Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Multiple sclerosis add-on¹ Cancer-related fatigue^2–4 Gastrointestinal inflammation⁵ Nipple fissure in breastfeeding⁶	Asteraceae (Compositae) allergy^{7, 8} Pregnancy or lactation⁹

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is an Asteraceae herb used for centuries, whose flavonoids and monoterpene-rich essential oil act largely through anti-inflammatory pathways such as cyclooxygenase inhibition⁵. It is used for skin and wound healing, for gastrointestinal inflammation, and, in single trials, as an add-on in multiple sclerosis^{1, 5}. Typical patients include postpartum women applying an ointment to an episiotomy wound and oncology patients using external liver compresses for fatigue.

Evidence is mixed and rests on single small trials. In 2025, in vitro and equine wound work on a five-herb extract containing yarrow found reduced interleukin-8 and increased macrophage phagocytic activity; no human trial has tested it. About 460 United States products list yarrow, mostly liquid extracts with some capsules; see Form comparison.

The most consequential caution is allergic: yarrow carries sesquiterpene lactone sensitizers, and a majority of Compositae-sensitive patients reacted to a yarrow extract on patch testing^{7, 8}. A pharmacology review describes cytochrome P450 effects that may raise concentrations of erythromycin, diazepam, and cyclosporine⁵.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

39 sources, 31 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources