Verbena
OTHER NAME(S): Blue Vervain, Common Verbena, Common Vervain, Eisenkraut, Enchanter's Plant, European Vervain, Herb of Grace, Herb of the Cross, Herba Verbenae, Herbe aux Enchantements, Herbe du Foie, Herbe Sacrée, Herbe aux Sorciers, Herbe à Tous les Maux, Herbe du Sang, Herbe de Vénus, Holywort, Juno's Tears, Ma Bian Cao, Pigeon's Grass, Pigeonweed, Simpler's Joy, Turkey Grass, Veine de Vénus, Verbenae Herba, Vervain, Verveine Commune, Verveine des Champs, Verveine Officinale, Yerba de Santa Ana, Verbena officinalis, Ma Pien Tsao, Verveine
Overview
Verbena is a plant. The parts that grow above ground are used to make medicine.
Verbena is used for mild gum disease (gingivitis), swelling (inflammation) of the nasal cavity and sinuses (rhinosinusitis), heart conditions, depression, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
In manufacturing, verbena flowers are used as a flavoring agent in alcoholic beverages.
Verbena contains chemicals that might reduce inflammation.
Verbena contains chemicals that might reduce inflammation.
Uses
Insufficient Evidence for
- A mild form of gum disease (gingivitis). Rinsing the mouth with verbena after brushing and flossing might prevent plaque and redness by a small amount compared with brushing and flossing alone.
- Swelling (inflammation) of the nasal cavity and sinuses (rhinosinusitis). Early research shows that taking a specific product containing verbena and other ingredients (SinuComp, Sinupret) along with antibiotics and/or nasal decongestants may improve symptoms and reduce the duration of sinusitis better than the standard medications alone.
- Sore throat.
- Asthma.
- Whooping cough.
- Chest pain.
- Abscesses.
- Burns.
- Colds.
- Arthritis.
- Itching.
- Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of verbena for these uses.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Verbena is LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth in food amounts. There isn't enough reliable information to know if verbena is safe when used in medicinal amounts. Although verbena seems to be safe when used in small amounts as part of a specific combination product (SinuComp, Sinupret), there's not enough reliable information to know if verbena is safe to use as a single ingredient or in other combinations.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if verbena is safe or what the side effects might be. Some people might be allergic to verbena.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Verbena is LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth in food amounts. There isn't enough reliable information to know if verbena is safe when used in medicinal amounts. Although verbena seems to be safe when used in small amounts as part of a specific combination product (SinuComp, Sinupret), there's not enough reliable information to know if verbena is safe to use as a single ingredient or in other combinations.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if verbena is safe or what the side effects might be. Some people might be allergic to verbena.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if verbena is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Interactions
Moderate Interaction
Be cautious with this combination
- Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2B1 (CYP2B1) substrates) interacts with VerbenaSome medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Verbena might slow down how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking verbena along with some medications that are broken down by the liver can increase the effects and side effects from some medications. Before taking verbena, talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking medications that are changed by the liver. Medications that might be affected include cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, barbiturates, bromobenzene, and others.
Dosing
The appropriate dose of verbena depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for verbena. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
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.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=182
- Hernandez NE, Tereschuk ML, Abdala LR. Antimicrobial activity of flavonoids in medicinal plants from Tafi del Valle (Tucuman, Argentina). J Ethnopharmacol 2000;73:317-22.
- Deepak M, Handa SS. Antiinflammatory activity and chemical composition of extracts of Verbena officinalis. Phytother Res 2000;14:463-5.
- Dudai N, Weinstein Y, Krup M, et al. Citral is a new inducer of caspase-3 in tumor cell lines. Planta Med 2005;71:484-8.
- Del Pozo MD, Gastaminza G, Navarro JA, et al. Allergic contact dermatitis from Verbena officinalis L. Contact Dermatitis 1994;31:200-1.
- Nakamura T, Okuyama E, Tsukada A, et al. Acteoside as the analgesic principle of Cedron (Lippia triphylla), a Peruvian medicinal plant. Chem Pharm Bull 1997;45:499-504.
- Chiou WF, Lin LC, Chen CF. Acteoside protects endothelial cells against free radical-induced oxidative stress. J Pharm Pharmacol 2004;56:743-8.
- Lee KJ, Woo ER, Choi CY, et al. Protective effect of acteoside on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity. Life Sci 2004;74:1051-64.
- Hurrell RF, Reddy M, Cook JD. Inhibition of non-haem iron absorption in man by polyphenolic-containing beverages. Br J Nutr 1999;81:289-95.
- Guarrera, P. M., Forti, G., and Marignoli, S. Ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal uses of plants in the district of Acquapendente (Latium, Central Italy). J Ethnopharmacol. 1-15-2005;96(3):429-444.
- Prakash, A. O. [Biological evaluation of some medicinal plant extracts for contraceptive efficacy in females]. Contracept.Fertil.Sex (Paris) 1985;13(4):649-655.
- De Oliveira, A. C., Ribeiro-Pinto, L. F., and Paumgartten, J. R. In vitro inhibition of CYP2B1 monooxygenase by beta-myrcene and other monoterpenoid compounds. Toxicol Lett 6-16-1997;92(1):39-46.
- 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.
- Grawish ME, Anees MM, Elsabaa HM, Abdel-Raziq MS, Zedan W. Short-term effects of Verbena officinalis Linn decoction on patients suffering from chronic generalized gingivitis: Double-blind randomized controlled multicenter clinical trial. Quintessence Int. 2016;47(6):491-8.