also discussed other exotic…
- The Potential Use of Herbal Fingerprints by Means of HPLC and TLC for Characterization and Identification of Herbal Extracts and the Distinction of Latvian Native Medicinal Plantsby Ance Bārzdiņa on April 23, 2022 at 10:00 am
The growing market of herbal medicines, the increase in international trade in Latvia, and the lack of adequate analytical methods have raised the question of the potential use of herbal fingerprinting methods. In this study, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thin layer chromatography (TLC) methods were developed for obtaining chromatographic fingerprints of four taxonomically and evolutionary different medicinal plants (Hibiscus sabdariffa L., Calendula officinalis L.,…
- Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Four Medicinal Mediterranean Plants: Investigation of Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activityby Lara Čižmek on September 28, 2021 at 10:00 am
With everyday advances in the field of pharmaceuticals, medicinal plants have high priority regarding the introduction of novel synthetic compounds by the usage of environmentally friendly extraction technologies. Herein, a supercritical CO(2) extraction method was implemented in the analysis of four plants (chamomile, St. John’s wort, yarrow, and curry plant) after which the non-targeted analysis of the chemical composition, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity was evaluated. The…
- Identification of novel potential inhibitors of varicella-zoster virus thymidine kinase from ethnopharmacologic relevant plants through an in-silico approachby Samuel Kojo Kwofie on September 17, 2021 at 10:00 am
Although Varicella or chickenpox infection which is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) has significantly been managed through vaccination, it remains an infection that poses threats to the nearest future due to therapeutic drawbacks. The focus of this research was geared towards in silico screening for the identification of novel compounds in plants of ethnopharmacological relevance in the treatment of chicken pox in West Africa. The work evaluated 65 compounds reported to be present in…
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