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Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria)
Materia Medica
Family: Rosaceae
Common names: Agrimony, Common Agrimony, Church Steeples, Sticklewort
Part used: Flowering aerial herb / flowering tops
Growth habit: Upright herb; Kew currently records the species as annual or biennial
Primary tradition: European herbal medicine
Actions & Energetics
Primary traditional action: Astringent.
- Tissue effect: Drying and tightening, consistent with the herb’s tannin-rich chemistry
- Traditional uses: Mild diarrhea, minor inflammation of the mouth and throat, and minor skin inflammation or small superficial wounds
- Modern evidence: Human evidence remains limited; most broader anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, metabolic, and liver-related findings are preliminary or preclinical
Botanical Description
Agrimonia eupatoria is an upright, hairy member of the rose family. The leaves are alternate and pinnate, with toothed leaflets arranged in a distinctive interrupted pattern: larger leaflets alternate with much smaller ones along the leaf axis. The terminal flower spikes carry numerous small yellow flowers, each typically with five petals.
After flowering, the persistent floral cup develops hooked bristles that form burr-like fruiting structures. These readily catch on fur, clothing, and other passing surfaces, helping disperse the fruits.
Name Confusion & Look-Alikes
Several Agrimonia species can resemble one another, so identification should not rely on yellow flower color alone. The combination of alternate pinnate leaves with alternating large and small toothed leaflets, hairy stems, slender flower spikes, hooked fruiting bristles, habitat, and geographic range is more useful.
Common names such as “beggar’s ticks” and “cocklebur” are also used for unrelated burr-forming plants. For medicinal material, the botanical name Agrimonia eupatoria and the correct flowering aerial part should be confirmed.
Traditional Indications
The European Medicines Agency recognizes long-standing traditional use of agrimony herb for three limited indications:
- Symptomatic treatment of mild diarrhea
- Gargling for minor inflammation of the mouth and throat
- External use for minor skin inflammation and small superficial wounds
Older European herbals describe many additional uses, including digestive, urinary, respiratory, wound, and liver-related applications. Those historical uses belong to traditional materia medica and should not be presented as proven modern clinical indications.
Preparations & Dosage
Herbal Tea / Infusion
For the EMA traditional indication of mild diarrhea, 1.5–4 g of comminuted agrimony herb is prepared in 250 mL or less of boiling water and taken 2–3 times daily in adolescents, adults, and elderly patients.
Tincture
EMA lists a 1:5 tincture in 45% ethanol at 1–4 mL, three times daily for the traditional indication of mild diarrhea.
Liquid Extract
EMA lists a 1:1 liquid extract in 25% ethanol at 1–3 mL, three times daily for the same traditional indication.
Human Research Amounts
In a small uncontrolled study of 19 healthy adults, agrimony tea was prepared from 1 g dried aerial parts in 200 mL boiled water, steeped for 10 minutes and consumed twice daily for 30 days. This was a research preparation, not a universal clinical dose.
In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study of adults with mildly to moderately elevated ALT, a standardized aqueous extract of agrimony aerial parts was used at 160 mg/day for 8 weeks. That amount applies to the specific study extract and should not be converted directly into a dose of loose herb, tincture, or another extract.
Children & Adolescents
Use in children under 12 is not recommended in the EMA monograph because adequate safety data are lacking. The monograph’s traditional-use dosing applies to adolescents, adults, and elderly patients. No established medicinal dose is provided for children under 12.
Decoction / Gargle / External Use
For a gargle, EMA lists either 1.5 g in 150 mL boiling water, 2–4 times daily, or a decoction of 3–4.5 g in 250 mL or less of water, 2–3 times daily.
For minor skin inflammation and small superficial wounds, EMA lists a decoction of 3–10 g in 250 mL or less of water for external application as an impregnated dressing. The same preparation strength may also be used as a bath additive.
Classical Formulations
No single standardized classical Agrimony formula comparable to a named Ayurvedic or Chinese formula system is established across European herbal medicine. Historical compound recipes vary by country, period, and source. Modern European monographs therefore focus primarily on the single flowering herb and defined preparations rather than one universal classical compound.
Constituents
Major reported constituents include tannins and other polyphenols, including ellagitannins such as agrimoniin, along with catechin-related compounds, procyanidins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. Reported flavonoids include rutin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, astragalin, and related compounds.
Smaller amounts of triterpenoid and volatile constituents have also been described. The tannin and polyphenol content is central to agrimony’s traditional astringent reputation and much of its modern antioxidant and anti-inflammatory research.
Modern Research
Human research remains limited. A small one-month study in 19 healthy volunteers using agrimony tea reported an increase in plasma total antioxidant capacity, a decrease in IL-6, and an increase in HDL cholesterol. The study was uncontrolled and should be regarded as preliminary.
A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial enrolled 80 adults with mildly to moderately elevated ALT. Sixty-nine participants were included in the efficacy analysis after exclusions. After eight weeks, the standardized aqueous extract group showed statistically significant reductions in ALT and triglycerides compared with placebo, with no severe adverse events reported. The study used a specific extract and does not establish that ordinary agrimony tea “detoxes” the liver or treats liver disease.
Laboratory and animal studies have also reported antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, metabolic, and hepatoprotective effects. Those findings are preclinical and should remain clearly separated from human evidence.
Adverse Effects
The EMA monograph reports no known undesirable effects for the traditional preparations covered by that monograph. That does not mean every concentrated extract, dose, or product has been proven risk-free.
Because agrimony is tannin-rich, concentrated or excessive use may be poorly tolerated by some individuals. If symptoms worsen or an adverse reaction occurs, use should be stopped and appropriate professional advice sought.
Interactions & Contraindications
Contraindication: known hypersensitivity to agrimony or the preparation.
The EMA monograph reports no medicinal-product interactions. This means interactions have not been established in the available monograph data; it should not be interpreted as proof that interactions are impossible, especially with concentrated extracts that differ from traditional preparations.
For mild diarrhea, medical evaluation is warranted if symptoms persist beyond three days, recur repeatedly, or involve blood, dehydration, fever, or significant pain. Mouth, throat, or skin symptoms persisting beyond one week also warrant evaluation.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established. In the absence of sufficient data, medicinal use is not recommended during pregnancy or lactation. Fertility data are also insufficient.
Habitat & Cultivation
- Native range: Macaronesia, Europe eastward to Afghanistan, and northwestern Africa
- Biome: Temperate
- Habitat: Grasslands, field edges, hedgerows, verges, banks, and open woodland margins
- Light: Full sun to light shade
- Soil: Well-drained ground; often associated with neutral to calcareous soils
Kew currently records Agrimonia eupatoria as an annual or biennial. Some regional horticultural references describe longer-lived behavior, so life-cycle wording can vary by source and growing conditions.
Propagation
Propagation is primarily by seed. The hooked fruiting structures readily attach to animals and clothing, aiding natural dispersal and allowing the plant to self-seed where conditions are suitable.
Harvesting & Drying
The medicinal material recognized in European monographs is the flowering aerial herb. Harvest correctly identified, clean flowering tops away from contaminated roadsides or chemically treated ground.
Spread the herb in a thin layer and dry with good airflow away from strong direct sunlight until thoroughly dry. Store in a labeled airtight container protected from moisture, heat, and light.
Food Use
Agrimony is primarily documented as a medicinal and historical herb rather than a routine food plant. Traditional herbal tea use should not be confused with ordinary culinary consumption.
History, Folklore & Spiritual Use
Agrimony has a long place in European herb lore. Early herbals described its yellow flower spikes, hooked fruits, hedgerow habitat, and many traditional applications. The plant also entered household dyeing and folk practice.
Later folklore associated agrimony with sleep, protection, cleansing, and release from unwanted influence. These are cultural and spiritual traditions rather than pharmacologic claims and should remain clearly separated from medicinal evidence.
Materia Medica Summary
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) is a tannin- and polyphenol-rich Rosaceae herb whose flowering aerial parts have a long European medicinal history. Its best-supported traditional uses in the EMA monograph are mild diarrhea, gargling for minor mouth and throat inflammation, and external use for minor skin inflammation and small superficial wounds.
Modern human evidence remains limited to a small tea study and a randomized trial of a specific aqueous extract, while most broader research remains preclinical. Pregnancy and breastfeeding safety are not established, use under age 12 is not recommended, and traditional claims should be kept distinct from proven clinical effects.