Advertisement
Herbs & Spices · Women's health herbs
Lady's Mantle: Benefits, Tea, Uses, Dosage & Side Effects
What lady's mantle is, what the human studies show for mouth ulcers, sore throat and skin, how it has been used for heavy periods, cramps and loose stools, how to make the tea and who should skip it.
Evidence-based29 sources citedUpdated October 15, 2026
The Dr. Axe Score™
Scientific Evidence
3.0/10
Two human studies of lady's mantle on the mouth and throat (48 and 88 people), a skin study in 18 volunteers, and lab and animal work.
Traditional Medicine
8.2/10
Long European use for heavy and painful periods, loose stools, wounds and a sore mouth or throat, recognized in a European herbal monograph.
Clinical Effectiveness
5.4/10
A gentle astringent tea for loose stools and a traditional companion for your cycle, plus a gel that sped mouth-ulcer healing.
Safety
7.8/10
Well tolerated in its mouth and throat studies and on the skin; deductions for limited data on drinking it daily over the long term.
Why this score?
Why Lady's Mantle scores 5.9 / 10
Weighting: Evidence 30% · Traditional Medicine 25% · Clinical Effectiveness 25% · Safety 20% (3.0×0.30 + 8.2×0.25 + 5.4×0.25 + 7.8×0.20 = 0.90 + 2.05 + 1.35 + 1.56 = 5.86, shown as 5.9). How we score
A transparent, weighted index built for supplements. See how it’s calculated →
Interaction check: Low. No drug interactions have been documented for lady's mantle. One practical note concerns iron: lady's mantle is rich in tannins,1 and tannins can block iron. In a study of 28 healthy women, 100 mg of tannic acid taken with 5 mg of iron on an empty stomach cut the share of iron absorbed from 25.0% to 16.8% in the group not also given calcium,26 and in adults, herb teas such as chamomile and peppermint cut iron absorption from a meal by 47% to 84%.27 Lady's mantle itself wasn't tested, but if your iron runs low, drink it between meals and away from an iron supplement. Interactions are rated separately and don't change the score.
Dr. Axe Protocol
Hormone Balance for Women
90-day protocol
The complete root-cause framework for reversing estrogen dominance — clearing excess estrogen, rebuilding progesterone, and ending the heavy periods, PMS, weight gain and mood swings most doctors treat with a prescription instead of a cause.
- A symptom self-check
- The four-phase plan
- A 7-day meal plan
Free with your Dr. Axe account
View the protocol →Lady's mantle at a glance
Lady's mantle is a European rose-family herb, Alchemilla vulgaris, long used as a tea for heavy and painful periods and loose stools, and as a rinse for the mouth and throat, thanks to the astringent tannins in its leaves.12
- Mouth ulcers: a 3% lady's mantle gel fully healed 60.4% of people within 2 days and 75% within 3 days, in a study of 48 people with no placebo group3
- Sore throat: in a randomized trial of 88 adults after chest surgery, a lady's mantle throat spray gave results similar to an IV steroid, with 46.5% vs. 57.8% sore at 24 hours4
- Digestion: a European herbal monograph lists the tea for diarrhea and digestive complaints5
- Tea: 2 to 4 grams of the dried herb in about 2/3 cup of hot water, steeped 10 minutes, up to three times a day6
For heavy periods, the root-cause plan is in my free Hormone Balance for Women protocol.7
Lady's mantle is an herb of wet European meadows, and for centuries its leaves and flowering stems have been brewed into tea for painful periods, menopausal complaints and other concerns of women's health.126 It's also known as bear's foot.1
Take a sip and you'll feel what herbalists valued in it. The tea has an astringent feel, the slight drying pucker you know from strong black tea, because the herb is rich in tannins.81 Tannins bind proteins on the surfaces they touch and tighten them, and traditional herbalists put that action to work inside and out: a tea for loose stools and an irritated stomach, a wash for wounds, and a gargle for a sore mouth or throat.1
Modern studies have tested lady's mantle the same way, on the surfaces it touches. A lady's mantle gel sped the healing of mouth ulcers, a throat spray gave results similar to a steroid drug after surgery, and gels helped irritated skin recover.349 For heavy or painful periods, the women's health section below shows how it fits into a plan that looks for the reason behind them.
Get the free Hormone Balance for Women protocol
Heavy periods, clots or bleeding that lasts more than 5 days is the first of the 10 signs this free 90-day protocol uses to check whether estrogen your body can't clear is driving your symptoms. It lays out:
- A 10-sign check to see whether estrogen is the driver
- Four phases across three cycles: Clear, Steady, Rebuild and Protect
- What to expect cycle by cycle, and when heavy bleeding needs more than herbs
Free with your Dr. Axe account (email or Google). You'll also get the protocol's short email series and the Dr. Axe newsletter; unsubscribe anytime.
Open the free protocol →Did you know?
Alchemilla, the lady's mantle genus, is large: a 2024 review counts about 1,000 species, more than 300 of them described from Europe.2
When researchers screened 49 plants used traditionally for wounds, burns, skin, and joint and bone problems, lady's mantle was the most persistently active at blocking collagenase, an enzyme that breaks down collagen, even after its tannins were removed. The active compound, a quercetin flavonoid, outperformed doxycycline, the drug used for comparison, in the lab.10
Lady's mantle grows richer in tannins as summer goes on: leaves harvested in August, near the end of flowering, carried more phenolic compounds, especially ellagitannins, than leaves picked in May.11
What is lady's mantle?
Quick answer
Lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris, also listed as Alchemilla xanthochlora) is a perennial herb in the rose family whose dried leaves and flowering stems are used as tea, tinctures and topical preparations.1 Its leaves are rich in tannins, mainly ellagitannins such as agrimoniin, along with phenolic acids and flavonoids.1
You'll see the name written lady's mantle, ladies mantle or lady mantle, and all three mean the same herb. Alchemilla species grow on wet meadows in Europe, western Asia and North America,1 and the herb used for tea is the aerial part, the leaves and flowering stems, gathered during the flowering season.111 Lady's mantle flowers are yellowish-green and grow in clusters, and the plant, with its lobed, kidney-shaped leaves, blooms from June through September.12
Like other members of the rose family, it makes tannins, phenolic acids and flavonoids, the compounds behind most of what it does.2 Our guide to herbal teas covers other everyday healing teas.
Alchemilla vulgaris vs. Alchemilla mollis
Alchemilla mollis, the large-leaved lady's mantle common in flower gardens, is a different species. When researchers compared the two, both carried the same main ellagitannins, but A. mollis also held catechin, a procyanidin and two flavonoids that A. vulgaris lacked.11 The traditional records and the human studies on this page used A. vulgaris, so that's the name to look for on a tea or tincture label.134
What's in lady's mantle?
Ellagitannins
The main tannins
Agrimoniin, the leading tannin, plus pedunculagin and other ellagitannins make up the largest share of the leaf's phenolic compounds.111 Your gut bacteria turn ellagitannins into smaller compounds, as the step-by-step section below shows.6
Phenolic acids
Ellagic, gallic and caffeic acids
Lady's mantle carries ellagic acid, gallic acid and caffeic acid, plant compounds with antioxidant activity in lab tests.18
A short history of lady's mantle
Lady's mantle has a long record across Europe. In Bulgaria, it has been used for inflammation in the mouth, nosebleeds, boils and women's health problems; in Poland, as an anti-inflammatory, a remedy for gas and loose stools, and for gastritis; and in Montenegro, as a tea for mild diarrhea, menopausal complaints and painful periods, and on the skin for ulcers, eczema and rashes.1 Healers in Morocco's Taza region use the powdered leaves on burns,8 and in Azerbaijan, where related Alchemilla species grow in mountain meadows, digestive complaints lead the list of uses, with infusions the most common way to take it.13
The European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP), a European group that publishes herbal monographs, has described lady's mantle for diarrhea, digestive complaints and painful periods, based on long human experience.1 Its 2013 monograph lists non-specific diarrhea and digestive complaints as the herb's uses.5
That long record of a meadow plant serving people brings to mind the psalmist's words: "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth" (Psalm 104:14).
What is lady's mantle good for?
Quick answer
Lady's mantle is best studied as a gel or spray for the mouth and throat: a gel sped the healing of mouth ulcers, and a throat spray gave results similar to an IV steroid for sore throat after surgery.34 As a tea, it's a traditional remedy for loose stools, heavy and painful periods and menopausal complaints, recognized in a European herbal monograph for diarrhea.15
Where the research stands
The human research covers lady's mantle on the mouth, throat and skin: a gel study on mouth ulcers in 48 people, a randomized trial of a throat spray in 88 adults and a skin study in 18 volunteers; no trial has yet tested it taken by mouth.349 Its uses for the menstrual cycle, menopause and digestion rest on long traditional use, which ESCOP recognizes for diarrhea and digestive complaints; early studies in rats look at related conditions such as PCOS.1514
| Use | Evidence | Product studied | What the research shows |
|---|---|---|---|
Mouth ulcers (canker sores) | Emerging | 3% lady's mantle extract in glycerine, as a gel, 3 times a day | 60.4% fully healed within 2 days and 75% within 3 days3 |
Sore throat after a breathing tube | Emerging | 1 g of lady's mantle gel (in glycerine, with honey) mixed with saline, sprayed into the throat once | Sore at 24 hours: 46.5% vs. 57.8% on the steroid, a difference too small to rule out chance4 |
Irritated skin and minor wounds | Emerging | Lady's mantle gels; 3% extract in glycerine in rats | Skin hydration up within 3 days; rat wounds healed a day sooner9815 |
Loose stools | Traditional | Tea of the dried herb | Listed for diarrhea and digestive complaints5 |
Heavy and painful periods | Traditional | Tea of the dried herb | Long used for heavy and painful periods1 |
Menopausal complaints | Traditional | Tea of the dried herb | Long prescribed for menopausal complaints2 |
Female fertility | Traditional | Leaf infusion | Named for female infertility by 18 of 51 traditional healers in the West Bank16 |
How does lady's mantle work in your body?
Researchers trace most of what lady's mantle does to its tannins and flavonoids. Here's the chain, step by step, with the kind of study behind each step:
1Tannin-rich leaves
The leaves and flowering stems are rich in ellagitannins, mainly agrimoniin and pedunculagin, along with quercetin glycosides, and the ellagitannins build up as the flowering season goes on (composition studies).111
2A tightening effect
Tannins react with proteins on the surfaces they touch and form an insoluble layer, the astringent effect behind the herb's traditional use for loose stools, wounds and a sore mouth or throat.1
3Gut microbes transform it (lab)
When researchers mixed a lady's mantle extract with stool bacteria from three healthy people, the microbes turned it into 33 compounds, including urolithin C, a compound your gut makes from ellagitannins.6
These steps are proposed from composition and lab studies; the human studies below measured the results on the mouth, throat and skin.
Lady's mantle benefits and medicinal uses
Ranked by the strength of the human research, lady's mantle's benefits start with mouth ulcers, sore throat and skin repair, where gels and sprays have been tested in people, followed by its traditional uses as a tea for loose stools, heavy and painful periods and menopausal complaints.
1
Faster healing for mouth ulcers
Emerging evidenceHuman study48 people aged 4 to 44 with minor mouth ulcers · people knew which treatment they got · no placebo groupIn a study of 48 people aged 4 to 44 with minor mouth ulcers, a gel of 3% lady's mantle extract in glycerine, dabbed on three times a day, fully healed 60.4% of people within 2 days and 75% within 3 days; the authors set this against healing rates of 10.4% and 33.3% without treatment and 15% and 40% with other common treatments.3 It eased discomfort and was well tolerated. People knew which treatment they got, and the company that made the gel ran the study.3 The result fits the herb's traditional use as a rinse for inflammation in the mouth, and ESCOP's monograph notes human data for minor mouth ulcers.15
Study takeaway: a 3% lady's mantle gel fully healed 60.4% of people's mouth ulcers within 2 days.
Mouth ulcers fully healed: 60.4% by day 2 and 75% by day 3 with lady's mantle gel
2
Sore throat relief, as a spray
Emerging evidenceHuman studyRandomized trial · 88 adults after chest surgery · against IV dexamethasone · neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what · no untreated groupIn a randomized trial in Korea, 94 adults having chest surgery with a breathing tube got either a spray of lady's mantle gel in the throat before the tube went in or an IV dose of dexamethasone, a steroid drug used to prevent sore throat after a breathing tube; neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what, and 88 were analyzed.4 The gel also contained honey. At 24 hours, 46.5% of the spray group had a sore throat, against 57.8% on dexamethasone, similar results with a gap too small to rule out chance, and hoarseness didn't differ either.4 More people in the spray group were given an anti-inflammatory painkiller for pain after surgery, 65.1% against 42.2%, a difference the authors tied to the steroid's effect throughout the body.4 No allergic or other drug reactions occurred.4 Gargling the cooled tea, the traditional way to use it for a sore throat, pairs well with these sore throat remedies.1
Study takeaway: a lady's mantle throat spray gave sore-throat results similar to an IV steroid after surgery.
Sore throat 24 hours after surgery: 46.5% with lady's mantle spray, 57.8% with IV dexamethasone
3
Skin repair and minor wounds
Emerging evidenceHuman studySkin study in 18 volunteers; rat wound study; lab studiesIn a study on skin irritated with a detergent in 18 volunteers, gels made with lady's mantle extracts improved skin hydration within 3 days, and by day 7 hydration was higher than at the start; in lab tests, the same extracts sped wound closure in fibroblasts, the cells that rebuild connective tissue.89 In rats with small skin wounds, a 3% lady's mantle extract in glycerine cut the wounds' width by 23.2% by day 3 compared with water-treated rats, against 15.9% with glycerine alone, and they healed completely a day sooner than with glycerine.15 Traditional herbalists used it on the skin as an astringent wound wash, much as witch hazel is used today, and our wound care guide covers the basics.1
Study takeaway: lady's mantle gels improved hydration of irritated skin within 3 days in 18 volunteers.
4
Loose stools and an upset stomach
Traditional useTraditional useTraditional use; European herbal monograph (ESCOP)Loose stools are lady's mantle's best-recognized internal use: ESCOP's monograph lists diarrhea and digestive complaints as its uses, and traditional herbalists gave the tannin-rich tea for diarrhea and inflammation of the upper digestive tract.51 Poland and Montenegro both record it as a remedy for loose stools.1
Pair the tea with the basics. My top remedies for diarrhea are probiotics, astragalus, ginger, bone broth and cinnamon.17 In traditional Chinese medicine, diarrhea most often comes from what's called spleen dampness and coldness, or from worry, stress and overwork.17 Rest belongs in the plan too. See how to stop diarrhea for the full plan, and check the warning signs in the safety section if it lasts.
Study takeaway: a European herbal monograph lists lady's mantle tea for diarrhea and digestive complaints.
5
Heavy and painful periods
Traditional useTraditional useTraditional useHeavy and painful periods are lady's mantle's best-known traditional uses.118 The women's health section covers the tradition, the early animal research, and how to pair the tea with a root-cause plan and a ferritin test.
Study takeaway: lady's mantle has a long traditional record for heavy and painful periods.
6
Menopause support
Traditional useTraditional useTraditional useAlchemilla species have long been prescribed for menopausal complaints, and Montenegro's herbalists use the tea for them.21 The women's health section shows where it fits in a menopause plan.
Study takeaway: lady's mantle has long been prescribed for menopausal complaints.
Lady's mantle for heavy periods, cramps and menopause
Quick answer
Lady's mantle has long been used for heavy periods, painful periods and menopausal complaints.21 In young rats with a condition like PCOS, a lady's mantle extract brought hormone levels and the ovaries back toward normal.14 Use the tea alongside a plan that addresses why periods run heavy, and get your ferritin checked.
Heavy periods
Herbalists have long reached for lady's mantle for heavy bleeding, recording its use for heavy periods, bleeding from the uterus and menstrual pain.118 Heavy periods are common: the CDC says heavy menstrual bleeding affects more than 10 million American women each year.19
Heavy periods are also a signal worth reading. In my hormone protocol, heavy periods, clots or bleeding that lasts more than five days is the first of ten signs that estrogen your body can't clear may be the driver.7 The protocol works in order: clear excess estrogen first, steady blood sugar and stress hormones, then rebuild progesterone with vitex, vitamin B6 and zinc, and by the second cycle the goal is a shorter, lighter period with fewer clots.7 Lady's mantle isn't part of that protocol, so think of a daily cup as a traditional companion to its steps.
Early animal research on related conditions, PCOS and endometriosis, is encouraging. In young female rats given a hormone to create a PCOS-like condition, lady's mantle extract by mouth for 35 days returned hormone levels, ovary structure and blood-vessel function toward those of healthy rats and lowered TNF-alpha, an inflammatory signal, in the ovaries and aorta.14 In rats with surgically created endometriosis, an extract of a related species, Alchemilla mollis, shrank the cysts and lowered inflammatory signals.20
Why heavy periods call for a ferritin test
Heavy menstrual bleeding is a major cause of iron deficiency and the anemia that can follow, and a 2023 expert review notes that heavy periods are often treated as normal.21 As I've pointed out on my show, women tend to run low on iron more often than men.22 My bloodwork guide lists heavy periods as a root cause of low ferritin, your body's iron stores. A woman's optimal ferritin is 50 to 150 ng/mL.23
What you want to ask for is a ferritin test, and aim for around 50 to 100, not just 'not anemic.' You want to aim for optimal.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom The Real Reason You Wake Up Tired Every Morning, The Dr. Josh Axe Show (2026), at 9:33
When ferritin runs low, my bloodwork guide pairs iron-rich foods with vitamin C,23 and our anemia guide lists the signs to watch. If your iron is low, the interaction check in the safety section explains how to time the tea.
Menstrual cramps
Painful periods affect between 45% and 95% of women who menstruate.24 Lady's mantle has long been used for painful periods, and ESCOP's earlier monograph recommended it for them.12
For PMS and cramps, my top prescriptions include vitex, dong quai, cramp bark, and magnesium with vitamin B6. For cramps, I suggest mixing 3 drops each of clary sage oil and peppermint oil into about 2 teaspoons of a carrier oil, rubbing it on your abdomen, then applying a warm compress.17 A cup of lady's mantle tea fits easily beside them, and our guide to period cramps covers the rest, along with what to do about irregular periods.
Menopause
For menopause, a cup of lady's mantle tea sits beside the bigger plan. My free Perimenopause & Menopause protocol works in order: stabilize blood sugar first, restore the systems that take over from estrogen, then support hormones directly.25 Our guides to perimenopause symptoms and black cohosh cover more of the natural options.
Three markers to check if your periods are heavy
These markers show whether heavy periods are draining your iron and how your cycle is doing. None of them measures lady's mantle itself. Review your numbers with your practitioner.
- Ferritin: Your body's stored iron. A woman's optimal range is 50 to 150 ng/mL.23
- Hemoglobin: Read on a complete blood count; it falls when iron deficiency becomes anemia, a common result of heavy periods.21
- Day-21 progesterone: The hormone protocol retests it, with estradiol, at day 90 to see whether your cycle has shifted.7
See the cellular bloodwork panel
Have results? Analyze them free →Lady's mantle tea: how to make it and how much to drink
Quick answer
The traditional dose is a cup of tea made with 2 to 4 grams of the dried herb in about 2/3 cup (150 mL) of hot water, steeped for 10 minutes, three times a day.6 That's the amount a standard herbal pharmacy handbook gives, as cited in a 2025 study of the herb.6
Here's how to make it:
Measure 2 to 4 grams of dried lady's mantle, the leaves and flowering stems.6 A kitchen scale helps the first time.
Pour about 2/3 cup (150 mL) of hot water over it.6
Steep for 10 minutes, then strain.6
Drink up to three cups a day.6
For loose stools, drink it while they last, and check the warning signs in the safety section.
Sip it warm, the way it has been taken traditionally.1
Gargle a cooled cup for a sore mouth or throat, its traditional use for inflammation there.1
Use a cooled cup as a compress for minor skin irritation, the way it was used traditionally on the skin.1
Blend it with other gentle herbal teas, such as lemon balm or chamomile.
Sweeten it with a teaspoon of raw local honey if you'd like it softer.
Brew a fresh batch each morning and keep it covered in the fridge for the day.
Tincture and other forms
Lady's mantle comes in several forms. The tea carries the traditional dose; the other forms are sold without a tested dose, so follow the label.
Dried herb for tea
The traditional form: 2 to 4 g per cup, up to three times a day.6
Tincture
An alcohol extract of the herb, used for the same traditional purposes as the tea.
Gels and creams
A 3% extract in glycerine was the gel studied on mouth ulcers.3
How to buy and store lady's mantle
Check the species. Look for Alchemilla vulgaris or its other name, Alchemilla xanthochlora, on the label.1
Look for the aerial parts, the leaves and flowering stems, which carry the tannins.1
Summer-harvested herb carries more ellagitannins than herb picked early in the season.11
Store it in a sealed jar, away from heat, light and moisture.
Want help fitting lady's mantle into your routine?
Ask Dr. Axe AI. Answers are grounded in this library, with sources shown.
Lady's mantle side effects and who should skip it
Quick answer
Lady's mantle gels and sprays were well tolerated in their human studies, and ESCOP notes good tolerability for topical use.345 Skip it in pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and see a doctor for heavy bleeding or diarrhea with the warning signs below.
The record is reassuring. The mouth-ulcer gel was well tolerated, the throat-spray trial saw no allergic or other drug reactions, and the tea has a long history of use across Europe.341 What's missing is safety data on drinking it every day for months, so treat it as a tea, at the traditional amounts.
Good to know before you use lady's mantle:
Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Lady's mantle hasn't been studied in pregnancy or while breastfeeding, and its traditional uses center on the menstrual cycle and bleeding from the uterus, so skip it during those times.1 Concentrated herbs and oils are best avoided then too unless your practitioner approves.28
Children. The tea hasn't been studied in children, so skip it for them unless a practitioner who knows the child suggests it. The mouth-ulcer gel study included children as young as 4, used on the ulcer only.3
Heavy bleeding with warning signs. See a doctor if you soak through one or more pads or tampons every hour for several hours in a row, bleed for more than 7 days, or pass clots the size of a quarter or larger.19 In my hormone protocol, heavy bleeding that's costing you iron is one of the cases that needs more than herbs.7
Diarrhea with warning signs. Talk with a doctor right away for diarrhea lasting more than 2 days in an adult, a high fever, six or more loose stools a day, severe pain in the abdomen or rectum, black or bloody stools, or signs of dehydration.29
The bottom line
Is lady's mantle worth using?
If you want a gentle, traditional herb for your cycle, your digestion or a sore mouth, lady's mantle has a long European record behind it, and its tannin-rich tea has served women for generations. I give long traditional use like this real weight, and the modern studies of its gels and sprays on the mouth, throat and skin line up with it. Its uses for heavy periods and cramps rest on that long tradition, and early animal studies of the ovaries and of endometriosis are encouraging.
Brew 2 to 4 grams of the dried herb in about 2/3 cup of hot water, up to three times a day, and skip it in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Pair it with a plan that finds the reason behind heavy periods, and get your ferritin checked. Your body was designed to heal, and a cup of an herb women have trusted for centuries is a gentle place to start.
Get the free Hormone Balance for Women protocol
A 10-sign check for estrogen your body can't clear, then four phases across three cycles: Clear, Steady, Rebuild and Protect. Have recent bloodwork? Analyze it free. Free with your Dr. Axe account (email or Google). You'll also get the protocol's short email series and the Dr. Axe newsletter; unsubscribe anytime.
Open the free protocol →Lady's mantle: frequently asked questions
What is lady's mantle used for?
Lady's mantle is used as a tea for loose stools, heavy and painful periods and menopausal complaints, and as a gel, rinse or wash for the mouth, throat and skin.12 Its human studies cover the topical uses: a gel sped the healing of mouth ulcers, and a throat spray gave results similar to a steroid for sore throat after surgery.34
What are the benefits of lady's mantle tea?
Does lady's mantle help heavy periods?
Does lady's mantle help with menstrual cramps?
Is lady's mantle good for menopause?
Does lady's mantle help fertility?
Lady's mantle has a traditional reputation for fertility: in a survey of 51 traditional healers in the West Bank, 18 named its leaves for female infertility.16 In rats with a PCOS-like condition, its extract brought the ovaries back toward normal.14 If PCOS is part of your picture, my free PCOS protocol lays out a plan, and the safety section covers pregnancy.
Can lady's mantle stop diarrhea?
Lady's mantle tea is a traditional remedy for diarrhea, and a European herbal monograph lists it for that use.51 If loose stools last or come with fever or blood, the safety section lists the warning signs that need care right away.
Can lady's mantle help mouth ulcers or a sore throat?
Yes: a 3% lady's mantle gel fully healed 60.4% of people's mouth ulcers within 2 days and 75% within 3 days, in a study of 48 people with no placebo group.3 In a randomized trial of 88 adults after chest surgery, a lady's mantle throat spray gave results similar to an IV steroid, with 46.5% vs. 57.8% sore at 24 hours.4
How do you make lady's mantle tea?
Steep 2 to 4 grams of the dried herb in about 2/3 cup (150 mL) of hot water for 10 minutes, then strain.6 Drink up to three cups a day.
How much lady's mantle should I take a day?
The traditional dose is up to three cups of tea a day, each made with 2 to 4 grams of the dried herb.6 For tinctures and capsules, follow the label.
What is lady's mantle tincture good for?
What are the side effects of lady's mantle?
Lady's mantle gels and sprays were well tolerated in their human studies, and ESCOP notes good tolerability for topical use.345 The safety section lists who should skip it and how to time it around iron.
Is lady's mantle safe during pregnancy?
Skip lady's mantle in pregnancy and while breastfeeding: it hasn't been studied in either, and its traditional uses center on the menstrual cycle and bleeding from the uterus.1
Does lady's mantle tea affect iron?
What's the difference between Alchemilla vulgaris and Alchemilla mollis?
Freshness & update log
October 15, 2026 — Rewrote the page in full under Dr. Josh Axe's byline. Adds the Dr. Axe Score under the herb weighting (5.9) with an interaction check (Low, with timing guidance for iron); reports the human studies of lady's mantle gels and sprays for mouth ulcers, sore throat and irritated skin with their designs and numbers, including the trial's comparison with a steroid drug; grades the uses for periods, menopause, digestion and fertility as traditional; adds the traditional tea dose, two charts, a step diagram, a short history and a section on heavy periods and iron; and gathers the safety guidance in one section. Removed the cancer, antiviral and weight-loss benefits, which rested on lab studies or a multi-herb tablet; the salicylic acid and liver statements, which had no traceable source; the late-pregnancy tea; and the 5-to-10-gram daily amount, replaced by the traditional infusion dose.
December 10, 2024 — Previous version published.
References
- Tadić V, Krgović N, Žugić A. Lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris L., Rosaceae): A review of traditional uses, phytochemical profile, and biological properties. Lekovite Sirovine. 2020;40:66-74. doi:10.5937/leksir2040066t
- Jakimiuk K, Tomczyk M. A review of the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and clinical evidence for the use of the genus Alchemilla (Rosaceae). J Ethnopharmacol. 2024;320:117439. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2023.117439
- Shrivastava R, John GW. Treatment of Aphthous Stomatitis with topical Alchemilla vulgaris in glycerine. Clin Drug Investig. 2006;26(10):567-73. doi:10.2165/00044011-200626100-00003
- Chung CJ, Jeong SY, Jeong JH, et al. Comparison of prophylactic effect of topical Alchemilla vulgaris in glycerine versus that of dexamethasone on postoperative sore throat after tracheal intubation using a double-lumen endobronchial tube: a randomized controlled study. Anesth Pain Med (Seoul). 2021;16(2):163-170. doi:10.17085/apm.20082
- European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP). Alchemillae herba (Lady's mantle). ESCOP Monographs, Online Series. Published 2013.
- Jakimiuk K, Kruk A, Lemieszek MK, et al. Ex vivo biotransformation of lady's mantle extracts via the human gut microbiota: the formation of phenolic metabolites and their impact on human normal and colon cancer cell lines. Front Pharmacol. 2025;16:1504787. doi:10.3389/fphar.2025.1504787
- Axe J. Hormone Balance for Women: The 90-Day Healing Protocol. DrAxe.com protocol. 2026 ("10 hidden signs"; Phase 3, "Rebuild"; Phase 4, "Protect": retest day-21 progesterone and estradiol at day 90; "For stubborn cases," p. 25).
- Kanak S, Krzemińska B, Berecka-Rycerz A, et al. Harnessing the Power of Alchemilla: A Natural Solution for Skin Health and Dermatological Disorders. Molecules. 2025;30(8):1861. doi:10.3390/molecules30081861
- Tasić-Kostov M, Arsić I, Pavlović D, et al. Towards a modern approach to traditional use: in vitro and in vivo evaluation of Alchemilla vulgaris L. gel wound healing potential. J Ethnopharmacol. 2019;238:111789. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2019.03.016
- Mandrone M, Coqueiro A, Poli F, et al. Identification of a Collagenase-Inhibiting Flavonoid from Alchemilla vulgaris Using NMR-Based Metabolomics. Planta Med. 2018;84(12-13):941-946. doi:10.1055/a-0630-2079
- Duckstein SM, Lotter EM, Meyer U, et al. Phenolic constituents from Alchemilla vulgaris L. and Alchemilla mollis (Buser) Rothm. at different dates of harvest. Z Naturforsch C J Biosci. 2013;68(1-2):529-40 (corrected and republished from 2012;67(11-12):529-40).
- Vlaisavljević S, Jelača S, Zengin G, et al. Alchemilla vulgaris agg. (Lady's mantle) from central Balkan: antioxidant, anticancer and enzyme inhibition properties. RSC Adv. 2019;9(64):37474-37483. doi:10.1039/c9ra08231j
- Isayev J, Nagiyev E, Jafarova G, et al. Traditional Medicinal Uses and Ethnopharmacological Significance of Alchemilla L. Species in Azerbaijan. Plants (Basel). 2026;15(14):2241. doi:10.3390/plants15142241
- Korun ZEU, Gocmez SS, Furat S, et al. Beneficial Effects of Alchemilla vulgaris in DHEA-Induced Rat Model of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Reprod Sci. 2025;32(7):2453-2466. doi:10.1007/s43032-025-01885-9
- Shrivastava R, Cucuat N, John GW. Effects of Alchemilla vulgaris and glycerine on epithelial and myofibroblast cell growth and cutaneous lesion healing in rats. Phytother Res. 2007;21(4):369-73. doi:10.1002/ptr.2060
- Jaradat N, Zaid AN. Herbal remedies used for the treatment of infertility in males and females by traditional healers in the rural areas of the West Bank/Palestine. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):194. doi:10.1186/s12906-019-2617-2
- Axe J. Ancient Remedies: Secrets to Healing with Herbs, Essential Oils, CBD, and the Most Powerful Natural Medicine in History. Little, Brown Spark (Hachette Book Group); 2021 ("Prescriptions for 70+ Conditions": Diarrhea entry, p. 235; PMS entry, p. 273).
- Kanak S, Krzemińska B, Celiński R, et al. Phenolic Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Alchemilla Species. Plants (Basel). 2022;11(20):2709. doi:10.3390/plants11202709
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Heavy Menstrual Bleeding. Bleeding Disorders in Women. CDC; May 15, 2024.
- Küpeli Akkol E, Demirel MA, Bahadır Acıkara O, et al. Phytochemical analyses and effects of Alchemilla mollis (Buser) Rothm. and Alchemilla persica Rothm. in rat endometriosis model. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2015;292(3):619-28. doi:10.1007/s00404-015-3665-6
- Munro MG, Mast AE, Powers JM, et al. The relationship between heavy menstrual bleeding, iron deficiency, and iron deficiency anemia. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2023;229(1):1-9. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2023.01.017
- Axe J. The Real Reason You Wake Up Tired Every Morning. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2026 (low iron in women at 8:27; ferritin test at 9:33).
- Axe J. The 25 Root-Cause Bloodwork Markers That Matter Most. DrAxe.com protocol. 2026. Marker 13, ferritin (root causes of low ferritin include heavy menses).
- Iacovides S, Avidon I, Baker FC. What we know about primary dysmenorrhea today: a critical review. Hum Reprod Update. 2015;21(6):762-78. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmv039
- Axe J. Perimenopause & Menopause: The 90-Day Healing Protocol. DrAxe.com protocol. 2026 ("What to expect": stabilize blood sugar first, restore the systems taking the handoff, then support hormones directly, p. 3).
- Jaramillo Á, Briones L, Andrews M, et al. Effect of phytic acid, tannic acid and pectin on fasting iron bioavailability both in the presence and absence of calcium. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2015;30:112-7. doi:10.1016/j.jtemb.2014.11.005
- Hurrell RF, Reddy M, Cook JD. Inhibition of non-haem iron absorption in man by polyphenolic-containing beverages. Br J Nutr. 1999;81(4):289-95. doi:10.1017/s0007114599000537
- Axe J. Top 50 Healing Herbs & Essential Oils: A Field Guide to God's Pharmacy. DrAxe.com protocol. 2026 ("Safety & interactions": "Pregnancy & nursing").
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms & Causes of Diarrhea. NIDDK; last reviewed September 2024.
This article is for educational purposes. See our medical disclaimer.