The herbaceous perennial Lady’s Mantle is a popular garden herb which grows in temperate climes throughout Asia and Europe and is also found in parts of Africa and the Americas. With the Latin name is Alchemilla vulgaris, although it is more commonly referred to by the nicknames Lions’ Foot, Bear’s Foot and Nine Hooks, the health benefits of the herb are to be found in the upper parts of the plant and the root.
The health benefits of Lady’s Mantle mainly relate to women. One of the main health benefits of Lady’s Mantle is to reduce the pain many women experience during their periods. This is thought to be because the tannins and astringent agents in the herb stop excessive menstrual flow. It also stimulates the flow of blood to the uterus and pelvic area to bring on a period.
Unsurprisingly given these properties, the health benefits of Lady’s Mantle are often taken advantage of by women going through the menopause in order to regulate their periods and reduce the pain associated with it. The herb is rich salicylic acids which act as a pain killer.
Lady’s Mantle can also be used to clean the vagina in cases of discharge, yeast infections or itchiness. It can be used either as a douche or applied to a tampon to treat these problems. If used on a tampon, Lady’s Mantle can also be mixed with cocoa butter.
Given these health benefits of Lady’s Mantle, it is no wonder that it also called the ‘Woman’s Herb. Other uses include combating the signs of aging in your skin. Applied as a poultice, Lady’s Mantle can be used to treat rashes and skin infections, heal cuts and wounds and relieve the pain of insect bites and stings .
In the past, Lady’s Mantle was said to be able to restore a woman’s virginity and the leaves of the herb are still used by nursing mothers on the breasts and stomach.
Lady’s Mantle can be used by men and women to boost appetite, relieve stomach aches and indigestion and by diabetics for circulatory problems. Its astringent properties also mean that it can be used as a mouthwash.
