Source: http://globinmed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83245:verbena-officinalis-83245&catid=73&Itemid=146
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 02:46:04+00:00

Document:
Wild hyssop, Common verbena, Holy herb, Mosquito plant, Ironwort.
Verbena officinalis has a lengthy history of use as a medicinal herb and as a sacred herb used in ceremonies since ancient times in many parts of the world. It is said that V. officinalis was the herb used to treat the wounds of Jesus after he was removed from the cross. Its uses are varied in all medical traditions ranging from stimulating lactation to treating kidney stones. The aerial parts of V. officinalis are useful for its therapeutic properties and are normally collected during the summer when the plants are in full blossom.
V. officinalis is a small perennial that is harvested for medicinal use during the flowering phase. It grows up to five feet tall with branching on the upper half of the plant. These upper branches terminate in flowering spikes producing bluish flowers. Each flower produces red-brown fruits in early fall.
Thought to be native to the Mediterranean, this herb is now found throughout the world and is cultivated in many gardens. V. officinalis is found growing in abundance in the wild all over Europe, North Africa and also in China and Japan. The herb is grown through seedlings during spring or in autumn and the plant flourishes in soil that does not allow water to stand and prefers a lot of sunlight.
Leaf, flowers, stems, root used as astringent.
1-5g of crude raw herb prepared as infusion.
1.5g powdered herb one to three times per day.
5g in 1 liter of water for topical application.
There is no known standardization of V. officinalis.
The traditional use of V. officinalis includes treating some inflammatory conditions. In an animal model, extracts of V. officinalis were obtained by several methods. Of these a carbon dioxide extraction provided the strongest anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities with lipophylic actives being the likely source of these properties. This same extract demonstrated wound healing properties. These antioxidant properties were also demonstrated using a methanol extract at 50% with caffeoyl as possessing radical scavenging properties. The topical applications of V. officinalis extract have also demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties with results comparable to or better than piroxicam gel and moderate analgesic properties.
V. officinalis contains citral which has been found to induce apoptosis in tested hematopoietic cancer cell lines.
Lessens the effects of Warfarin.
V. officinalis has anticoagulant properties that may interfere with similar medications.
The extract of V. officinalis may cause allergic skin reactions in some individuals.
Not to be used by pregnant women. Not to be used by nursing women as a galactagogue unless under supervision of a healthcare professional.
Based on reports that V. officinalis tea may interfere with iron absorption, it should be avoided in children and those with compromised nutritional status.
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