Bitter Milkwort

Other names: Polygala Amara, European Senega, Flowering Wintergreen, Evergreen Snakeroot

Bitter Milkwort is a perennial, flowering plant, part of Polygalaceae family, found in Europe, Asia but also in South America and Africa. The medicine is usually made from the flowers and the root of the plant. Having delicate flowers with colors varying from pink to intense violet and a mild scent, Bitter Milkwort contains chemicals able to ease chest congestion and disperse mucus, favoring cough and expectoration.

The simple infusion of 2 teaspoons of plant in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes, is an exceptional remedy for inferior and medium respiratory tract diseases and chronic lung problems. Used for bronchitis, for allergic and/or infectious asthma, or in cases of wet or dry cough, the infusion administered as hot as possible, twice a day, cleans your airways and has an antispasmodic effect, calming cough episodes.

The recipe for decoction means boiling for an extended time 4 tablespoons of plant with ¾ cup of water and the usual intake for treatment is 1 tablespoon every 3 hours.

An old cure for indigestion, dyspepsia or liver problems is the Bitter Milkwort Wine which you can prepare at home from 1 liter of white wine, 5 tablespoons of Bitter Milkwort, 1 tablespoon Wormwood and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, macerated for 12 days and filtered. Take one small glass of this wine before a meal.

Some mothers also use Bitter Milkwort to increase milk flow during breastfeeding, but there is not enough research available to prove the use safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Please consider that Bitter Milkwort, Senega (Polygala Senega) and also Asarabacca (Asarum Europaeum) are called Snakeroot, but they are not the same plant.