Western Herbalism
Maidenhair
Adiantum
Also known as Maidenhair fern, Venus hair fern, Southern maidenhair.
Maidenhair fern is a delicate, fan fronded fern found in damp, shaded, often limestone habitats across warm temperate and subtropical regions worldwide, with Adiantum capillus-veneris the species most used medicinally. The fresh or dried fronds have long been made into a soothing syrup and infusion in European and North American eclectic practice, valued for calming irritated airways and easing dry coughs. It also carried a reputation as a hair tonic when used as a rinse, and as a gentle emmenagogue in folk gynecology.
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Indications what the tradition reached for it in
- Dry irritating cough
- Bronchitis
- Sore throat and hoarseness
- Common cold with chest tightness
- Delayed or scanty menstruation
- Low grade fever
- Catarrh
- Hair loss and dull hair (topical rinse)
- Mild urinary complaints
- Insect stings (topical, traditional)
Specific indications
Dry, tickling cough with scanty sputum and a hoarse voice, worse for talking
Amenorrhea or delayed menses in a person with a persistent low grade cough or chest cold
Safety
Pregnancy: Not for use in pregnancy
The record lists 3 contraindications; open the plate in the library to read them in full.
In practice
Maidenhair earns its place for the dry, unproductive cough that keeps a patient talking themselves hoarse, especially where the throat feels raw and tickly rather than congested. It is gentle enough to pair with other demulcents such as marshmallow leaf or licorice for a soothing pectoral syrup, and older practitioners favored the classic capillaire syrup, a simple sweetened infusion, for children and for singers or public speakers with vocal strain.
Dosing as the sources wrote it
| Preparation | As written | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Infusion | 2-4 g dried frond as infusion, up to three times daily | 2000-4000 mg |
| Tincture (1:5, 45%) | 2-4 mL three times daily | 2-4 mL |
| Syrup (capillaire style) | 5-10 mL as needed for cough, up to three times daily | 5-10 mL |
| Doses: Decoction (℥j to aqua Oj), dose, 1 to 4 fluid ounces. | 29.57-118 mL | |
| Infusion (℥j to aqua Oj), dose, 1 to 4 fluid ounces. | 29.57-118 mL | |
| Syrup (adiantum 1 part, boiling water 10 parts, sugar 19 parts; infuse, adding the sugar after the syrup has been strained), dose, 1 or 2 tablespoonfuls. |
Doses are reproduced from the sources for practitioners and are not a recommendation for any person.
From the sources
Overview. Maidenhair fern is a delicate, fan fronded fern found in damp, shaded, often limestone habitats across warm temperate and subtropical regions worldwide, with Adiantum capillus-veneris the species most used medicinally. The fresh or dried fronds have long been made into a soothing syrup and infusion in European and North American eclectic practice, valued for calming irritated airways and easing dry coughs. It also carried a reputation as a hair tonic when used as a rinse, and as a gentle emmenagogue in folk gynecology.
Clinical Notes. Maidenhair earns its place for the dry, unproductive cough that keeps a patient talking themselves hoarse, especially where the throat feels raw and tickly rather than congested. It is gentle enough to pair with other demulcents such as marshmallow leaf or licorice for a soothing pectoral syrup, and older practitioners favored the classic capillaire syrup, a simple sweetened infusion, for children and for singers or public speakers with vocal strain.
Drawn from King's American Dispensatory, 18th edition (Felter and Lloyd), and the Bountiful Herbs editorial.
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