Notes: Easily identified by its leaves and clinging habit. Cleavers can be found from early spring, growing over other plants or along the ground.

The more little stick tights they have the stronger the doctrine of signatures of the plant. Tis Mal Crow said that the long slender stems with the seed heads make them look like nerves and the swellings of the heads indicate that they would be helpful in treating neurofibromatosis.

Energetics: bitter, sweet, salty, cold and dry

Meridians: Kidney, Bladder, Liver

Affinities: Lymph system, urinary tract, skin

Classified as a Cooling detoxicant, best used in yin deficient fires

Peter Holmes: Strong trophic effect on the lymphatics, urinary tract and skin. So it can work calcinification and fibrosities out of the tissue, and remove gravel. Galium is a very strong sedative herb on clearing damp heat from the urinary tract and liver.

Interesting fact that the seed heads can be used to make coffee.

Matt Wood- tissue states treated atrophy and irritation

Specific indications: Stagnation of water, easily ticklish skin. fibrotic mammary tissue.

Clymer says, "a diaphoretic in fevers where a free outward circulation should be established quickly. It is a highly valuable refrigerant and diuretic beneficial in suppression of the urine, calculous affections, inflammation of the kidney and bladder. For children and adults who suffer from scalding urine, it is THE remedy. He used Tincture of Cleaver: 20-30 drops

Tincture of Buchu: 10-20 drops together in any case of irritated mucus membranes.

Scudder says, "The first use of Galium is to relieve irritation of the urinary apparatus, and increase the amount of urine. In dysuria and painful micturition, it will frequently give prompt relief. It has recently been employed in cancer, used locally and internally. A case of hard nodulated tumor of the tongue, apparently cancerous was cured."

Culpeper: "Under the dominion of the Moon. Taken in broth, it keeps them lean and lank that are apt to grow fat. The distilled water drank twice a day cures the yellow jaundice; and the decoction of the herb also..stayeth lasks and bloody Fluxes. The juice of the leaves applied to any bleeding wound, stayeth the bleeding. The juice also is very good to close up the lips of greens wounds, and the power of the dried herb strewed thereupon doth the same, and heals, old ulcers. Being boiled in Hog's lard, it reduces hard swellings or kernels in the throat. It is a good remedy in the spring to cleanse the blood and strengthens the liver, thereby to keep the body in health and fitting it for that change of season that is coming.

Ellington: A sedative remedy in acute inflammation or irritation of the urinary tract. Given in fever, it impresses the temperature favorably, stimulates the excretion of all urinary constituents and the fever is shortened by its use. It is given for its general tonic influence upon the urinary tract. An infusion is the most active form. It is useful in dysuria if from acute inflammation, and is an excellent remedy for suppression when nephritis has occurred from septic causes. It is useful in strangury in vesical irritation from uterine disorder and in the cystic and prostatic irritation of old men.

Greg Tilford: valuable in a wide range of problems which involve the lymphatic system and in 'dry skin conditions; valuable lymphatic tonic with any condition of general or localized swelling including situation where lymphatic circulation is impaired by scar tissue , ulceration or infection. It effect is via an increased circulation of lymph in impaired areas of the body through dilation of capillaries allowing this herb to help speed the healing of gastric ulcers, and help with the systemic drainage of lymph-engorged cysts, tumors, and inflamed tissues of the urinary tract.  By improving lymphatic circulation, a critical level of systemic waste management is assisted.

Herb pairs: For problems involving the lymphatic system, cleavers combines with calendula, echinacea, or astragalus.  For skin and liver problems, cleavers is best if combined with alterative, diuretic, and cholagogue herbs— dandelion, burdock, oregon grape, milk thistle, and yellow dock should be investigated.  For treatment of tumors, cleavers is traditionally combined with red clover, licorice, violet, or aloe.  For urinary tract problems, check out corn silk, marshmallow, and couchgrass as alternatives or adjuncts.