Tormentil (Potentilla Tormentilla)

Tormentil forms a carpet wherever it is growing and has yellow flowers that look a bit like a buttercup but smaller. Its main active ingredient is tannin which has astringent properties.

Astringent herbs tone up any mucous membrane lining such as the gut and the respiratory system. They can therefore help heal damaged linings and stop bleeding.

Tormentil

That has given you a pretty good clue as to how I use it.

It is invaluable, in small amounts, as a tincture in mixes for irritable bowel conditions.

We can never use any herbs containing tannins in large amounts as all medicinal treatments are a juggling act between achieving optimum healing without affecting any other normal body functions. In this case, if tannins were consumed in large amounts then they would bind with the protein available in food ingested and make it unavailable for absorption in to the body. This is also true for people who drink a large amount of ordinary tea and coffee both of which are high in tannins.

We also saw Tormentil on the Pevensey castle walk.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

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