Red Clover (beebread, cow clover, meadow clover, purple clover, trefle des pres, trefoil, trifolium pratense, wild clover): Dosing and Uses

Suggested dosing of Beebread, cow clover (red clover)

Typical Dosing Guideline

Standardized commercially prepared isoflavins

40-80 mg/day

Flower Tops

4 g PO TId

Tea

1 cup PO TID; 4 g flower tops/150 mL water

Liquid Extract

1.5-3 mL PO TID; 1:1 in 25% alcohoL

Tincture

1-2 mL PO TID; 1:10 in 45% alcohoL

Topical

Dosage varies

Hot Flash

Isoflavone extract: 40-160 mg/day PO

Cyclic Mastalgia

Isoflavones: 40-80 mg/day

Osteoporosis

Specific extract (Promensil): 40 mg/day

Suggested uses of Beebread, cow clover (red clover)

Oral

Menopausal symptoms and hot flashes, mastalgia, PMS, cancer prevention, indigestion, hypercholesterolemia, whooping cough, asthma, bronchitis, & STD's

Topical

Cancer, skin sores, burns, sore eyes, and chronic skin diseases including eczema

Efficacy

Hypercholesterolemia

• Does not significantly reduce total or LDL cholesterol, OR increase HDL in women 49-65. More studies are needed

Menopausal symptoms

• Does not seem to reduce menopausal symptoms

BPH

• May decrease nocturnal urinary frequency, international prostate symptom scores, and improve the quality of life
• Does not affect urine flow rate, PSA values, or prostate size

Breast Cancer (prevention)

• May not significantly affect breast cancer risk

Endometrial cancer

• It is not known if has any effect on risk. More studies are needed

Mastalgia

• Preliminary evidence suggests reduction in breast pain & tenderness in 45% of patients

Osteoporosis

• More studies are needed. 40 mg isoflavones qDay did not seem to increase BMD

Beebread, cow clover (red clover) adverse (side) effects

Estrogen-like effects, rash

Warnings

Contraindications

Cancer (breast, ovarian, uterine), endometriosis, hormone sensitive conditions, uterine fibroids

Cautions

Coagulation disorders, concurrent CYP3A4 substrates

Pregnancy and lactation

Pregnancy category: avoid use

Lactation: avoid use

Pregnancy categories

A: Generally acceptable. Controlled studies in pregnant women show no evidence of fetal risk.

B: May be acceptable. Either animal studies show no risk but human studies not available or animal studies showed minor risks and human studies done and showed no risk.

C: Use with caution if benefits outweigh risks. Animal studies show risk and human studies not available or neither animal nor human studies done.

D: Use in LIFE-THREATENING emergencies when no safer drug available. Positive evidence of human fetal risk.

X: Do not use in pregnancy. Risks involved outweigh potential benefits. Safer alternatives exist.

NA: Information not available.

Pharmacology of Beebread, cow clover (red clover)

Metabolism: N/A

Excretion: N/A

Mechanism of action

Antispasmodic, expectorant constituents

Isoflavones (e.g., daidzein, genistein) are phytoestrogens: weak estrogenic/antiestrogenic properties