Buckwheat herb

Buckwheat herb(Fagopyri herba) is an annual, herbaceous, cold-sensitive crop from the knotweed family (pseudocereals; not a cereal), which grows to a height of 20-60 cm. The white to pink-colored, small flowers are arranged in a spike-like cluster. Due to its nectar content, buckwheat herb is very important for bees. It flowers from July to October. Buckwheat weed produces triangular, 0.3-0.6 cm large, reddish-brown fruits with a rough skin, reminiscent of beechnuts. The fruits are processed into groats, semolina or flour. Buckwheat herb is rich in antioxidant flavenoids, especially rutin.

Buckwheat herb is used for therapeutic purposes, namely the dried herb (flowers, leaves, stems) collected at flowering time. A tea can be prepared from it in cut form. Powdered buckwheat herb is also available in tablet form.

HMPC: not processed

ESCOP: not processed

Commission E: not processed

Quality specified in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.). Authorization: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) stage I and II as well as for microcirculatory disorders and for the prophylaxis of arteriosclerosis.

For an infusion of buckwheat herb, administered as a tea over a period of 3 months, a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study with 67 patients with chronic venous insufficiency showed a greater reduction in lower leg oedema compared to a placebo arm.

Efficacy co-determining ingredients:

On average up to 6% flavenoids (including up to 90% rutin), caffeic acid derivatives, phenyl carboxylic acid derivatives, depending on the time of harvest traces to small amounts of fagopyrin.

Indications (none according to Commission E!)

Indications according to clinical experience (Schilcher H 2015):

• Improvement of the microcirculation
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Microcirculation disorders
• Arteriosclerosis prophylaxis

At least 150mg rutin in a readily bioavailable form. This can currently only be achieved with the preparation Fagorutin buckwheat tablets and tea.

Buckwheat tea: two grams of the herb are poured over 150 millilitres of boiling water and strained after ten minutes. The herb can also be boiled for 2-3 minutes. Dosage: Drink one cup of buckwheat tea 3 times a day. Duration: several weeks (at least three months).

At least 150mg rutin in a well bioavailable form. This can currently only be achieved with the preparation Fagorutin buckwheat tablets and tea.

In rare cases after ingestion of fagopyrin-rich preparations - headache, photosensitization after strong sunlight.

Pregnancy and lactation due to lack of studies on safety, children and adolescents- no relevance of chronic venous insufficiency.

FAGORUTIN® Horse Chestnut Vein Dragees 99 mg ; FAGORUTIN® Buckwheat Tea.

Has not been further evaluated by Commission E due to time constraints. Buckwheat herb is documented in Supplement 5.2.of the 5th edition of Ph.Eur. Buckwheat was declared medicinal plant of the year in 1999.

1. Schilcher H (2015) Phytopharmaceuticals in cardiovascular diseases. In: Guide to phytotherapy. Urban and Fischer Publishers Munich, pp. 414-415.
2. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/buchweizen.php.
3. Ihme N et al. (1996) Led oedema protection from buckwheat herb tea in patients with chronic venous insufficiency: a single center, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 50: 443-447.
4. Wenigmann M. (2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs, phytopharmaceuticals, application. Urban & Fischer, pp. 91-92