Clivers

Clivers

Other Names:Amor del Hortelano, Amour du Hortelano, Barweed, Bedstraw, Caille-Lait, Catchweed, Cleavers, Cleaverwort, Coachweed, Eriffe, Everlasting Friendship, Gaille, Gaillet Accrochant, Gaillet Gratteron, Gallium, Galium aparine, Glouteron, Goose Grass, Goosebill, Gosling Weed, Grateron, Gratte-Langue, Grip Grass, Hayriffe, Hayruff, Hedge-Burs, Hedgeheriff, Herbe Collante, Love-Man, Mutton Chops, Rièble, Robin-Run-in-the-Grass, Scratchweed, Stick-a-Back, Sweethearts, Kleefkruid
Clivers is an herb. People use the parts that grow above the ground to make medicine.

Special Precautions of Clivers

Diabetes: There is some concern that the juice that is squeezed out of clivers might affect diabetes. Monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use clivers.

Health Benefits and uses of Clivers are

• Clivers contains chemicals called tannins that might help reduce skin inflammation and have a drying (astringent) effect on the tissues. Poultices and washes made from cleavers were traditionally used to treat a variety of skin ailments, light wounds and burns. As a pulp, it has been used to relieve poisonous bites and stings. To make a poultice, the entire plant is used, and applied directly to the affected area.
• People sometimes apply clivers directly to the skin for ulcers, enlarged glands, breast lumps, and skin rashes.
• As a tea, the plant acts as a diuretic and lymphatic.
• As a lymphatic tonic, it is used in a wide range of problems involving the lymph system, such as swollen glands (e.g. tonsillitis).
• The asperuloside in cleavers acts as a mild sedative, and one study showed that cleaver extract lowers the blood pressure of dogs, without slowing their heart rate, or any other dangerous side effects.
• Clears Heat and Poison, Resolves Swellings and Masses:
  • Swellings, Lymphatic nodes, Scrofula, Tumors
  • Cancer, especially of the Breast or Lymphatics (Salmon listed it for Breast Cancer)
  • topically applied to open Cancers.
• Clears Heat from the Blood, Resists Poison:
  • Eczema, Psoriasis, Leprosy
  • specific for ‘nodulated growths or deposits in skin or mucous membranes’. (Scudder)
  • Fever, Scarlet Fever, Eruptive Fevers
  • Venomous Bites; Spider, Snake (juice taken)
• Clears Liver Heat:
  • Jaundice
  • Hepatitis
  • Epilepsy, Hysteria
• Clears Heat, Promotes Urine, Clears Stones:
  • hot, burning or obstructed Urine; Edema, Gonorrhea, Cystitis, Prostatitis, Hematuria
  • ‘It is an excellent and speedy remedy in suppression of the urine and Gravel ... it is regarded as a solvent of stone in the Bladder’ (Vitalogy)
  • ‘Used with decided success in treating children for incontinence of Urine (wetting the bed)’. (Vitalogy)
  • Good for Obesity and to keep slim.
• Moves the Blood:
  • Hippocrates used it to promote Menstruation
• Externally:
  • Sunburn, Scalds and Burns, Sores and Blisters;
  • ‘the Cold infusion will remove Freckles when it is drunk 2-3 times a day for 2-3 months, and the parts frequently washed with it’ (Vitalogy)
  • ‘many cutaneous diseases, as Psoriasis, Eczema, Lichen, Cancer and Scrofula’ (King’s)
  • Scrofula, mixed with Lard and applied (Dioscorides)
  • Indolent Tumors; it is applied as a wash to Skin Cancers, and is used as a mouth wash and gargle for Mouth Cancers.
  • Earache.
  • The ointment has been recommended for Spinal Injuries.
  • internal and external injuries in TCM; also applied externally to stop bleeding
  • powder is used as a snuff to stop nose Bleeding.
  • poultice of the fresh herb has cured many cases of chronic Leg Ulcers including Varicose Ulcers.