The Four Herbs in Lymphrise

Turn a Lymphrise bottle around and you'll find four herbs on the label. That's the whole list. No mystery "superblend" of twenty things you can't pronounce.

Here's what each herb is, where it grows, how people have traditionally used it, and why the four sit together in one dropper.

Cleavers (Galium aparine)

If you've ever walked through a hedge and come out with a sticky green plant clinging to your sweater, you've met cleavers. Tiny hooked hairs on the stems and leaves make it stick to everything, which is where the nicknames come from: goosegrass, sticky willy, catchweed.

• Where it grows: a common wild plant of gardens, hedgerows and field edges across Europe, Asia and North America.
• Part used: the aerial parts, meaning the stems, leaves and flowers above the ground.
• Fun fact: it belongs to the same plant family as coffee, and its seeds have been roasted as a coffee substitute.

Traditional use: cleavers is probably the herb most closely tied to the lymphatic system in Western herbalism. Herbalists have long used it as a spring tonic, in teas, fresh juices and tinctures, and it's traditionally used to support lymph flow.* It also has a traditional reputation as a mild diuretic herb, which is worth knowing (more on that in Lymphatic drops vs. diuretics).

It's also the one herb people already seem to know and trust, which we take as a good sign.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense)

Red clover is the round, pinkish-purple flower you see in meadows and along roadsides in summer. It's a member of the pea family and has been grown for centuries as a crop for grazing animals.

• Where it grows: native to Europe and western Asia, and now found all over North America.
• Part used: the flower heads.
• Fun fact: like other clovers, it works with soil bacteria to put nitrogen back into the ground, which is why farmers plant it between crops.

Traditional use: herbalists have long used red clover flowers in teas and syrups. Older herbal texts call it an "alterative," a traditional term for herbs taken over time to support the body's own housekeeping.* Red clover also contains natural plant compounds called isoflavones.

Stillingia (Stillingia sylvatica)

Stillingia is the least famous of the four, and the most American. It's a low-growing plant with a thick root, also known as queen's root or queen's delight.

• Where it grows: sandy soils and pine woods of the southeastern United States.
• Part used: the root.
• Fun fact: it's a member of the spurge family, a group of plants known for their strong, milky sap.

Traditional use: stillingia root was a regular in 19th-century American herbal practice, where it was used as an alterative, usually combined with other herbs rather than taken on its own.* It's a strong herb. Herbalists treat it with respect, and large amounts can upset the stomach. That's one reason to stick to the serving on the label.

Prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

Prickly ash is a thorny shrub with aromatic bark. It's a distant cousin of citrus and a close relative of Sichuan pepper, and it shares that pepper's party trick.

• Where it grows: woodlands and thickets of eastern and central North America.
• Part used: the bark.
• Fun fact: chewing the bark makes your mouth tingle and go a little numb, which earned it the nickname "toothache tree."

Traditional use: in Western herbalism, prickly ash is known as a warming herb and is traditionally used to support healthy circulation.* Herbalists often added it to formulas alongside other herbs.

Why these four, in one blend

Traditional herbalism rarely works with one plant at a time. Herbs are usually combined, each bringing something different to the mix. Red clover, stillingia and prickly ash showed up together in some older American herbal formulas, and cleavers has long been a go-to lymph herb on its own.

Together, they cover different parts of the plant world:

• Cleavers: a gentle, green herb, the classic lymph plant.*
• Red clover: a flower, traditionally taken over time.*
• Stillingia: a strong root, used as one part of a formula.*
• Prickly ash: a warming bark, traditionally used for circulation.*

In Lymphrise, all four are combined as a liquid herbal extract: 300 mg in every 1 mL serving. Like most herbal blends, the exact split per herb is proprietary, but every herb is named on the label, along with the part of the plant it comes from.

A few safety notes

• Ask your doctor or pharmacist first if you take any medication, especially blood thinners or hormone therapy, or if you have a health condition.
• Don't use it if you're pregnant or nursing, unless your doctor says it's fine.
• If you notice an upset stomach, a rash or any other reaction, stop taking it.
• Take the serving on the label. More isn't better.

How Lymphrise fits in

These herbs are a daily habit, not a quick fix. They work best next to the basics: walking, deep breathing, water and enough sleep.

One dropper in the morning, one before bed. Under your tongue, or stirred into water, juice or tea. Alcohol-free, plant-based, third-party tested. Four herbs, nothing hidden. For the full routine, read How to take Lymphrise.

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.