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	Couch Grass
	Gardeners hate it - herbalists love it! Couch grass is a pernicious weed that spreads rapidly by way of underground roots and rhizomes strangling everything in its path. This aggressive perennial grass is found in all parts of the world and has been used in medicine since the first century. Couch grass had many uses in traditional medicine in many cultures, especially for kidney ailments, and the roots are still used by traditional peasants in South China and Hong Kong to make a herbal tonic tea. Couch grass is recognized by the German E Commission for kidney and urinary tract disorders, and its benefits are supported by in vitro and animal studies.

	Browse Sections:
	Summary Other Names Description Traditional Internal Uses Traditional Topical Uses Indications Actions Constituents / Nutrients		Pharmacological Summary Scientific Research / Actions Research Precautions / Contraindications Interaction with Medications Possible Side Effects Dosage References

	Common Name
	Couch Grass
	Botanical Latin Name / Classification
	Elymus repens
	Parts Used
	Roots and rhizomes
	Other Names
	Couch Grass, Couchgrass, Dog Grass, Twitch Grass, Wheat Grass, Cough Grass, Coughgrass, Cutch, Quitch Grass, Quake Grass, Scutch Grass, Chandler's Grass, Durfa Grass, Durfee Grass, Dutch Grass, Fin's Grass, Scotch Quelch, Devil's Grass, Witch Grass, Queckenwurzelstock. Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Description
	Found in Europe, the Americas, Northern Asia, and Australia, couch grass is considered by many to be an invasive weed. This vigorous perennial can grow to 32 in (80 cm) in height and is harvested throughout the year. Couch grass spreads by way of its long, creeping rhizome, and it is identified by its slender leaves, and erect spikes bearing green flowers aligned in two rows. The part of the plant with the greatest concentration of active ingredients is its fleshy underground stem, collected in spring or autumn. Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Traditional Internal Uses
	Couch grass roots have been used as a medicine since the time of Dioscorides in the first century, and even sick dogs eat the leaves to produce a healing vomit. In Europe, it is still used as a tisane. Gerard wrote of couch grass, "...it openeth the stoppings of the liver and reins without any manifest heat...", and Nicholas Culpeper, one of the formost figures in the history of herbal medicine, also praised its virtues for diseases of the kidneys. During the early twentieth century, Couch Grass was used in France as a home remedy to soothe sore throats and to help "sweat out" illnesses. Couch grass is stated to possess diuretic properties. It has been used for cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis, benign prostatic hypertrophy, renal calculus, lithuria, and specifically for cystitis with irritation or inflammation of the urinary tract. Couch grass has been taken to ensure that adequate levels of friendly bacteria are kept in check. Couch grass has a high mannitol and mucilage content making it useful as supplement offering upper respiratory support and maintenance. Couch Grass is widely considered effective for building resistance to infections and urinary tract infections, and it may provide relief in conditions such as bronchitis, colds, coughs, fever, and sore throats. Other traditional folk uses of this herb include bladder infections, urinary stones, gout, pain from rheumatism, chronic skin problems, and constipation. The German E Commission endorses the use of couch grass for irrigation therapy, for inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract, and for the prevention of kidney gravel. Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Traditional Topical Uses
	The essential oil of couch grass has an anti-microbial activity and helps the body to gently remove toxins if applied topically. Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Indications
	Primary Indications: Kidney Disorders, Kidney Stones, Gravel, Urinary Tract Infections and Inflammation, Cystitis, Urethritis, Lithuria Secondary Indications: Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH), Prostatitis - Prostate Inflammation Other Indications: Bright's Disease, Bronchitis, Cold, Common (Rhinovirus), Constipation, Eye Disorders, Female Genitals, Gallbladder Disorders, Gallstones, Gout, Rheumatism, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Skin Disorders, Syphilis Primary Indications: Swelling / Inflammation Other Indications: Coughing, Fever, Sore Throat Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Actions
	Anti-Inflammatory, Antibacterial, Anticholesterolemic, Antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Aperient, Demulcent, Diuretic, Emollient, Hepatic, Laxative, Lithotriptic, Depurative Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Constituents / Nutrients
	*Carbohydrates:* Fructose, glucose, inositol, mannitol, mucilaginous substances (10%), pectin, triticin. *Cyanogenetic Glycosides:* Unspecified. *Flavonoids:* Tricin and other unidentified flavonoids. *Saponins:* No details documented. *Volatile Oils:* 0.05%. Agropyrene (95%). Presence of agropyrene has been disputed,(1) with the oil reported to consist mainly of the monoterpenes carvacrol, trans-anethole, carvone, thymol, menthol, menthone and p-cymene and three sesquiterpenes. *Other Constituents:* Fixed oil, vanillin glucoside. Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Pharmacological Summary
	Limited chemical data are available for couch grass and little scientific evidence was located to justify the traditional herbal uses. Agropyrene is regarded as the main active principle in couch grass on account of its antibiotic effect, although the presence of agropyrene in the volatile oil has been disputed.(1) The sugar, mannitol, is present in large quantities in this herb, and is known as a standard 'osmotic diuretic', that is, it is absorbed whole from the gut and excreted largely by the kidney tubules. Its presence in the tubules means that extra water has to be retained in order to maintain osmotic pressure. The saponins and vanillin, also have diuretic properties. Silica, present as 30% of the inorganic residue, justifies this herb's use in the treatment of slow-healing wounds and to strengthen the lungs and other tissues. The antibiotic substance help to limit infections in the urinary tubules and elsewhere. Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Scientific Research and Pharmacologicial Actions
	In Vitro and Animal Studies Couch grass is stated to exhibit diuretic and sedative activities in rats and mice, respectively. Broad antibiotic activity has been documented for agropyrene and its oxidation product. An ethanolic extract was found to exhibit only weak inhibition (14%) of carrageenan-induced inflammation in the rat paw.(2) Couch grass has been reported to be phytotoxic with flavonoid components implicated as the active constituents.(3) Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Research
	"Couch Grass: Why Do Dogs Eat Grass?" "Couch Grass: Why Does My Pet Eat Grass?" Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Precautions / Contraindications
	In view of its reputed diuretic action, excessive or prolonged use of couch grass should be avoided since this may result in hypokalaemia. Pregnancy and Lactation: In view of the limited pharmacological and toxicological data, the use of couch grass during pregnancy and lactation should be avoided. Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Interaction with Medications
	None documented. Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Possible Side Effects
	None documented for couch grass. An unspecified cyanogenetic glycoside has been reported as a constituent of couch grass, although no further details were located. Irrigation therapy should be avoided if edema exists due to cardiac or renal insufficiency. Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	Dosage
	Dried Rhizome: 4-8 g or in decoction three times daily. Dried Extract: Couch grass capsules are generally available in strengths that range from 200 to 800 mg. Within herbal blends, quantities of couch grass are significantly smaller. Typically, a capsule strength of 400 to 500 mg is recommended to be taken 3 times daily. Liquid Extract: 4-8 mL (1 : 1 in 25% alcohol) three times daily. Tincture: 5-15 mL (1 : 5 in 40% alcohol) three times daily. Note: For irrigation therapy, observe copious fluid intake. Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products
	References
	1. Boesel R, Schilcher H. Composition of the essential oil of Agropyrum repens rhizome. Planta Med 1989; 55: 399-400. 2. Mascolo N. Biological screening of Italian medicinal plants for anti-inflammatory activity. Phytother Res 1987; 1: 28-29. 3. Weston LA et al. Isolation, characterization and activity of phytotoxic compounds from quackgrass [Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv.]. J Chem Ecol 1987; 13: 403-421. Our thanks to the following information resources: MedicinesComplete.com, American Botanical Council (Herbalgram.org). Browse Sections \| View Couch Grass products