Shepherd's Purse

Capsella bursa-pastoris

Family: Brassicaceae Part used: Aerial parts (leaves, stems, seed pods)

Key Compounds

• Tyramine
• Choline
• Acetylcholine
• Fumaric acid
• Malic acid
• Bursic acid
• Flavonoids (diosmin, luteolin, quercetin)
• Sinigrin
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin K
• Tannins

Traditional Use

• Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) — primary traditional and contemporary application; tyramine and choline constrict blood vessels and support uterine hemostasis; EMA HMPC has accepted the traditional use for heavy menstrual bleeding based on documented European use; British Herbal Pharmacopoeia lists as a uterine hemostatic; the hemostatic mechanism involves both vasoconstriction and direct uterine muscle action; used as a strong infusion during acute episodes (every 2–3 hours) for flooding; not for use in pregnancy
• Postpartum hemorrhage support — traditional midwifery application across European traditions; oxytocin-like compounds in the plant stimulate uterine contractions and reduce postpartum bleeding; historically one of the primary herbs administered immediately after delivery; combined with raspberry leaf in postpartum formulas; for use only after delivery, never during pregnancy
• Nosebleeds and minor wound bleeding — topical and internal application; tyramine-induced vasoconstriction is systemic; cooled strong infusion applied as a compress or soaked cotton plug for nosebleeds; traditional field medicine — the plant's ubiquity meant it was often the most available hemostatic herb
• Urinary tract and mild diuretic — traditional European use for fluid retention and urinary support; the mechanism is less well-established than the hemostatic application; used as an adjunct in formulas for UTI and fluid retention; secondary to the hemostatic application in contemporary practice

The seed pods look like purses. Not approximately — precisely. The flat, triangular, notched pod that forms after flowering is shaped like the small leather money-pouch that European shepherds hung from their belts. The plant was named bursa-pastoris (shepherd’s purse) in Latin; Hirtentäschel (shepherd’s bag) in German; bourse-à-pasteur in French; herderstasje in Dutch. Independent naming, same observation, complete agreement.

The plant grows everywhere. It has been found on every continent including the subantarctic islands. It germinates in early spring, sets seed in six weeks, germinates again in autumn. It is almost certainly growing in your vegetable garden. It is definitely in the cracks of nearby pavement. Most people remove it without recognition.

In Japan, it is one of the Seven Spring Herbs. They eat it every January 7th.

Meet the plant

A small annual or biennial with a basal rosette of lobed leaves, white four-petalled flowers, and the distinctive triangular seed pods. The flowers and pods appear simultaneously on the same flowering stem. The plant grows to 15–50 cm in ideal conditions, but stays flat and low in mowed or disturbed environments. The Brassicaceae family membership is visible in the cross-shaped flower arrangement and the pungent, slightly mustard-like flavour.

The hemostatic mechanism

Shepherd’s purse contains several compounds with vasoconstricting and uterotonic activity, working through different pathways:

Tyramine and acetylcholine — both cause vasoconstriction, reducing blood flow to bleeding vessels. Tyramine acts on adrenergic receptors; acetylcholine through muscarinic pathways.

Diosmin — a flavonoid with capillary-protective and anti-inflammatory activity. Reduces capillary permeability. Also used pharmaceutically in standardised form for chronic venous insufficiency.

Oxytocin-like peptides — some research has identified peptides with uterine muscle-stimulating activity, the mechanism most relevant to the postpartum and menstrual hemostatic applications.

Tannins — mild astringent action, relevant to topical wound applications.

The EMA HMPC accepted the traditional use for heavy menstrual bleeding. The German Commission E approved the herb for nosebleeds, premenstrual tension, and menorrhagia.

The January 7th tradition

In Japan, ナズナ (nazuna) is not primarily a medicinal herb. It is one of the 七草 (nanakusa, seven spring herbs) — a tradition continuous from the Heian period, over a thousand years ago.

On January 7th (人日, jinjitsu — the festival of people), a porridge called 七草粥 (nanakusa-gayu) is made from rice and seven specific fresh herbs:

1. セリ — Oenanthe javanica (Japanese water parsley)
2. ナズナ — Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd’s purse)
3. ゴギョウ — Gnaphalium affine (Japanese cudweed)
4. ハコベラ — Stellaria media (chickweed)
5. ホトケノザ — Lamium amplexicaule (henbit deadnettle)
6. スズナ — Brassica rapa (turnip)
7. スズシロ — Raphanus sativus (daikon radish)

The tradition is both culinary and medicinal — the porridge is eaten for health in the coming year and to rest the digestive system after New Year celebrations. In contemporary Japan, the seven herbs are sold pre-packaged in supermarkets beginning in late December. ナズナ in this context is a seasonal food herb, not a hemostatic dose — the medicinal pharmacology is incidental to a cultural practice about good luck and fresh vegetables in January.

What people actually do with it

Strong infusion (acute hemostasis): 2–3 teaspoons dried aerial parts per cup, steeped 15 minutes. During heavy menstrual flooding: 1 cup every 2–3 hours. This is a much stronger preparation than the standard infusion dose — the hemostatic applications require more concentrated preparations.

Standard infusion (preventive/tonic): 1–2 teaspoons per cup, 2–3 cups daily in the days before and during menstruation.

Tincture: 2–4 mL in water, 2–3 times daily.

Topical (nosebleeds): Cooled strong infusion applied to a cotton compress, inserted gently into the nostril. Or strong tea applied to the outside of the nose at the bridge.

Topical (wounds): Crushed fresh herb applied directly to a minor wound — the same direct application as plantain, yarrow, or self-heal for field first aid.

Could you grow this yourself?

It grows in your garden whether you cultivate it or not. Once established, it self-seeds repeatedly. If you want to deliberately cultivate it, scatter seeds on bare soil in early spring or late autumn — it will do the rest. The challenge with shepherd’s purse is not growing it; it is recognising it in time. The aerial parts should be harvested before or during flowering, at which point the plant is most chemically active.

Shepherd’s purse (ナズナ) in Japan

ナズナ appears in two distinct Japanese contexts:

Traditional (nanakusa): The 七草 tradition is the dominant cultural context for ナズナ in Japan. It is a spring food herb, part of a specific annual ritual on January 7th. The tradition has its own aesthetic — the sound of chopping the seven herbs before dawn, the specific rhythm (七草ナズナ、唐土の鳥と、日本の鳥と、渡らぬ先に…), the winter-morning smell of fresh greens. It is one of the oldest continuous plant traditions in Japanese culture.

Western herbal supplement context: Shepherd’s purse is also available in Japan as a Western herbal supplement for menstrual applications, following the EMA-accepted traditional use. This market is entirely separate from the nanakusa cultural tradition.

Things you’re probably wondering

Does this work for nosebleeds? The vasoconstricting mechanism (tyramine, acetylcholine) is systemic — it affects blood vessels throughout the body, not only at a topical application site. For nosebleeds, both the internal preparation (drinking strong tea) and the topical compress (cold infusion on cotton to the nostril) have traditional and pharmacological support. The effect is mild and appropriate for minor, non-emergency nosebleeds. For severe or recurring nosebleeds, seek medical assessment.

Can it be used in early pregnancy? No. The uterotonic activity — the same mechanism that makes it effective for postpartum and menstrual hemostasis — is a contraindication in pregnancy. The oxytocin-like compounds and the direct uterine muscle activity are genuine, not merely precautionary. Avoid entirely during pregnancy.

Botanical details

The full compound list

See Also

• Yarrow — primary hemostatic herb; overlapping wound and menstrual applications; often combined with shepherd’s purse
• Lady’s Mantle — Rosaceae astringent; overlapping heavy menstrual bleeding application
• Raspberry Leaf — uterine tonic; combined in postpartum formulas

References

• European Medicines Agency. (2010). Community Herbal Monograph on Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik., herba. EMA/HMPC/283630/2009.
• Grieve, M. (1931). A Modern Herbal. Dover.
• British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. (1983). British Herbal Medicine Association.
• Kuroda, T. et al. (1976). Pharmacological studies on Capsella bursa-pastoris: haemostatic effects. Japanese Journal of Pharmacology, 26(5), 623.