Bidens Herb: Benefits, Uses and Precautions

Dr. Boris Wydoff

Bidens (Bidens tripartita) is an annual herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. In phytotherapy reference books, it is described as a traditional remedy used in the form of infusions, teas, and water decoctions. The plant was valued for its diuretic, sudorific, and other properties mentioned in herbal guides.

What is this plant and how to recognize Bidens?

I often talk about medicinal herbs from the very beginning: it’s important to first understand what exactly we’re dealing with. Bidens tripartita has the botanical name *Bidens tripartita L.* It is an annual herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family.

According to phytotherapy references, Bidens typically grows from about 30 to 100 cm tall. It has a straight, highly branched stem. The leaves are opposite and deeply three-lobed, with each lobe resembling elongated, serrated segments.

The flowers are small, yellow, and gathered in capitula (flower heads). These capitula have a brownish-yellow tint and are surrounded by a double involucre. The plant’s fruits are elongated, flattened achenes with small hooks. Thanks to these hooks, the fruits easily cling to human clothing and animal fur. That’s why the plant is commonly called "bur marigold" or "sticktight."

Bidens blooms from June to September. It is found in many regions of Russia, except the Arctic. The plant is also widespread in the Caucasus and Central Asia. It usually grows in moist meadows, near rivers, ditches, and marshy areas.

In herbal guides, Bidens is classified as an ancient folk medicinal plant. It has been used for a long time, and today, the herb is still used in traditional phytotherapy in various forms.

What features are especially important when harvesting?

Bidens has several distinctive botanical features that help identify the plant in nature. The stem is not just straight but highly branched. The leaves are opposite and fused at the base. Their three deep lobes are lance-shaped, with serrated edges, and narrow into a winged petiole at the base.

The capitula also have structural peculiarities. The outer bracts of the double involucre are longer than the inner ones and resemble leaves. The inner bracts are pressed against the capitulum, membranous, and have a reddish tint. The flowers are small, yellow, tubular, and bisexual.

The fruits develop hooked bristles. These hooks are also found on the achene ribs and face downward. These features help the fruits cling to animal fur and human clothing, aiding the plant’s spread to new locations as it matures.

Why is Bidens called "scrofula herb"?

The name "scrofula herb" is tied to its long-standing folk use. Bidens is one of the oldest medicinal plants, but it became particularly associated with treating conditions once called "scrofula."

In old sources, scrofula referred to scrofuloderma (a form of tuberculosis), while in folk practice, the term also covered various skin diseases, especially in children. In Russia, Bidens gained widespread popularity specifically for this purpose.

19th-century sources describe how a Bidens decoction could be taken internally while also washing affected skin areas with the same decoction. This combination of internal and external use was characteristic of old folk practices.

Bidens benefits: Why was the plant valued?

According to phytotherapy references, Bidens herb contains essential oil, saponins, tannins, carbohydrates and related compounds, vitamin C, carotene, organic acids, and steroids.

The content of individual substances in the herb is described as follows: essential oil ranges from 0.05 to 1.34%, tannins from 1.88 to 12%, carbohydrates and related compounds from 4.51 to 4.65%, and organic acids around 6.2%.

Herbal guides describe Bidens as a diuretic, sudorific, and antipyretic. It was also used in folk practice for various skin conditions and metabolic disorders.

Important note: Descriptions of the plant’s properties in reference books relate to traditional use. This does not mean the plant can replace treatment prescribed by a doctor.

What else is in the herb’s composition?

In addition to the listed compounds, Bidens contains saponins and steroid compounds. Vitamin C and carotene are also among the components described in reference literature.

The amount of individual substances can vary significantly. For example, essential oil content ranges from 0.05 to 1.34%, while tannins range from 1.88 to 12%. Therefore, the composition of plant material cannot be considered identical for every harvested batch.

In old pharmacognostic sources, Bidens was regarded as medicinal plant material. The herb has the pharmaceutical name *Herba Bidentis tripartiti*.

How was Bidens used in medical practice?

Reference books describe the use of Bidens not only as a standalone herb but also as part of herbal blends. It was included in blends used as tonics, immunostimulants, desensitizing agents, and antipyretics.

Bidens was included in the Russian State Pharmacopoeia. Sources mention its editions I, III, and XI. This shows that the plant had not only folk but also official pharmacopoeial significance in certain periods of Russian medicine.

However, modern understanding of safety and efficacy cannot be automatically equated with the information from old pharmacopoeial and folk sources.

How does Bidens affect the skin?

Phytotherapy references describe the external use of Bidens in the form of water decoctions. The herb was used to prepare baths and washes.

According to references, a decoction of the herb was used for diatheses and certain skin conditions in children. It is also noted that when used externally, Bidens dries the skin surface and may help restore affected areas more quickly.

In folk practice, Bidens earned the name "scrofula herb." It was traditionally used for conditions once called scrofula in old sources.

How is Bidens related to metabolism?

Phytotherapy references indicate that Bidens herb was used for various diatheses accompanied by urticarial rashes, as well as for some skin manifestations. Herbal guides also describe Bidens as a diuretic. Such information pertains to the traditional use of the plant.

What other properties are described in reference books?

Bidens was included in compositions described in medical practice as tonics, antipyretics, and other herbal remedies. In scientific medicine, the plant was primarily used in the form of infusions and teas.

I always advise being careful with any herbs. Even familiar plants require proper harvesting, preparation, and caution in use.

Bidens uses: How was the herb used?

Reference books describe several forms of Bidens use. The main ones are infusion, tea, and water decoction.

In folk practice, Bidens tea was given to children. The use of water decoction for baths is also described. Medical references mention the use of infusions and concentrates for baths.

However, the exact preparation methods depend on the specific reference book and the intended use. For medicinal plants, it is important to follow the indicated proportions and not increase the amount of raw material independently.

In what combinations was Bidens used in folk practice?

Ancient sources describe Bidens not only as a standalone remedy but also as part of various herbal combinations, especially for skin conditions.

In one description, Bidens was combined with lemon balm, walnut, pine shoots, oak bark, willow, rye, thyme, and other plants. Other folk formulations included Bidens with burdock or calendula.

Combinations of Bidens with wild pansy and lemon balm were also described. In old practice, a water decoction of such blends was given to children to drink and used for bathing in conditions once called scrofula.

This information pertains to folk medicine and does not mean that such multi-component blends are suitable for independent use today.

How to brew Bidens?

Available descriptions of the plant mention infusions, teas, and water decoctions, but no universal dosage for preparing an infusion for home use is provided. When preparing herbal remedies, one should follow the specific instructions for the medicinal raw material.

Herbal guides describe the use of Bidens water decoction. It was used internally and externally in traditional practice. For external use, the decoction was applied in baths and washes.

How to properly harvest and store Bidens?

For medicinal purposes, the Bidens herb—*Herba Bidentis*—is harvested.

According to phytotherapy references, harvesting is done in late summer, during budding and the beginning of flowering. The leafy tops of the stems, no longer than 15 cm, and large leaves are collected.

If harvested later, only the side branches that have not yet started fruiting should be taken. Darkened capitula are not used for harvesting.

The herb is dried in the air. Other medicinal plant harvesting guides indicate that herbs are typically harvested during flowering when they contain the maximum amount of active substances. Plants should be cut with scissors, a knife, or a sickle, not pulled up by the roots.

After drying, the raw material should be cleaned of foreign impurities. The dried herb is stored as medicinal plant material in a dry place. Bidens does not form large thickets in nature, so in some areas, harvesting is possible only in small batches. Cultivated plants can yield more plant mass.

How to harvest the herb without damaging the plant?

When harvesting medicinal herbs, it is recommended to consider not only the quality of the raw material but also the state of the natural population. Bidens is a plant that can be quite widespread but usually does not form large, dense thickets.

Scissors, a sickle, or a knife are used for harvesting. The plant should not be pulled up by the roots. This method introduces soil into the raw material, reducing its quality. Additionally, for plants that form thickets, pulling them up by the roots can lead to their destruction.

For Bidens, the herb itself is used as medicinal raw material. Depending on the harvesting time, this includes leafy tops and side branches that have not yet started fruiting.

Why does harvesting time matter?

For medicinal herbs, the flowering period is considered an important time for harvesting because the plant contains the maximum amount of active medicinal substances during this time. For Bidens, late summer, budding, and the beginning of flowering are specified more precisely.

If harvesting is done later, attention should be paid to the condition of the capitula. Side branches should be free of darkened capitula and without signs of fruiting. After cutting, the herb is recommended to be dried immediately. For Bidens, air drying is specifically mentioned in reference books.

Bidens precautions and contraindications

Bidens has a long history of folk use, but this does not mean it is completely safe for everyone. According to phytotherapy references, excessive and prolonged internal use of Bidens, especially in children, may be associated with nervousness, stool disorders, and lowered blood pressure. Modern data on the safety of *Bidens tripartita* is limited. There are not enough clinical studies to accurately determine the safety of long-term use, optimal dosages, and possible risks.

People sensitive to plants in the Asteraceae family may experience allergic reactions. Bidens belongs to this family. There is insufficient reliable data on drug interactions with Bidens preparations. The absence of confirmed interactions does not mean they are impossible. Herbal remedies can affect the action of some medications.

The medicinal use of Bidens is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to a lack of safety data. There is also insufficient clinical data for children, so use should be discussed with a specialist.

It should also be noted that the long-term toxicity of the plant in humans has not been sufficiently studied. Experimental data on animals cannot be directly applied to humans.

When to see a doctor

Any unusual reactions in the body require attention. If allergic symptoms, worsening health, or other adverse effects appear after using the plant, consult a doctor. Pregnant women and nursing mothers should consult a specialist before using medicinal herbs. If a person is taking medications, has chronic illnesses, or plans long-term use of herbal remedies, the decision to use the herb should be discussed with a doctor.

Special caution is needed when using herbs for children. Even plants traditionally used in pediatric practice require a reasonable approach and supervision.

Boris Wydoff — naturopath and author, Ph.D. in nutrition. For over fifty years I have helped people restore health through nutrition, cleansing and the power of the mind — in Europe, America and Asia. About the author →

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