Bärwurz in Monastic Medicine

The western and central European low mountain ranges are the home of Bärwurz (Meum athamanticum). Here, the herb is mainly found in open deciduous forests, on poor meadows, and in rocky locations. Today, we primarily know the bushy-growing plant for its use as a schnapps. It was already used as a medicinal plant in the Middle Ages and often adorned the widespread monastery gardens, including that of the abbess Hildegard von Bingen. In Hildegard medicine, Bärwurz remains the main ingredient in certain preparations to this day.

In the plant genus Meum, which belongs to the family of Apiaceae, the plant is the only representative. Today, Bärwurz is protected by nature conservation laws in many regions of Germany.

Bärwurz contains a colorful mix of various ingredients including essential oils, fatty oil, monoterpenes, caffeic acid, and phthalides. The essential oils are responsible for the intense smell of the plant, which strongly resembles fennel and lovage and does not fade even after drying.

Because of its strongly spicy taste, the fresh leaves, seeds, and rootstocks of Bärwurz are often used in cooking. In the Scottish Highlands, the herb is a typical spice. But even here in Germany, it often enhances herb quark, cheese, and salt. The plant’s flavor pairs especially well with dill. Roots from plants at least three years old can also be used as a vegetable.

As a medicinal plant, Bärwurz is crushed for compresses in skin diseases or processed as tea made from the leaves against digestive complaints. When taken internally, the plant is said to stimulate appetite and aid digestion, which is also the effect of the schnapps named after it.

Traditionally, its use in herbal medicine is for women’s ailments such as during pregnancy and menstrual pain. The name likely refers to the treatment of diseases affecting the uterus. The herbalist Hildegard von Bingen was already enthusiastic about Bärwurz in the Middle Ages and used it extensively in her Hildegard medicine. Her proven pear mash for detoxification, which the saint valued more than gold, contains this spicy plant as the most important herb.

Bärwurz develops a pronounced rootstock that can reach up to one meter deep into the ground. The bare stems of the approximately 30-centimeter-high plant bear elongated, feathery leaves. Bärwurz begins to bloom from early June. The white to yellowish-white flowers then form the seeds.

The high-proof spirit of the same name is often not made from Bärwurz. Instead, the related Alpine masterwort (Mutellina adonidifolia) is used for schnapps production.