This herb is BULK DISCOUNTED in our 10 lb & 25 lb bulk packs. To find the bulk packs, just copy and paste the herb name into our Search, or refer to our Bulk By The Kilo & Ton category.

We use only 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose "00" capsules for all of our encapsulated products. We offer both bulk powder and capsules. Obviously our bulk bottles are bulk powder, not capsules, but the capsule weight is included to give you a way of judging the recommended dosage.

Bugleweed - Botanical Extract 4:1 -- Approximately 600 mg. each capsule. 1/2 teaspoon of powder is about equal to one capsule. Powder can be consumed by sprinkling it over your food or mixing it with a syrup such as maple or chocolate. You could also mix it with orange juice. The citric acid in the orange juice will help to mask any unpleasant powder tastes.

Other common names: Water Bugle, Gypsy Weed, Sweet Bugle, Virginia Water Horehound, Water Horehound, Gypsywort, Virginia Bugleweed

Modern herbalists use Bugleweed to treat hyperthyroidism and to regulate an overactive thyroid gland. It is also used to tone the heart and stabilize rapid or irregular heartbeat, relieving nervous palpitations and strengthening the heartbeat.

History:
Bugleweed is a very common weed that is native to North America and is also found in Europe. From its perennial, creeping root, a smooth stem with lance-shaped leaves on short stalks rises to a height of two feet and bears clustered purple flowers. Both American Bugleweed (Lycopus virginicus/Lycopus americanus) and its European cousin (Lycopus europaeus) grow in very wet areas and are used interchangeably. The plant thrives in low, damp ground in moist-to-wet soil in sun or partial shade and flowers from July to September.

Oddly, the herb's historical medicinal applications do not match its current use in today's herbal medicine. Bugleweed was officially listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia in the late nineteenth century as an effective anti-hemorrhagic and sedative, but modern herbalists regard it as a specific for an over-active thyroid gland and nervous heart palpitations. It is considered a bitter, faintly aromatic herb, and its aerial parts (above ground) are used in herbal medicine.

Some of the constituents in Bugleweed include a bitter principle, lycopine, tannins, resin, essential oil, as well as caffeic-, chlorogenic-, ellagic-, rosmarinic-, lithospermic- and other acids.

Beneficial Uses:
Bugleweed is mainly used today to treat hyperthyroidism. The lithospermic and other organic acids are believed to be responsible for the herb's ability to decrease levels of several thyroid-stimulating hormones, notably thyroxine, that act to inhibit the binding of antibodies to the thyroid gland - the antibodies that are said to cause Graves' disease. It is thought to be particularly helpful in treating Graves' disease when there is cardiac involvement, especially where there are symptoms of a racing heart, shaking and tightness of breathing.

Bugleweed is said to tone the heart and stabilize rapid or irregular heartbeat with an effect similar to, but less powerful than, digitalis. It is believed to increase myocardial contraction, strengthen the heartbeat, lower the heart rate and ease nervous tachardia and palpitations.

As an astringent, Bugleweed was used historically (and is still thought) to help control internal bleeding, including excessive menstrual bleeding, hemorrhoidal bleeding and bleeding from the lungs and bowel. Those same properties are also thought to help relieve diarrhea.