Wood Betony Uses and Plant Monograph
I remember the first time I used wood betony. It was over nine years ago, and I was really stressed to the point that my muscles were very tense, and I had a slight headache. I had bought some dried wood betony since I like learning about new herbs. I had read that it was used for stress, tension, and headaches, so I decided to try it.
I made an infusion, and just a few sips of this delicious, sweet, slightly bitter tea immediately calmed me down. I felt the tension in my muscles slip away and my headache went away quickly too!
I resonated with this plant: it was like meeting an old friend, even though I had never tried it before. Since then it has been a regular staple in my home apothecary. I always make sure I have wood betony around!
Wood Betony Uses and Plant Profile Summary
- Botanical Name: Stachys officinalis (syn. Betonica officinalis and Stachys betonica)
- Other Common Names: betony, bishop’s wort, common hedge nettle, lousewort
- Family: Lamiaceae (mint)
- Parts Used: aerial parts (leaves, flowers)
- Energetics: cooling/warming, drying
- Taste: sweet, slightly bitter, pungent
- Plant Properties: alterative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, anxiolytic, astringent, bitter, carminative, nervine, sedative, stomachic, nerve and digestion tonic
- Plant Uses: arthritis, anxiety, bruises, calms the central nervous system, colic, wounds, depression, digestive stimulant, headaches, indigestion, insomnia, menstrual cramps, migraines, muscle and nervous tension, nausea, nerve pain, spasms, supporting the body after trauma
- Plant Preparations: infusion, tincture, herb infused oil, salve, capsules, compress, poultice
Historic and Traditional Uses
Wood betony was once used extensively in herbalism. It was historically considered a universal remedy or panacea, and it was used for a wide variety of ailments. But in recent years, it has not been used as much, which is a shame because it is an amazing herb!
Nicholas Culpeper (1653) wrote about wood betony in his book, The Complete Herbal. He mentioned that Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus’s physician, Antonius Musa wrote a treatise about the virtues of wood betony.1 The treatise contains a few dozen properties and uses. Culpeper summarized some of the virtues, which includes that “it helps those that loath and cannot digest their meat,” “those that have continual pains in their heads,” and “pains in the back and sides, the torments and griping pains in the bowels, and the wind cholic.”2 He lists many of the same uses that we use betony for today!
A recent ethnobotanical study reviewed the traditional use of different Stachys spp. in various cultures. In Egypt, Montenegro, and Serbia, Stachys officinalis tea is used for its antibacterial properties, headaches, anxiety, menopausal issues, skin issues, nervous tension, and as a tobacco snuff. In central Italy, an oily extract of wood betony flowers is used for wounds and for the sores of pack animals. Italians also use the plant as a yellow wool dye.3
Energetics
Some herbalists consider wood betony to be warming, while others state that it is cooling.4,5,6,7 I find that it is both cooling and warming. It calms and cools down agitation, especially when there is nervousness or emotional distress. But it also stimulates and strengthens the body, and it energetically warms the emotional heart.
This duality can also be seen in betony’s mildly pungent, slightly bitter, and sweet nature. Like other pungent herbs, betony is warming, drying, stimulating, and contains volatile oils. And since it is also bitter, it’s on the cooling side as well: it clears heat and eliminates other signs of excess. It has a sweet side, so it strengthens. Betony supports and gently invigorates, which helps bring the body back into balance.
Calming the Nervous System
Betony is best known as a nervine. It is calming and sedative, and it strengthens the nervous system.
When someone is stressed, they may feel emotionally agitated and irritated. In addition to feeling unnerved, they may have tight muscles, muscle spasms, and a dreadful physical feeling in the pit of their stomach. Sometimes the muscles may be so tight that they hurt, and some people may even have a headache!
Wood betony is excellent for calming the emotional aspects of stress, anxiety, and depression, especially fear, worry, and panic. It also soothes the physical aspects, like nervous and muscular tension, muscle tightness and stiffness, muscular pain, and headaches. Betony is very grounding: it pulls agitated energy down, and it eases, comforts, and stabilizes. It brings feelings of serenity and contentment as it relieves pain that is caused by the tension or distress. Wood betony is especially indicated for emotional and mental trauma with dissociation.
It’s so relaxing, in fact, it may even help address common sleep issues. For many years, I have suffered off and on from insomnia. I have tried everything and betony works better for me than most other herbs or remedies! I drink wood betony infusion when my mind is running around in circles and I can’t sleep. It greatly relaxes me, stops the circular thinking, and I feel so at ease that I fall right to sleep. I prefer drinking infusions before bedtime, but other people may prefer taking the tincture.
Betony can be used by itself, or you can combine it with other nervines. Naturopathic doctor and herbalist J.J Pursell suggests combining wood betony with St. John’s wort for cases of depression or emotional overload.8
Easing Pain and Spasms
Wood betony is antispasmodic and analgesic. As mentioned, betony is very effective for headaches and muscle spasms. It is also used for more severe pain and spasmodic conditions.
Betony has a great effect on the nervous system. It’s no wonder that it also alleviates nerve pain, and it’s often used for neuralgia and sciatica. Betony can also support damaged nerves. Herbalist Steven Horne recommends it for peripheral neuropathy and bell’s palsy.9
As an anti-inflammatory, betony is also helpful for other painful and inflammatory conditions. For rheumatism and other types of arthritis, it reduces swelling and the pain, inflammation, and stiffness from tender joints. And as a digestive tonic, betony can also address appetite loss and fatigue that often accompanies rheumatism.
Betony is useful for many different types of headaches, including headaches caused by nervous tension, poor blood flow, sinus issues, and a sluggish liver.10 Betony is also effective for migraines. Michael Tierra suggests using a blend of betony, rosemary, feverfew, and skullcap for nervous headache and migraines.11
Wood betony works remarkably well for menstrual cramps. I have used betony in many cases of menstrual issues. It eases moderate to severe period pain and cramps. Betony balances frazzled emotions during menstruation. It also helps with other premenstrual or menstrual issues like bloating, digestive issues, body aches, soreness, insomnia, and headaches.
It may be helpful in some cases of twitching. Horne mentions that wood betony is especially useful for intense spasms, such as tics and tremors.12
Digestion Tonic
Betony is mildly bitter and astringent. It has a tonic effect on the digestive system. Herbalist Julie Bruton-Seal and writer Matthew Seal think that betony influences the solar plexus.13 Wood betony strengthens and calms, so it is used for a wide variety of gastrointestinal issues, especially those that are caused by nervous tension or emotional difficulties. Betony stimulates the digestive system, and it soothes emotional distress that contributes to these issues.
Like chamomile, wood betony is a gentle but powerful herb. As a mild bitter, it helps improve the appetite. And betony also helps you digest the food you are hungry for by relieving indigestion, gas, and bloating. It comforts upset stomachs and eases nausea. It is often used for colic. Its astringency alleviates diarrhea.
I have seen betony address minor to moderate digestive issues effectively, and overall rebalance the gastrointestinal tract. I find that the infusion or tincture works well for digestive problems.
Betony can also be used as part of an effective protocol for more serious digestive issues. J.J. Pursell suggests betony for slow digestion when there is malabsorption.14 Anne McIntyre recommends it for cases of leaky gut syndrome and peptic ulcers.15 It may also be helpful for gastritis and colitis.16
First Aid and Home Remedies
Wood betony is astringent, and it can be used topically for various first aid situations. Betony can be applied to bruises, cuts, and wounds. As an anti-inflammatory herb, it reduces the pain, swelling, and bruising of strains and sprains. It eases the discomfort of hemorrhoids and varicose veins.17 For topical use, you can use a variety of preparations, including an herb-infused oil, salve, infusion, compress, or poultice.
Constituents
Wood betony contains tannins, betaine, choline, phenylethanoid glycosides (betonyosides A-F), volatile oil, iridoids, and alkaloids (stachydrine and betonicine).18,19,20
Botanically Speaking
Wood betony is native to Europe and Asia. It is a perennial. It grows up to 1.5 feet to 2 feet tall. Like other plants in the Lamiaceae (mint) family, betony has a square stem, opposite leaves, and two-lipped flowers. Wood betony has hairy, ovate to oblong, scalloped leaves. The leaves grow up to 5 inches long.
The flowers grow in terminal spikes. They are usually purplish-reddish, but they can occasionally be pink or white. Flowering season varies depending on the area, but it generally blooms in either late spring to early summer, or summer to early autumn.
Wood betony usually grows in dry open woods and thickets. It prefers full sun or partial shade, and well-drained, moist soil.21 It grows in zones 5 to 10. Take care to not mistake Stachys officinalis with Pedicularis spp., which are also called ‘betony.”
Plant Preparations
Betony can be used fresh or dried. It is usually made into an infusion or tincture. Since it is a mild bitter tonic, I suggest adding wood betony to herbal bitters. You can also make an herb-infused oil or salve for skin issues.
Dosage Suggestions:
- Tincture (dried herb): 1:5, 40% alcohol, 2–6 ml, three times a day.22 Or 10-50 drops, one to four times per day.23
- Tincture (fresh herb): 1:2, 75% alcohol, 1–2 droppersful, three to five times per day.24
- Infusion: 0.75 to 1.5 grams (about 1 to 2 teaspoons) per cup of water. Steep 10–20 minutes. One to three cups a day.
The dosage for tinctures can vary. Some herbalists mention that wood betony works well in low drop doses, while others suggest taking up to a few ml of tincture. Dosage depends on the individual as well as the issue. I suggest starting with a low dose and titrating it to see what works best for you!
Special Considerations
The Botanical Safety Handbook states that there are no known drug interactions, contraindications, or supplement interactions with wood betony. However, they have not found any clinical trials, case reports, or animal trials for supplement and drug interactions with betony.25
Wood betony is considered safe for elders.26 Overuse may cause stomach upset.27 Many herbalists do not recommend using betony during pregnancy because it is a uterine stimulant.28 It is unclear whether wood betony can be used during lactation.
Footnotes
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