Bursa pastoris, Shepherds Purse

Shepherd’s Sprout, Lady’s Purse, Witches’ Pouches, Sanguinary
Ji Cai  荠菜 (TCM)
Sog ka pa  སོག་ཀ་པ  (Tibetan)

Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578

Masclef, Atlas des plantes de France, (?)

Uses:

1. Cools the Blood, Stops Bleeding and Leakage (TCM, West):

-internal and external bleeding.
-Menorrhagia which is prolonged and recurring with pale blood.
-chronic Diarrhea, Leukorrhea and Spermatorrhea;
-Incontinence and Bed-wetting.
-astringent effect on the blood system has been used for Varicose Veins.

2. Clears Damp Heat, Promotes Urine (TCM, West):

-Diarrhea and Dysentery, including those with blood and mucous in the stool.
-Urinary infections, reducing urinary tract irritation and Atony
-Gravel and Stones
-“The agent is also useful where Uric acid or insoluble phosphates or carbonates produce irritation of the Urinary tract” (Ellingwood).
-Fevers, including Intermittent Fevers.
-valuable in the treatment of St. Anthony’s Fire, Erysipelas, Eruptions and skin disorders.

3. Moves the Blood, Stops Wind, Regulates Circulation (TCM, West):

-Cardiac Insufficiency, Arrhythmia, Hypertension, Hypotension (it can regulate blood pressure);
-Nervous Heart Complaints;
-pain, or oppression of the chest associated with Palpitations; TCM uses it for these conditions from Heat, Damp or Phlegm.
-Headache caused by blood stagnation.
-promotes and regulate Menstruation; Pre-Menstrual Tension.
-Stimulates Labor

4. Moves the Blood, Clears Heat, Resolves Masses:

-breaks internal Abscesses.
-used for Non-Malignant Abdominal Tumors.

5. Clears and benefits the Vision. (TCM)

6. Loosens the Bowels:

-seeds were used as a laxative by ancient Greeks.

7. Externally:

-all hot inflammations, and is, according to some (such as Maria Treben), a specific for all types of muscular disorders.
-Ointment is good for all wounds and bruising, esp. the head.
-juice dropped into the ears heals pains and noises of the ears.
-Good for bleeding piles.
-fresh leaf laid to the armpits and neck to stop a Blood nose.
-Applied to the wrist as a cataplasm to stop Agues.
-beaten and mixed with Olive oil, it is applied to Frostbite (Galen)

Main Combinations:

1. Bleeding (general):
i. from Heat: Shepherd’s Purse, Plantain
ii. Shepherd’s Purse, Yarrow, Comfrey
iii. Shepherd’s Purse, Red Earth
iv. Shepherd’s Purse, Alum
2. Hematuria:
i. Shepherd’s Purse with Horsetail
ii. Shepherd’s Purse with Agrimony
iii. Shepherd’s Purse, Parsley, Plantain
iv. Shepherd’s Purse, Grommel, Parsley (equal parts) boiled in Milk (Natura exenterata, Philiatros, 1655)
3. Hemoptysis:
i. Shepherd’s Purse with Plantain and Comfrey
ii. Shepherd’s Purse with Plantain, Veronica
iii. Shepherd’s Purse, Mistletoe, Knotgrass
iv. Shepherd’s Purse with Plantain and Armenian (Red) Earth
4. Heavy Menstrual Bleeding:
i. Shepherd’s Purse with Cinnamon
ii. Shepherd’s Purse with Raspberry leaf, Sage, Yarrow
iii. Shepherd’s Purse with Red Earth
5. To promote Urine:
i. Shepherd’s Purse with Couch Grass
ii. Shepherd’s Purse with Yarrow, Nettle
6. Gravel and Stones:
i. Shepherd’s Purse with Agrimony and Birch leaf
ii. Shepherd’s Purse, Peach leaves, Marshmallow, Sage
iii. Shepherd’s Purse with Knotgrass, Agrimony, Camomile (as in Decoction for Stones)
7. Incontinence, Bedwetting:
i. Shepherd’s Purse with Agrimony
ii. Shepherd’s Purse with Yarrow and Agrimony
iii. Shepherd’s Purse, Agrimony, Corn Silk, Oak bark, Licorice (equal parts)
iv. Shepherd’s Purse, Agrimony, Vervain, Uva Ursi, Cranesbill (equal parts)
v. Shepherd’s Purse with Hemp seed, Agrimony, Plantain, Knotgrass (as in Decoction of Hemp Seed)
8. Meniere’s Disease, Shepherd’s Purse with Betony, Rosemary, Mistletoe, Wood Sage (Wonders in Weeds)
9. Cancer, Aneurism, Leprosy: Shepherd’s Purse, Knotgrass, Watercress, Water Betony, Cabbage, Stonecrop, Feverfew (The Medical Herbalist)

Major Formulas

Decoction for Stones
Decoction of Hemp Seed