Capsella bursa-pastoris.   Shepherd's purse, Witches' pouches, Mother's heart   Family: Cruciferae     
PART USED: Whole herb
TASTE: Pungent ODORLESS
ACTIONS
GROUP: Herbs for trauma and recovery- Hemostatic.
1. Hemostatic.[1,2,3]
2. Astringent.
3. Urinary antiseptic.[1,3]
4. Antipyretic.[3]
INDICATIONS
1. Hemorrhages generally.  Uterine hemorrhaging.[1,2] Menorrhagia.[1,2] Dysmenorrhea with heavy flow. Hematemesis.[1,2] Hemoptysis. Hematuria.[1,2] Varicose veins hemorrhoids.
2. Acute catarrhal cystitis.[1,2] Urinary tract irritation. Gravel. Enuresis. Edema.
3. Diarrhea.[1,2]
4. Wounds.
SPECIFIC INDICATIONS: Uterine hemorrhage.[1]
COMBINATIONS
- Menorrhagia or metrorrhagia, us with Trillium and Hydrastris.[1]
- Cystitis, use with Agathosma.[1]
PREPARATIONS: 3X/day
Dried herb 1-4 g.[1]
Infusion  1-4 g[1] in  20-80 ml of water.
Fluid extract  1:1 in 25% alcohol 1-4 ml. [1,2,3]
HABITAT: A common plant growing in many part of the world.
DESCRIPTION: An annual or biennial up to 40 cm in height, native to Europe and West Africa. Leaves: lanceolate pinnately lobed, sometimes toothed, sometimes hairy, mainly in a basal rosette with a few on the peduncle. Flowers; white, 2-3 mm, cruciferous; pod, an inverted, notched triangle, containing the small seeds, its appearance giving rise to the common name.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents.
Research.
The polypeptide was shown to have contractile activity on rate uterus simular to that of oxytocin.[1] Other experiments showed that extracts lproduced a transient decrease in blood pressure and hemostatic activity in animals, however whether this was due to the acetylcholine, choline and tyramine was not clear.[2] Other properties included antiinflammatory, diuretic and anti-ulcer activity.[3] An inhibitory effect of extracts of Shepherds purse on Ehrlich solid tumour in mice was found to be due to the fumaric acid,[4] a disappointing result as fumaric acid is a ubiquitous compound.
Flavonoids may contribute to the antiiflammatory action.[5]
References
[1] Kuroda, K. and Tagaki, K. (1968) Nature 220, 707
[2] Kuroda, K. and Kaku, T. (1969) Life Sci 8 (1), 151
[3] Kuoda, K. and Tagaki, K. (1969) Arch. Int. Pharmcodyn 178 (2), 382 and 392
[4] Kuroda, K. et al. (1976) Cancer Res. 36, 1900
[5] Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations  R.C. Wren Revised by Elizabeth M. Williamson and Fred J Evans. First published in Great Britain in 1988 and reprinted in 1989 and 1994 by the C. W. Daniel Company Limited. 1 Church Path, Saffron Walden Essex. Published 1988 Printed and bound by Biddles, Guildford ISBN 085207 1973.

Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Superbacterial Properties of Sulforaphane from Shepherd's Purse
Woo Jin Choi, Seong Keun Kim, Hee Kuk Park, Uy Dong Sohn, Wonyong Kim
Affiliations expand
Abstract
Shepherd's purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik., has been considered a health food for centuries in Asia and is known to contain the isothiocyanate compound sulforaphane. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of a sulforaphane-containing solution (SCS) isolated from shepherd's purse. SCS had significant anti-inflammatory activity indicated by the decreased levels of nitric oxide (NO), cytokines (interleukin 1ß [IL-1ß], IL-6, and IL-10), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. In addition, SCS decreased the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) levels, which confirmed the anti-inflammatory activity of SCS. Further, SCS inhibited vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and Bacillus anthracis. The minimal inhibitory concentration was 250 µg/ml for VRE and 1,000 µg/ml for B. anthracis. Taken together, these data indicate that SCS has potential anti-inflammatory and anti-superbacterial properties, and thus it can be used as a functional food or pharmaceutical.
Korean J Physiol Pharmacol 2014 Feb;18(1):33-9. Epub 2014 Feb 13. PMID: 24634594 PMCID: PMC3951821 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2014.18.1.33

Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Capsella Bursa-Pastoris on Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Mahdis Naafe, Nourossadat Kariman, Zohreh Keshavarz, Nasim Khademi, Faraz Mojab, Abolfazl Mohammadbeigi
Abstract
Objectives: Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is one of the leading causes of low quality of life and iron deficiency anemia in women. This study aimed to determine the effect of hydroalcoholic extracts of Capsella bursa-pastoris on HMB.
Design: This study is a triple-blinded, randomized clinical trial.
Setting: The study was conducted in gynecology clinics affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Subjects: Our patients affected to a complaint of HMB. After obtaining a complete medical history of the women and filling out the demographic forms, the participants were assigned randomly into the experimental (n = 42) and control groups (n = 42).
Intervention: The eligible participants were given a pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBLAC) to confirm HMB during the menstrual cycle. The experimental group received two capsules of mefenamic acid (500 mg) every 8 h and two Capsella bursa-pastoris capsules every 12 h. The intervention started from the first day of menstruation to the end of this period up to 7 days for two consecutive cycles. In the control group, the patients received mefenamic acid and placebo instead of Capsella bursa-pastoris capsules.
Outcome measurements: The PBLAC score and number of bleeding days, incidence of any possible problems, as well as participant satisfaction were measured. The data were analyzed using t-test, Chi-square, repeated-measures ANOVA, and ANCOVA tests in PASW Statistics ver. 18.
Results: After the intervention, there was observed significant decrease in the amount of menstrual bleeding in both groups. However, the mean decrease in the amount of bleeding was significantly more in the Capsella bursa-pastoris group (p < 0/001).
Conclusion: Compared with control group, hydroalcoholic extracts of Capsella bursa-pastoris capsule appeared to be effective in reducing menstrual bleeding in this study. Further research regarding the efficacy and safety of Capsella bursa-pastoris is required.
Randomized Controlled Trial J Altern Complement Med 2018 Jul;24(7):694-700. Epub 2018 Mar 20. PMID: 29641247 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2017.0267 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic. extract alleviate cataract development by regulating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway of the lens epithelial cells
Liang-Kun Xie, Xia-Jing Xu, Xiao Wu, Meng-Jiao Wang, Cheng-Feng Gao, Dong-Mei Wang, Shu-Meng Ren, Ying-Ni Pan, Xiao-Qiu Liu
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance: Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic. (CBP) is a cruciferous plant valuable in reducing fever, improving eyesight and calming the liver. This herb was recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica for cataract treatment.
Aim of the study: To determine the effects and mechanism of CBP on cataract prevention and treatment using a selenite cataract model.
Materials and methods: The main compounds in CBP extract were analyzed by UPLC, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic techniques. Flavonoids formed a significant proportion of its compounds, thus necessitating an evaluation of their inhibitory effects on the development of cataract using a selenite cataract model. The protective effects of CBP flavonoids (CBPF) against oxidative damage and the modulation of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway were subsequently verified on H2O2-treated SRA01/04 lens epithelial cells.
Results: CBPF significantly alleviated the development of cataract by decreasing the MDA level and increasing the GSH-Px and SOD levels in the lens. It also inhibited H2O2-induced apoptosis in SRA01/04 cells, increased the expression of Bcl-2 protein and decreased the expressions of Caspase-3 and Bax proteins.
Conclusion: CBPF exerts a significant preventive effect on cataract development by regulating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway of the lens epithelial cells. It is thus a potent traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) whose application should be further developed for the clinical treatment of cataract.
J Ethnopharmacol 2022 Feb 10;284:114783. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114783. Epub 2021 Oct 29. PMID: 34715300 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov