Supplement
Yarrow is a flowering herb whose leaves and flowers, rich in plant compounds like flavonoids, have long been used in traditional remedies. In a small pregnancy study, inflammation went down, though the evidence is limited, and a kidney disease study found no clear difference in plasma nitrate. Trials involved 140 people at most, and fatigue in people with cancer also showed no clear difference, so conclusions remain very tentative.
Sources: PMID 22976260
- Updated
- How we grade
- 8 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 10
- Outcomes
- 19
- Graded outcomes
- 0032
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflammation Small Decrease | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 80 people | |||
| Itching | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 80 people | |||
| Quality of Life | Improves (the measure goes up) | 80 people | ||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflammation Small Decrease | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 140 people | |||
| Pain | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 140 people | |||
| Wound Healing | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 140 people | |||
| Vaginal Irritation | Improves (the measure goes up) | 140 people | ||||
Surgical Recovery
- Inflammation: improves
- Pain: improves
- Wound Healing: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflammation Small Decrease | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 140 people | |||
| Pain | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 140 people | |||
| Wound Healing | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 140 people | |||
| Vaginal Irritation | Improves (the measure goes up) | 140 people | ||||
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- Plasma Nitrate
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plasma Nitrate No effect | NoneNo effect | 1 study | 31 people | |||
Primary Dysmenorrhea (Menstrual Cramps)
- Dysmenorrhea Symptoms: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dysmenorrhea Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 96 people | |||
Studies that measured dysmenorrhea symptoms | ||||||
Breast Pain
- Nipple Cracks: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nipple Cracks | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 150 people | |||
Studies that measured nipple cracks | ||||||
Chemotherapy Side Effects
- Mucositis Symptoms: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mucositis Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 56 people | |||
Mucositis
- Mucositis Symptoms: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mucositis Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 56 people | |||
Parasitic Infection
- Wound Healing: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wound Healing | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 60 people | |||
Key findings
- InflammationImproves (the measure goes down)
- Plasma Nitrate
- Fatigue Symptoms
Shop Yarrow
Third-party tested Yarrow products. The evidence above is limited, so read it before you buy.
- Grade C
Links to Fullscript, iHerb or Thorne carry our referral, so we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Grades come from the research and never change based on what we earn. Fullscript asks for a free account before it shows its catalog and prices. Full disclosure
Studies cited
8 studies from PubMed
- Effect of Achillea Millefolium on Relief of Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.
- The efficacy of Achilles millefolium topical gel along with intralesional injection of glucantime in the treatment of acute cutaneous leishmaniasis major.
- Comparing the Effects of Yarrow, Honey, and Breast Milk for Healing Nipple Fissure.
- The effect of Achillea Millefolium L. on vulvovaginal candidiasis compared with clotrimazole: A randomized controlled trial.
- Effect of herbal medicine achillea millefolium on plasma nitrite and nitrate levels in patients with chronic kidney disease: a preliminary study.
- External application of liver compresses to reduce fatigue in patients with metastatic cancer undergoing radiation therapy, a randomized clinical trial
- The effect of Achillea millefolium and Hypericum perforatum ointments on episiotomy wound healing in primiparous women.
- Effect of adding the herb Achillea millefolium on mouthwash on chemotherapy induced oral mucositis in cancer patients: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.