Chickweed
Chickweed

Background

Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a wild plant. It's eaten as food and also made into a tea. The tea has been traditionally used as medicine.

The chickweed leaf contains flavonols, including quercetin and rutin. It also contains small amounts of vitamin C.

People use chickweed for diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
When taken by mouth: Chickweed is commonly consumed in foods. There isn't enough reliable information to know if chickweed is safe to use in larger amounts as medicine.

When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if chickweed is safe or what the side effects might be. Some people are allergic to chickweed.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Chickweed is commonly consumed in foods. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if chickweed is safe to use in larger amounts as medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.

Effectiveness

There is interest in using chickweed for a number of purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
Likely effective Effectiveness definitions
Possibly effective Effectiveness definitions
Likely ineffective Effectiveness definitions
Possibly ineffective Effectiveness definitions
Insufficient evidence Effectiveness definitions

Dosing & administration

There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of chickweed might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.

Interactions with pharmaceuticals

It is not known if Chickweed interacts with any medicines. Before taking Chickweed, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any medications.

Interactions with herbs & supplements

There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.

Interactions with foods

There are no known interactions with foods.
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This monograph was last reviewed on 18/09/2023 10:00:00 and last updated on 26/12/2021 23:43:07. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
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