Cranesbill Geranium vs Cinquefoil

Side-by-side comparison of medicinal herbs

Herb

Cranesbill Geranium

Geranium maculatum

Digestive

Potentilla reptans

Digestive

Cranesbill Geranium

❌ Not recommended in pregnancy

✅ Generally safe while nursing

Cinquefoil

❌ Not recommended in pregnancy

✅ Generally safe while nursing

Description

Native North American perennial with deeply divided leaves; one of the best astringent herbs used by Indigenous peoples and Eclectic physicians.

Creeping perennial of European grasslands; roots used in folk medicine as astringent for diarrhea and wound healing.

Active Compounds

tannins (up to 28%), gallic acid, ellagic acid, flavonoids, phenolic acids

tannins, ellagitannins, flavonoids, phenolic acids

Traditional Uses

Diarrhea and dysentery by many Indigenous tribes, Wound healing and bleeding, Ulcers, Used by Menominee, Potawatomi and many tribes

Diarrhea in European folk medicine, Wound healing and bleeding, Fever reduction, Used across European folk herbal traditions

Modern Uses

Astringent (very high tannin), Wound healing, Antimicrobial, Anti-inflammatory

Astringent, Wound healing, Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial

Adult Dosage

2–4 g root as decoction; 2–4 mL tincture 3x daily

2–3 g root as decoction; 2–3 mL tincture; topical poultice

Contraindications

Pregnancy in large doses, Constipation

Side Effects

Constipation with overuse, Nausea from high tannins

Constipation with overuse

Drug Interactions

0 known interactions

Reviewed by: HerbAlly Editorial Team, Medical herbalists and healthcare professionals

Sources: WHO Monographs · NCCIH · PubMed · Commission E