Chickweed has long been used in folk medicine for a wide range of conditions. However, there is not enough scientific information about chickweed to understand how it works to treat any health condition or how safe it is. Therefore, first consult with a professional health care provider before you use chickweed medicinally.
Identification and Dosing
Chickweed is also commonly known as starweed, winterweed, mouse-ear, satinflower, star chickweed, white bird's-eye and tongue grass, among other names. The leaf of the chickweed plant is used medicinally. Currently, there are no official dosing guidelines for chickweed. However, as an herbal remedy, you can use chickweed tincture in daily doses of 1 to 5 mL, says TheHerbalResource.com. To make chickweed tea, use 2 tsp. of the dried leaves per 1 cup of boiling water, not allowing the leaves to be boiled.
Uses
Chickweed is used for treating gastrointestinal problems such as constipation, blood-related diseases, lung problems such as asthma, obesity, kidney inflammation, rabies and scurvy -- a vitamin C deficiency disorder. Some use chickweed to alleviate muscle and joint pain. Chickweed is also used on the skin to treat skin problems such as psoriasis, rashes, blisters and ulcers.
Effectiveness
There is insufficient information from human trials to rate the effectiveness of chickweed for any medicinal use. Although some people take chickweed to treat scurvy, it is thought that there is not enough vitamin C in chickweed to be effective for this use.
Considerations
Chickweed is considered to be generally safe when used appropriately, says the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. However, allergic reactions and rare, but unconfirmed, cases of paralysis have been reported from chickweed use. There is not enough information to rate the safety of chickweed in pregnancy and lactation when taken in amounts greater than exist in food. There is also insufficient scientific data to determine the safety of chickweed when used on your skin.
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