iii: Herb of the Month
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Marianne Hughes, with illustration by Hazel Brady This triple-leafed herb was sacred to a variety of ancient cultures. Both the Greeks and the Romans associated it with the triad goddesses. Celtic priests were reminded of their three-lobed symbol of the sun. The Druids believed the blossoms could ward off nasty spells and evil spirits. In Ireland, St Patrick is believed to have used the threeleafed Clover to illustrate the idea of the Christian trinity. By the Middle Ages, legumes such as Peas (Pisum sativum), Beans (Phaseolus spp.), and Vetches (Vicia spp.) were commonly grown as fodder and food crops. From the midseventeenth century, farmers added deeprooted White Clover (Trifolium repens) and Red Clover (T. pratense) for these purposes (Bown, 2008). Although the Latin ‘pratense’ suggests a plant found in meadows, Clovers are still used today as a green manure crop, to enrich and protect soil. Through a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia bacteria, Red Clover fixes nitrogen in nodules in its roots. This nitrogen becomes available to other plants, and so enhances the nutrient value of meadows. The resulting high content of trace minerals in the plant’s roots is also beneficial in medicinal preparations.
promote antioxidant and anti-cancer effects. Additionally, they were found to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular function and to improve symptoms of menopause. Red Clover contains isoflavones— a type of phytoestrogen compound with a chemical makeup similar to the oestrogen hormone. So, the addition of Red Clover may help to balance hormone levels during the menopause. These findings (Mohsen et al, 2021) echo a recent meta-analysis of research into the lipid profile of perimenopausal and post-menopausal women, conducted by Kanadys et al (2020). They were specifically interested in the impact Red Clover extract could have on cholesterol levels, and found that Red Clover did reduce total concentrations of cholesterol. This, in turn, would impact positively on cardiovascular health.
In the 1930s, Red Clover had a reputation for curing cancer, and by the 1990s it had become a popular ingredient for relieving menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes. While its ability to cure cancer may be debateable, there is evidence that Red Clover can promote the development of a membrane around the tumour, containing its growth (Wood, 2008). This can be particularly helpful where there is to be surgery, for example for breast cancer (Wood, 2008). In an overview of new findings (Mohsen et al, 2021), compositions of Red Clover were found to 11
