An Herb to Know: Red Clover

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An Herb to Know: Red Clover

Published in Better Nutrition by Kathi Keville

Around St. Patrick's day, thoughts of clover naturally turn to the

green, four-leaf variety, for everyone knows that a shamrock is good luck.

However, if your wish is for good health, you may want red clover

instead of green.

Unlike its shamrock relative, red clover (Trifolium pratense) has three

distinct leaves, but what makes it stand out are its vivid, reddish flowers.

Long recognized for their healing properties, the flowers of red clover have

received praise since ancient Greek, Roman, and Celtic herbalists used them.

Many beneficial compounds give this herb a wide range of healing properties.

Red clover contains salicylic acid, the same compound that gives aspirin its

pain-relieving and fever-lowering properties. It also possesses light

sedative properties due to its trace amounts of the sleep-inducing amino acid

tryptophan. Because it reduces muscle spasms and clears lung congestion, the

Russians and Chinese recommend red clover tea to cure bronchial asthma.

For such a popular herb, it is amazing how little science knows about red

clover's effects on people. Since it is a nutritious, high-protein food for

livestock, most study has been devoted to the leaf as a forage plant.

A weapon against cancer

Can a pretty little flower really offer resistance to this deadly disease?

If not a cure, red clover may at least provide resistance. For cancer to grow,

it needs a large supply of blood, so it signals the body to grow more blood

vessels right into the tumor itself, a process doctors call " angiogenesis. "

Cancer researchers now think that they may be able to literally starve tumors

by cutting off this blood supply. This is exactly the role of genistein, one

of the many compounds found in red clover that shows anticancer potential.

A feminine botanical

The latest buzz is about red clover's estrogen-like properties. Many

products formulated for use in easing menopausal symptoms contain red

clover. In one

study, the estrogen levels of postmenopausal women increased when they ate

red clover sprouts, linseed, and soy -- all estrogenic botanicals -- for two

weeks each. After they stopped the diet, their estrogen count dropped.

Although it is estrogenic, red clover may inhibit estrogen-based

cancers since there

is evidence that plant estrogens actually block carcinogenic forms of

estrogen.

For skin problems

Red clover is equally famous as a liver-assisting " blood purifier. " Many

blood purifiers, red clover included, effectively treat skin

complaints, such as

eczema, psoriasis, acne, and skin rash. This is no surprise since herbalists

consider liver health whenever confronted with a skin condition. Gentle,

although effective, it is recommended for skin problems in children

or ones that

are painful.

Blood-thinning properties

Red clover is a safe medicine, although it does thin the blood. This is good

news for anyone who has problems with blood clots, but be careful about

taking it with blood-thinning medications because it can increase the drug's

action. It should also be avoided for a week prior to surgery, since thin blood

can cause you to bleed. Also, don't use it during pregnancy.

REFERENCES

The Merek Index, 9th Edition. Rahway, N.J.: Merek & Co. 1992.

Barnes, S. and T.G. Peterson. " Biochemical targets of the isoflavone

genistein in tumor cells lines, " Proceedings for Experimental Biology

and Medicine

208(1): 10-38, 1995.

Hartwell, J.L. Plants Used Against Cancer. Lawrence, Mass.: Quarterman

Publishing, 1982.

Kaufman, P.B., Duke, J.A., et al. " A comparative survey of leguminous plants

as source of the isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, " Journal of

Alternative and Complementary Medicine 3 (1):7-12, 1997.

Matsukawa, Y., et al. " Genistein arrests cells cycle progression at G2-M, "

Cancer Research 53 (6):1328-31, 1993.

Wilcox, G. " Oestrogenic effects of plant foods in postmenopausal women, "

British Medical Journal 301:905-906, 1990.

Kathi Keville is director of the American Herb Association and publishes the

AHA Quarterly Newsletter. She is the author of 10 herb and aromatherapy

books, including Herbs for Health and Healing and Aromatherapy, The Complete

Guide to the Healing Art, as well as over 150 herb articles for national

magazines. She also gives seminars on medicinal herbs throughout the U.S.

 

 

 

--

Diana Gonzalez

 

 

 

 

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