Capsella bursa-pastoris

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Capsella bursa-pastoris (Shepherd’s Purse)

Botanic Name	Capsella bursa pastoris
Common Name	Shepherd’s purse, Shepherd’s Bag, Shepherd’s Scrip, Shepherd’s sprout, Lady’s purse, Witches pouches, Rattle pouches, Case-weed, Pick-pocket, Pick-purse, Blind-weed, Pepper-and-salt, Poor Man’s Parmacettie, Sanguinary, Mother’s Heart, Clappedepouch ^(Grieve),
Family	Brassicaaceae
Habitat	An extremely common weed of cultivation all over the world; probably originating in southern Europe or western Asia ^(Mills)
Description	A small erect herb with a long tapering root supporting a rosette of dentate leaves from the centre of which a stem arises to 15-50cm high; at the top are the small white flowers that give way as the stem grows further to the characteristic purse-shaped fruits densely packed with seeds; that taste is acrid ^(Mills).
Similar Plants
Parts Used	Whole plant
History	So called owing to the resemblance of the flat seed-pouches of the plant to an old-fashioned common leather purse. ^(Grieve) The Irish name of Clappedepouch was given in as an allusion to the begging lepers who stood at cross-roads with a bell or clapper receiving their alms in a cup at the end of a long pole. ^(Grieve) The plant has accompanies Europeans in all their migrations and established itself wherever they have settled to till the soil. It was apparently unknown in the Americas prior to settlement by the pilgrims ^(Grieve) Can be found in Greenland at sites where it was introduced by Norsemen 1,000 years ago ^(Stuart)
Constituents	Saponins ^(Mills) Mustard oils ^(Mills) Flavonoids ^(Mills) Resin ^(Mills) Monoamines ^(Mills) Choline ^(Mills) Tyramine ^(Hoffmann) Acetylcholine ^(Hoffmann) Tannin ^(Hoffmann) Essential oil ^(Hoffmann) Diosmine ^(Hoffmann) Potassium ^(Hoffmann)
Actions	Anti-haemorrhagic ^(Mills) Urinary antiseptic ^(Mills) Circulatory stimulant ^(Mills) Uterine stimulant ^(Hoffmann) Diuretic ^(Hoffmann) Astringent ^(Hoffmann) Vasoconstrictor ^(Lust) Antiscorbutic ^{(Brockhampton)}
Applications	Mildly relaxing and gently stimulating to the kidneys and urinary tract: relieves atonic and catarrhal conditions and control haemorrhages ^(Priest) Tonic to the pelvic organs ^(Priest) Especially indicated when the urine is heavy with phosphatic and ‘brick dust’ sediments ^(Priest) Excessive menstrual bleeding, nose bleeds and to help heal the source of blood in the uring ^(Mills) Urinary tract infections and stones ^(Mills) Diarrhoea ^{(Brockhampton)} Haemorrhoids ^{(Brockhampton)} Dysentery ^{(Brockhampton)} Dropsy ^{(Brockhampton)} Bruised joints and strains (topically) ^{(Brockhampton)} Normalise blood pressure ^(Lust) Water retention ^(Hoffmann)
Dosage	Tincture: 1-2 mls tds ^(Hoffmann) Infusion: Pour a cup of boiling water onto 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the dried herb and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Drink tds ^(Hoffmann) 1 –4 ml tds (1:1 25%) ^(BHP)
Combinations	Trillium, Hydrastis in menorrhagia^(BHP) Agathosmia in cystitis^(BHP)
C/I Cautions	Do not keep for longer than a year ^(Lust) Not to be used during pregnancy ^(McGuffin) Individuals with a history of kidney stones should use cautiously ^(McGuffin)
BHP S/I	Uterine Haemorrhage

This plant is a remarkable instance of the truth of an observation which there is too frequently room to make, namely Providence has made the most useful thing most common, and for that reason we neglect them: few plants possess greater virtues than this, and yet it is utterly disregarded. - C Culpeper