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Herb library · Herb · Capsella bursa-pastoris

Shepherd's purse

A common weed with heart-shaped seed pods, long used in Europe for heavy bleeding. The EU accepts it for heavy periods on the strength of tradition; two small trials in Iran point the same way, but the evidence is thin.

Traditional use

Native to Europe and now one of the most common yard weeds worldwide; it has been eaten in spring as greens. In European herbal medicine it was used as an astringent to stop bleeding and to lessen heavy periods. EU regulators accept it, on traditional use, to reduce heavy menstrual bleeding in women with regular cycles once a doctor has ruled out serious causes.

Traditional energetics

What studies show

  • Insufficient

    Heavy menstrual bleeding: accepted in the EU on the basis of traditional use only. The European Medicines Agency's herbal committee noted one trial but could draw no firm conclusions because the extract used was not described.

  • Limited

    Heavy menstrual bleeding: a 2018 trial of 84 women in Iran found that capsules added to the painkiller mefenamic acid reduced bleeding more than placebo did over two cycles. The authors call for more research on how well it works and how safe it is.

  • Limited

    Bleeding after childbirth: a 2017 trial of 100 women found less bleeding when drops were given alongside the standard drug oxytocin. This is a hospital setting, and the authors say more research is needed on doses and safety.

Be careful of

Cautions

  • NoteNo side effects had been reported when EU regulators assessed it. EU products are for adult women only.
  • ConditionHeavy bleeding can have serious causes. EU guidance is to use it only after a doctor has excluded them, and to see a doctor if bleeding continues or gets worse.
  • Ask a clinicianTalk with a clinician or pharmacist before using this if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are giving it to a child.

From the old books

What herbals and dispensaries of the past printed. History, in their words.

“Culpepper refers to it in his English Physician, and the article is copied almost verbatim in subsequent works, until Lewis’ (1761) Materia Medica cast discredit upon it as an astringent.”
Harvey Wickes Felter and John Uri Lloyd, King's American Dispensatory (1898), vol. 1, p. 431. See the page of King's American Dispensatory, vol. 1, p. 431 (opens in a new tab) · Read the full passage from King's American Dispensatory, vol. 1, p. 431
“It is under the dominion of Saturn, and of a cold, dry, and binding nature, like to him.”
Nicholas Culpeper, Culpeper's Complete Herbal (1814), p. 171. See the page of Culpeper's Complete Herbal, p. 171 (opens in a new tab) · Read the full passage from Culpeper's Complete Herbal, p. 171

Sources

  1. Shepherd's purse - summary for the public (EMA/164805/2019) (opens in a new tab) · EMA · read September 25, 2026
  2. Bursae pastoris herba - herbal medicinal product (opens in a new tab) · EMA · read September 25, 2026
  3. Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Capsella Bursa-Pastoris on Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: A Randomized Clinical Trial (J Altern Complement Med, 2018) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  4. Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Capsella bursa pastoris on Early Postpartum Hemorrhage: A Clinical Trial Study (J Altern Complement Med, 2017) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026

Reviewed September 25, 2026.