Alfalfa

Scientific Name(S): Medicago sativa L. Common cultivars include Weevelchek, Saranac, Team, Arc, Classic and Buffalo. Family: Leguminosae

Common Name(S): Alfalfa

Although alfalfa is a food crop for animals, it also has been employed as an herbal medicine for at least 1500 years. Ingestion of alfalfa seeds or sprouts may be associated with a decrease in blood cell production while the leaves and stems provide a good source of protein as well as vitamins and minerals.

Botany: This legume grows throughout the world under widely varying conditions. A perennial herb, it has trifoliate dentate leaves with an underground stem that is often woody. Alfalfa grows to about 3 feet. Its blue-violet flowers bloom from July to September.

History: Alfalfa has played an important role as a livestock forage. Its use probably originated in Southeast Asia. The Arabs fed alfalfa to their horses claiming it made the animals swift and strong, naming the legume "Al-falfa" meaning "father of all foods." The medicinal uses of alfalfa stem from anecdotal reports that the leaves cause diuresis, and are useful in the treatment of kidney, bladder and prostate disorders. Leaf preparations have been touted for their antiarthritic and antidiabetic activity, for treatment of dyspepsia and as an antiasthmatic. Alfalfa extracts are used in baked goods, beverages and prepared foods, and the plant serves as a commercial source of chlorophyll and carotene.

Uses of Alfalfa

• No study evidence currently supports use of various parts of the alfalfa plant for diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic or antiulcer purposes. The plant appears to reduce cholesterol.
• Alfalfa seeds are also used as a folk remedy for asthma or other breathing conditions.
• Because other components of alfalfa may act somewhat like the female hormone estrogen, it has been suggested as potentially useful in menopause as well.

Side Effects of Alfalfa

Alfalfa ingestion, especially of the seeds, has been associated in some instances with various deleterious effects, but alfalfa preparations are generally without significant side effects.

Dosage and Administration

Used for cholesterol reduction in adults, a recommended dose of alfalfa is 40 mg of alfalfa seed or 5,000 mg to 10,000 mg (5 grams to 10 grams) of dried alfalfa leaves and stems three times a day. Dried alfalfa may be taken as capsules, tablets, or tea made from dried alfalfa soaked in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, then strained before drinking.

Summary: Alfalfa is a nutritious legume of importance as animal forage. Leaf preparations have been used in the treatment of kidney and bladder disorders and as an antirheumatic agent. There is no evidence supporting these uses in humans. Evidence from animal studies suggests that alfalfa saponins may lower cholesterol levels. Ingestion of alfalfa preparations is generally with­out significant side effects, but these may reactivate latent SLE and have caused reversible pancytopenia.