Cowslip
OTHER NAME(S): Artetyke, Arthritica, Buckels, Butter Rose, Coqueluchon, Coucou, Crewel, Cuy Lippe, Drelip, English Cowslip, Fairy Cups, Herb Peter, Herbe de Saint Paul, Key Flower, Key of Heaven, Mayflower, Our Lady's Keys, Paigle, Peggle, Palsywort, Password, Peagle, Petty Mulleins, Plumrocks, Primerolle, Primevère, Primevère de Printemps, Primevère Officinale, Primevère Vraie, Primrose, Primula, Printanière, Tittypines, Primula veris, Primula officinalis, Peagles, Prímula, Primevère
Overview
Cowslip is a plant that grows throughout Europe and Asia. The flower and root are used to make medicine.
Cowslip flower is most commonly used for swollen nose and throat and bronchitis. It is also used for trouble sleeping, headache, muscle spasms, heart failure and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
In combination with gentian root, European elder flower, verbena, and sorrel, cowslip is commonly used for maintaining healthy sinuses and treating swollen and painful sinuses caused by a viral infection (sinusitis).
Cowslip contains chemicals that might thin and loosen mucus.
Cowslip contains chemicals that might thin and loosen mucus.
Uses
Possibly Effective for
- Inflamed nasal passages (sinusitis). Taking products containing cowslip, gentian root, European elder flower, verbena, and sorrel seems to improve symptoms of sinusitis. Taking a similar product containing cowslip and these ingredients along with a prescription intranasal steroid also seems to improve nasal symptoms better than taking the intranasal steroid alone.
Insufficient Evidence for
- Bronchitis. Early research shows that taking cowslip root in combination with thyme (Bronchipret) by mouth relieves symptoms of bronchitis such as coughing, fever, and increased production of mucus.
- Asthma.
- Cough.
- Fluid retention.
- Gout.
- Headache.
- Hysteria.
- Insomnia.
- Nerve pain.
- Nervous excitability.
- Nervous system complaints.
- Spasms.
- Tremors.
- Whooping cough.
- Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of cowslip for these uses.
Precautions
Cowslip is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth in small amounts as part of combination products containing gentian root, European elder flower, verbena, and sorrel (SinuComp, Sinupret, Sinupret +) or when taken as part of a combination product containing cowslip and thyme (Bronchipret). There isn't enough information to know if cowslip is safe when used in medicinal amounts other than as part of the combination product. The combination products can cause digestive system upset and occasionally allergic skin rash.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking cowslip if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Interactions
We currently have no information for Cowslip overview.
Dosing
ADULTS
BY MOUTH
- Inflamed nasal passages (sinusitis): Specific combination products (SinuComp, Sinupret, Sinupret +) taken in doses to provide 36 mg of cowslip flower, 12 mg of gentian root, and 36 mg each of European elder flower, verbena, and sorrel has been used three times daily for 7 days.
References
- Neubauer N, Marz RW. Placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, clincal trial with Sinupret sugar coated tablets on the basis of a therapy with antibiotics and decongestant nasal drops in acute sinusitis. Phytomedicine 1994;1:177-81.
- Marz RW, Ismail C, Popp MA. Action profile and efficacy of a herbal combination preparation for the treatment of sinusitis. Wien Med Wochenschr 1999;149:202-8.
- Budzianowski J, Morozowska M, Wesolowska M. Lipophilic flavones of Primula veris L. from field cultivation and in vitro cultures. Phytochemistry 2005;66:1033-9.
- Ernst E, Marz R, Sieder C. A controlled multi-centre study of herbal versus synthetic secretolytic drugs for acute bronchitis. Phytomedicine 1997;4:287-93.
- Peric A, Kovacevic SV, Gacesa D, Peric AV. Efficacy and safety of combined treatment of acute rhinosinusitis by herbal medicinal product Sinupret and mometasone furoate nasal spray. ENT Updates 2017;7(2):68-74.