Filipendula ulmaria.  Spiraea ulmaria   Meadowsweet, Queen of the Meadow, Bridewort   Family: Rosaceae   
PART USED: Arial parts
ACTIONS
GROUP: The Gastro-Intestinal Tract- Stomachic
1. Stomachic.[1,2,3] Stomachic normalizer. Antacid.[3]
2. Antirheumatic.[1,2,3]
3. Astringent.[1,2,3]
4. Diaphoretic.
5. Diuretic. Mild Urinary Antiseptic.
6. Febrifuge.
INDICATIONS
1. Normalize gastric secretions. Atonic Dyspepsia with heartburn and hyperacidity. To prevent or treat peptic ulcers. Diarrhea especially in children.
2. Urinary infections including acute cystitis. Edema. Kidney stones. Acute catarrhal cystitis.
3. Rheumatic and arthritic pain. Gout
4. Hemorrhages
5. Gout.
6. Wounds, ulcers.
7. Fevers including influenza measles, scarlet fever.
COMBINATIONS
- Gastric conditions, with Marshmallow and Lemon balm. Add Black horehound if vomiting.
PREPARATIONS
Dried herb  4-6 g.
Infusion (S)  80-120 ml.
Fluid extract 1:1  25% alcohol,[4]  1.5-6 ml. 2-4 ml.[3]
Tincture  1:5 in 45% alcohol  2-4 ml.[1,2]
Local: Lotion.[2]

ORIGIN: Common wild plant in Britain, throughout Europe, parts of Asia and North America.
DESCRIPTION: Leaves long-stalked, pinnate, with 2-5 pairs of toothed leaflets more than 2 cm long, and small leaflets in between. Stipules green abouve, downy beneath. Flowers in dense clusters, creamy, with 5 or 6 petals, 2-5 mm across.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research
Decoctions of Meadowsweet have shown antiulcer effects in rats, when the ulcer has been caused by aspirin and ethanol (but not histamine) induced in rats.[1,2] Therefore the phenolic glycosides and volatile oil are not exerting the same effects as other salicylates in these preparations.[3]
Extracts also have other properties including lowering of motor activity, increasing the tonus of isolated guineapig and rabbit intestine and uterus.[4,5]
The tannins are bactericidal in vitro against Corynebacterium diptheriae, Shigella dysentericae and Diplococcus pneumoniae.[6]
References
[1] Barnaulov, O. D. et. al. (1977) Rastit. Resur. 13 (4), 661
[2] Barnaulov, O. D. and Densienko, P. (1980) Farmakol. Tolsicol. 43 (6), 700
[3] Martindale. The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 27th Ed. Pub. The Pharmaceutical Press (1977) UK
[4] Lindeman, A. et al. (1982) Lebens. Wiss. und Tachnol. 15 (5), 286
[5] Barnaulov, O. D. (1978) Rastit. Resur. 14 (4), 573
[6] Kasarnovski, L. S. (1962) Tr. Khar'kovsk Farmats. Inst. 2, 23

Inhibitory activity of Filipendula ulmaria constituents on recombinant human histidine decarboxylase.
Nitta Y, Kikuzaki H, Azuma T, Ye Y, Sakaue M, Higuchi Y, Komori H, Ueno H.
Abstract
Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) catalyses the formation of histamine, a bioactive amine. Agents that control HDC activity are beneficial for treating histamine-mediated symptoms, such as allergies and stomach ulceration. We searched for inhibitors of HDC from the ethyl acetate extract of the petal of Filipendula ulmaria, also called meadowsweet. Rugosin D, rugosin A, rugosin A methyl ester (a novel compound), and tellimagrandin II were the main components; these 4 ellagitannins exhibited a non-competitive type of inhibition, with K(i) values of approximately 0.35-1 μM. These K(i) values are nearly equal to that of histidine methyl ester (K(i)=0.46 μM), an existing substrate analogue inhibitor. Our results show that food products contain potent HDC inhibitors and that these active food constituents might be useful for designing clinically available HDC inhibitors.
PMID: 23411280 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.10.074  Food Chem. 2013 Jun 1;138(2-3):1551-6. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.10.074. Epub 2012 Nov 12. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

In vitro and in vivo assessment of meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) as anti-inflammatory agent
Jelena Katanić, Tatjana Boroja, Vladimir Mihailović, Stefanie Nikles, San-Po Pan, Gvozden Rosić, Dragica Selaković, Jovana Joksimović, Slobodanka Mitrović, Rudolf Bauer
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance: Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim, Rosaceae) has been traditionally used in most European countries for the treatment of inflammatory diseases due to its antipyretic, analgesic, astringent, and anti-rheumatic properties. However, there is little scientific evidence on F. ulmaria anti-inflammatory effects regarding its impact on cyclooxygenases enzymatic activity and in vivo assessment of anti-inflammatory potential. This study aims to reveal the anti-inflammatory activity of methanolic extracts from the aerial parts (FUA) and roots (FUR) of F. ulmaria, both in in vitro and in vivo conditions.
Materials and methods: The characteristic phenolic compounds in F. ulmaria extracts were monitored via high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of F. ulmaria extracts was evaluated using cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme assays, and an assay for determining COX-2 gene expression. The in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of F. ulmaria extracts was determined in two doses (100 and 200 mg/kg b.w.) with hot plate test and carrageenan-induced paw edema test in rats. Inflammation was also evaluated by histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis.
Results: FUA extract showed the presence of rutoside, spiraeoside, and isoquercitrin. Both F. ulmaria extracts at a concentration of 50μg/mL were able to inhibit COX-1 and -2 enzyme activities, whereby FUA extract (62.84% and 46.43% inhibition, respectively) was double as effective as the root extract (32.11% and 20.20%, respectively). Extracts hardly inhibited the level of COX-2 gene expression in THP-1 cells at a concentration of 25μg/mL (10.19% inhibition by FUA and 8.54% by FUR). In the hot plate test, both extracts in two doses (100 and 200mg/kg b.w.), exhibited an increase in latency time when compared with the control group (p<0.05). In the carrageenan-induced acute inflammation test, FUA at doses of 100 and 200mg/kg b.w., and FUR at 200mg/kg, were able to significantly reduce the mean maximal swelling of rat paw until 6h of treatment. Indomethacin, FUA, and FUR extracts significantly decreased inflammation score and this effect was more pronounced after 24h, compared to the control group (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The observed results of in vitro and, for the first time, in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of meadowsweet extracts, provide support of the traditional use of this plant in the treatment of different inflammatory conditions. Further investigation of the anti-inflammatory compounds could reveal the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action of these extracts.
J Ethnopharmacol . 2016 Dec 4;193:627-636. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.10.015. Epub 2016 Oct 6.
PMID: 27721054 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.10.015 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov