Queen Of The Meadow

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Botanical: Filipendula ulmaria  (also known as Spiraea ulmaria)
Family: Rosaceae (rose)

Other common names: Pride of the Meadow, Spiraea, Bridewort, Lady of the Meadow, Meadsweet, Dolloff, Queen of the Meadow*

*Note:  Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) is also sometimes called "Queen of the Meadow" and should not be confused with Boneset (Eupatorium purfoliatum) or Gravel Root (Eupatorium purpureum), two entirely different herbs that are frequently also called Queen of the Meadow, but have entirely different properties and applications.

Queen of the Meadow is a mild antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and sedative.  This herb is a forerunner of aspirin, as salicylic acid was first synthesized from Queen of the Meadow in 1835.  It is gentler on the stomach than aspirin, because Queen of the Meadow contains natural buffering agents.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Viable Herbal Solutions is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

History and Uses:
Queen Of The Meadow is a perennial herb that is found growing in damp meadows, ditches and bogs, at the edges of ponds, on river banks and in damp open woodlands.  Common throughout Europe, it is also found in the eastern United States and Canada.  One of its popular common names, Meadowsweet, is said to be derived from an earlier name, Meadwort, as Queen Of The Meadow was long used to flavor the drink, mead.  The species name, ulmaria, was given for the resemblance of its leaves to those of the elm (Ulmus).  Queen Of The Meadow was a sacred herb amongst the Druids (Vervain and Watermint being the other two).  In 1597, John Gerard said of Queen Of The Meadow in his Herbal: "the smell thereof makes the heart merry and joyful and delighteth the senses," and it was also used as a strewing herb during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.  Queen Of The Meadowwas used historically by herbalists for a wide variety of conditions, including treating rheumatic complaints of the joints and muscles.  Nicholas Culpeper, a seventeenth-century English pharmacist, mentioned its use to help break fevers and promote sweating during a cold or flu.  In 1838, the Italian, Rafaele Piria, first produced salicylic acid from the flower buds of Queen Of The Meadow and from White Willow Bark (Salix alba), and in 1899, the drug company Bayer formulated a new drug (acetylsalicylic acid) and called it aspirin, a name which is derived from the old botanical name for Queen Of The Meadow, Spiraea ulmaria. The primary chemical constituents of Queen Of The Meadow nclude essential oil (salicyladehyde, methylsalicylate, hyperoside), salicylic acid, spireine, gaultherine, spiraeoside, flavonoids (rutin, spiraeoside), vanillin, glycoside, mucilage, tannin, coumarins and vitamin C.  The presence of aspirin-like chemicals explains Queen Of The Meadow's action in reducing fever and relieving the pain of rheumatism in muscles and joints.  Queen Of The Meadow is also considered an excellent digestive remedy.  This herb combines well with Marshmallow and Chamomile, with which it is very soothing for a whole range of digestive problems.  It protects and soothes the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, reducing excess acidity and alleviating nausea, and it can be used in the treatment of heartburn, hyperacidity, gastritis and peptic ulceration.  For musculo-skeletal conditions, consider combining Queen Of The Meadow with Black Cohosh, White Willow Bark and/or Celery Seed for their anti-inflammatory effects.  The anti-inflammatory action of the salicylates in Queen Of The Meadow makes it effective against rheumatic pain, while the tannins and mucilages appear to buffer the adverse effects of isolated salicylates which can cause gastric bleeding (excessive aspirin can cause gastric ulceration).  Phenolic glycosides, such as monotropitin, yield salicylic aglycones, which contribute to the anti-inflammatory and diuretic actions.  The astringent tannins make Queen Of The Meadow a useful remedy in the herb's treatment of diarrhea in children.  Topical applications of this herb have included its use as an eyewash for conjunctivitis and sore eyes and as a compress for rheumatic joints.  Oil from the buds was used in perfume, and flowers were soaked in rainwater as a complexion water.  The flowers were also used as paint brushes.

Ingredients: 100% Queen of the Meadow (sold as Meadowsweet) Botanical Powder - Our products contain 100% pure plant-based/natural materials using no fillers, grains, yeast, sugars, binders, excipients, starches, or synthetic materials.

Recommended Dosage:
Take two (2) to three (3) capsules, two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Contraindications:
Those who are allergic to aspirin should not use Queen of the Meadow.  It is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women without first consulting a physician, and children under the age of sixteen years of age with symptoms of flu, chicken pox or other types of viral infection should not use Queen of the Meadow, because, like aspirin, there may be a risk of developing Reye's syndrome. Do not take Queen of the Meadow and bloodthinning medicine together, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents; this may cause your blood to be too thin, making you bleed or bruise more easily.

Capsule Information:
Our Queen Of The Meadow supplements are encapsulated in 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose, Certified Kosher, size "00" Capsules. (click here for size comparison) Each capsule contains approximately 600 mgs.