Omnia SanaCommon names in 18 European languages →
The complete database record: 6 documented constituents, 8 pharmacological actions, 9 traditional / indicated uses, with 16 cited sources.
Botanical Description
A tall, erect perennial herb of the primrose family, 60-150 cm high, spreading by creeping rhizomes to form patches. The stems are softly downy and bear lance-shaped leaves in whorls of three or four (or opposite pairs), often gland-dotted. Bright yellow, five-petalled star-shaped flowers, about 15 mm across and often with reddish margins to the sepals, are carried in leafy branching clusters (panicles) at the top of the stem in summer. Despite the shared name 'loosestrife', it is unrelated to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).[4]
Habitat & Distribution
Wet ground: margins of rivers, lakes, ponds and ditches, fens, marshes, wet meadows and damp woodland, across Europe and temperate Asia (and naturalised in North America). It favours moist to waterlogged, fertile soils in sun or light shade and can form dense stands.[4]
Harvesting
The flowering aerial parts (leaves, stems, flowers) are gathered in summer while in flower and dried; the root/rhizome is also used. The plant is best cut from established patches in wet ground.[4]
Key Constituents
Flavonol glycosides - notably rutin - are the principal antioxidant constituents of yellow loosestrife.
Caffeic-acid derivatives and chlorogenic acid (antioxidant).
Oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins characteristic of the genus Lysimachia.
Root isocoumarins and benzoquinones with PCSK9-inhibitory (lipid-lowering) activity.
The lignan pinoresinol and loliolide, which reduce hepatic lipogenesis.
Pharmacological Actions
Antibacterial activity of the phenolic-rich extract.
Antitumor activity of L. vulgaris extract; genus congeners (L. christinae, L. capillipes saponins) show anticancer activity.
Ameliorates liver fibrosis and NASH in mice (L. vulgaris var. davurica).
Root isocoumarins/benzoquinones inhibit PCSK9 expression and loliolide/pinoresinol reduce hepatic lipogenesis via liver-X-receptor degradation.
Improves diarrhoea-predominant IBS (L. vulgaris var. davurica); traditional astringent antidiarrhoeal.
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anticancer action
more plants for cancer (anticancer research) →detailed sources →
Ameliorates liver fibrosis/NASH in animal models.
PCSK9 inhibition and reduced hepatic lipogenesis (lipid-lowering).
Improves NASH/metabolic and lipid parameters in animal models.
Improves diarrhoea-predominant IBS; traditional astringent antidiarrhoeal.
Improved diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (var. davurica).
more plants for irritable bowel syndrome (ibs) →detailed sources →
inferred from antibacterial action
inferred from astringent/styptic traditional use
Traditional Use & History
Yellow loosestrife has a European folk-medicine reputation as an astringent and styptic: the flavonoid- and tannin-rich herb was used to stop bleeding (nosebleeds, wounds), for diarrhoea and dysentery, as a gargle and wash for mouth ulcers and sore throat, and to soothe inflammation. The dried herb was also burned to repel insects. More broadly, the genus Lysimachia is important in East Asian medicine - the closely related L. vulgaris var. davurica is used for liver and digestive complaints, while other congeners such as L. christinae (jin qian cao) are classic remedies for urinary and gallstones - reflecting a shared saponin and flavonoid chemistry.[2, 4, 10]
Preparations
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Safety data are limited and there are no human clinical trials; avoid medicinal doses in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Contains astringent tannins and flavonoids; large or prolonged doses may cause digestive upset and can reduce absorption of iron and some medicines.
Much of the pharmacological data are for Lysimachia vulgaris var. davurica and closely related Lysimachia species (e.g. L. christinae, L. foenum-graecum); apply to the plain species with appropriate caution.
Herb-Drug Interactions
Herb-Herb Pairings
Both are Primulaceae rich in triterpenoid saponins and flavonoids; related family chemistry rather than a specific therapeutic combination.
Botanical Synonyms
Lysimachia vulgaris var. davurica
Harvest Readiness
[16]
[16]
[16]
External Identifiers
References & Sources
- Pel, P. and Kim, Y. and Kim, H.J. and Nhoek, P. and An, C. and Son, M. and Won, H. and Lee, S.E. and Lee, J. and Kim, H.W. and Choi, Y.H. and Lee, C.H. and Chin, Y (2022) 'Isocoumarins and Benzoquinones with Their Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) Expression Inhibitory Activities from Dried Roots of Lysimachia vulgaris', ACS Omega, 7(50), pp. 47296-47305. doi:10.1021/acsomega.2c06660 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.2c06660 - Son, Y. and Jung, D.S. and Shin, J.M. and Kim, M. and Yoo, G. and Nho, C.W (2021) 'Yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris var. davurica) ameliorates liver fibrosis in db/db mice with methionine- and choline-deficient diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis', BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 21(1), pp. 44. doi:10.1186/s12906-021-03212-6 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-021-03212-6 - Kim, H. and Kim, C. and Oh, D. and Kim, Y. and Choi, C. and Kim, J (2024) 'Development and Validation of a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Method to Quantify Marker Compounds in Lysimachia vulgaris var. davurica and Its Effects in Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome', Molecules, 29(7), pp. 1489. doi:10.3390/molecules29071489 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29071489 - Yildirim, A.B. and Guner, B. and Karakas, F.P. and Turker, A.U (2017) 'Evaluation of Antibacterial, Antitumor, Antioxidant Activities and Phenolic Constituents of Field-Grown and In Vitro-Grown Lysimachia vulgaris L', African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 14(2), pp. 177-187. doi:10.21010/ajtcam.v14i2.19 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.21010/ajtcam.v14i2.19 - Kim, S.Y. and Lee, J.Y. and Jhin, C. and Shin, J.M. and Kim, M. and Ahn, H.R. and Yoo, G. and Son, Y. and Jung, S.H. and Nho, C.W (2019) 'Reduction of Hepatic Lipogenesis by Loliolide and Pinoresinol from Lysimachia vulgaris via Degrading Liver X Receptors', Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 67(45), pp. 12419-12427. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.9b01488 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.9b01488 - Rzadkowska-Bodalska, H. and Olechnowicz-Stepien, W (1975) 'Flavonoids in the herb of yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris L.)', Polish Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, 27(3), pp. 345-348. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Flavonoids%20in%20the%20herb%20of%20yellow%20loosestrife%20%28Lysimachia%20vulgaris%20L.%29 - Toth, A. and Vegh, K. and Alberti, A. and Beni, S. and Kery, A (2016) 'A new ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography method for the determination of antioxidant flavonol aglycones in six Lysimachia species', Natural Product Research, 30(20), pp. 2372-2377. doi:10.1080/14786419.2016.1174233 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2016.1174233 - Oiseth, D. and Nordal, A (1952) 'The determination of rutin in Lysimachia vulgaris L', Pharmaceutica Acta Helvetiae, 27(12), pp. 361-363. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=The%20determination%20of%20rutin%20in%20Lysimachia%20vulgaris%20L. - Toth, A. and Toth, G. and Kery, A (2014) 'Polyphenol composition and antioxidant capacity of three Lysimachia species', Natural Product Communications, 9(10), pp. 1473-1478. doi:10.1177/1934578×1400901017 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578×1400901017 - Zheng, X. and Lv, S. and Wang, W. and Zhu, L. and Lin, L (2025) 'Lysimachia christinae Hance aqueous extract ameliorates renal injury in kidney stone rats and calcium oxalate crystal-induced oxidative stress in HK-2 cells via inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway', Histology and Histopathology, 41(3), pp. 467-478. doi:10.14670/HH-18-964 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.14670/HH-18-964 - Kim, H.A. and Lee, D.S. and Lee, H. and Lee, J (2020) 'Lysimachia christinae Hance as an anticancer agent against breast cancer cells', Food Science and Nutrition, 8(10), pp. 5717-5728. doi:10.1002/fsn3.1875 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.1875 - Tian, L.J. and Yang, N.Y. and Chen, W.Q (2008) 'Triterpene saponins from Lysimachia christinae', Journal of Asian Natural Products Research, 10(3), pp. 291-296. doi:10.1080/10286020701605265 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020701605265 - Li, H.Y. and Hao, Z.B. and Wang, X.L. and Huang, L. and Li, J.P (2008) 'Antioxidant activities of extracts and fractions from Lysimachia foenum-graecum Hance', Bioresource Technology, 100(2), pp. 970-974. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2008.07.021 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2008.07.021 - Hung, N.Q. and Hong Anh, N.T. and Khang, N.S. and Huong, N.T.T. and Luyen, N.T. and Hau, D.V. and Dat, N.T (2021) 'Undescribed chalcone and stilbene constituents from Lysimachia baviensis and their anti-inflammatory effect', Natural Product Research, 37(7), pp. 1138-1145. doi:10.1080/14786419.2021.1994564 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2021.1994564 - Ibrahim, S.R.M. and Mohamed, G.A. and Sharif, A. and Fayed, M.A.A. and Fouda, W.M. and Mohamed, H.M (2026) 'Capilliposides from Lysimachia capillipes: triterpene saponins with potential anticancer activities', Natural Product Research, pp. 1-13. doi:10.1080/14786419.2026.2664710 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2026.2664710 - Plants For A Future 'Lysimachia vulgaris (Yellow Loosestrife)'. Available at: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Lysimachia+vulgaris Traditional / reference
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Lysimachia+vulgaris
Selected studies & references
All 15 studies in the Knowledge Finder →
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