Plant Comparison
Agrimony vs Bistort
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Agrimony and Bistort: they share 8 indicated uses (arthritis / joint pain, bruising, cancer (anticancer research), …); 5 pharmacological actions in common.
Evidence face-off — shared uses
| Condition | Agrimony | Bistort | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthritis / joint pain | 2/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Bruising | 2/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Cancer (anticancer research) | 2/10 | 2/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Diarrhoea | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Inflammation (general) | 2/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Skin irritation | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Sore throat | 2/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Wounds | 2/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
Evidence scores (1–10) are computed from the tier of each cited source. “Comparable” means the two scores are within one point. Follow a score to its detailed sources.
Key Constituents
Responsible for the characteristic astringency.
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory constituents.
Very high tannin content is the basis of the strong astringency.
Contribute to antioxidant and antibacterial activity.
Pharmacological Actions
Anti-inflammatory gargle (mild inflammation of the mouth and throat / sore throat)
Agrimonia eupatoria ethanolic extract is cytotoxic to breast, colon, lung and cervical cancer cells and inhibits the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway (preclinical/in silico).
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for inflammation of the mouth and throat (sore throat)
Bistorta officinalis (Polygonum bistorta) rhizome extract, rich in gallotannins and phenolic acids, shows cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activity against hepatocellular and other cancer cells (preclinical).
Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins tighten the gut lining and reduce excess secretion)
Antibacterial (topical) - GC-MS-characterised extracts showed antibacterial activity
Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins tighten the gut lining and reduce excess secretion)
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from bitter-tonic action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Agrimonia eupatoria ethanolic extract shows dose-dependent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 (breast), HT-29 (colon), A549 (lung) and HeLa (cervical) cancer cells and inhibits the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/COX-2/MMP-2 axis (preclinical).
Astringent (relief of mild diarrhoea)
Mild bitter digestive tonic (indigestion)
Anti-inflammatory gargle (mild inflammation of the mouth and throat / sore throat); Vulnerary (minor skin inflammation and small superficial wounds, topical)
inferred from astringent action
Anti-inflammatory gargle (mild inflammation of the mouth and throat / sore throat)
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Polygonum bistorta (Bistorta officinalis) methanol-water and aqueous extracts inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma cells via ROS-induced ER stress and apoptosis (delaying xenograft tumour growth), with phenolic constituents driving the cytotoxicity (preclinical).
Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins tighten the gut lining and reduce excess secretion)
inferred from styptic action
inferred from antimicrobial action
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for inflammation of the mouth and throat (sore throat)
inferred from astringent action
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for inflammation of the mouth and throat (sore throat)
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Traditional-use indication only: if diarrhoea persists longer than 3-4 days, or symptoms of mouth/throat inflammation persist beyond about a week, a doctor should be consulted.
Use during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended, as safety has not been established.
Very tannin-rich: high or prolonged intake may cause stomach upset or constipation and can reduce the absorption of iron and some medicines taken at the same time.
Traditional use only; diarrhoea persisting beyond a few days, or mouth/throat inflammation that does not settle, needs medical assessment.
Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not established; avoid medicinal doses.
External Ids
Botanical Description
Slender, downy perennial herb with a basal rosette of pinnately compound leaves and a single, unbranched, upright flowering stem. The leaflets are toothed, alternating large and small, and silvery-downy beneath. Small, five-petalled, bright yellow flowers are borne closely along a slender terminal spike (raceme), opening a few at a time from the base upwards, giving the old name 'church steeples'. After flowering, small bristly, hooked burrs form that cling to clothing and animal fur for dispersal.[13, 14]
Perennial herb rising from a thick, twisted, S- or snake-shaped rhizome (giving the names 'bistort' and 'snakeroot'), blackish outside and pink inside. The basal leaves are broadly oval to lance-shaped on long stalks; stem leaves are smaller and stalkless. A single dense, cylindrical spike of small, pale pink flowers is borne atop each unbranched flowering stem.[14]
Habitat
Grows in damp meadows, pastures, streamsides and mountain grassland on moist, often calcareous soils; native to Europe and temperate Asia, favouring cooler upland regions.[14]
Harvesting
The flowering aerial parts are cut in summer, at the start of flowering, and dried promptly in a warm, airy, shaded place.[13]
The rhizome is dug in autumn or early spring, when tannin content is highest, cleaned and dried; aerial parts are gathered in summer while flowering.[14]
Traditional Uses
Agrimony has a long folk history as an astringent remedy for mild diarrhoea, as a gargle for sore throats and mild mouth/throat inflammation, and as a mild bitter digestive tonic; it has also been applied topically to minor wounds and skin inflammation. It is officially recognised in the European Union herbal monograph for traditional use in mild diarrhoea and mild inflammation of the mouth or throat.[13, 14]
Bistort rhizome, one of the most tannin-rich temperate herbs, has a long European folk history as a powerful astringent for mild diarrhoea, as a gargle for sore throat and mouth inflammation, and topically as a vulnerary and styptic for minor wounds and bleeding; young leaves have also traditionally been eaten as a spring pot-herb ('Easter-ledge pudding').[13, 14]
Preparations
Dosage
The EU herbal monograph gives 1.5-4 g of the comminuted herb in 250 mL (or less) of boiling water as an infusion, 2-3 times daily, in adolescents, adults and elderly. As a gargle for mild oral or throat inflammation, 1.5 g in 150 mL of boiling water 2-4 times daily, or a decoction of 3-4.5 g in 250 mL 2-3 times daily. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
The EU herbal monograph gives 1-4 mL three times daily (orally, or as a gargle for oral and throat use). Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Not documented
References
Lookalikes Review
References & Sources
- Malheiros, J., Simoes, D.M., Figueirinha, A., Cotrim, M.D. and Fonseca, D.A (2022) 'Agrimonia eupatoria L.: An integrative perspective on ethnomedicinal use, phenolic composition and pharmacological activity', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, pp. 2022. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2022.115498 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2022.115498 - Paluch, Z., Biriczova, L., Pallag, G., Carvalheiro Marques, E., Vargova, N. and Kmonickova, E (2020) 'The therapeutic effects of Agrimonia eupatoria L', Physiological Research, pp. S555--S571. doi:10.33549/physiolres.934641 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.33549/physiolres.934641 - Kuczmannova, A., Balazova, A., Racanska, E., Kamenikova, M., Fialova, S., Majernik, J., Nagy, M., Gal, P. and Mucaji, P (2016) 'Agrimonia eupatoria L. and Cynara cardunculus L. water infusions: comparison of anti-diabetic activities', Molecules, 21(5), pp. 564. doi:10.3390/molecules21050564 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21050564 - Huzio, N., Grytsyk, A., Raal, A., Grytsyk, L. and Koshovyi, O (2022) 'Phytochemical and pharmacological research in Agrimonia eupatoria L. herb extract with anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective properties', Plants, 11(18), pp. 2371. doi:10.3390/plants11182371 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11182371 - Correia, H.S., Batista, M.T. and Dinis, T.C.P (2007) 'The activity of an extract and fraction of Agrimonia eupatoria L. against reactive species', BioFactors, 29(2-3), pp. 91-104. doi:10.1002/biof.552029209 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/biof.552029209 - Granica, S., Kluge, H., Horn, G., Matkowski, A. and Kiss, A.K (2015) 'The phytochemical investigation of Agrimonia eupatoria L. and Agrimonia procera Wallr. as valid sources of Agrimoniae herba - the pharmacopoeial plant material', Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 114, pp. 272-279. doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2015.05.027 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2015.05.027 - Tsirigotis-Maniecka, M., Zaczynska, E., Czarny, A., Jadczyk, P., Uminska-Wasiluk, B., Gancarz, R. and Pawlaczyk-Graja, I (2023) 'Antioxidant and protective effects of the polyphenolic glycoconjugate from Agrimonia eupatoria L. herb in the prevention of inflammation in human cells', Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 14(4), pp. 182. doi:10.3390/jfb14040182 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb14040182 - Kwon, D.H., Kwon, H.Y., Kim, H.J., Chang, E.J., Kim, M.B., Yoon, S.K., Song, E.Y., Yoon, D.Y., Lee, Y.H., Choi, I.S. and Choi, Y.K (2005) 'Inhibition of hepatitis B virus by an aqueous extract of Agrimonia eupatoria L', Phytotherapy Research, 19(4), pp. 355-358. doi:10.1002/ptr.1689 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1689 - Karlinska, E., Romanowska, B. and Kosmala, M (2021) 'The aerial parts of Agrimonia procera Wallr. and Agrimonia eupatoria L. as a source of polyphenols, and especially agrimoniin and flavonoids', Molecules, 26(24), pp. 7706. doi:10.3390/molecules26247706 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26247706 - Kuczmannova, A., Gal, P., Varinska, L., Treml, J., Kovac, I., Novotny, M., Vasilenko, T., Dall'Acqua, S., Nagy, M. and Mucaji, P (2015) 'Agrimonia eupatoria L. and Cynara cardunculus L. water infusions: phenolic profile and comparison of antioxidant activities', Molecules, 20(11), pp. 20538-20550. doi:10.3390/molecules201119715 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules201119715 - Ivanova, D., Vankova, D. and Nashar, M (2013) 'Agrimonia eupatoria tea consumption in relation to markers of inflammation, oxidative status and lipid metabolism in healthy subjects', Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry, 119(1), pp. 32-37. doi:10.3109/13813455.2012.729844 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.3109/13813455.2012.729844 - Venskutonis, P.R., Skemaite, M. and Ragazinskiene, O (2007) 'Radical scavenging capacity of Agrimonia eupatoria and Agrimonia procera', Fitoterapia, 78(2), pp. 166-168. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2006.10.002 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2006.10.002 - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (2015) 'European Union herbal monograph on Agrimonia eupatoria L., herba (Agrimoniae herba)'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/agrimoniae-herba Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/agrimoniae-herba - (2022) 'Agrimonia eupatoria L.: An integrative perspective on ethnomedicinal use, phenolic composition and pharmacological activity', Journal of Ethnopharmacology. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2022.115498 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2022.115498 - Herbal Reality (n.d.) 'Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria): Benefits, Uses, Safety'. Available at: https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/agrimony/ Traditional / reference
https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/agrimony/ - Lee, K.H. and Rhee, K.H (2016) 'Anti-nociceptive effect of Agrimonia eupatoria extract on a cisplatin-induced neuropathic model', African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 13(5), pp. 139--144. doi:10.21010/ajtcam.v13i5.18 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.21010/ajtcam.v13i5.18 - Ginovyan, M. and Gevorgyan, S. and Javrushyan, H. and Kusznierewicz, B. and Koss-Mikolajczyk, I. and Sahakyan, N. and Bartoszek, A. and Avtandilyan, N (2026) 'Inhibition of the PI3K signaling pathway in cancer cells by Agrimonia eupatoria L. ethanolic extract: identification of tricoumaroyl spermidine as a potential PI3K inhibitor', BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 26(1), pp. 41. doi:10.1186/s12906-025-05231-z Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-025-05231-z - Shareef, S.H., Asaad, N.K., Gheni, N.A., Fisal, D.N., Shakir Agha, N.F., Ali, R.T. and Abdulla, M.A (2025) 'Agrimonia eupatoria leaf extract attenuates alcohol-induced oxidative stress, ulcer and alleviates stomach damage in rats', Food Science and Nutrition, 13(11). doi:10.1002/fsn3.71203 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.71203 - Vasilenko, T., Kovac, I., Slezak, M., Durkac, J., Perzelova, V., Coma, M. and others (2022) 'Agrimonia eupatoria L. aqueous extract improves skin wound healing: an in vitro study in fibroblasts and keratinocytes and in vivo study in rats', In Vivo, 36(3), pp. 1236--1244. doi:10.21873/invivo.12822 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.21873/invivo.12822
- Pawłowska, K.A., Hałasa, R., Dudek, M.K., Majdan, M. et al (2020) 'Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity of bistort (Bistorta officinalis) aqueous extract and its major components: justification of the usage of the medicinal plant material as a traditional topical agent', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 260, pp. 113077. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2020.113077 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2020.113077 - Jovanović, M., Morić, I., Nikolić, B., Pavić, A. et al (2020) 'Anti-Virulence Potential and In Vivo Toxicity of Persicaria maculosa and Bistorta officinalis Extracts', Molecules, 25(8), pp. 1811. doi:10.3390/molecules25081811 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25081811 - Duwiejua, M., Zeitlin, I.J., Waterman, P.G. and Gray, A.I (1994) 'Anti-inflammatory activity of Polygonum bistorta, Guaiacum officinale and Hamamelis virginiana in rats', Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 46(4), pp. 286-290. doi:10.1111/j.2042-7158.1994.tb03795.x Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-7158.1994.tb03795.x - Esmaealzadeh, N., Abdolghaffari, A., Baeeri, M., Hasanpour, M., Iranshahi, M., Santarcangelo, C., Gholami, M. and Bahramsoltani, R (2024) 'Protective effect of freeze-dried extract of Persicaria bistorta Samp. on acetic acid-induced colitis model in rats: involvement of nitric oxide and opioid system', Inflammopharmacology, 32(6), pp. 3845-3861. doi:10.1007/s10787-024-01518-8 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-024-01518-8 - Klimczak, U., Wozniak, M., Tomczyk, M. and Granica, S (2017) 'Chemical composition of edible aerial parts of meadow bistort (Persicaria bistorta (L.) Samp.)', Food Chemistry, 230, pp. 281-290. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.02.128 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.02.128 - Manoharan, K.P., Benny, T.K.H. and Yang, D (2005) 'Cycloartane type triterpenoids from the rhizomes of Polygonum bistorta', Phytochemistry, 66(19), pp. 2304-2308. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.07.008 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.07.008 - Liu, X., Hua, H., Liu, J., Chen, F. and Wu, L (2006) 'A new tannin-related compound from the rhizome of Polygonum bistorta L', Journal of Asian Natural Products Research, 8(4), pp. 299-302. doi:10.1080/10286020500034956 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020500034956 - Yang, W., Qian, Z., Wu, M., Gao, J., Huang, Q., Zou, Y. and Tang, D (2023) 'Online microextraction coupled with HPLC-ABTS for rapid analysis of antioxidants from the root of Polygonum bistorta', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2023, pp. 7496848. doi:10.1155/2023/7496848 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/7496848 - Bauer, I., Rimbach, G., Nevermann, S., Neuhauser, C., Schwarzinger, B., Schwarzinger, C., Weghuber, J. and Luersen, K (2023) 'In-vitro antidiabetic activity of a Bistorta officinalis Delarbre root extract can not be confirmed in the in-vivo models hen's egg test and Drosophila melanogaster', Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 74(1). doi:10.26402/jpp.2023.1.04 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.26402/jpp.2023.1.04 - Intisar, A., Zhang, L., Luo, H., Kiazolu, J.B., Zhang, R. and Zhang, W (2012) 'Anticancer constituents and cytotoxic activity of methanol-water extract of Polygonum bistorta L', African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 10(1), pp. 53-59. doi:10.4314/ajtcam.v10i1.9 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.4314/ajtcam.v10i1.9 - Liu, Y., Weng, Y., Lin, H., Tang, S., Chen, C., Liang, C., Ku, C. and Lin, J (2017) 'Aqueous extract of Polygonum bistorta modulates proteostasis by ROS-induced ER stress in human hepatoma cells', Scientific Reports, 7, pp. 41437. doi:10.1038/srep41437 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep41437 - Khan, S., Arshad, S., Masood, I., Arif, A., Abbas, S., Qureshi, A.W., Parveen, A. and Seemab Ameen, Z (2023) 'GC-MS Analysis of Persicaria bistorta: Uncovering the Molecular Basis of Its Traditional Medicinal Use', Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 196(4), pp. 2270--2288. doi:10.1007/s12010-023-04580-0 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-023-04580-0 - WebMD (n.d.) 'Bistort: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews'. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-75/bistort Traditional / reference
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-75/bistort - (2020) 'Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity of bistort (Bistorta officinalis) aqueous extract and its major components - justification of the usage of the medicinal plant material as a traditional topical agent', Journal of Ethnopharmacology. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2020.113077 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2020.113077
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.