Introduction of Vervain:blue vervain or enchanter's herb.
✵The article gives records of the herb Vervain, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Verbena officinalis L., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Vervain, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Vervain(blue vervain).
English Name: Vervain.
Latin Name: Verbena officinalis L(European) and Verbena hastata(North American).
Common Names: Bastard balm, blue vervain, devil's medicine, enchanter's herb, herb of Grace, herb-of-the-cross, holy wort, Juno's Tears, Pigeon's Grass, Pigeonweed, ma bian cao, Simpler's joy, verbena.
Property and flavor: slight cold nature, tastes bitter, pungent.
Brief introduction: Verbena officinalis and Verbena hastata represent only two of hundreds of species in the family Verbenaceae. These common perennials grow wild in temperate regions around the world. Slender flowering spikes emerge off thin, stiff stems; the lilac or blue color of the small flowers accounts for the common American name, "blue vervain". The flowers, the roots, and the oblong leaves are used medicinally.
Botanical source: Common herbal classics defined the herb Vervain as the flowers and roots of the species (1). Verbena officinalis L. It is a plant species of the Verbena genus, the Verbenaceae family (Verbena family, Vervain family). The flowers and roots are used medicinally. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Verbena officinalis L.
Botanical description: Verbena officinalis is an annual or biennial to perennial with a fusiform, branched, whitish root. The stem is upright, rigid, quadrangular, and branched above. The leaves are opposite, dull green, ovate-oblong, and have a short broad petiole. They are deeply divided into 3 with notched, crenate tips. They are wrinkled and roughly bristled.
The small flowers are pale lilac and arranged in thin, paniculate spikes. The calyx is fused to a short, 5-tipped tube. The corolla has a 5-tipped, bent tube, and a bilabiate margin. The mouth of the tube is closed by crosshairs. There are 4 stamens and 1 ovary, which breaks up into four single-seeded mericarps. These are oblong-cylindrical, 1.5 to 2 mm long, warty on the inside, reticulately grooved and light brown on the outside. The seeds are grooved on the inside and have very little endosperm.
Ecological environment: The plant often grows along roadsides, hillsides, streams, or forests at low to high altitudes. The plant is probably indigenous to the Mediterranean region. It is cultivated worldwide, but mainly in Eastern Europe.
Growth characteristics: The plant likes a dry, sunny environment. The soil requirements are not strict, the plant likes fertilizer, and humidity, is afraid of waterlogging, and does not tolerate drought. It can grow in ordinary soil, but it grows robustly in deep, fertile loam and sandy loam soil, and it is not suitable for planting in low-lying and flood-prone soil.
Characters of herbs: Verbena herb is the above-ground part of Verbena officinalis. The herb is predominantly cultivated in Eastern Europe. It is collected in the wild and harvested in southeastern Europe. After being cut, the herb is hung in bunches to dry.
Pharmacological actions: ①.anti-inflammatory and painkilling actions; ②.weak parasympathomimetic; ③.diuretic action; ④.lowers blood pressure; ⑤.anticough properties; ⑥.galactagogue properties, etc.
A study found iridoid glycosides in the herb, including verbenalin have anti-inflammatory and painkilling actions in laboratory animals. A study found verbenaloside acts as a weak parasympathomimetic in laboratory animals. Vervain has a diuretic action in rats, its component verbenalin lowers blood pressure slightly. A study found that verbenalin has anticough properties. Vervain component aucubin has galactagogue or breast-milk-stimulating properties.
Medicinal efficacy: The herb vervain is used as a digestive aid, relaxing tonic, antidepressant, menstruation promoter, expectorant for cold symptoms to clear congestion, diuretic for swelling, and breast milk stimulator. It is good for nervous exhaustion, jaundice, menstrual cramps, headaches including migraines, depression, fever, and minor pains and inflammations. It is used in external formulations for wounds, acne, and skin ulcers. In folk medicine, preparations of Vervain are used for diseases and ailments of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa, such as sore throat, and for diseases of the respiratory tract, such as coughs, asthma, and whooping cough. The herb is used internally for pain, cramps, fatigue, nervous disorders, and digestive disorders. The herb is used externally as a gargle for cold symptoms and for diseases of the oral and pharyngeal cavities. Vervain is also used for antipruritic treatment of skin disease and minor topical burns and for arthritis, rheumatism, dislocations, and contusions.
Administration of Vervain (blue vervain):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Vervain (blue vervain)
Herbal classic books:
Dosage: An infusion prepared using 1 teaspoon of dried herb in a cup of water is drunk up to four times per day. The liquid herb extract is taken in doses of 2~4 ml. An infusion is prepared by adding 5~20 grams of herb to 1-liter water, for the infusion, take 2~4 grams up to 3 times per day. For the tincture, take 5~10 ml up to 3 times per day. For the liquid extract, take 2~4 ml daily. Vervain must be stored in a dry environment to avoid hydrolytic decomposition of verbenalin.
Contraindications, Precautions and Adverse Reactions: Vervain poses no known health risks when used in typically recommended doses, but relatively little is known about its potential toxicity, it should be used carefully, and should avoid using in large or excessive amounts. The FDA places Verbena officinalis on its list of food ingredients "Generally Recognized As Safe"(GRAS), but it put Verbena hastata on its formerly maintained list of "Herbs of Undefined Safety".
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1.Introduction of Vervain:blue vervain or enchanter's herb.
✵The article gives records of the herb Vervain, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Verbena officinalis L., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Vervain, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
English Name: Vervain.
Botanical source: Common herbal classics defined the herb Vervain as the flowers and roots of the species (1). Verbena officinalis L. It is a plant species of the Verbena genus, the Verbenaceae family (Verbena family, Vervain family). The flowers and roots are used medicinally. This commonly used species is introduced:
Botanical description: Verbena officinalis is an annual or biennial to perennial with a fusiform, branched, whitish root. The stem is upright, rigid, quadrangular, and branched above. The leaves are opposite, dull green, ovate-oblong, and have a short broad petiole. They are deeply divided into 3 with notched, crenate tips. They are wrinkled and roughly bristled.
The small flowers are pale lilac and arranged in thin, paniculate spikes. The calyx is fused to a short, 5-tipped tube. The corolla has a 5-tipped, bent tube, and a bilabiate margin. The mouth of the tube is closed by crosshairs. There are 4 stamens and 1 ovary, which breaks up into four single-seeded mericarps. These are oblong-cylindrical, 1.5 to 2 mm long, warty on the inside, reticulately grooved and light brown on the outside. The seeds are grooved on the inside and have very little endosperm.
Ecological environment: The plant often grows along roadsides, hillsides, streams, or forests at low to high altitudes. The plant is probably indigenous to the Mediterranean region. It is cultivated worldwide, but mainly in Eastern Europe.
Pharmacological actions: ①.anti-inflammatory and painkilling actions; ②.weak parasympathomimetic; ③.diuretic action; ④.lowers blood pressure; ⑤.anticough properties; ⑥.galactagogue properties, etc.
Medicinal efficacy: The herb vervain is used as a digestive aid, relaxing tonic, antidepressant, menstruation promoter, expectorant for cold symptoms to clear congestion, diuretic for swelling, and breast milk stimulator. It is good for nervous exhaustion, jaundice, menstrual cramps, headaches including migraines, depression, fever, and minor pains and inflammations. It is used in external formulations for wounds, acne, and skin ulcers. In folk medicine, preparations of Vervain are used for diseases and ailments of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa, such as sore throat, and for diseases of the respiratory tract, such as coughs, asthma, and whooping cough. The herb is used internally for pain, cramps, fatigue, nervous disorders, and digestive disorders. The herb is used externally as a gargle for cold symptoms and for diseases of the oral and pharyngeal cavities. Vervain is also used for antipruritic treatment of skin disease and minor topical burns and for arthritis, rheumatism, dislocations, and contusions.
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