Spiraeae ulmariae flos

Spiraeae ulmariae flos/-herba, also known as meadowsweet flowers or herb, is a drug used in herbal medicines as a supportive therapy for colds and for the treatment of mild joint pain.

HMPC monograph: Traditional-use: Colds, aching joints

ESCOP monograph: Colds, mild joint pain, increase in water excretion

Commission e-monograph: Colds

Meadowsweet flowers or herb contains essential oil with about 75 % salicylaldehyde, phenylglycosides, benzyl alcohol, up to 5 % flavonoids (including spriaeoside and other quercetin derivatives) and tanning agents.

Meadowsweet blossoms and herbs have antiphlogistic, astringent and antipyretic effects.

Meadowsweet blossoms or meadowsweet herb are used as a supportive therapy for colds and to treat mild joint pain.

The daily dose is 2.5 to 3.5 g meadowsweet flowers or 4 to 5 g meadowsweet herb. The crushed drug can be taken in the form of tea infusions several times a day.

There are no known adverse effects.

In case of known hypersensitivity to salicylate, it should not be taken. Children and adolescents under 18 years, pregnancy and lactation: No data.

There are no known interactions with other drugs.

Meadowsweet flowers have a stronger effect than the herb, because they contain much more salicyladehyde and salicylic acid methyl ester.

1. Santoro D et all. (2018) Evaluation on the effects of 0.1% Peumus boldus leaf and Spiraea ulmaria plant extract combination on bacterial colonization in canine atopic dermatitis: A preliminary randomized, placebo controlled, double-blinded study. Res Vet Sci 118:164-170.
2. Schilcher H (ed.) in, Leitfaden Phytotherapie, Urban & Fischer Verlag (2016) Munich, p. 208 f.
3. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-community-herbal-monograph-filipendula-ulmaria-l-maxim-flos-first-version_en.pdf
4. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/maedesuess.php
5. Wenigmann M. (2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs, phytopharmaceuticals, application. Urban & Fischer, pp. 150-151