Official name: Motherwort

Latin name: Leonurus cardiaca L.

Other names: stinging nettle, nettle, house nettle

Description: Motherwort is a biennial herbaceous plant from the Labiatae family with a highly developed root system. In Bulgaria, it is found quite often in grassy and weedy places, along fences, roads and in places with an altitude of up to 1000 m. The stem of the medicinal plant is hollow, slightly mossy, four-edged, up to 1.5 m high. The leaves are opposite, with long petioles, dark green in color above and light green below. The flowers are small, mossy, located vertebra-like, several in the axils of the upper leaves. The corolla is light red in color, bilobed. The fruit is dry. The plant blooms in the second half of summer from July to September.

Part of the herb used: The herbs (Herba Leonuri cardiacae) of Motherwort are used.

Time of collection: Leonurus harvested in July and August by cutting off the leafy tops of the plant during the churches (no longer than 40 cm. and no thicker than 5 mm.) The smell of the dried herb is weak, unpleasant , and the taste is bitter.

Chemical composition/Content and properties: The chemical composition of the plant includes glycosides (hyperoside, quinqueloside), alkaloids (choline, leonurine, stachydrine), flavonoids, rutin, quercetin, beta-carotene, vitamins C, A and E, tannins, bitter substances , saponins, organic acids (tartaric, malic, vanillic, citric, ursulic acid, etc.)

Medicinal action and application: Motherwort is used in medicine under strict medical supervision as an anticonvulsant and sedative in neuroses, epilepsy, initial stage of hypertension, cardiovascular neurosis, angina pectoris, etc. It calms the central nervous system. The plant is mainly used for women's health problems - it relieves painful menstruation, prevents uterine infections, cures infertility, facilitates easier passage through the menopause, has a diuretic and hemostatic effect. It is also useful for heart problems because it has a calming effect on smooth muscles. Externally, in folk medicine, fresh leaves are used to apply on burns.

Possibilities to offer at the customer's request:

Vesselino Ltd. offers their customers the plant in the following varieties:

• herbs (Herba Leonuri cardiacae) - dried whole, crushed, cut to a certain size at the customer's request, ground into herbal  powder/flour