Yellow Sweet Clover - Melilotus officinalis

Melilotus officinalis with a common name of yellow sweet clover or yellow melilot is an herbaceous plant in the Fabaceae (legume) family.  Sweet clover is native to Europe and Asia and has been naturalized in North America, Africa, and Australia. It is one of the most drought-tolerant legumes, and it's used as pasture or livestock fodder. 

It contains coumarins, melilotin, phenolic acids, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, volatile oils, fats, triterpenes, carbohydrates, sugar, anthraquinone glycosides, mucilage, tannin, bis-hydroxycoumarin, choline, alcohols, uric acid and more. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, neural, protective, sedative, anxiolytic, smooth muscle relaxant, hypotensive and other pharmacological effects make this a useful plant.¹

In traditional medicine, the flower, stem, branches and leaves are all used. Sweet clover extracts are commonly taken by mouth as a tea, infusion, capsule, or drops, as a diuretic. It's also used to relieve symptoms of poor blood circulation, including leg pain and heaviness, varicose vein, nerve pain, and fluid retention or edema. A poultice can be made to use topically on the skin for bruises. It has even shown promise in the treatment of endometriosis, although more studies are needed.² There are numerous studies available on Google Scholar. 

Sweet clover is safe for most people when used in moderation. If it is harvested when dry and the drying is completed promptly, it does not cause problems. It is only in wet, moldy clover that the coumarin is converted to dicoumarol, which is an anticoagulant. I take great care to harvest and dry it correctly.

It may interact with medications that slow blood clotting, like anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs. Always let your doctor know if you are using herbal supplements.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose or treat any illness.

¹ Al-Snafi, Ali Esmail. "Chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Melilotus Officinalis-A review." IOSR Journal of Pharmacy 10, no. 1 (2020): 26-36.

² Ilhan, Mert, Zulfiqar Ali, Ikhlas A. Khan, Hakkı Taştan, and Esra Küpeli Akkol. "The regression of endometriosis with glycosylated flavonoids isolated from Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall. in an endometriosis rat model." Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 59, no. 2 (2020): 211-219.