Horsetail (Shavegrass), Price is per Ounce

Add to any Tea for healthy boost of natural minerals.

Also known as:
Equisetum arvense, scouring rush, shavegrass, and Field Horsetail,

Introduction:
Horsetail has a recorded history going back to the Devonian period, almost 350 million years ago. The plant at that time was as tall as a modern palm tree. Horsetail, not to be confused with cat-tail, is possibly the most abundant source of silica in the plant kingdom, so much in fact that the herb can be used for polishing metal. It got the name "scouring rush" from this very application. It has had other uses during the ages including being used for kidney and bladder ailments, and as an ingredient in shampoos, skincare products, and in dietary supplements. It has been used as an American folk remedy for gout and gonorrhea, and in traditional Chinese medicine for dysentery with blood, sore throat, and malaria. Modern herbalists usually use it for kidney stones, urinary tract infections, inflamed prostates, and anemia. The German E commission describes its use for urinary tract problems and as a diuretic.

Constituents:
More than 2/3 in-organic constituents, primarily silica and potassium salts. Horsetail from European sources contains the anti-allergy compound quercetin, but the same herb from North American and Asian sources usually does not. The plant also contains small amounts of nicotine.

Parts Used:
The above-ground parts of the plant, dried, cut, and powdered.

Typical Preparations:
Usually in tea, tinctures and encapsulations. Universally used in cosmetics.

Summary:
In very high doses, horsetail is sedative and anticonvulsant. The primary use of the herb, however, is as a diuretic. Gently stimulating increased urinary flow, horsetail helps "flush" infectious bacteria out of the bladder without altering the body's balance of electrolytes. The powdered form of the herb is better when electrolytes may be depleted. It's also the form of the herb being investigated as a treatment for age-related memory impairment.

Precautions:
When taking horsetail powder for its diuretic effect, be sure to drink extra water for maximum benefit. Avoid if there are kidney stones. Don't take horsetail herb if you take an ACE inhibitor for high blood pressure and you have congestive heart failure, as the combination of the herb and the drug can cause accumulation of excessive potassium. Not recommended while pregnant. Toxicity similar to nicotine poisoning has been seen in children who ingest large amounts.

For educational purposes only This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.