Motherwort
Leonurus cardiaca(?)
Other names: Motherwort, пустырник (pustyrnik)
Photo credit: D. Gordon E. Robertson
This plant carries serious safety risks. All information is for educational reference only.
Safety information
Toxicity: None specified by source; very bitter. | None known reported. | Low-moderate; can cause drowsiness, and at high doses GI upset. | Mild; generally low at customary doses.
Contraindications: None specified by source. Emmenagogue - traditionally avoided in pregnancy. | Emmenagogue — pregnancy caution. | Pregnancy (uterotonic - 'motherwort' is traditionally uterine-acting); bradycardia/hypotension (it can slow heart rate and lower BP). | PREGNANCY — traditional uterine stimulant / emmenagogue; avoid. Caution in low blood pressure and bradycardia (sedative/hypotensive). Caution with other sedatives.
Interactions: None specified by source. Modern: theoretical caution with cardiac/sedative or anticoagulant drugs. | Excessive use may interfere with other cardiovascular treatments. | Additive with sedatives, cardiac/antiarrhythmic drugs, beta-blockers, antihypertensives - monitor. (Safety gate.) | May potentiate sedatives/CNS depressants and antihypertensives; theoretical additive effect with cardiac/antiarrhythmic drugs. Robust data limited.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Avoid (emmenagogue). | Emmenagogue — pregnancy caution. | Avoid (uterotonic). | Avoid — traditional uterine stimulant/emmenagogue.
Evidence level
Supported by laboratory or animal studies; not yet confirmed in humans.
Preparations
This plant carries serious safety risks. All information is for educational reference only.
infusion · aerial parts
Part used: aerial parts
Traditional use: Traditionally used as a relaxing nervine and heart tonic for palpitations/tachycardia brought on by anxiety, for menopausal changes, and to stimulate delayed or suppressed menstruation.
How to prepare (traditional): Infusion: pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of dried herb and infuse 10-15 minutes.
Dosage note (descriptive only): Drunk three times a day. Commission E: 4.5 g herb daily.
Reference only — not a dosage instruction
tincture · aerial parts
Part used: aerial parts
Traditional use: Cardiotonic nervine / emmenagogue.
How to prepare (traditional): Tincture at 1:5 in 40% alcohol.
Dosage note (descriptive only): 1-4 ml three times a day.
Reference only — not a dosage instruction
Associated conditions
Nutritional notes
Not relevant. | Not relevant (contains flavonoids, iridoids; not a food).
Healing traditions
Sources (6)
- Keti 2018, "მედეადან დღემდე" (folk)
- Grieve M., A Modern Herbal — botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mother55.html
- Hoffmann D., Medical Herbalism (2003) — materia medica, Leonurus cardiaca
- Leonurus cardiaca — Wikipedia, 2026
- Cheng F et al., Pharmacol Res 2020;155:104755 (PMID 32173585)
- Kuchta K et al., Pharmazie 2013;68(7):534-40 (PMID 23923634)