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

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