Buckwheat herb

Buckwheatherb (Fagopyri herba) is an annual, herbaceous, cold-sensitive useful plant originating from the knotweed family (pseudocereals; not a cereal), reaching a height of 20-60 cm. The white to pink, small flowers are united spike-like. Due to the nectar content, buckwheat herb has a high importance for bees. Flowering time is from July to October. Buckwheat herb produces three-edged, 0.3-0.6 cm large, reddish-brown fruits with a rough skin, resembling beechnuts. The fruits are processed as food into groats, semolina or flour. Buckwheat herb is rich in antioxidant flavenoids, especially rutin.

For therapeutic purposes, the buckwheat herb is used, namely the dried herb (flowers, leaves, stems) collected at flowering time. In cut form, a tea can be prepared from it. Furthermore, powdered buckwheat herb is available in tablet form.

HMPC: not edited

ESCOP: not edited

Commission E: not edited

Quality defined in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.). Approval: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) stage I and II and for microcirculatory disorders and arteriosclerosis prophylaxis.

For an infusion of buckwheat herb, administered as a tea over a period of 3 months, a greater reduction in lower leg edema was observed in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study of 67 patients with chronic venous insufficiency 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