Common shepherd's purse

Common shepherd's purse, also known as shepherd's purse herb and by its Latin name Capsella bursa-pastoris, is a plant whose parts growing above the ground are used to make medicine. Common shepherd's purse is used for cardiovascular problems including mild heart failure, low blood pressure and nervous heart conditions. It is also used for headaches, vomiting of blood, blood in the urine, diarrhea and bladder infections. Women use common shepherd's purse for menstrual problems, long menstrual periods and menstrual cramps. Common shepherd's purse is sometimes applied directly to the skin for nosebleeds, superficial burns and bleeding skin injuries.

How does common shepherd's purse work?

Common shepherd's purse may reduce bleeding, stimulate muscles and increase uterine contractions.

How effective is common shepherd's purse?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of common shepherd's purse for headaches, heart problems, premenstrual symptoms and diarrhea. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of common shepherd's purse in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Common shepherd's purse appears to be safe and harmless when taken orally or applied to the skin in small amounts. It may cause drowsiness, changes in blood pressure, changes in thyroid function and palpitations. An overdose could result in paralysis, difficulty breathing and death.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Common shepherd's purse is not safe to take orally or apply to the skin during pregnancy. It could cause uterine contractions or induce the menstrual period, both of which could result in miscarriage. Not enough is known about the safety and harmlessness of common shepherd's purse during lactation, so breastfeeding women should refrain from using it to be on the safe side.

Heart disease: Common shepherd's purse could interfere with the treatment of heart disease. It is therefore best to refrain from using it if you suffer from heart disease.

Kidney stones: Common shepherd's purse contains chemical compounds called oxalates that can form kidney stones. If you have suffered from kidney stones in the past, it is best to avoid using common shepherd's purse.

Operations: Common shepherd's purse may slow down the functioning of the central nervous system. There are concerns that common shepherd's purse may reduce central nervous system function too much when combined with anesthetics or other medications used during or after surgery. For this reason, the use of common shepherd's purse should be discontinued at least 2 weeks prior to upcoming surgery.

Thyroid disorders: Common shepherd's purse could interfere with treatment for thyroid disorders. It is therefore best to refrain from using common shepherd's purse if you suffer from a thyroid disorder.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining common shepherd's purse with the following medications:

Sedatives (CNS suppressing agents)

Shepherd's purse can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Drugs that cause drowsiness are called sedatives. Taking common shepherd's purse in combination with sedatives may increase drowsiness too much.

Thyroid hormones

The body produces thyroid hormones. Common shepherd's purse may reduce the body's own production of thyroid hormones. Taking common shepherd's purse in combination with thyroid hormones could reduce the effectiveness of the thyroid hormones.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of common shepherd's purse depends on various factors such as age, health status and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to determine appropriate dosage ranges for common shepherd's purse. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.