Botanical name Stellaria media
Description A star-shaped, perennial creeping wild plant. Primarily a weed that forms dense mats of green vegetation. Its leaves are arranged oppositely and are elliptic in outline. Stems often root at the nodes and have hairs that occur in vertical rows. Small white flowers occur at the end of stems alone or in small clusters.
Properties Alterative, anti-inflammatory, anorectic, blood purifier, diuretic, mucilant, nutritive, pectoral, stomachic.
Origin North America. Early uses were seen in the Ojibwe and Iroquois Native American tribes as an eyewash and wound poultice.
Aliases Starweed, Stitchwort, Old Stella.
Useful parts Entire herb
Uses Acne treatment, aid in weight loss, appetite control, allergy treatment, blood purification, treating boils, burns and scalds, cancer (fatty tumors), cellulite breakdown, cholesterol control, deafness, eye irritations, treating gout, hayfever, hemorrhoids, obesity, skin problems such as skin eruptions, rashes, ulcers, wounds and sores.
Forms Encapsulated, in poultices, creams, salves, ointments, tonics, combinations and blends, decoctions, teas, and tinctures.
Caution Excessive intake can cause diarrhea and vomiting. Not recommended for pregnant women.
All-around Stella!
Chickweed is one of a few highly versatile herb with a wide variety of applications. The entire herb is used, both internally and externally for many remedies. Chickweed is a mild herb that is used as medicine and also eaten as food. Some natural health enthusiasts eat it in salads, while some farmers feed it to livestock, especially poultry. In fact, it got its name from use in chicken feeds: chick weed, as in weed for chickens.
However, Chickweed’s most common use is as a poultice for wounds and skin problems. First records of Chickweed use was found in Native America, particularly the Ojibwe and Iroquois tribes. They used Chickweed tea as an eyewash and in poultice form to heal wounds.
As a poultice, it can be used for treating boils, burns, skin diseases, sore eyes, swollen testes and hemorrhoids. It can also be used to treat sores in mouth and throat. Chickweed ointment makes an excellent treatment for diaper rash.
Today, Chickweed grows abundantly in areas of Europe and North America, and has been studied extensively. Modern science have shown the herb’s ability to help prevent cancer. It is used in the treatment of tumors, and plays important roles in purifying the blood. Chickweed is valuable for treating blood toxicity, fevers, and inflammation. It is used for breast inflammation during lactation (both internally and externally).
For blood poisoning, a decoction is used internally and poultice also applied to externally affected areas. It acts as an antibiotic in the blood, and also helps dissolve plaque in blood vessels. The herb’s mucilaginous quality enables it break down fatty tumors as well as other fatty substances in the body. For this reason, Chickweed proves to be one of the most recommended weight loss aids in the market.
As a weight loss aid, it acts as an appetite suppressant when taken 1 hour before mealtimes. It also has the ability to break down cellulite. For this reason, Chickweed is the main ingredient in NSP’s very effective weight loss herbal combination, Fat Grabbers. While Chickweed breaks down the fats in the body and from the foods you eat, Psyllium Hulls, which an herb high in fiber, binds the fats and eliminates them from the body. Chickweed’s aid in weight loss earned it its alias “Old Stella”! Stella is derived from its botanical name, and as a female name indicating its action on cellulite in women!
Chickweed’s mucilage content, known as a demulcent, acts to heal stomach ulcers, inflamed bowels, lungs and about every other inflammation both internal and external. It strengthens the tissue lining of the stomach and intestines. It moistens phlegm and acts as an expectorant in ridding the body of phlegm from the lungs, while relieving sore throats, lowering fevers and treating stomach and duodenal ulcers. Chickweed is sometimes used in baths for its “soothing effect” on the body.
Chickweed contains high amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, silicon and zinc. It also contains electrolytes such as potassium, and sodium, Vitamin A, and protein. Trace amounts of Copper and the vitamins C, B6, B12, and D are also present in Chickweed. It contains various active constituents, including coumarins, flavonoids, and triterpenoid saponins.
Chickweed’s high iron content makes it beneficial for iron deficiency anemia as well as debility. Research has shown Chickweed to be effective in reducing itching, and enhancing expectoration because of its saponins content. It is successfully used to draw out toxins, fight infection, promote tissue healing and repair in the treatment of boils, eczema, psoriasis, skin ulcers, nettle rash, vaginitis, and varicose veins.
Chickweed is generally friendly in all its applications. There are no known side effects from Chickweed use, however, it is not recommended during pregnancy. Also, excessive intake has been shown to cause diarrhea and vomiting.