Meadowsweet

Scientific Name(s): Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim.
Common Name(s): Bridewort, Dropwort, Lady of the meadow, Meadowsweet, Queen of the meadow

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 28, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Meadowsweet has been used for colds, respiratory problems, acid indigestion, peptic ulcers, arthritis and rheumatism, skin diseases, and diarrhea.

Dosing

Doses of 2.5 to 3.5 g/day of flower and 4 to 5 g of herb are considered conventional; however, no clinical trials support the safety or efficacy of these dosages. A tea may be prepared from 4 to 6 g of the dried herb and taken 3 times daily.

Contraindications

Patients with salicylate or sulfite sensitivity. Use with caution in patients with asthma.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Documented adverse effects. Uteroactivity from meadowsweet has been observed in vitro; avoid administration during pregnancy and lactation.

Interactions

Because meadowsweet contains salicylates, it may increase the risk of bleeding when given concomitantly with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs, with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or with any alternative medicines with antiplatelet properties.

Adverse Reactions

Meadowsweet may cause GI bleeding.

Toxicology

Few toxic events have been reported.

Scientific Family

• Rosaceae

Botany

Meadowsweet is an herbaceous, perennial shrub growing up to 2 m tall. The plant is native to Europe, but also grows in North America, preferring damp, moist soil. The erect stem is red-marbled and hollow and the plant has 3 to 9 pairs of dark-green, toothed, dentate leaves. Meadowsweet's aromatic, ornamental flowers are creamy and yellow-white with 5 petals. The flowers are 5 mm in length and have an aroma reminiscent of wintergreen oil. The medicinal product consists of flower petals and some unopened buds.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

History

In 1597, botanist John Gerard noted that the smell of meadowsweet "delighteth the senses." In 1652, English physician Nicholas Culpeper wrote about the plant's therapeutic effects on the stomach.5 In 1682, meadowsweet was mentioned as a Dutch herbal. In Holland, the plant was called filipendula, while in the rest of Europe, it was known as spiraea. Queen Elizabeth I adorned her apartments with meadowsweet. The flowers were used to flavor alcoholic beverages in England and Scandinavian countries.8 In the Middle Ages, meadowsweet was known as "meadwort" because it was used to flavor mead, an alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey and fruit juices.5

In 1838, salicylic acid was isolated from the plant, and in the 1890s, it was first synthesized to make aspirin.5 The word "aspirin" is derived from spirin, based on meadowsweet's former scientific name Spiraea.8

The plant was used in folk medicine for cancer, tumors, and rheumatism, and as a diuretic.7, 9 Today, it is used as a digestive remedy, as supportive therapy for colds, for analgesia, and for other indications.

Chemistry

Flavonoids in meadowsweet include the flavonol glycosides rutin, hyperin, and spiraeoside.4 Spiraeoside has been evaluated in the plant's flowers.10...