A voice for
herbal medicine

We share traditional, scientific and practical insights written by experienced herbalists and health experts from the world of herbal medicine and natural health

  • Herb overview

    Safety

    Can potentiate the effects when taken with CNS depressants Cessation of use for 2 weeks before surgery is advised.
    Very drying, so unsuitable for long-term use or very high doses

    Sustainability

    Caution: Amber / At risk

    Key constituents

    Volatile oils: Thymol,
    Monoterpenes
    Lignans
    Endophytic fungal compounds

    Quality

    Country of origin Northern Mexico, Southwestern U.S.
    Wild harvested is at risk, cultivated herb use is preferable
    Risk of heavy metal contamination for plants grown in wetlands

    Key actions

    Antimicrobial
    Vulnerary
    Carminative
    Antiseptic

    Key indications

    Respiratory congestion and inflammation
    Arthritis and joint pain
    Digestive issues
    Wounds and inflamed tissues

    Key energetics

    Bitter
    Aromatic
    Spicy
    Warming

    See below for discipline-specific energetics

    Preperation and dosage

    Root, often dried plant in high strength alcohol for tincture
    Decoction, gargle, wash, powder, poultice
    Dose not established clinically. Short-term, practitioner led use is advised
    Tincture

  • How does it feel?

    An ancient plant that has a sensorial, aromatic and earthy impression with notes of cinnamon. Yerba mansa grows in a wet, boggy and slow moving riparian environment where it aids soil aeration, filtration and water flow. Dara Saville noted the similarity between its function in its natural environment and how it works within the human body— historically, it is used where fluids, mucus and inflammation have become stagnant (1–3).

    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)
    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)
    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)

  • Into the heart of yerba mansa

    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)
    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)

    A legendary Southwestern medicine whose use belongs to First Nations, Mexican, Hispanic, Eclectic and contemporary herbal traditions, where it is considered a panacea for all. Its medicine has often been described as cleansing, warming, drying, stimulating and protective. Still, in ecological herbalism its deeper signature is movement through stagnation— water, oxygen, lymph, mucus, inflammation, waste and repair (1,3,13).

    The Sustainable Herbs Initiative frames yerba mansa as a plant whose medicine is inseparable from place. Its relationships with the floodplain soils, cottonwoods, sandy riparian corridors, water flow and local harvesters are not incidental details— they are part of the quality, ethics and future availability of the medicine (2). When the first Eclectics were introduced to yerba mansa by the First Nations W.P Best, an Eclectic Physician described it as “pungent, aromatic, sweet-astringent and warming to the tongue and mucous membranes” (1,4) Michael Moore described it as “a cross between camphor and eucalyptus” (3).

    Yerba mansa is a plant of wetland havens that exist in an otherwise arid landscape. It lives in river margins, alkaline marshes, ciénegas, seeps, salt grass flats and cottonwood-willow corridors. This almost ecological paradox is central to its medicine— it is not a dry, desert plant but a desert plant of water, damp soil and slow-moving water at that. (1,2,5,14–15)

    Physically, yerba mansa spreads by rhizomes and stolons, forming colonies where water is reliable. This makes it resilient in the right habitat and vulnerable when water tables fall, rivers are diverted, wetlands are drained, or floodplains are fragmented. Sustainable use therefore cannot be separated from water justice, riparian restoration and respect for First Nations cultural protocols (1,2,16–17).

  • What practitioners say

    Digestive systemDigestive

    With a strong traditional use for digestive complaints, the eclectics also adopted it for bowel issues. Moore noted its extensive use in the digestive system describing it for use with chronic anorexia, rectal mucus, congested colic, dysentery, haemorrhoids, nausea following food, gastric and duodenal ulcers. For convalescence he recommended it post diarrhoea, shigellosis and gastroenteritis. Further to this, he highlights its uses for nutritional malabsorption to aid with absorption of B12, fat soluble vitamins or bile acids in the ileum (24).

    Immune

    Munk used yerba mansa as an alterative and stimulant for the immune system (19). Yerba mansa gradually restores the equilibrium of many of the  body’s systems, improving flow, mucous membrane integrity, digestion, inflammation, elimination and the lymphatic system to facilitate recovery.

    Reproductive

    Thought of as the midwife’s panacea as it was used in sitz baths for wound healing and in postpartum care (1). The Chumash used it for treating venereal diseases, but it didn’t impact the decrease in fertility associated with gonorrhoea (12), and it was known for treating early onset herpes (24). Moore recommends its use for acute and subacute vaginitis by using a sitz bath. 

    Respiratory

    Yerba mansa is often chosen where respiratory tissue is damp, thick, infected or slow to clear. It combines well with expectorants and immune-supportive herbs where catarrh is heavy but may need moistening support where cough is dry or tissues are irritated. In practice, this might mean pairing it with herbs such as elecampane (Inula helenium), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), echinacea (Echinacea spp), liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)  or marshmallow (Althea officinalis) dependent upon tissue state, constitution and symptoms (1,3,5,13).

    Despite being introduced to early settlers as a panacea, with a myriad of uses, the Eclectics seem to favour it for respiratory issues. A sample was sent to the Lloyd brothers who analysed it, tinctured it and sold it as the ‘Specific Medicine Anemopsis’ (1,4).

    Dr Monk, an Eclectic practitioner created a recipe using it for nasal catarrh (25).

    Dara Savile recommends using the root to make a tea to gargle or directly chewing the root as an antiseptic and analgesic for oral, gum and throat inflammation and infections (25). 7Song of the Southwestern Botanical school advocated its use for certain symptoms that arose in Covid infections (26).

    Moore noted its wide range of uses within the respiratory system for congested head colds, pharyngitis and recurring pharyngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsilitis and ulcers, damp, humid asthma, bronchitis, persistent wet coughs and headaches related to respiratory congestion (24).

    Musculoskeletal

    The Paiute, Shoshone and Washoe used to boil the leaves to bathe the body and feet for muscular aches and pains. A decoction of the roots would be applied to swellings (1).

    For muscular pain relief, Savile recommends a poultice of both fresh leaves and flowers. As well as this, dried leaves and flowers can also be made into a balm or infused oil (1). Eclectic records such as Felter’s Materia Medica indicate yerba mansa’s efficacy at dealing with any wounds or abrasions (4,7,19). Moore considers it as beneficial for all muscular pain, providing an anti-inflammatory action for arthritis where it can be used topically and as a bath (24).  

    Skin

    For topical use, yerba mansa sits between an aromatic antiseptic and astringent vulnerary. It is traditionally used as a wash, powder, poultice or salve for wounds, ulcers, burns, infected tissues and fungal-prone skin. Its drying quality makes it more appropriate where there is wetness, discharge or bogginess than where skin is cracked, dry and atrophic (1,5,6,21). Savile uses the powdered roots as a paste or combined with clay for disinfecting and wound healing (1).

    Urinary

    Originally advised for use in Felter’s Materia medica as a mucous membrane stimulant for genitourinary tract use and therefore also recommended for symptoms of gonorrhoea. (4) Moore noted its use for specifically acute cystitis and urethritis where there is either an inflamed urethral opening or mucous in urine (24).

  • Yerba mansa research

    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)
    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)

    Composition and antimicrobial activity of Anemopsis californica leaf oil

    This study identified 38 compounds in yerba mansa leaf oil, with elemicin as a major constituent along with alpha-pinene, sabinene, beta-phellandrene, 1,8-cineole, piperitone, methyl eugenol and caryophyllene. Steam distilled oil showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Geotrichum candidum in vitro, supporting traditional applications for an antimicrobial action (7).

    Environmental influences on essential oils in roots of Anemopsis californica

    A New Mexico study of 17 different populations of yerba mansa found that environmental and management conditions influenced the essential oil composition, especially methyl eugenol, thymol and piperitone concentrations. This supports the need for careful sourcing, quality assessment and awareness of chemotypic variability (27). Further investigation found notable chemotypic variation in yerba essential oils (28), which impacts upon the consistency of each plantation being better suited towards different ailments.

    Further studies refined this and noted that there was greater fungal endophyte diversity in wild-harvested roots than in greenhouse cultivated roots. The wild harvested root endophytes showed activity against S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, again raising questions about ecology, cultivation, microbiomes and medicinal chemistry. (29)

    It would be useful to have further knowledge on how yerba mansa was harvested traditionally and how harvest sites were chosen and if plantation sites were differentiated for their better affinity with different ailments.

    Antimycobacterial furofuran lignans from the roots of Anemopsis californica

    The furofuran lignans— sesamin and asarinin, were isolated from the roots of yerba mansa, which was the first time they had been found in a member of the Saururaceae family. Sesamin was initially isolated from sesame seed oil, whereas asarinin was first found in prickly ash bark.

    Both sesamin and asarinin compounds isolated from yerba mansa were found, for the first time, to have activity against nontuberculous mycobacteria with higher levels in the root than the leaves. This supports the traditional medicinal use of yerba mansa for infection (8).

    Anemopsis californica attenuates photoaging by regulation MAPK, NRF2 and NFATc1 signalling pathways

    This in vitro study assessed the protective effect of yerba mansa against photoaging. It showed that yerba mansa extract reduced UVB-induced oxidative stress markers in human dermal fibroblast models, modulating MAPK, NRF2 and NFATc1 signalling, showing relevance to skin research and oxidative stress.

    Treatment with yerba mansa reduces the inflammatory response by regulating the activation of macrophages whilst reducing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and NO. It was a strong source of antioxidants, preventing oxidation. Yerba mansa demonstrated several functions that indicate it for use in skin diseases, especially those that involve photodamage. Further research would be useful (21).

  • Historical use of yerba mansa

    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)
    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)

    Yerba mansa has an extensive history of medicinal use, with a continuum of knowledge held across First Nations, Mexican, Hispanic, Latino, Mestizo and being shared with the Eclectic movement and contemporary herbal traditions. Across the American Southwest and northern Mexico, ethnobotanical records repeatedly describe yerba mansa as a plant for purification, respiratory illness, wound care, pain, gout, swelling, urinary disorders, venereal disease, postnatal care and mucous membrane irritation.

    Chumash, Diné (The Navajo Nation), Pueblo, Tewa, Isleta, Acoma, Laguna, Paiute, Shoshone, Washoe, Akimel O’odham (Pima), Cahuilla, Ohlone (Costanoan), Kawaiisu, Tübatulabal and Comcaac (Seri) sources all record overlapping uses, showing how widely respected yerba mansa has been across distinct cultures and landscapes. (1,3–4,13,18–19).

    The root and rhizome are historically described as used in teas, decoctions, washes, powders and poultices. Traditional preparations include wound washes for sores, ulcers, burns and infected tissue; poultices for swelling and aching limbs; baths for sore feet, fatigue and muscular pain; and internal preparations for colds, coughs, asthma, pleurisy, sore throat, stomach pain, diarrhoea, dysentery, menstrual cramps and general pain.

    Several accounts also describe the root being chewed or held in the mouth, or the tea used as a mouth or throat preparation, particularly for tooth infections, sore throat and irritated mucosa (1,3–4,12–13,18–20). 

    Navajo records describe use as a diuretic in venereal disease, haematuria, pelvic pain, bladder stones and anuria. Pueblo and Tewa traditions include root decoction for stomach ache, while Isleta sources include powdered leaves or fresh chewed leaves applied to burns and wounds (1,6,10–11). 

    The USDA plant guide summarises additional Californian and Southwestern ethnobotanical uses, including root decoctions for colds and coughs among Kawaiisu and Tubatulabal and Spanish settler use as a liniment for skin troubles and as a tea for ‘disorders of the blood’ (5).

    A recurring theme in yerba mansa’s interaction with its environment and humans is cleansing, filtering and relieving stagnancy. It was also used in broader purifying practices such as sweating, emetics, laxative, diaphoretic and ceremonial uses. (1,6,18,21) Together, the First Nations, Mexican, Hispanic, Latino, Mestizo and Eclectic sources show a remarkably consistent medicinal profile: Yerba mansa has long been valued as an aromatic, warming, astringent and cleansing plant for damp congestion, mucous membrane irritation, wounds, swellings, respiratory catarrh and states of stagnation or purification (1,3,4,6,9,13, 18–19,21–23)  This medicinal knowledge was then shared with settlers.

    Yerba mansa later entered Eclectic medical practice and materia medica, studied in labs and the physicians described it as aromatic, warming, astringent, antiseptic, stimulant, tonic and alterative with a particular affinity for the digestive, respiratory, urinary systems and mucosa. (1,3,4,6,9,13,17,18,19,21–23)

    Contemporary phytochemical and pharmacological studies add another layer of vocabulary and understanding to this existing traditional knowledge, helping to represent some of the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and aromatic qualities long recognised through traditional practice in a modern, scientific format.

  • Yerba mansa’s herbal actions

    Herbal actions describe therapeutic changes that occur in the body in response to taking a herb. These actions are used to express how a herb physiologically influences cells, tissues, organs or systems. Clinical observations are traditionally what have defined these actions: an increase in urine output, diuretic; improved wound healing, vulnerary; or a reduction in fever, antipyretic. These descriptors too have become a means to group herbs by their effects on the body — herbs with a nervine action have become the nervines, herbs with a bitter action are the bitters. Recognising herbs as members of these groups provides a preliminary familiarity with their mechanisms from which to then develop an understanding of their affinities and nuance and discern their clinical significance.

    Western actions

  • Yerba mansa’s energetic qualities

    Herbal energetics are the descriptions Herbalists have given to plants, mushrooms, lichens, foods, and some minerals based on the direct experience of how they taste, feel, and work in the body. All traditional health systems use these principles to explain how the environment we live in and absorb, impacts our health. Find out more about traditional energetic actions in our article “An introduction to herbal energetics“.

  • What can I use yerba mansa for?

    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)
    Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)

    Yerba mansa is primarily used for damp, congested and infected mucous membrane states. It has a strong affinity with the respiratory tract, especially sinus congestion, nasal catarrh, sore throats, thick mucus and catarrh that lingers after an infection. 

    First nations and regional traditions used root or rhizome preparations for colds, coughs, asthma and chest conditions and the Eclectic physicians, who learnt from the First Nations, used it for colds, rhinitis, nasal catarrh and sore throat (1,5–6).

    It has a history of use for wound care: Root decoctions, powders, washes and poultices have been used for wounds, burns, ulcers, sore feet, swellings and infected tissue. Yerba mansa’s combination of aromatic, antimicrobial, astringent and anti-inflammatory activity makes it particularly suited to slow-to-repair tissue states (1–8).

    Digestive and urinary uses are also well represented in traditional sources, including stomachache, diarrhoea, colitis, urinary irritation or UTIs, bladder complaints and historically was used for venereal disease. Yerba mansa supports mucous membrane tone and microbial resistance (1,5,9–11). In childbirth, it has a history of use for postpartum, excessive bleeding following birth, as a vaginal douche and for menstrual cramps (11,12).

  • Did you know?

    A 1935 research project by Western ethnobotanists recorded purification practices among the Tohono O’odham. Warriors and hunters underwent ritual care following killing an eagle or enemy that initially involved segregation and fasting, with nicotine regarded as an important cleansing substance. Elders who had undergone similar experiences would then progress to the next phase of the ritual with song and support the warrior through further purification. Depending upon the section of the tribe the warrior belonged to, yerba mansa was held in the mouth of each elder while they would take it in turns to blow nicotine smoke over a warrior who had killed an enemy (11).

  • Botanical description

    Yerba mansa is a perennial, aromatic, rhizomatous herb with creeping stolons and basal, waxy, oval to spoon-shaped leaves on long petioles.

    The inflorescence is a conical spike, usually 1–3 cm long, made up of many small bisexual flowers surrounded by petal-like white bracts. The plant spreads clonally through rhizomes and stolons, usually forming colonies in wet soils (2,5,15).

    The beautiful white flower of yerba mansa is not composed of true petals, it is in fact a cone of many tiny flowers surrounded by white petal-like bracts which can blush pink or red as they age (2,15).

  • Common names

    Yerba mansa is known by a variety of names among the First Nations, Mexico and in common usage, including,but not limited to, vavish (Pima) (30), chivnish (Cahuilla) (31), ’onchoshi (Chumash) (12), matacha (Acoma and Laguna Pueblos) (32), cahpanï-l (Tübatulabal) (33), wawic (Papago) (11), cheu-pahn-iv (Moapa Paiute), and chew-pon-iv (Shoshone) (33). It is also commonly referred to as yerba del manzo, swamp root, and lizard tail (33). Yerba mansa is thought to come from the Spanish language where yerba is herb and mansa means to calm, tame or gentle (34).

  • Habitat

    Yerba mansa is indigenous to the American Southwest, as well as the neighbouring areas of the Southern Plains and Mexico. In the United States, its natural distribution extends across Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas (35). Yerba mansa is considered an obligate wetland species across most of its distribution, commonly occurring in bosque (riparian floodplain) communities, ciénegas (spring-fed wet meadows), and other wetland environments.

    It thrives in both alkaline and saline soils and is typically found at elevations below 6,500 feet. Yerba mansa’s roots improve soil aeration, water flow, acidifies soil benefiting its surrounding ecosystem. (33). Its relationship with wet, saline places is also reflected in historical observations of its co-occurrence with salt grass, a plant also connected with purgative qualities as well as being electrolyte rich and used in traditional medicine (1,6,18,21).

  • How to grow yerba mansa

    Yerba Mansa requires full sun to partial shade, requires a good to high amount of water as it requires consistently moist soil. It is hardy down to 0-5°F and flowers from winter until spring

    • Propagation: Yerba mansa can be readily propagated by dividing its runners. These can be placed in a damp environment where they will root quickly.
    • Seed propagation: Sow seeds in early summer in pots with consistently moist soil. Germination will take approximately five weeks. Once the seedlings have a few leaves and are large enough to handle, transplant into individual pots and leave indoors in a warm setting, glasshouse or polytunnel until the following summer when they can be planted outdoors to a moist site. Yerba mansa grows best in constant wet conditions such as streambeds, where it will spread as groundcover; however, it can become very competitive with other plants. It is adaptable to most soil that is moist to soaking (2,5,27).

  • Herbal preparation of yerba mansa

    • Dried root/rhizome tincture
    • Root/rhizome decoction
    • Gargle or mouthwash
    • External wound wash
    • Powdered root paste
    • Poultice
    • Infused oil or salve from aerial parts
    • Fresh leaf/flower poultice

    Yerba mansa plant usage is recommended as follows:

    • Dried roots and rhizomes as tincture or liniment
    • Decoction for expectoration
    • Powdered root as a paste or with clay for wounds
    • Tea gargle or chewed root for oral and throat inflammation
    • Fresh leaves/flowers as poultice or bandage (1)

  • Plant parts used

    • Roots
    • Leaves
    • Flowers
    • Seeds (as a food source)

  • Dosage

    • Tincture (ratio 1:2 | 70%): Fresh herb with 10% glycerin to reduce precipitants settling (1), 1:5, 60% dried herb (39). A standard dosage is recommended at 30–60 drops up to five times daily. Tincture can also be diluted and used as a gargle (36).
    • Fluid extract (1:1 | %): 0.5ml—3 ml in syrup daily (4)
    • Infusion/decoction: Decoction is traditionally used in small amounts and short-term use (1,3,5,13,37). An infusion made from leaves has been reported as used for infants with colic or high fever (20). A further recommended dose for adults is an infusion or decoction with one ounce of the herb to 946 ml of cold water which is boiled for 10 minutes, strained and drunk at a dose of  60–120 ml five times daily (36). 
    • Ground root powder, mixed with clay, leaves for a poultice or balm, cream.
    • Roots can be chewed for an analgesic and antiseptic effect orally.
    • Essential oil (1,5,7-8,27-28)
    • Nasal spray (37)

  • Constituents

    • Monoterpine: Piperitone (7)
    • Phenylpropanoid: Methyleugenol (7)
    • Phenolic monoterpene: Thymol (7)
    • Lignan: Sesamin (8)
    • Lignan: Asarinin (38)

  • Yerba mansa recipe

    Yerba mansa throat gargle and mouthwash

    Useful for sore, inflamed gums or symptoms of a sore, congested throat. Dara Saville described the use of yerba mansa tea as a ‘gargle’ and the fresh root as a chew for oral inflammation. (1) This recipe has been adapted for use with the dried herb. 

    Ingredients

    • 250 ml water
    • 2 g dried yerba mansa root
    • 1 tsp honey (if being used for sore throat)
    • 1 pinch of sea salt

    How to make yerba mansa gargle

    1. Add the dried root to a small saucepan with water.
    2. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
    3. Allow to cool until warm.
    4. Strain and add salt and honey (if using).
    5. Gargle, swill in the mouth for a minute then spit out.
    6. Keep remainder in a sterilised container for 24 hours. 
    7. Use three/four times daily.

    Alternatively, for sore throat due to infection add a combined total of 14 g of dried yerba mansa, liquorice, sage, thyme into a cafetiere, add 500 ml of hot water. Push the plunger down slightly so that all the herbs are submerged, steep for 15 minutes. Then push the plunger all the way down and allow the liquid to cool slightly until it is warm. Then use this to gargle three times daily. Unused liquid can be kept in the fridge and reheated later.(26).

    Dr Monk’s 1909 famous nasal spray formula (1,4)

    Ingredients

    • 10 to 30 drops of yerba mansa tincture
    • 1 dram of glycerin
    • Water

    How to make yerba mansa nasal spray

    1. Fill a two-ounce tincture bottle with the following 5–30 drops of yerba mansa tincture, add the glycerin and top with water.
    2. Shake well and spray into the nostrils for relief from sinusitis, infection, catarrh, rhinitis and congestion.
Cough lozenges recipe: Elderberry, marshmallow, and thyme soothing sweets

Cough lozenges recipe: Elderberry, marshmallow, and thyme soothing sweets

  • Safety

    Not to be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding due to lack of clinical safety data unless under the supervision of a qualified practitioner (39).

    Avoid internal use of essential oil or preparations with high concentrate of volatile oil (1,7,8,27–28)

    Due to a mild sedative effect, avoid use two weeks before any form of anaesthesia (35).

  • Interactions

    There hasn’t been any robust research into yerba mansa and subsequent herb-herb or herb-drug interactions. 

    Research shows that caution is appropriate in people taking multiple medicines, immunosuppressants, anticoagulants, hepatotoxic drugs or nephrotoxic drugs (1,7,8,27,28,39).

  • Contraindications

    Avoid use with CNS depressants/sedatives as yerba mansa is believed to have sedative effects (39). Theoretically, concomitant use with herbs with sedative properties might exacerbate these effects.

  • Sustainability status of yerba mansa

    Yerba mansa is categorised as ‘Species At Risk’, with an overall risk score of 41 according to the United Plant Savers (33). 

    Much of this score is attributed to threats to its habitat (33), which are expected to intensify due to increasing water demand, water-use restrictions across the American Southwest, and rising temperatures associated with climate change.

    The species has also been designated a Priority for Further Study by TRAFFIC/The Nature Conservancy. This designation is based on factors such as significant commercial trade, growing market demand, declining populations, and concerns about species sustainability.

    NatureServe has not reviewed the status of yerba mansa since 2001 and acknowledges that a review is required (16). At that time, it designated yerba mansa with a global conservation status of ‘Secure’, however, since then restricted wetland habitats, changes in hydrological conditions, and an increase in commercial demand have impacted it further.

    It is unranked in six states where it is known to grow; classified as ‘Imperilled’ in Utah and Colorado; and considered ‘Possibly Extirpated’ in Oklahoma. The threat of wild harvesting for medicinal purposes is based upon information given by the American Herbal Products Association noting that this was not impactful upon sustainability in 2000, there hasn’t been further research since then into supply for herbal products (16). 

    Yerba mansa is not currently listed as globally threatened by IUCN and NatureServe lists Anemopsis californica as G5 secure, but this global rank does not fully reflect local vulnerability, habitat dependency or pressures on desert wetlands (14–16).

    Read our article on Herbal quality and safety: What to know before you buy and Sustainable sourcing of herbs to learn more about what to look for and questions to ask suppliers about sustainability.

  • Quality control

    The United Plant Savers recommends prioritising the use of cultivated sources of At-Risk plants such as yerba mansa whenever feasible. Given the ecological pressures affecting these species and the considerable variation in their population abundance, wild collection should be minimised and conducted only under careful monitoring. Any harvesting from wild populations should comply with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Current market demand for yerba mansa has not been comprehensively quantified.

    Yerba mansa has also been promoted as a potential substitute for the threatened medicinal herb goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) (3).  As demand for goldenseal continues to grow and pressure on wild populations increases, demand for yerba mansa may likewise rise. Encouragingly, research has demonstrated that yerba mansa can be successfully cultivated to supply the herbal marketplace (33,40).

    Although phytochemical differences between wild and cultivated plants have been documented (1,8,27), expanded cultivation by small-scale growers could potentially help satisfy commercial demand while reducing harvesting pressure on diminishing natural populations (33). Dara Saville’s progressive ‘Yerba Mansa Project’ in Alberquerque (41) is successfully rebuilding riparian habitats whilst cultivating and reinstalling yerba mansa (and other endangered plants) into those areas. This also involves deepening the local community’s connection with the riparian habitat.

    In terms of adulteration, to the untrained eye, the leaves of common plantain (Plantago major) can resemble those of yerba mansa when it isn’t in flower, similarly curly dock and white marsh marigold share a somewhat similar overall appearance (33).

    Wild populations of yerba mansa have been shown to absorb arsenic and other heavy metals from groundwater (42–44). This again points to a preference for sourcing cultivated herb from a medicinal perspective, as the extraction of wild crafted yerba mansa is taking away a vital part of an ecosystems filtering department. Research shows that wildcrafted root has a more varied endophytic fungi compared to cultivated, glasshouse yerba mansa – some of which have antimicrobial actions against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (29).

    Whilst there was no significant difference in medicinal compound production between wild and cultivated but, that higher levels of irrigation correlated with higher levels of thymol and piperitone (27). 

  • References

    1. Saville D. Anemopsis californica (yerba mansa) monograph. J Am Herbalists Guild. 2020;18(1):33-42.
    2. Sustainable Herbs Initiative. Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica): A riparian plant with deep medicinal roots. Published 2026. Accessed January 22, 2026.
    3. Moore M. Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West. Santa Fe, NM: Museum of New Mexico Press; 1989.
    4. Monographs Extracted From. https://www.swsbm.com/FelterMM/Felters_Materia_Medica.pdf  (accessed 10/05/2026). 
    5. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Plant Guide: Yerba mansa, Anemopsis californica (Nutt.) Hook. & Arn. USDA NRCS; 2000.
    6. Timbrook J. Virtuous herbs: plants in Chumash medicine. J Ethnobiol. 1987;7(2):171-180.
    7. Medina AL, Lucero ME, Holguin FO, Estell RE, Posakony JJ, Simon J, O’Connell MA. Composition and antimicrobial activity of Anemopsis californica leaf oil. J Agric Food Chem. 2005;53(22):8694-8698. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf0511244. 
    8. Bussey RO III, Sy-Cordero AA, Figueroa M, Carter FS, Falkinham JO III, Oberlies NH, Cech NB. Antimycobacterial furofuran lignans from the roots of Anemopsis californica. Planta Med. 2014;80(6):498-501. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1368352. 
    9. Moerman DE. Native American Ethnobotany. Portland, OR: Timber Press; 1998.
    10. Wyman LC, Harris SK. The Ethnobotany of the Kayenta Navaho. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico; 1941. University of New Mexico Bulletin 366.
    11. Castetter EF, Underhill RM. The ethnobiology of the Papago Indians. UNM Digital Repository. Published 2016. Accessed January 3, 2026. https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/unm_bulletin/25 
    12. Adams, J. D; Garcia, C. Women′s Health Among the Chumash. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2006, 3 (1), 125–131. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nek021 
    13. Kane C. Medicinal Plants of the American Southwest. Lincoln Town Press; 2011.
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Meet our herbal experts

Nicola Bradshaw
- Herbalist

Nicola Bradshaw is a Medical Herbalist Bsc (Hons), Dip.MedHerb, MNIMH running a herbal practice in Somerset, Dorset and online.

Read Nicola's articles
Nicola Bradshaw

Nicola Bradshaw is a Medical Herbalist Bsc (Hons), Dip.MedHerb, MNIMH running a herbal practice in Somerset, Dorset and online. She is the Tincture and Herbal Advisor at Neal’s Yard Remedies headquarters, running the herbal tincture unit, creating tinctures from herbs grown on Soil Association approved land, working on formulas and all things herb related. She is currently training in Functional Immunology. 

She originally trained in Psychology and worked specialising in addiction, harm reduction and drug research with sex workers, adults and vulnerable young people in Manchester. Whilst taking a work sabbatical in Cuba and Peru in 2002 and spending time in healthcare and medicinal projects, she encountered a different approach to health and addiction which led to her studying Western herbal medicine at the University of East London and Betonica school of herbal medicine.  She believes that health, in its many forms, is a right for everyone and that mental, emotional and physical health is an individual and community responsibility.

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Aromatic
An ‘aromatic’ remedy, high in volatile essential oils, was most often associated with calming and sometimes ‘warming’ the digestion. Most kitchen spices and herbs have this quality: they were used both as flavouring and to ease the digestion of sometimes challenging pre-industrial foods. Many aromatics are classed as ‘carminatives’ and are used to reduce colic, bloating and agitated digestion. They also often feature in respiratory remedies for colds, chest and other airway infections. They are also classic calming inhalants and massage oils, and are the basis of aromatherapy for their mental benefits.
Astringent
The astringent taste you get with many plants (the most familiar is black tea after being stewed too long, or some red wines) is produced by complex polyphenols such as tannins. Tannins are used in concentrated form (e.g. from oak bark) to make leather from animal skins. The process of ‘tanning’ involves the coagulation of relatively fluid proteins in living tissues into tight clotted fibres (similar to the process of boiling an egg). Tannins in effect turn exposed surfaces on the body into leather. In the case of the lining of mouth and upper digestive tract this is only temporary as new mucosa are replenished, but in the meantime can calm inflamed or irritated surfaces. In the case of open wounds tannins can be a life-saver – when strong (as in the bark of broadleaved trees) they can seal a damaged surface. One group of tannins, the reddish-brown ‘condensed tannins’ are procyanidins, which can reduce inflammation and oxidative damage.
Bitter
Bitters are a very complex group of phytochemicals that stimulate the bitter receptors in the mouth. They were some of the most valuable remedies in ancient medicine. They were experienced as stimulating appetite and switching on a wide range of key digestive functions, including increasing bile clearance from the liver (as bile is a key factor in bowel health this can be translated into improving bowel functions and the microbiome). Many of these reputations are being supported by new research on the role of bitter receptors in the mouth and elsewhere round the body. Bitters were also seen as ‘cooling’ reducing the intensity of some fevers and inflammatory diseases.
Bland
Blandness refers to a mild, plain, non-stimulating taste and an energetic action that neither irritates nor strongly activates physiological processes. In traditional Chinese medicine, bland substances gently drain dampness and promote urination, relieving excess fluid whilst also preserving qi and yin. Western traditional medicine similarly associates healing with bland substances that avoid extremes of heat or cold and promote restoration of balance. Blandness signifies regulation by supporting elimination and normal tissue function without forceful stimulation, helping to create a gentle and balanced state of homeostasis.
Cooling
Traditional ‘cold’ or cooling’ remedies often contain bitter phytonutrients such a iridoids (gentian), sesiquterpenes (chamomile), anthraquinones (rhubarb root), mucilages (marshmallow), some alkaloids and flavonoids. They tend to influence the digestive system, liver and kidneys. Cooling herbs do just that; they diffuse, drain and clear heat from areas of inflammation, redness and irritation. Sweet, bitter and astringent herbs tend to be cooling.
Hot

Traditional ‘hot’ or ‘heating’ remedies, often containing spice ingredients like capsaicin, the gingerols (ginger), piperine (black or long pepper), curcumin (turmeric) or the sulfurous isothiocyanates from mustard, horseradish or wasabi, generate warmth when taken.

In modern times this might translate as thermogenic and circulatory stimulant effects. There is evidence of improved tissue blood flow with such remedies: this would lead to a reduction in build-up of metabolites and tissue damage.

Heating remedies were used to counter the impact of cold, reducing any symptoms made worse in the cold.

Mucilaginous
Mucilages are complex carbohydrate based plant constituents with a slimy or ‘unctuous’ feel especially when chewed or macerated in water. Their effect is due simply to their physical coating exposed surfaces. From prehistory they were most often used as wound remedies for their soothing and healing effects on damaged tissues. Nowadays they are used more for these effects on the digestive lining, from the throat to the stomach, where they can relieve irritation and inflammation such as pharyngitis and gastritis. Some of the prominent mucilaginous remedies like slippery elm, aloe vera and the seaweeds can be used as physical buffers to reduce the harm and pain caused by reflux of excess stomach acid. Mucilages are also widely used to reduce dry coughing. Here the effect seems to be by reflex through embryonic nerve connections: reduced signals from the upper digestive wall appear to translate as reduced activity of airway muscles and increased activity of airway mucus cells. Some seed mucilages, such as in psyllium seed, flaxseed (linseed) or guar bean survive digestion to provide bulking laxative effects in the bowel. These can also reduce rate of absorption of sugar and cholesterol.
Neutral
Neutral herbs are characterised as by balanced temperature and energetics — neither warming nor cooling, nor strongly dispersing nor consolidating, and are, therefore, used across a wide spectrum of constitutional and pathological states. In Chinese medicine, this level, calm quality supports the centre, and gently strengthens digestion, regulates fluids, and resolves damp without provoking too much heat or cold. In Western medicine, neutral herbs are regarded as equal in relation to hot/cold or damp/dry and capable of maintaining a state of equilibrium. Neutral herbs can be seen as moderating reactivity, and supporting homeostasis rather than forcing change.
Pungent
The pungent flavour refers to the powerful taste of hot spices including mustard (Brassica spp.), ginger (Zingiber officinale), horseradish (Amoracia rusticana), chilli (Capsicum spp.), and garlic (Allium sativum). These herbs act to enliven and invigorate the senses, and they often also have heating qualities. Unlike other tastes, the effect is not linked to a specific receptor on the tongue and instead acts through direct irritation of tissues and nerve endings. Energetically, pungent herbs are known to disperse energy (qi) throughout the body. Pharmacologically, pungent herbs dry excess moisture and mucus, as well as stimulate digestion and metabolism.
Resinous
Resins are most familiar as tacky discharges from pine trees (and as the substance in amber, and rosin for violin bows). They were most valued however as the basis of ancient commodities like frankincense and myrrh (two of the three gifts of the Three Wise Men to the baby Jesus) and getting access to their source was one benefit to Solomon for marrying the Queen of Sheba (now Ethiopia). Resins were the original antiseptic remedies, ground and applied as powders or pastes to wounds or inflamed tissues, and were also used for mummification. With alcohol distillation it was found that they could be dissolved in 90% alcohol and in this form they remain a most powerful mouthwash and gargle, for infected sore throats and gum disease. They never attracted much early research interest because they permanently coat expensive glassware! For use in the mouth, gums and throat hey are best combined with concentrated licorice extracts to keep the resins in suspension and add extra soothing properties. It appears that they work both as local antiseptics and by stimulating white blood cell activity under the mucosal surface. They feel extremely effective!
Salty
The salty flavour is immediately distinctive. A grain dropped onto the tongue is instantly moistening and a sprinkle on food enkindles digestion. This easily recognisable flavour has its receptors right at the front of the tongue. The salty flavor creates moisture and heat, a sinking and heavy effect which is very grounding for the nervous system and encourages stability. People who are solid and reliable become known as ‘the salt of the earth'.
Sharp
The sharp taste of some fruits, and almost all unripe fruits, as well as vinegar and fermented foods, is produced by weak acids (the taste is generated by H+ ions from acids stimulating the sour taste buds). Sour taste buds are hard-wired to generate immediate reflex responses elsewhere in the body. Anyone who likes the refreshing taste of lemon or other citrus in the morning will know that one reflex effect is increased saliva production. Other effects are subjective rather than confirmed by research but there is a consistent view that they include increased digestive activity and contraction of the gallbladder.
Sour
The sour taste occurs because of the stimulation of hydrogen ions which trigger the sour taste receptors on the tongue. The more acidic a substance, the more hydrogen ions will be released. The sour taste comes from acidic substances including citrus, fermented foods, tannins, and vinegars. Sour foods and herbs absorb excess moisture, whilst also increasing the production of saliva. Energetically, sour substances tonify the lungs, playing a role in disease prevention. Excessive use, however, can result in malabsorption of nutrients. Examples of sour herbs include, rosehips (Rosa canina), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), rhubarb (Rheum palmatum), schisandra (Schisandra chinensis), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba).
Sweet
In the days when most people never tasted sugar, ‘sweetness’ was associated with the taste of basic foods: that of cooked vegetables, cereals and meat. In other words sweet was the quality of nourishment, and ‘tonic’ remedies. Describing a remedy as sweet generally led to that remedy being used in convalescence or recovery from illness. Interestingly, the plant constituents most often found in classic tonics like licorice, ginseng are plant steroids including saponins, which also have a sweet taste.
Umami
The umami taste was originally discovered in 1985 in Japan and is directly translated from the Japanese as a ‘pleasant savoury taste’. It is referred to as the ‘fifth taste’ and is a salty, rich, and meaty flavour. The umami flavour is produced by amino acids (glutamic acid and aspartic acid) found in many food and plant sources including tomatoes, mushrooms, seaweeds and soy-based foods. Umami foods can improve nutritional absorption and digestion as there are also umami receptors in the gut as well as the mouth. Examples of umami herbs include green tea (Camellia sinensis), reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), nettle (Urtica dioica), cordyceps (Ophiocordyceps sinensis), shitake (Lentinula edodes) and bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus).

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