Most herbalists agree on most of the medicinal qualities of Shepherd’s Purse, they being astringent, styptic, diuretic, anti-scorbutic, vasoconstrictor and blood coagulant, which therefore makes it anti-hemorrhagic (or hemostatic).  Additionally, Kloss listed it as having detergent and vulnerary qualities, Grieve said it was anti-diarrheal, Duke mentioned its antioxidant qualities and Schwartz claimed it to be anti-inflammatory.  Moore got more specific, mentioning that Shepherd’s Purse uses were: “Urinary tract astringent, uric acid diuretic for hyperuricemia;  hemostatic for hematuria, excess menses, and so forth; and an oxytocin agonist for postpartum bleeding or difficult placenta delivery.”

 

Weed and Schwartz both mentioned that fresh is best with Shepherd’s Purse since the dry loses its medicinal power quite quickly.  Since Shepherd’s Purse quickly loses its power, tinctures are usually prepared with the fresh plant while available, to have on hand when it is not.   Karen Erickson, a Naturopath Doctor and Lay Midwife, shared, “It is very temperamental in terms of its preparation and has only a very short shelf life preserved as a tincture (less than one year).  For this reason I use it combined with other herbs (Achillea, Geranium, etc.) and carefully date the bottle.”

 

Christopher reported that Shepherd’s Purse can raise blood pressure by constricting blood vessels, and can also normalize the blood and heart action whether too high or low.  Schwartz, on the other hand, was less sure when she stated, “It constricts the blood vessels (usually), lowers blood pressure (usually), and contracts the uterus.  It is used during or after childbirth and to ease difficult menstruation.”  Lust mentioned that it promotes bowel movements in the same manner that it will promote uterine contractions during labor.

 

“Intraperitoneal administration of Shepherd’s Purse extract to rats blocked the formation of stress induced ulcers and reduced recovery time (Kuroda and Takagi, 1969).  Anti-neoplastic, central nervous system-depressant, and hypotensive effects have also been observed, and in vitro tests have shown smooth-muscle stimulant effects.  Cardiac activity includes increased coronary blood flow, negative chronotropic effects, positive inotropic effects, and coronary vasodilation in  laboratory animals (Kuroda and Takagi, 1969; Iurisson, 1971).”