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American Cranesbill - How does American Cranesbill Works?
Taxonomic Class
Geraniaceae
Common Trade Names
None known.
Common Forms
Available as decoctions, extracts, poultices, teas, and tinctures.
Source
Forms for internal use are prepared using the dried rhizome and leaves of Geranium maculatum, a perennial herb found commonly in the Eastern United States and Canada. Topical preparations are usually created using flowers of the plant.
Chemical Components
Tannin, which is hydrolyzed to gallic acid, is the principal active ingredient of American cranesbill. It occurs in high concentrations in the dried rhizomes of G. maculatum.
Actions
Precise mechanisms of action have not been adequately described in primary medical literature.
Reported Uses
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Internal use of the extract has been claimed to be useful for cancer, cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, inflammation of the bladder or lip, leukorrhea, menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, plague, and renal bleeding and as a contraceptive.
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Claims for external use include burns, hemorrhoids, sores, sore throat, and stomatitis. Modern medical literature has not justified these claims. One in vitro study found no antibacterial activity of American cranesbill against organisms that cause cholera .
Dosage
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Decoction: 1 or 2 tsp of rhizome in 1 cup of water P.O. t.i.d.
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Infusion: 1 oz of plant material in 1 pt of water P.O.
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Tincture: 2 to 4 ml P.O. t.i.d.
Adverse Reactions
Hepatic: hepatotoxicity (with high tannin concentrations).
Interactions
None reported.
Contraindications And Precautions
American cranesbill is contraindicated in pregnant or breast-feeding patients.
Special considerations
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Although no known chemical interactions have been reported, consideration must be given to the pharmacologic properties of the herbal product and the potential for interference with the intended therapeutic effect of conventional drugs.
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Caution the patient not to self-treat symptoms before appropriate medical evaluation because this may delay diagnosis of a potentially serious medical condition.
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Advise the patient to avoid consuming American cranesbill because not enough is known about its effects.
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Advise the patient who wants to use this herb to report unusual symptoms to his health care provider.
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Monitor the patient's liver function test results.
Commentary
Because safety and efficacy data of American cranesbill are unavailable, its use should be avoided.
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