Botanical Name: Filipendula ulmaria, Rosaceae

Botanical synonyms: Spiraea ulmaria

Common Names:Meadowsweet, Dolloff, Queen of the Meadow, Bridewort, Lady of the Meadow

Allied species: Spiraea latifolia, Spiraea alba, Spiraea betufolia, (Birch-leaved Spiraea), Spiraea rubra (Queen of the Prairie), Spiraea vulgaris (Dropwort Meadowsweet), Spiraea tomentosa (Hardhack), Spiraea douglasii, Spiraea salyciflora (Willow-leaved Spiraea)

Plant description: Meadowsweet (S. ulmaria) is a deciduous shrub with fernlike foliage, attaining a height of between 0.5-1 m., spreading vigorously from rhizomes.  The dark green leaves are alternate, 10-20 cm in length, pinnately compound with 7-9 leaflets, serrated, oval to lance-shaped.  The leaves have a crinkled texture and are white tomentose below.  The tiny flowers bloom early to mid-summer, suspended as delicate white tufts clustered together in panicles.  The odour of flowers is very strong and quite sweet.

Habitat, ecology and distribution: Meadowsweet is native and widespread all over Europe, found in moist or damp grassland or wet marshy areas.  It is also cultivated and hybridized with other species to create a common garden ornamental.

Part used: Aerial parts, including flowers.

History: According to Grieve, Meadowsweet was among three herbs that were held to be sacred by the ancient Druids (1971).  Pollen analysis of pottery shards from a Neolithic settlement on the Hebridean island of Rum showed that Meadowsweet was being used along with Heather to brew a kind of ale (Wickham 1990). Meadowsweet is mentioned in Chaucer's Knight Tale in a drink called the 'save' (Grieve 1971), and up until relatively recently, was widely consumed in rural areas as a pleasant summer beverage.  Meadowsweet is perhaps most notable for its salicylic acid content, which was first isolated in 1839, and became the basis for the production of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) (Mills and Bone 2000, 479)

Constituents: Meadowsweet of course contains the phenolic glycoside salicin, but others as well, including spiraein, monotropitin and isosalicin, as well as phenolic volatile oils such as salicylaldehyde. The net amount of these phenolic compounds in Meadowsweet however is less than in other plants such as Salix or Populus, and as such was never really used for commercial extraction.  Today aspirin is synthesized in the laboratory.  Meadowsweet is particularly rich in flavonoids, upwards of 3-5%, consisting primarily of rutin and quercitin.  Other constituents include both hydrolysable and condensed tannins, coumarin, mucilage and a volatile oil (Mills and Bone 2000, 480; Newall et al 1996, 191).

Medical Research:
•Antiulcerogenic: A decoction (1:10, 1:20) of the flowers of Filipendula ulmaria was found to reduce the ulcerogenic effects of ligation of the rat pylorus, and lower the formation of experimental gastric lesions in rats after reserpine and phenylbutazone administration. The same decoction was also found effective in prevention of the acetylsalicylic acid-induced lesions, and promoted the healing of chronic ulcers (Barnaulov and Denisenko 1980).
•Antioxidant:An extract of Meadowsweet was tested for its antiproliferative behavior on B16 melanoma cells, and was found to have a high antioxidant activity when compared with Grape extract (Vitis vinifera) (Calliste et al 2001).
•Antimicrobial activity: Out of 29 extracts prepared from wild plants growing in Finland and screened for antimicrobial activity Filipendula ulmaria demonstrated significant antibacterial properties in vitro (Rauha et al 2000).
•Antitumor: The administration of decoction of Filipendula ulmaria resulted in a 39% drop in the frequency of squamous-cell carcinoma of the cervix and vagina induced in mice. A positive response was recorded in 32 patients (67%), including 25 cases (52%) of complete regression of dysplasia, out of 48 cases of cervical dysplasia treated with courses of ointment application (Peresun'ko et al 1993).
•Anticoagulant: The flowers of Filipendula ulmaria were found to contain heparin bound to the plant proteins in the form of a complex. This complex was found to enhance to exhibit anticoagulant and fibrinolytic properties with its administration to animals both intramuscularly and intravenously (Kudriashov et al 1990).

Toxicity: Duke reports an oral LD50 for salicin administration in rats as 1890 mg/kg (1988, 542).

Herbal action: antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, urinary antiseptic, astringent

Indications: indigestion, gastric reflux, gastric ulcer, flatulence, diarrhea, cystitis, urolithiasis, gout, rheumatism, fever

Contraindications and cautions: None (Mills and Bone 2000, 481).

Medicinal uses: Meadowsweet has long been valued by herbalists for its amphoteric effects upon the digestive apparatus, checking hypersecretory conditions such as diarrhea, normalizing gastric acid in hyperchlorhydria, and as a gastric stimulant in atonic states.  Taken as an infusion, Meadowsweet combines its anti-inflammatory property with the demulcent effect of its mucilage, making it an effective remedy in the treatment of gastric ulcers. These same properties, in addition to the tannins, make Meadowsweet an important remedy in diarrhea, indicated especially in children (Mills and Bone 2000, 479).  Used in cystitis Meadowsweet has a mild antimicrobial property, and helps to soothe irritated urinary mucosa and relieve cramping.  Meadowsweet's diuretic properties combined with it's well-known anti-inflammatory effects make it a superior remedy in the treatment of arthritis when compared with aspirin, relieving not only the pain but facilitating the elimination of wastes through the kidneys.  As a bitter tonic Meadowsweet is useful in the treatment of atonic dyspepsia and liver disorders.  King's American Dispensatory mentions that Meadowsweet is effective in passive hemorrhage, menorrhagia and leucorrhea (1893).  Clinical trials in the treatment of cervical dysplasia indicate that Meadowsweet ointment is an efficacious remedy (Peresun'ko et al 1993).  Mills and Bone mention that Meadowsweet can be used as an antithrombotic agent  (2000, 479).

Pharmacy and dosage:
•Fresh Plant Tincture: 1:2, 95% alcohol, 20-60 gtt, 1-3 mL
•Dry Plant Tincture: 1:5, 50% alcohol, 1-15 mL
•Infusion: 1:20, 200 mL

REFERENCES

Barnaulov OD, Denisenko PP. 1980. Anti-ulcer action of a decoction of the flowers of the dropwort, Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim Farmakol Toksikol Nov-Dec;43(6):700-5
Bradley, Peter R. ed. 1992. British Herbal Compendium. Bournemouth, UK: British Herbal Medicine Association.
Calliste CA, Trouillas P, Allais DP, Simon A, Duroux JL. 2001. Free radical scavenging activities measured by electron spin resonance spectroscopy and B16 cell antiproliferative behaviors of seven plants. J Agric Food Chem 2001 Jul;49(7):3321-7
Felter, HW and JU Lloyd. 1893. King's American Dispensatory. Digitized version available from http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/eclectic/kings/main.html.
Grieve, Maude. 1971. A Modern Herbal. New York: Dover Publications.
Kudriashov BA, Liapina LA, Azieva LD. 1990. The content of a heparin-like anticoagulant in the flowers of the meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria). Farmakol Toksikol Jul-Aug;53(4):39-41
Mills, Simon and Kerry Bone. 2000. Principals and Practice of Phytotherapy. London: Churchill Livingstone
Newall, Carol A., Linda A. Anderson and J.D. Phillipson. 1996. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health-Care Professionals. London: The Pharmaceutical Press.
Peresun'ko AP, Bespalov VG, Limarenko AI, Aleksandrov VA. 1993. Clinico-experimental study of using plant preparations from the flowers of Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim for the treatment of precancerous changes and prevention of uterine cervical cancer Vopr Onkol ;39(7-12):291-5
Rauha JP, Remes S, Heinonen M, Hopia A, Kahkonen M, Kujala T, Pihlaja K, Vuorela H, Vuorela P. 2000. Antimicrobial effects of Finnish plant extracts containing flavonoids and other phenolic compounds. Int J Food Microbiol May 25;56(1):3-12
Wickham-Jones, C. R.  1990. Rhum: Mesolithic and later sites at Kinloch. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Monograph series: 7.