Nutritional Supplement

Cranesbill

Also indexed as: Geranium maculatum, Alum Root, Old Maid's Nightcap, Wild Geranium, Alum Bloom

How to Use It

A tea can be prepared by boiling 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 grams) of the root for ten to fifteen minutes in 2 cups (500 ml) of water.10 People can drink three (750 ml) or more cups per day. Cranesbill tincture (approximately 1/2 teaspoon or 3 ml) three times per day is also commonly used, although generally in combination with other herbs, for diarrhea. Dried, powdered cranesbill root is sometimes used in an herbal combination to treat Crohn’s disease; however, there are no scientific studies to support this combination.

References

1. Duke JA. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Plants. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1985, 209.

2. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics, 2d ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 168-70.

3. Ellingwood F. American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1919, 1998, 354.

4. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics, 2d ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 168-70.

5. Ellingwood F. American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1919, 1998, 354.

6. Pizzorno JE, Murray MT. Textbook of Natural Medicine. London: Churchill Livingstone, 1999, 1335-49.

7. Plein K, Burkard G, Hotz J. Treatment of chronic diarrhea in Crohn disease. A pilot study of the clinical effect of tannin albuminate and ethacridine lactate. Fortschr Med 1993;111:114-8 [in German].

8. Duke JA. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Plants. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1985, 209.

9. Tilford GL. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Company, 1997, 42-3.

10. Hoffman D. The Herbal Handbook. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1988, 43.

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The information presented by TraceGains is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2025.