- Region
- North America
- Origin
- Wet meadows and marshes of eastern North America. Eupatorium perfoliatum
North America · Herb · № 151
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Herb · North America
Boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Traditionally used for fever and flu with aching muscles; the name refers to 'break-bone fever'. There is hardly any modern clinical research.
Safety notes
Large amounts cause vomiting and diarrhoea. The fresh plant and some related species contain liver-damaging compounds. Avoid in pregnancy; allergy with daisy-family sensitivity.
Cautions by tradition (4)
- Herbal medicine worldwide: High doses can cause vomiting.
- Herbs for viral infections: Not with ragweed allergy, liver disease, in pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine: Emetic in large amounts; may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids: use briefly.
- Cherokee (Tsalagi) medicine: Do not take it for long; not in pregnancy or with an allergy to the daisy family.
Preparation
The dried herb as a hot tea; the taste is very bitter. No dosage is given here.
Use in traditions
Indigenous peoples taught European settlers its use; in the 19th century it was a standard flu remedy in American farmhouses. Ody describes it as a classic North American fever herb.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Herbal medicine worldwide
Attributed effects
Induces sweating, vasodilating, laxative, antispasmodic, antiviral, expectorant, promotes bile.
Preparation and amount
Aerial parts.
Caution: High doses can cause vomiting.
Western herbalism
Attributed effects
Induces sweating, tonic, fever-reducing, expectorant; breaks fever with chills and bone pain, flu.
Preparation and amount
Tea: 1–2 tsp per cup, 10 min covered, 1–3 cups a day or 120 ml per hour in fever; tincture 1–3 dropperfuls 1–6 times a day.
Herbs for viral infections
Attributed effects
Breaks fever; especially against flu; further for joint pain, fluid retention, promotes sweating and urination.
Preparation and amount
Tincture or tea (about 28 g leaves with boiling water); standard 2 g leaf and flower.
Caution: Not with ragweed allergy, liver disease, in pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine
Attributed effects
For fever, colds and typhoid-like fever; as a poultice for broken bones.
Preparation and amount
Steep the flowering tops in hot water; young leaves crushed and bound cold round a broken limb.
Caution: Emetic in large amounts; may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids: use briefly.
Cherokee (Tsalagi) medicine
Attributed effects
For colds, flu, fever and a sore throat, to cause sweating and as a tonic, and for the bile.
Preparation and amount
A tea of the herb.
Caution: Do not take it for long; not in pregnancy or with an allergy to the daisy family.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Tea (infusion)TinctureCompress, poultice and paste