Identity & origin
BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
Annual in the Asteraceae family. Recorded native range: Tropical and subtropical America. The listed pharmacopoeial material is leaf; whole plant.
Also known as: No synonyms listed.
Check the species, plant part and complete botanical name together. A photograph alone cannot identify a harvest safely for consumption.
An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.
Uses & evidence
UNDERSTANDING THE USES
Properties & uses.
Pharmacopoeial material: leaf; whole plant
Bidens pilosa is listed for leaf and whole plant. A leaf preparation differs from an extract that includes all organs. This notice infers no therapeutic indication.
The references do not establish a benefit. Lack of evidence is not assurance of safety.
Read the sourceBlood glucose: a pilot study
Lower fasting glucose and HbA1c were reported; the authors explored beta-cell function. A pilot does not establish comparative efficacy, long-term safety or interactions with medicines.
A human study may be positive, negative or inconclusive. Read the findings, preparation and limitations.
Read the sourceThe traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.
Precautions before use
BEFORE ANY USE
Precautions & contraindications.
This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.
Contraindications & precautions
- Insufficient dataThis targeted audit does not provide a comprehensive contraindication review; this does not mean contraindications are absent.
Medicine interactions
- Insufficient dataThis dossier cannot establish compatibility with medication. A limited study does not replace an interaction review of the exact product.
Other retained warnings · review incomplete
These existing warnings remain relevant to consult. Their exhaustive reassessment is outside this targeted review.
Restrictions and precautions
- This botanical dossier does not establish medicinal-use safety. Anyone with a medical condition or taking medicine needs professional assessment of the specific product.
Medicine interactions
- Interactions have not been sufficiently assessed in the sources retained for this notice; an incomplete assessment guarantees no compatibility.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children
No medicinal use is offered during pregnancy or breastfeeding; this dossier cannot establish safety in these situations.
No paediatric preparation or dose is offered in this notice.
“Reported” does not prove causality; “possible” may reflect indirect evidence. “None reported” means none in the cited source, not that all combinations have been studied. Do not stop a prescribed treatment based on this profile.
Adverse effects
- This notice does not provide a complete adverse-effect assessment. Historical use alone cannot exclude toxicity.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
No medicinal use is offered during pregnancy or breastfeeding; this dossier cannot establish safety in these situations.
Children & adolescents
No paediatric preparation or dose is offered in this notice.
If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.
Forms & how they are used
DOCUMENTED FORMS
One plant, several preparations.
Only forms documented in this profile’s sources are presented.
Studied preparation — documentary referencePart not explicit in the abstract reviewed; do not infer it from the inventory. · Route: not recommended for self-treatment
Oral Bidens pilosa formulation.
Please note: Research description only; no self-treatment dose, recipe or duration is offered.
Read the sourceAvailable evidence
EXPLORE THE EVIDENCE
The available evidence.
This reference concerns a defined preparation of Bidens pilosa L.. Findings come from participants studied in a specific setting and do not validate every preparation of the plant.
Blood glucose: a pilot study
Do not change diabetes treatment on this basis; possible biological activity requires monitoring, not an improvised combination.
A human study may be positive, negative or inconclusive. Read the findings, preparation and limitations.
Read the referenceLimitations to keep in mind.
Do not change diabetes treatment on this basis; possible biological activity requires monitoring, not an improvised combination.
Studies, findings & limitations
THE RESEARCH
What the research shows.
A laboratory or animal result alone does not demonstrate a benefit in humans. Each result must be read alongside the preparation studied and its limitations.
Blood glucose: a pilot study — 2015
A human study may be positive, negative or inconclusive. Read the findings, preparation and limitations.
- Type of research
- Pilot formulation study in diabetic participants, with evaluation in healthy participants.
- Preparation concerned
- Oral Bidens pilosa formulation.
- Observed results
- Lower fasting glucose and HbA1c were reported; the authors explored beta-cell function.
- Limitations to consider
- A pilot does not establish comparative efficacy, long-term safety or interactions with medicines.
What can we take from this?
A pilot does not establish comparative efficacy, long-term safety or interactions with medicines. Interactions, pregnancy and long-term use require separate assessment.
Documentary review dated 09/10/2026. The references remain available to check the context.
Sources & last review
CHECKING REFERENCES
Sources for this profile.
- ANSM — French Pharmacopoeia, List A, January 2026, p. 7Accessed on 09/10/2026
- Kew POWO — Bidens pilosa L.Accessed on 09/10/2026
- Lai BY et al. (2015) — Bidens pilosa Formulation Improves Blood Homeostasis and β -Cell Function in Men: A Pilot StudyAccessed on 09/10/2026
Image: Corin · CC BY 4.0. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.