Billy Goat Weed: benefits and ways to use

This content is part of the Alternative Medicine category. It may contain information that needs more scientific studies and medical consensus.

The use of herbs can be a healthy, cheap, and effective option when it comes to health and well-being. A good example is the mistrust. This plant is also known as the red beetle. It offers important benefits for the body. It treats arthritis and arthrosis, relieves menstrual cramps, and fights depression.

Mentrasto is abundant in regions with a tropical climate. You can find it in the country. It’s sold in open markets, natural food stores, and alternative medicine websites. It is also possible to plant the seedling of this herb and cultivate it at home. Its development requires little preparation.

Tea, poultice, and essential oils are made for external use with the extract of Mentrasto. However, its use must be guided and monitored by a specialist physician. In excess, the plant causes liver complications. Here’s how to consume responsibly and learn more about this elixir of natural medicine.

Top 4 Benefits of Billy Goat Weed

Billy Goat Weed is used therapeutically topically for arthritis, arthrosis, and rheumatism. It can also be consumed as an herbal tea to relieve colic. It has an antispasmodic action. It reduces muscle contractions in organs such as the stomach, intestine, uterus, and bladder. Effective for both menstrual and intestinal cramps. There are 4 major benefits of Billy Goat Weed are:

1- Treats arthrosis and arthritis

In Brazilian folk medicine, Billy Goat Weed tea is an anti-inflammatory and analgesic. It is infallible for treating joint pain, such as that found in arthritis and arthrosis. But how does this happen?

Arthritis is joint inflammation that causes stiffness and pain. Arthrosis is joint degeneration. Both illnesses are very common with advancing age. A 2006 study by the Federal University of Ceará showed that Billy Goat Weed is effective for these problems.

The study’s object was tea’s pain relief effect. It focused on people with arthrosis who had chronic bone and muscle pain. The results showed that the drink was effective. It began to be indicated as an alternative option in the treatment of pain.

Another study on the anti-inflammatory effects of mentrasto indicated the ideal form of use for this purpose. According to the research, it is to drink from two to three cups of the infusion of the mentrasto leaves per day.

The plant’s essential oil can also be used topically to massage needed areas, and the herb poultice can be placed over injured joints.

2- Relieves menstrual cramps

The menstrual cramps can be controlled or even eliminated by making use of Billy Goat Weed tea. This is what a survey carried out at the University Center of Faculdades Integradas de Ourinhos in São Paulo guarantees.

The plant has a high anti-inflammatory action. The decoction of Billy Goat Weed leaves reacted against ovarian inflammation. It also reacted against dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea causes pelvic cramps and pain before or during menstruation. Common causes include heavy flow, passage of clots, uterine fibroids, or endometriosis.

The herb’s antispasmodic property also works to eliminate cramps as it slows down the muscle contractions of the uterus.

3- Eliminates urinary infection

Urinary tract infections can also be controlled and treated with mint tea. This is because this plant is rich in phenolic compounds and flavonoids, powerful antioxidants capable of preventing, delaying, or preventing oxidation mediated by free radicals.

Students at the State University of Feira de Santana in Bahia analyzed the plant’s antioxidant capacity. They found that by preventing the formation of free radicals through the consumption of mint tea, people can rid the body of inflammation. This includes cystitis (bladder inflammation) and pyelonephritis (kidney inflammation). These are the main causes of urinary tract infections.

4- Combat Depression

Billy Goat Weed has antidepressant and anxiolytic properties and is capable of controlling anxiety. In low doses, the plant extract acts as an antidepressant, stimulating and improving mood and sadness.

How to make mint tea?

The parts used to make the tea are the whole plant, except for the flowers, preferably fresh.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of the plant
• 1 cup of water.

Preparation mode:

Boil the water, turn off the heat, and add the plant. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Take twice a day.

Contraindication and side effects

Do not use mentrasto if you are hypertensive or taking anticoagulants. Also, avoid it if you have liver diseases, are pregnant, or are nursing. (6 )

Its prolonged use can trigger specific problems. The branches of this plant contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These substances are extremely toxic to the liver.

However, for internal use, it is necessary to respect the maximum daily dose of tea of 30 to 50 g of fresh leaves daily. It is not indicated to exceed the treatment for more than 3 weeks. Medical follow-up is essential.

Characteristics

Scientifically called Ageratum conyzoides L., the mentrasto is a tropical plant. In Brazil, it is easily found in the Northeastern areas, especially in mountain ranges.

It is also known as pepperminth, baron catinga, goat catinga, celestina, curia, St. Lucia’s wort, St. John’s wort, mint, and beggartick purple.

The herb can reach 70 centimeters in height and has a peculiar odor similar to a goat.

The stem and leaves are covered with white hair and lilac or white flowers.

It is considered a weed as it multiplies quickly. According to the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), mint infests crops such as vegetable gardens and vacant land. A single plant can produce 40,000 seeds propagated by wind or water.