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Agrimonia pilosa exerts its hemostatic effects primarily through its high tannin content, which causes vasoconstriction and protein precipitation to help seal bleeding vessels. The herb also contains agrimonolide and flavonoids like luteolin and quercetin, which contribute to its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds work together to promote blood clotting and reduce hemorrhage. Evidence level: C, based on in vitro and animal studies demonstrating hemostatic activity.
Does Agrimonia pilosa interact with blood thinners or other medications?
Due to its hemostatic properties, Agrimonia pilosa may theoretically interact with anticoagulant medications such as warfarin, heparin, or antiplatelet drugs like aspirin and clopidogrel. The herb's ability to promote clotting could counteract the effects of these medications, potentially increasing thrombosis risk. Additionally, the high tannin content may reduce absorption of certain medications if taken concurrently. Patients on blood thinners should consult a healthcare provider before using this herb. Evidence level: C, based on pharmacological understanding.
What is the standard dosage of Agrimonia pilosa for adults?
The traditional dosage for Agrimonia pilosa is 9-15 grams of dried herb prepared as a decoction (boiled in water). This range is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine practice and pharmacopoeial standards. The herb is typically divided into two or three doses throughout the day. For topical applications on wounds or bleeding, concentrated decoctions may be used externally. Due to limited clinical trial data, dosing should be guided by a qualified practitioner. Evidence level: Traditional/C.
Is Agrimonia pilosa safe to take during pregnancy?
Agrimonia pilosa is considered unsafe during pregnancy and should be avoided. The herb's strong hemostatic properties and potential uterine effects pose risks to fetal development and pregnancy outcomes. Traditional contraindications explicitly list pregnancy as a condition where high doses should be avoided. Women who are pregnant or trying to conceive should not use this herb without explicit guidance from a qualified healthcare provider. Evidence level: C, based on traditional use and pharmacological properties.
What conditions is Agrimonia pilosa used to treat?
Agrimonia pilosa is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine primarily for bleeding conditions, including hemoptysis, hematemesis, and traumatic bleeding. It is also employed for intestinal parasitic infections, particularly roundworm and tapeworm. Additional traditional uses include digestive complaints such as diarrhea and dysentery, as well as antibacterial applications for wound healing. The herb's astringent properties make it valuable for conditions involving fluid leakage or hemorrhage. Evidence level: C, based primarily on traditional use and limited preclinical research.
PubMed-compiled information sheet
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. is a traditional medicinal plant from the Rosaceae family used primarily in Asia and Eastern Europe for its anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and hemostatic properties [PMID:35529922, PMID:36046524, PMID:36177633].
Background
Also known as hairy agrimony or dragon's tooth grass, Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant widely distributed in China, Korea, and Japan [PMID:36046524, PMID:35062039]. The medicinal parts used are typically the dried above-ground parts or roots [PMID:36046524, PMID:28731232].
Traditional uses
Traditionally used in Chinese medicine to treat tumors, trichomoniasis, vaginitis, diarrhea, and dysentery [PMID:35529922]. It is also used for malaria, detoxification, as a tonic for deficiency, sore throat, abdominal pain, headache, parasites, and eczema [PMID:36046524, PMID:36177633, PMID:35892715].
Active compounds
The plant contains over 100 secondary metabolites, including flavonoids (e.g., quercetin, quercitrin, apigenin), isocoumarins (e.g., agrimonolide), triterpenes, phloroglucinol derivatives, tannins (e.g., agrimoniin), and organic acids [PMID:35529922, PMID:28731232, PMID:37259301, PMID:38257196, PMID:34923054]. Lignans have also been isolated from ethanol extracts [PMID:35718520].
Mechanism of action
Mechanisms include the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/Bcl-2 pathway in lung cancer cells [PMID:40311718], activation of the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway to suppress lipogenesis and upregulate fatty acid oxidation in NASH models [PMID:41515160], and inhibition of the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathways to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines [PMID:41766301, PMID:33308100]. It may also improve insulin resistance by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation via the Nrf2 and PPARγ pathways [PMID:37710214].
Clinical evidence
Evidence BImmunosenescence
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in middle-aged Japanese adults evaluated the removal of senescent CD8+ T cells using agrimol-containing extract [PMID:40004995].
In mouse models, extract reduced body weight, liver enzymes (AST, ALT), and attenuated hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis [PMID:41801766, PMID:41515160].
Evidence DNon-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Extract induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells and inhibited tumor growth in mouse transplantation models [PMID:40311718].
Evidence DColorectal Cancer
Quercetin and quercitrin from the plant inhibited the migration and invasion of colon cancer cells via the JNK signaling pathway [PMID:35337161]; extracts showed anti-proliferation effects in AOM/DSS induced CRC mice [PMID:38604 la].
Evidence DType 2 Diabetes / Insulin Resistance
Flavonoid components improved adipose insulin resistance by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation [PMID:37710214]; aqueous extract ameliorated hyperglycemia and hepatic steatosis in ovariectomized rats [PMID:32492866].
Safety & adverse effects
Agrimonolide showed no cytotoxicity across various cell types in vitro [PMID:37259301]. Systemic toxicity markers (AST, ALT, ALP, BUN) and organ weights were monitored in respiratory inflammation models [PMID:41766301].
Evidence summary
The majority of evidence is derived from in vitro studies and animal models (Level D), focusing on phytochemical isolation and pharmacological mechanisms. There is limited clinical evidence from one randomized controlled trial (Level B) regarding immunosenescence.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 35718520 (2022) — [Lignans from Agrimonia pilosa]. · Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2.PMID: 35529922 (2022) — Agrimonia pilosa: A Phytochemical and Pharmacological Review. · Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3.PMID: 36046524 (2022) — Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb.: A review of its traditional uses, botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology. · Heliyon
4.PMID: 28731232 (2017) — A comprehensive review of agrimoniin. · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
5.PMID: 36177633 (2023) — The Medicinal Plant Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb.: Botanical Description, Traditional use, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology. · Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
Extract showed lung-protective effects and reduced airway inflammation via NF-κB/MAPK inhibition in OVA+LPS mouse models [PMID:41766301].
Evidence DCholestatic Liver Injury
Agrimonolide dose-dependently alleviated ductular proliferation, fibrosis, and macrophage infiltration in DDC-induced mice [PMID:40783358].
6.PMID: 41801766 (2026) — Multi-target protective effects of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis in mice. · Pharmaceutical biology
7.PMID: 40311718 (2025) — Agrimonia pilosa Extract suppresses NSCLC growth through regulating PI3K/AKT/Bcl-2 pathway. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
8.PMID: 41515160 (2025) — Agrimonia pilosa Extract Alleviates CDAHFD-Induced Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis and Fibrosis in Mice. · Nutrients
9.PMID: 32567424 (2022) — Secondary metabolites isolated from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. · Natural product research
10.PMID: 37259301 (2023) — Current Progress and Outlook for Agrimonolide: A Promising Bioactive Compound from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. · Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
11.PMID: 17262333 (1989) — Antimicrobial Principles of Xian he cao (Agrimonia pilosa). · Planta medica
12.PMID: 38081397 (2024) — Baiheqingjin formula reduces inflammation in mice with asthma by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/NF-κb signaling pathway. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
13.PMID: 38257196 (2024) — Anti-Inflammatory Flavonoids from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb: Focusing on Activity-Guided Isolation. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
15.PMID: 34923054 (2022) — The triterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids from the plant of Agrimonia pilosa. · Fitoterapia
16.PMID: 35062039 (2022) — Systematic Identification of the Main Constituents from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. and Their Metabolites in Rats using HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. · Planta medica
17.PMID: 38604512 (2024) — The anti-colorectal cancer effect and metabolites of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
18.PMID: 37710214 (2023) — Flavonoid compound from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb improves adipose insulin resistance by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation. · BMC complementary medicine and therapies
19.PMID: 28237881 (2017) — New cytotoxic phloroglucinol derivatives from Agrimonia pilosa. · Fitoterapia
20.PMID: 29301599 (2017) — Experimental Study on the Protection of Agrimony Extracts from Different Extracting Methods against Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury. · Chinese medical sciences journal = Chung-kuo i hsueh k'o hsueh tsa chih
21.PMID: 32492866 (2020) — Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. Ameliorates Hyperglycemia and Hepatic Steatosis in Ovariectomized Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet. · Nutrients
22.PMID: 40004995 (2025) — Preliminary Data on the Senolytic Effects of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. Extract Containing Agrimols for Immunosenescence in Middle-Aged Humans: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Comparison Study. · Nutrients
23.PMID: 40783358 (2025) — Agrimonolide from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb attenuates cholestatic liver injury and macrophage infiltration via the inhibition of bile acid excretion transporters. · International immunopharmacology
24.PMID: 33164773 (2021) — Chemical profile of Xian-He-Cao-Chang-Yan formula and its effects on ulcerative colitis. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
25.PMID: 35892715 (2022) — Proteomics Analysis of Antitumor Activity of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. in Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells. · Current issues in molecular biology
26.PMID: 33308100 (2020) — Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb Root Extract: Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Medicinal Herb in LPS-Induced Inflammation. · The American journal of Chinese medicine
27.PMID: 41766301 (2026) — Mechanistic insight into the anti-inflammatory and lung-protective effects of Agrimonia pilosa extract via NF-κB/MAPK inhibition in ovalbumin- and lipopolysaccharide-induced respiratory inflammation models. · Pharmaceutical biology
28.PMID: 31957180 (2020) — Protective effect of Agrimonia pilosa polysaccharides on dexamethasone-treated MC3T3-E1 cells via Wnt/β-Catenin pathway. · Journal of cellular and molecular medicine
29.PMID: 35337161 (2022) — Quercetin and Quercitrin from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb Inhibit the Migration and Invasion of Colon Cancer Cells through the JNK Signaling Pathway. · Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
30.PMID: 36046031 (2022) — The mixture of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. extract produces analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model. · Animal cells and systems