Chickweed

 

Biological Name: Stellaria media

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Other Names:  Addre's mouth, Indian chickweed, satin flower, starwort, stitchwort, tongue-grass, winterweed, starweed, star chickweed, tongue grass, chickweed.

Parts Used: dried herb (above ground parts)

Active Compounds: 

• Mineral salts including calcium and potassium salts
• Saponins

History:

Chickweed is still used today as a salad herb or may be cooked as a vegetable. Chickweed is reputed to treat a wide spectrum of conditions in folk medicine, ranging from asthma and indigestion to skin disorders. Traditional Chinese herbalists use chickweed internally as a tea to treat nosebleeds.

It's applications have traditionally included: bronchitis, pleurisy, coughs, colds, hoarseness, rheumatism, inflammation, or weakness of the bowels and stomach, lungs, bronchial tubes.

Chickweed had been used for externallly for: skin diseases, boils, scalds, burns, inflamed or sore eyes, erysipelas, tumors, piles, cancer, swollen testes, ulcerated throat and mouth, and all kinds of wounds.

Traditional Applications in Herbal Medicine:

• Anti-rheumatic,
• Vulnerary,
• Emollient,
• Alterative,
• Demulcent,
• Refrigerant,
• Mucilaginous.

Chickweed may be useful for:

Used externally for:

Cuts, Wounds, itching and skin irritation; Skin diseases, boils, scalds, burns, inflamed or sore eyes.

Internally:

Rheumatism

Other indications include:

• Eczema
• Insect stings and bites

Traditionally used for all cases of bronchitis, pleurisy, coughs, colds, hoarseness, rheumatism, inflammation, weakness of the bowels and stomach, lungs, bronchial tubes, and any other forms of internal inflammation.

Crushed, fresh leaves many be used as a poultice for inflammation and indolent ulcers with most beneficial results. A poultice of Chickweed enclosed in muslin is a sure remedy for a carbuncle or an external abscess. The water in which the Chickweed is boiled should also be used to bathe the affected part.

Also said to regulate the thyroid gland.

Dosage:

Although formerly used as a tea, chickweed's main use today is as a cream applied liberally several times each day to rashes and inflammatory skin conditions (e.g., eczema) to ease itching and inflammation. As a tincture, 1-5 ml per day can be taken.

Safety:

No side effects with chickweed have been reported.