Rumex Acetosa
Part used: Root, herb and seed
Energetics: Cooling, drying, sour
Actions: Antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant
Indications: Sinusitis, high blood pressure
Sheep sorrel has long been used as a wild food source of edible greens possessing an astringent and tangy taste. Popular in salads and cooked dishes alike, sorrel is mentioned in many old English recipe books. It has also been used traditionally as a curdling agent in the production of cheese. The plant has been used as a digestive stimulant, astringent, diuretic and considered by early herbals to be a drying and cooling agent. Being rich in vitamins, the herb was used in scurvy and other scrofulous skin disorders. The roots and seeds were also well regarded for their use in haemorrhages, owing to the astringency. As sheep’s sorrel is high in oxalates the plant should not be consumed in excess in its raw form, especially by those with kidney disorders. The herb is also an ingredient in the popular cancer treatments – Essiac and Flor-essence [1].
Herbal Monographs, The Herbal Extract Company of Australia 2021
Sheep sorrel is used in our Essiac Tea.