Horsetail: benefits, dosage, contraindications
Other name(s)
Horsetail
Scientific name(s)
Equisetum arvense
Family or group:
Plants
Active ingredients:
Saponins
Tannins
Flavonoids
Silicon
Indications
Scoring methodology
EFSA approval.
Urinary disorders ✪✪✪✪✪
Horsetail is traditionally recognized as a diuretic, and for treating urinary tract infections and inflammations and for expelling small kidney stones. Preliminary clinical research shows that taking 840 mg containing a combination that includes horsetail every day for 8 weeks modestly reduces urinary frequency, stress urinary incontinence and urgency incontinence compared with placebo in patients suffering from urinary incontinence and/or overactive bladder.
Posologie
By mouth: aerial parts, stem
900 mg
Adolescents, Adults, Seniors
liquid extract, dry extract
Urox containing concentrated extracts of Crataeva nurvala stem bark, Equisetum arvense stem and Lindera aggregata root, in the treatment of symptoms of overactive bladder and urinary incontinence: a Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Phytotherapy Advice: A Guide for the Prescriber. Paul Goetz Francis, Hadji-Minaglou, Lavoisier, ISBN: 978-2-7430-2414-7.
Wound ✪✪✪✪✪
In vivo, the application of horsetail to the wound, in the form of a decoction or ointment, resulted in healing. The authors concluded that this positive effect may come from silica, silicic acid, silicon and saponins in the Equisetum arvense (horsetail) extract. The dose used is 10 g of ground herbal substance in 1 liter of water as a decoction, to be applied several times during the day.
Posologie
Topical use: aerial parts, stem
10 g
Adolescents, Adults, Seniors
aqueous decoction
Osteoporosis ✪✪✪✪✪
Clinical studies have shown that the daily intake of two tablets of horsetail dry extract or a specific combination of 540 mg of horsetail extract and calcium every two months, separated by two weeks without treatment, for a maximum of one year, can increase bone density compared with untreated postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. The effect of the horsetail extract and calcium appears to be greater than that of the horsetail dry extract alone.
Posologie
Oral: aerial parts, stem
540 mg
1 - years
Adults, Seniors
liquid extract, dry extract
Synergies
Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to Equisetum arvense L. and invigoration of the body (ID 2437), maintenance of skin (ID 2438), maintenance of hair (ID 2438), maintenance of bone (ID 2439), and maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight
Kidney stone ✪✪✪✪✪
Horsetail is recognized by its traditional use as a diuretic, as well as for treating urinary tract infections and inflammations and for helping expel small kidney stones. The anti-lithiasic activity appears to be related to an increase in urinary pH.
Posologie
Oral: aerial parts, stem
600 mg
Adolescents, Adults, Seniors
liquid extract, dry extract
Joint pain ✪✪✪✪✪
According to Commission E, horsetail (Equisetum herba) is indicated for post-traumatic edema and static edema. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, horsetail is traditionally used for joint and rheumatic pain. The anti-inflammatory effects appear to be related to a decrease in immune cell function. For example, horsetail could have a curative effect on rheumatoid arthritis.
Posologie
Oral use: aerial parts, stem
600 mg
liquid extract, dry extract
Hair loss ✪✪✪✪✪
Plants absorb and accumulate silicon from soil solutions which are incorporated as structural components, conferring strength and rigidity to stems, for example in cereals as well as in certain plants such as horsetail. Thus, thanks to its silicon content, horsetail is used against hair loss. Although the use of horsetail for hair loss is of some interest, there is not enough reliable information on the clinical effects of horsetail for this indication.
Posologie
Oral use: aerial parts, stem
600 mg
liquid extract, dry extract
Properties
Remineralizing
Field horsetail helps prevent bone loss and promotes fracture consolidation. Indeed, its silica content could explain its therapeutic properties. Silicon interacts with calcium-phosphate metabolism. This trace element plays an important role in the maintenance and renewal of connective tissues and may facilitate calcium deposition in bones.nn
Usages associés
Diuretic
Animal and human studies show that various species of horsetail exhibit diuretic and antilithic properties. However, electrolyte excretion was not affected. The mechanism of this diuretic effect is not entirely clear, but has been attributed to flavonoids, saponins, phenolic compounds, and the mineral salt constituents of horsetail (due to its high potassium content). The antilithic activity appears to be related to an increase in urinary pH.
Usages associés
Healing
Horsetail is known to contain 5% to 8% silica and silicic acid, substances that play a role in the formation of connective tissue. In vitro, silicon appears to increase collagen production by osteoblasts. It has also been shown that a plant complex containing silica derived from horsetail has anti-elastase activity (elastase being an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of elastin, an elastic fiber responsible for dermal elasticity). These effects justify the use of horsetail to treat edema caused by shock and to accelerate wound healing.
Usages associés
Anti-inflammatory
Research in vitro and animal studies show that aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of horsetail have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The anti-inflammatory effects appear to be related to a decrease in immune cell function. Horsetail has a curative effect on the rheumatoid arthritis. It reduces the effect of TNFα (pro-inflammatory) as well as the IL-10 factor. It inhibits T cell proliferation without inducing apoptosis or necrosis, by inhibiting lymphocyte activation, decreasing surface expression of CD69 and IL-2 receptors and intracellular IL-2 production. It is thought that flavonoid constituents and other phenolic compounds are responsible for these effects.
Usages associés
Antioxidant
Research in vitro and in animals show that aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of horsetail have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects due to the presence of flavonoid constituents and other phenolic compounds.
Analgesic
A hydroalcoholic extract of horsetail showed dose-dependent analgesic activity in various anti-inflammatory-type tests (Do Monte et al., 2004). The 50% hydroalcoholic extract of dry stems appears to have a sedative effect. This effect does not appear to be related to the opioid system.
Usages associés
Safe dosage
Adults aged 18 years and over: 600 mg - 1110 mg (dry extract)
The plant is traditionally used for a period of two to four weeks. - crude drug: average daily dose 6 g (dried powder); - infusion: put 2 to 4 g of aerial parts in 150 ml of boiling water and let steep for 10 to 15 minutes - decoction: put 15 g per liter of water, boil for 30 minutes; drink 3 cups per day. - tincture (1:5): 10 ml, 3 times per day - Dry extract (DER 4-7:1), aqueous; daily dose: 1080-1110 mg - Dry extract (DER 7.5-10.5:1), extraction solvent: 70% ethanol; daily dose: 600-675 mg
Child aged 12 to 18 years: 600 mg (dry extract)
Use in children under 12 years has not been established due to a lack of adequate data.
Interactions
Médicaments
Antidiabetic drugs: moderate interaction
A specific species of horsetail (Equisetum myriochaetum) demonstrated a hypoglycemic effect in a clinical study. Although it is unclear whether other horsetail species have hypoglycemic effects, theoretically it could have additive effects when combined with antidiabetic drugs.
Diuretics: moderate interaction
In vitro studies show that various horsetail species have diuretic properties. Thus, taking horsetail together with diuretics increases the risk of hypokalemia.
Plantes ou autres actifs
Horsetail: strong interaction
Field horsetail contains thiaminase, which breaks down thiamine. Its ingestion over a long period has been associated with thiamine deficiency in animals. People with a preexisting thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency or who are at risk of developing one may be advised to avoid concurrent use of horsetail.
Precautions
Pregnant women: avoid
Horsetail should be avoided during pregnancy due to lack of information.
Breastfeeding women: avoid
Horsetail should be avoided during breastfeeding due to lack of information.
Contraindications
Children up to 12 years: prohibited
Avoid for children under 12 years.
