Omnia SanaCommon names in 16 European languages →
The complete database record: 6 documented constituents, 12 pharmacological actions, 9 traditional / indicated uses, with 30 cited sources.
Botanical Description
A tough, deep-rooted perennial herb or low subshrub of the pea family, 30-80 cm tall, sometimes bearing soft spines. It has a very long, woody, tenacious taproot - so strong it was said to stop (arrest) the harrow, giving 'rest-harrow' its name. The stems are hairy and sticky, often reddish, and clothed in small trifoliolate (clover-like) leaves with toothed leaflets. The flowers are typical pea flowers, pink to purplish-pink (occasionally white), borne singly or in pairs in the leaf axils. Field restharrow (O. arvensis) is generally less spiny than its close relative spiny restharrow (O. spinosa).[8, 10]
Habitat & Distribution
Rough grassland, field margins, roadsides, dunes and dry, sandy or calcareous waste ground across Europe, western Asia and parts of North Africa. As a deep-rooted, nitrogen-fixing legume it colonises poor, disturbed soils and was historically a troublesome weed of arable fields (hence 'restharrow').[8]
Harvesting
The root (Ononidis radix) is the principal medicinal part, dug in autumn from the second year onward and dried; the aerial flowering parts are also gathered in summer. The long woody taproot is cleaned and cut before drying for decoctions and infusions.[8]
Key Constituents
Formononetin and its 7-O-glucoside ononin, plus related isoflavones - the signature restharrow constituents (also phytoestrogens).
Pterocarpans and isoflavanones and their glucosides, contributing to antimicrobial and wound-healing activity.
alpha-Onocerin (onocerin), a characteristic triterpene of the genus Ononis.
Caffeic, chlorogenic and p-coumaric acids (antioxidant).
A volatile oil present in the root and aerial parts.
Pharmacological Actions
Aquaretic diuretic; the classic irrigation-therapy action of restharrow root (Ononidis radix), used interchangeably for O. arvensis and O. spinosa.
Aqueous root extract reduced adhesion of uropathogenic E. coli to bladder cells (anti-adhesive).
Inhibits IL-8 release via TLR4/LPS and cytosolic phospholipase A2alpha (restharrow root).
Isoflavonoids from restharrow root promote wound healing in vivo.
Analgesic activity of Ononis extract in animals (congener O. spinosa).
Protective against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury (congener O. spinosa).
Ononis isoflavones showed chemopreventive/antiproliferative activity against breast cancer cells (preclinical).
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anticancer action
more plants for cancer (anticancer research) →detailed sources →
Aquaretic diuretic for irrigation therapy of the urinary tract.
Anti-adhesive activity against uropathogenic E. coli.
more plants for urinary tract infection (uti) →detailed sources →
inferred from diuretic / urinary 'gravel' traditional use
inferred from diuretic (aquaretic) action
more plants for swelling / fluid retention →detailed sources →
inferred from antimicrobial action
Isoflavonoid wound-healing agents from restharrow root.
inferred from anti-inflammatory and traditional skin/eczema use
Ononis isoflavonoids (maackiain, ononin) showed anti-adipogenic activity via PPAR-gamma inhibition (preclinical).
more plants for cardiovascular / heart health →detailed sources →
Traditional Use & History
Restharrow root has a long place in European herbal medicine as a gentle aquaretic diuretic used for 'irrigation therapy' of the urinary tract - to increase urine flow in cystitis, urinary gravel and stones, and to flush the bladder. Field restharrow (Ononis arvensis) is used interchangeably with the officinal spiny restharrow (O. spinosa, Ononidis radix). The root and flowering herb have also been used as a mild anti-inflammatory, for skin complaints and eczema, for rheumatic conditions, and (as a decoction or gargle) for the mouth and throat. The isoflavone-rich root is a folk remedy in central and eastern European traditions.[8, 28]
Preparations
The dried root simmered in water and taken as an aquaretic diuretic for irrigation of the urinary tract; the classic restharrow preparation.
The flowering aerial parts infused as a milder diuretic and anti-inflammatory tea.
A root decoction used traditionally as a mouth/throat gargle and as a wash for skin complaints.
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
A safety signal exists in the genus: an Ononis spinosa root extract showed hepatotoxic effects at higher doses in animals (alongside analgesic activity). Avoid excessive or prolonged use, and use caution in liver disease.
Used as an aquaretic for irrigation therapy of the urinary tract, restharrow should be taken with a generous fluid intake; it should NOT be used for 'flushing' when there is oedema due to impaired heart or kidney function (standard irrigation-therapy caution).
Herb-Drug Interactions
Herb-Herb Pairings
Classic urinary irrigation-therapy pairing: both are aquaretic diuretics used to increase urine flow in cystitis and urinary gravel.
Both are traditional diuretic 'flushing' herbs for irrigation therapy of the urinary tract.
Both are Fabaceae rich in the isoflavone phytoestrogen formononetin; combined use adds to phytoestrogen exposure - use caution in hormone-sensitive conditions.
Botanical Synonyms
Ononis hircina, Ononis arvensis subsp. arvensis
Harvest Readiness
[27]
External Identifiers
References & Sources
- Gampe, N. and Darcsi, A. and Nagyne Nedves, A. and Boldizsar, I. and Kursinszki, L. and Beni, S (2019) 'Phytochemical analysis of Ononis arvensis L. by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry', Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 54(2), pp. 121-133. doi:10.1002/jms.4308 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/jms.4308 - Denes, T. and Bartha, S.G. and Kerenyi, M. and Varga, E. and Balazs, V.L. and Csepregi, R. and Papp, N (2017) 'Histological and antimicrobial study of Ononis arvensis L', Acta Biologica Hungarica, 68(3), pp. 321-333. doi:10.1556/018.68.2017.3.9 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1556/018.68.2017.3.9 - Gampe, N. and Nagy, E. and Kursinszki, L. and Beni, S (2021) 'Quantitative determination of isoflavonoids in Ononis species by UPLC-UV-DAD', Phytochemical Analysis, 32(4), pp. 474-481. doi:10.1002/pca.2995 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/pca.2995 - Gampe, N. and Szakacs, Z. and Darcsi, A. and Boldizsar, I. and Szoke, E. and Kuzovkina, I. and Kursinszki, L. and Beni, S (2021) 'Qualitative and Quantitative Phytochemical Analysis of Ononis arvensis Hairy Root Cultures', Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, pp. 622585. doi:10.3389/fpls.2020.622585 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.622585 - Pazdziora, W. and Grabowska, K. and Zagrodzki, P. and Pasko, P. and Prochownik, E. and Podolak, I. and Galanty, A (2025) 'Quantitative Analysis of Isoflavones from Ononis Species and Their Chemopreventive Potential on Breast Cancer Cells', Molecules, 30(11), pp. 2379. doi:10.3390/molecules30112379 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30112379 - Spilkova, J. and Bednar, P. and Stroblikova, R (2001) 'Capillary electrophoretic analysis of hydroxycinnamic acids from Ononis arvensis L', Die Pharmazie, 56(5), pp. 424-425. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Capillary%20electrophoretic%20analysis%20of%20hydroxycinnamic%20acids%20from%20Ononis%20arvensis%20L. - Spilkova, J. and Hubik, J (1982) 'Pharmacognosy study of Ononis arvensis L. II. Flavonoids and onocerin in the drug', Ceskoslovenska Farmacie, 31(1), pp. 24-26. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Pharmacognosy%20study%20of%20Ononis%20arvensis%20L.%20II.%20Flavonoids%20and%20onocerin%20in%20the%20drug - Rezacova, A. and Spilkova, J. and Hubik, J (1978) 'A pharmacognostic study of the species Ononis arvensis L', Ceskoslovenska Farmacie, 27(10), pp. 452-455. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A%20pharmacognostic%20study%20of%20the%20species%20Ononis%20arvensis%20L. - Felsberg, A.A. and Rosentsveig, P.E (1965) 'A comparative phytochemical study of the roots of Ononis arvensis L. and Ononis spinosa L', Aptechnoe Delo, 14(6), pp. 26-32. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A%20comparative%20phytochemical%20study%20of%20the%20roots%20of%20Ononis%20arvensis%20L.%20and%20Ononis%20spinosa%20L. - Sichinava, M.B. and Mchelidze, K.Z. and Churadze, M.V. and Alaniia, M.D. and Aneli, D.N (2014) 'Chemical composition and microstructural peculiarities of overground and underground vegetative organs of field restharrow (Ononis arvensis L.)', Georgian Medical News, (231), pp. 88-94. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Chemical%20composition%20and%20microstructural%20peculiarities%20of%20overground%20and%20underground%20vegetative%20organs%20of%20field%20restharrow%20%28Ononis%20arvensis%20L.%29 - Dedio, I. and Kozlowski, J (1977) 'Comparative morphological and phytochemical studies of Ononis spinosa L. and Ononis arvensis L. I. Biometric and chromatographic studies of methanolic extracts', Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica, 34(1), pp. 97-102. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Comparative%20morphological%20and%20phytochemical%20studies%20of%20Ononis%20spinosa%20L.%20and%20Ononis%20arvensis%20L.%20I.%20Biometric%20and%20chromatographic%20studies%20of%20methanolic%20extracts - Felsberg, A.A. and Rozentsveig, P.E (1965) 'Photochemical examination of Ononis arvensis. I', Aptechnoe Delo, 14(3), pp. 25-27. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Photochemical%20examination%20of%20Ononis%20arvensis.%20I - Manal Ahmad, A. and Yasser Ibrahim, K. and Manal Mohammad, A (2021) 'Efficacy of extract from Ononis spinosa L. on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats', Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 41(2), pp. 270-275. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Efficacy%20of%20extract%20from%20Ononis%20spinosa%20L.%20on%20ethanol-induced%20gastric%20mucosal%20injury%20in%20rats - Kırmızıgül, S. and Gören, N. and Yang, S. and Cordell, G.A. and Bozok-Johansson, C (1997) 'Spinonin, a Novel Glycoside from Ononis spinosa subsp. leiosperma', Journal of Natural Products. doi:10.1021/np9605652 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1021/np9605652 - Лужанин, В.Г. and Whaley, A.K. and Ponkratova, A.O. and Grishukova, E.A. and Suloev, I.S. and Смирнов, С.Н. and Serebryakov, E.B (2021) 'Isolation of Individual Compounds from the Terrestrial Parts of Ononis Arvensis L. and Solidago Canadensis L', Drug development & registration. doi:10.33380/2305-2066-2021-10-1-83-89 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.33380/2305-2066-2021-10-1-83-89 - Bogoutdinova, A. and Whaley, A.K. and Ponkratova, A.O. and Orlova, A. and Goncharov, M.Y. and Shpakova, V. and Farmanova, N.T. and Nurullaeva, D.K. and Sharipov, A. and Gambaryan, S. and Повыдыш, М.Н (2021) 'Isolation of formononetin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside from the grass of Ononis arvensis L. and the assessment of its effect on induced platelet activation', Drug development & registration. doi:10.33380/2305-2066-2021-10-4(1)-14-19 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.33380/2305-2066-2021-10-4(1)-14-19 - Paździora, W. and Grabowska, K. and Paśko, P. and Prochownik, E. and Podolak, I. and Galanty, A (2026) 'Multifaceted Evaluation of Isoflavone-Rich Fabaceae Species in Prostate Cancer In Vitro Models', Applied Sciences. doi:10.3390/app16136289 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/app16136289 - Ismailov, E. and Рогожникова, Е. and Марданлы, С.Г. and Мизина, П. and Kalinina, T.S (2024) 'COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SETTINGS FROM WILD SPECIES OF STEELWORM', Problems of Biological Medical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. doi:10.29296/25877313-2024-12-02 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.29296/25877313-2024-12-02 - DÉNES, T (2022) 'PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF ONONIS ARVENSIS L', FARMACIA. doi:10.31925/farmacia.2022.3.20 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.31925/farmacia.2022.3.20 - Zarga, M.H.A. and Al‐Jaber, H.I. and Al‐Qudah, M.A. and Al-Aboudi, A.M (2021) 'A new cyclic polyketide and other constituents from Ononis spinosa growing wildly in Jordan and their antioxidant activity', Journal of Asian Natural Products Research. doi:10.1080/10286020.2021.1914597 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2021.1914597 - (2009) 'Radical scavenger and Antioxidant activities of extracts and fractions from Bulgarian Ononis spinosa L. and GC-MS analysis of Ethanol extract', The Internet Journal of Alternative Medicine. doi:10.5580/121d Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.5580/121d - Davitavyan, N. and Е.Б., Н. and Pogulyay, Y. and Khochava, M. and Мизина, П. and Адамов, Г (2024) 'STUDYING THE HYPOLYPIDEMIC ACTIVITY OF FLAVONOIDS AND ISOFLAVONOIDS OF THE ONONIS ARVENSIS L. METHODS BY IN SILICO', Problems of Biological Medical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. doi:10.29296/25877313-2024-05-01 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.29296/25877313-2024-05-01 - Gampe, N. and Dávid, D.N. and Takács‐Novák, K. and Backlund, A. and Béni, S (2022) 'In vitro and in silico evaluation of Ononis isoflavonoids as molecules targeting the central nervous system', PLoS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0265639 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265639 - Pauli, G.F (2000) 'Comprehensive Spectroscopic Investigation of α-Onocerin', Planta Medica. doi:10.1055/s-2000-14895 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2000-14895 - Köster, J. and Strack, D. and Barz, W (1983) 'High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Separation of Isoflavones and Structural Elucidation of Isoflavone 7-O-glucoside 6″-malonates from Cicer arietinum', Planta Medica. doi:10.1055/s-2007-969907 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-969907 - Çoban, T. and Çitoğlu, G.S. and Yılmaz, B.S. and İşcan, M (2003) 'Antioxidant Activities of Plants Used in Traditional Medicine in Turkey', Pharmaceutical Biology. doi:10.1080/13880200390501974 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/13880200390501974 - Plantura 'Restharrow: how to grow and health benefits'. Available at: https://plantura.garden/uk/flowers-perennials/restharrow/restharrow-overview Traditional / reference
https://plantura.garden/uk/flowers-perennials/restharrow/restharrow-overview - Nechita, V. and Tarau, A. and Suster, A. and Nechita, M. and Toiu, A. and Benedec, D. and Hanganu, D. and Siserman, C. and Drugan, C. and Oniga, I (2026) 'Phytochemical Constituents and Biological Activities of Ononis spinosa: A Comprehensive Review', Plants (Basel), 15(9), pp. 1409. doi:10.3390/plants15091409 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15091409 - Addotey, J.N. and Lengers, I. and Jose, J. and Gampe, N. and Beni, S. and Petereit, F. and Hensel, A (2018) 'Isoflavonoids with inhibiting effects on human hyaluronidase-1 and norneolignan clitorienolactone B from Ononis spinosa L. root extract', Fitoterapia, 130, pp. 169-174. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2018.08.013 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2018.08.013 - Yilmaz, B.S. and Ozbek, H. and Citoglu, G.S. and Ugras, S. and Bayram, I. and Erdogan, E (2006) 'Analgesic and hepatotoxic effects of Ononis spinosa L', Phytotherapy Research, 20(6), pp. 500-503. doi:10.1002/ptr.1891 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1891
Selected studies & references
All 29 studies in the Knowledge Finder →
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