Wild strawberry

Wild strawberry is a herbaceous, perennial, rhizome-forming plant that is native to Europe and northern Asia. It thrives on forest edges and in clearings. The wild strawberry grows as a rosette shrub and reaches a height of 5.0 to 25 cm. The leaves are trifoliate, long-stalked with sharply serrated edges. The flowers of the wild strawberry are white; they have 5 petals. The flowering period is between April and June. The red fruits (pseudo-fruits: the actual fruits are the small hard-shelled nuts visible on the surface), the actual "wild strawberries", form in late summer. The young leaves, which are collected during the flowering period in May and June, as well as the roots and berries are used in natural medicine.

Forest strawberries are used phytotherapeutically, as are any of the garden strawberries, cinnamon strawberries and hill strawberries. The dried leaves (strawberry leaves - Fragariae folium) are used.

In the cosmetics industry: Fragaria vesca leaf extract (INCI), Fragaria vesca fruit (INCI)

Fragaria vesca is the parent plant of:

• Folia Fragariae, also Herba Fragariae (strawberry leaves)
• Fructus Fragariae (the strawberry fruit = false fruit)
• Rhizoma Fragariae (strawberry root).

Ingredients (Folia Fragariae):

Strawberry leaves contain tannins, ellagitannins, flavonoids (quercetin, quercitrin, kaempferol), leukoanthocyanins, and in small amounts also ascorbic acid and essential oil.

Ingredients (Fructus Fragariae):

The fruits of the wild strawberry contain: salicylic acid, sugar, pectin and flavonoids. They serve as a tea admixture.

Ingredients (Rhizoma Fragariae):

Rhizoma Fragariae, the strawberry roots, contain up to 10% tanning agents. They are used as astringents.

Cosmetic use:

• Fragaria vesca extract (INCI): Extract of wild strawberry used in cosmetic formulations as a skin care product.
• Fragaria vesca fruit (INCI): Extract of the dried wild strawberry used in cosmetic formulations as a skin care product.
• Fragaria vesca juice (INCI): Extract from the pulp (pseudo-fruit) of the dried wild strawberry used in cosmetic formulations as a skin care product
• Fragaria vesca leaf extract (INCI): Extract from the leaves of the wild strawberry used in cosmetic formulations as a skin care product.
• Fragaria vesca seed (INCI): Extract from the seeds of the wild strawberry. The extract has skin caring and astringent effects.

Folk medicine application:

• In folk medicine the fresh wild strawberry is used for liver and gall bladder problems, heart complaints, anaemia, as a general tonic and for bronchitis. Due to its tannin content, wild strawberry leaves are used as a remedy for diarrhoea, stomach and intestinal disorders.
• Preparation: To make tea, pour 250 ml of boiling water over 2-3 heaped teaspoons of finely chopped leaves and strain after 15 minutes. The tea can also be used for gargling and rinsing with inflamed mucous membranes.

1. Burger A et al. (1993) Fragaria vesca In Hunnius, Pharmaceutical Dictionary. De Gruyter Publishers. S. 570
2. Lalit Kanodia et al (2011) Effect of fruit extract of Fragaria vesca L. on experimentally induced inflammatory bowel disease in albino rats. Indian J Pharmacol 43: 18-22
3. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/strawberry.php