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Horsetail (bottlebrush)
Equisetum arvense
This page contains information on horsetail and how it is used as a herb in alternative herbal treatments to treat ailments and problems, such as prostate problems, boosting connective tissue and healing wounds.
On this page
Please note that we are not advocating that people stop using their normal medication, but would like to make people aware that some alternative therapies can be very effective to help treat problems and create a healthier, younger and more vital you. For more information on our range of products, please click here.
Although we believe in the therapeutic and healing properties of herbs, care must be taken in the use thereof, as they are powerful compounds.
Family |
Equisetaceae |
Genus and specie |
Equisetum arvense |
Field horsetail, bottlebrush, scouring rush, pewterwort, corncob plant and shave grass.
Horsetail is an herbaceous perennial with a hairy, tuberous rhizome. The stems are erect, without leaves or hairs and have black-toothed sheaths with whorls of spreading, green branches.
The dried stems are used.
Horsetail controls internal and external bleeding and is an astringent, healing herb, but its main effect is on the genito-urinary system. It helps to rejuvenate the hair, nails and skin, increasing calcium absorption and helping to rebuild connective tissue.
It is the plant that absorbs the most gold from the soil than any other plant (minute amounts), making it useful in treating arthritis.
It contains silicic acid, potassium, aluminum salts, flavonoids, equisetolic acid and alkaloids.
- Internal use
- It is used internally for the treatment of prostate problems, urinary tract infection, kidney stones, incontinence, cystitis and urethritis, as well as arthritis and hemorrhage.
- It is high in silica, which is helpful for repairing connective tissue and cartilage, as well as healing wounds.
- External use
- Horsetail is used externally to boost the skin and nails and also helps with hemorrhage.
- A compress made from this herb is also useful in treating wounds.
- Horsetail has traditionally been used as a diuretic, haemostatic and remineralizer.
- At first it was believed that the diuretic activity was caused by the inorganic elements of the plant (silicon), but today it seems to have been demonstrated that the action is caused by the flavonoids and saponins.
- It has a considerable haemostatic and cicatrizing action and has therefore been used traditionally to treat certain hemorrhages.
- Its rematerializing action must also be stressed, this is caused by the silicon content.
- In cosmetics, Horsetail is used as an epithelial regenerator, due to the presence of saponins and flavonoids in its composition.
- These components act to cicatrize and epithelize the skin, and silicon has also been attributed with a stabilizing action on the conjunctive tissue working through epithelial regeneration to strengthen this tissue.
- Aromatherapy and essential oil use
Horsetail can be an irritant and internal use should be for a short limited period only. It should not be used on children.
To promote the interest and use of herbs and natural complementary health alternatives, we have included information on the following herbs.
Please note - although we discuss a wide variety of herbs, not all of them are used or sold by us.
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