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Will Yarrow Tincture Help My Asthma?

Aug 18, 2011 | By Joel Le Blanc
Will Yarrow Tincture Help My Asthma?
Photo Credit Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images

If you suffer from acute or chronic asthma, taking yarrow tincture may help to relieve your symptoms and open your airway passages. Yarrow is a small herb found throughout the world that is used for a variety of health problems, including allergies, asthma and lung problems. Herbal medicine is not intended to replace standard medical care, however, and you should talk to your doctor and registered medical herbalist before purchasing yarrow products.

History and Chemistry

Traditional folk medicine from China, the Middle East, Europe and North America use this common weed to stop bleeding, reduce inflammation, treat the liver and heal digestive tissues. According to Zoe Howes, author of "Wild Drugs," yarrow was used by the hero Achilles to staunch the wounds of his soldiers, and for this reason its botanical name is Achillea. Recent years have revealed a broad array of chemicals in yarrow that give it its medicinal properties, including 82 essential oil compounds, tannins, coumarins, luteolin, apigenin, achilletin, betain, betonicine, rutin, lysine, aspartic acid, salicylic acid, vitamin C and fatty acids.

Bronchodilation

In a study published in "Phytotherapy Research" in 2011, researchers from the Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan investigated the effects of yarrow on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems of rats. Yarrow significantly affected the airways of treated animals, showing a bronchodilatory effect that would open air passages and make breathing easier in conditions such as asthma. Yarrow also demonstrated hypotensive and vasodilatory effects on blood vessels. Researchers concluded that this action was likely the reason behind popular folk use of yarrow around the world as an herbal medicine for asthma as well as hypertension.

Anti-inflammatory

Yarrow provides relief from inflammation when applied externally or taken internally as a medicine. According to Drug Information Online, the anti-inflammatory and antiallergy properties of yarrow are attributed to a chemical found in yarrow essential oil called chamazulene. Use yarrow in medical baths or steam inhalations to treat the skin and the mucous membranes; it reaches deep into the respiratory tissues where asthma creates inflammation and constriction of the air passages.

Immune suppression

Yarrow has a direct effect on the immune system, helping to modulate over-reactions and allergies to foreign substances. In a study published in "The Journal of Ethnopharmacology" in 1999, researchers from Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Iran investigated the action of yarrow on the immune system of mice and rabbits. Using an Iranian species of yarrow known as Achillea talagonica, researchers treated animals injected with sheep red blood cells with the herb. Yarrow caused a significant reduction in antibodies and a suppression of the immune system. If your asthma is related to allergies or sensitivites, yarrow may help to balance your immune system responses.

Safety and Toxicity

Yarrow is considered safe and well-tolerated for the majority of the population, though some people may experience irritation or dermatitis when coming into physical contact with yarrow because of the presence of essential oils in the plant called sesquiterpenes. In a study published in the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology" in 2006, researchers found that rats fed yarrow for long periods of time experienced no toxicity or adverse reactions. The study also found evidence to support the use of yarrow as an antiulcer treatment. If you are currently taking prescription medications, consult your doctor before taking yarrow products.

References

Article reviewed by Mike Myers Last updated on: Aug 18, 2011

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