Evidence supporting the use of: Viburnum
For the health condition: Afterbirth Pain

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Viburnum species, particularly Viburnum opulus (cramp bark) and Viburnum prunifolium (black haw), have a long history of use in traditional Western herbal medicine to support women experiencing afterbirth pain (uterine cramping occurring after childbirth). The use of these plants is mainly based on herbalist tradition and the writings of 19th and early 20th-century physicians and herbalists. Both species were traditionally regarded as uterine relaxants, believed to reduce muscular tension and spasms.

Historical sources, such as Felter & Lloyd’s “King’s American Dispensatory” (1898), and later herbalists like Maude Grieve (1931), specifically mention the use of Viburnum for afterpains, dysmenorrhea, and other uterine cramps. The presumed active compounds include valerenic acid derivatives and viburnin, which have mild antispasmodic properties in vitro. However, formal clinical trials in postpartum women are lacking, and modern scientific evidence is limited to animal and in vitro studies demonstrating general smooth muscle relaxation. There is no robust clinical data confirming efficacy or safety for afterbirth pain specifically.

In summary, the use of Viburnum for afterbirth pain is justified primarily by traditional use and historical texts, with some weak pharmacological rationale but little direct scientific validation for this specific indication.

More about Viburnum
More about Afterbirth Pain

Products containing Viburnum

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.