Horsetail: Benefits, Dosage, Contraindications
Other name(s)
Horse's Tail
Scientific name(s)
Equisetum arvense
Family or group:
Plants
Active ingredients:
Saponins
Tannins
Flavonoids
Silicon
Indications
Rating methodology
EFSA approval.
Urinary Disorders ✪✪✪✪✪
Horsetail is traditionally recognized for its diuretic use, as well as for treating infections and inflammations of the urinary tract and evacuating small kidney stones. Preliminary clinical research shows that taking 840 mg, containing a combination with horsetail daily for 8 weeks, modestly decreases urinary frequency, stress incontinence, and urge incontinence compared to placebo in patients suffering from urinary incontinence and/or overactive bladder.
Posologie
Orally: 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, randomised, double-blind placebo controlled trial
Phytotherapy Advice, Prescriber's Guide. Paul Goetz Francis, Hadji-Minaglou, Lavoisier, ISBN: 978-2-7430-2414-7.
Wound ✪✪✪✪✪
In vivo, the application of horsetail on a wound, in the form of a decoction or ointment, has led to healing. The authors concluded that this positive effect might come from silica, silicic acid, silicon, and saponins in the Equisetum arvense (horsetail) extract. The dose used is 10 g of ground plant-based substance in 1 liter of water as a decoction, to be applied several times during the day.
Posologie
Cutaneous: aerial parts, stem
10 g
Adolescents, Adults, Seniors
aqueous decoction
Osteoporosis ✪✪✪✪✪
Clinical studies have shown that the daily intake of two tablets of dry horsetail extract or a specific combination of 540 mg of horsetail extract and calcium every two months, followed by two weeks without treatment, for up to a year can increase bone density compared to untreated postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. The effect of horsetail and calcium extract seems greater than that of dry horsetail extract alone.
Posologie
Orally: 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 traditionally recognized for its diuretic use, as well as for treating infections and inflammations of the urinary tract and evacuating small kidney stones. The antilithiasic activity seems related to the increase in urinary pH.
Posologie
Orally: aerial parts, stem
600 mg
Adolescents, Adults, Seniors
liquid extract, dry extract
Joint Pain ✪✪✪✪✪
According to Commission E, horsetail (Equisetum herba) is indicated in cases of post-traumatic edema and static edema. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, horsetail is traditionally used in joint and rheumatic pain. The anti-inflammatory effects seem related to a decreased function of immune cells. For example, horsetail could have a curative effect on rheumatoid arthritis.
Posologie
Orally: 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, giving strength and rigidity to stems, for example in cereals and some plants like horsetail. Thus, due to its silicon content, horsetail is used against hair loss. Although there is some interest in using horsetail for hair loss, there is not enough reliable information on the clinical effects of horsetail for this indication.
Posologie
Oral administration : aerial parts, stem
600 mg
liquid extract, dry extract
Properties
Remineralizing
Field horsetail aids in preventing bone loss and solidifying fractures. Indeed, its silica content might explain its therapeutic properties. Silicon interacts with the phosphocalcic metabolism. This trace element plays a significant role in maintaining and renewing connective tissues and facilitates calcium fixation in bones.
Usages associés
Diuretic
Animal and human research show that various species of horsetail exhibit diuretic and antilithiasic properties. However, electrolyte excretion was not affected. The mechanism of this diuretic effect isn't entirely clear, but it has been attributed to the flavonoids, saponins, phenolic compounds, and mineral constituents of horsetail (due to its richness in potassium). The antilithiasic activity seems related to the increase in urinary pH.
Usages associés
Healing
It's known that horsetail contains 5% to 8% silica and silicic acid, substances that play a role in the formation of connective tissue. In vitro, silicon seems to increase collagen production by osteoblasts. It has also been shown that a plant complex containing silicon from horsetail has an anti-elastase activity (elastase being an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of elastin, an elastic fiber responsible for the elasticity of the dermis). These effects justify the use of horsetail to treat edema caused by trauma and to accelerate wound healing.
Usages associés
Anti-inflammatory
In vitro and animal studies indicate that aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of horsetail have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The anti-inflammatory effects seem related to a decreased function of immune cells. Horsetail has a curative effect on rheumatoid arthritis. It reduces the effect of TNFa factor (pro-inflammatory) and IL-10 factor. It inhibits the proliferation of T cells without inducing apoptosis or necrosis, by inhibiting the activation of lymphocytes, by decreasing the expression of surface receptors CD69 and IL-2 and the production of intracellular IL-2. Flavonoid constituents and other phenolic compounds are thought to be responsible for these effects.
Usages associés
Antioxidant
In vitro and animal studies indicate 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 has shown dose-dependent analgesic activity during different anti-inflammatory type tests (Do Monte et al., 2004). The hydroalcoholic extract (50%) of dry stems seems to possess a sedative effect. This effect doesn't seem related to the opioid system.
Usages associés
Safety dosage
Adult from 18 years: 600 mg - 1110 mg (dry extract)
The plant is traditionally used over a period of two to four weeks. - raw drug : average daily dose of 6 g (dried powder) ; - infusion : put 2 to 4 g of aerial parts in 150 ml of boiling water and infuse for 10 to 15 minutes - decoction : put 15 g per liter of water, boil for 30 minutes; drink 3 cups a day. - tincture (1:5) : 10 ml, 3 times a day - Dry extract (DER 4-7:1), in water; daily dose: 1080-1110 mg - Dry extract (DER 7.5-10.5:1), extraction solvent: ethanol 70%; daily dose: 600-675 mg
Child from 12 to 18 years: 600 mg (dry extract)
Use in children under 12 years has not been established due to lack of adequate data.
Interactions
Médicaments
Antidiabetic: moderate interaction
A specific species of horsetail (Equisetum myriochaetum) has shown a hypoglycemic effect in clinical research. Although it is not clear if other horsetail species have hypoglycemic effects, theoretically, it could have additive effects when combined with antidiabetic medications.
Diuretics: moderate interaction
In vitro research shows that various species of horsetail have diuretic properties. Thus, taking horsetail in combination 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 duration has been associated with thiamine deficiency in animals. People with a pre-existing thiamine (vit B1) deficiency or at risk of it may be advised to avoid concurrent use of horsetail.
Precautions
Pregnant woman: avoid
Horsetail should be avoided during pregnancy due to lack of information.
Breastfeeding woman: avoid
Horsetail should be avoided during breastfeeding due to lack of information.
Contraindications
Child up to 12 years: prohibited
Avoid for children under 12 years.
