The leaves of the red raspberry bush (Rubus idaeus) have been used in folk medicine for hundreds of years. Having astringent and stimulant properties, raspberry leaf tea is a popular remedy for a number of ailments. As a mouthwash, the astringent properties were used to treat mouth sores. The most common use of raspberry leaves is as a uterine tonic. It seems to have the ability to relax tight uterine muscles and constrict relaxed uterine muscles. This activity has lead to the use of raspberry leaf tea as a stimulant to child-birth during the beginning of labor. Its use for this is not fully researched, but seems harmless. Raspberry leaf powder is also used for similar tonic conditions.