Plant Comparison
Eyebright vs White Dead Nettle
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Eyebright and White Dead Nettle: they share 7 indicated uses (arthritis / joint pain, cough, diarrhoea, …); 2 pharmacological actions in common.
Evidence face-off — shared uses
| Condition | Eyebright | White Dead Nettle | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthritis / joint pain | 1/10 | 2/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Cough | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Diarrhoea | 1/10 | 2/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Inflammation (general) | 2/10 | 2/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Respiratory support | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Skin irritation | 1/10 | 2/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Wounds | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
Evidence scores (1–10) are computed from the tier of each cited source. “Comparable” means the two scores are within one point. Follow a score to its detailed sources.
Key Constituents
Give the plant its anti-inflammatory action on irritated tissue.
Verbascoside, tiliroside and quercetin/kaempferol 3-O-glucosides in the flowers.
Lamalbid, alboside A and B and caryoptoside; linked to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
Lamalbid, chlorogenic acid, verbascoside, rutin and tiliroside, richest in the flowering tops.
Pharmacological Actions
Astringent and anti-inflammatory for eye irritation, redness and conjunctivitis (traditional, as an eye compress or bath) - an open prospective cohort of Euphrasia single-dose eye drops reported recovery or clear improvement in most patients with conjunctivitis
Astringent and anti-inflammatory infusion or tincture (flowering tops)
Astringent (catarrh, excessive menstrual or vaginal discharge); Astringent and anti-inflammatory infusion or tincture (flowering tops)
Traditional & Indicated Uses
Eases eye strain and watery, itchy eyes from allergy (hay fever / allergic conjunctivitis)
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anticancer action
Soothes upper-respiratory catarrh and mild infection (traditional)
Astringent and anti-inflammatory for eye irritation, redness and conjunctivitis (traditional, as an eye compress or bath) - an open prospective cohort of Euphrasia single-dose eye drops reported recovery or clear improvement in most patients with conjunctivitis; Eases eye strain and watery, itchy eyes from allergy (hay fever / allergic conjunctivitis)
Eases eye strain and watery, itchy eyes from allergy (hay fever / allergic conjunctivitis)
Soothes upper-respiratory catarrh and mild infection (traditional)
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Soothes upper-respiratory catarrh and mild infection (traditional)
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Astringent (catarrh, excessive menstrual or vaginal discharge)
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from expectorant action
inferred from astringent action
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
CRITICAL: do not put non-sterile, homemade eyebright preparations directly into the eye - this risks serious eye infection. Use only commercially prepared sterile products in the eye, or apply a strained, cooled infusion as a compress over closed eyelids.
Traditional use only; persistent eye symptoms, pain, discharge or vision change need assessment by an eye-care professional. Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not established.
Generally regarded as safe in culinary amounts and at normal medicinal doses; unlike the stinging nettle it has no stinging hairs.
Medicinal use during pregnancy or breastfeeding should be approached cautiously, as for any traditional astringent.
Identify correctly before foraging (resembles stinging nettle before flowering and red dead-nettle); clinical evidence is limited, so it should not replace conventional treatment.
External Ids
Botanical Description
Small, semi-parasitic annual herb (drawing some nutrients from the roots of neighbouring grasses) with tiny, opposite, toothed leaves and delicate, two-lipped white to pale lilac flowers marked with purple veins and a yellow throat spot, giving a bright, eye-like appearance that inspired both its common and Latin names.[11]
Perennial herb closely resembling stinging nettle in leaf shape but entirely without stinging hairs. Square stems bear opposite, toothed, heart-shaped leaves, and whorls of white, hooded, two-lipped flowers cluster in the upper leaf axils.[15]
Habitat
Grows in short, unimproved grassland, pastures, meadows and dunes on well-drained soils, always in association with grasses on which it partially parasitises; native to Europe.[11]
Grows in hedgerows, waste ground, gardens and roadsides on nitrogen-rich soils; native to Europe and temperate Asia, widely naturalised elsewhere.
Harvesting
The flowering aerial parts are cut in summer while in flower and dried in a warm, shaded, airy place.[11]
The flowering tops are picked as they open, largely through spring to autumn given the long flowering season, and dried in a warm, shaded, airy place; the standardisation markers are richest in the flowering tops specifically.[15]
Traditional Uses
White dead-nettle flower has a long European folk history as an astringent remedy for catarrh and excessive menstrual or vaginal discharge, and topically as a vulnerary wash for minor wounds; the young leaves and shoots have also traditionally been eaten as a cooked spring pot-herb.
Preparations
Strained, cooled infusion applied as a compress over closed eyelids, or used (only when sterile, commercially prepared) as an eyewash for irritated or red eyes.
Commercially prepared, sterile Euphrasia eye drops used for conjunctivitis; a prospective clinical cohort found improvement in most users.
Not documented
Dosage
No dose is given here because no official posology exists. The HMPC assessed eyebright and DECLINED to establish a herbal monograph, concluding that the efficacy of the claimed uses is undocumented and that external eye application of ex tempore (home-prepared) preparations is 'not hygienic and not safe', so therapeutic use cannot be recommended. Traditional sources describe a strained, cooled infusion used as a compress, but that is precisely the practice the HMPC advised against; nothing home-prepared should be put in or on the eye. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Not documented
References
Lookalikes Review
References & Sources
- Novy, P., Davidova, H., Serrano-Rojero, C.S., Rondevaldova, J. et al (2015) 'Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne Essential Oil', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015, pp. 734101. doi:10.1155/2015/734101 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/734101 - D'Ambrosio, M., Ciocarlan, A. and Aricu, A (2020) 'Minor acetylated metabolites from Euphrasia rostkoviana', Natural Product Research, 34(2), pp. 290-295. doi:10.1080/14786419.2018.1530227 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2018.1530227 - Ververis, A., Kyriakou, S., Paraskeva, H., Panayiotidis, M.I. et al (2024) 'Chemical Characterization and Assessment of the Neuroprotective Potential of Euphrasia officinalis', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(23), pp. 12902. doi:10.3390/ijms252312902 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312902 - Meier-Girard, D., Gerstenberg, G., Stoffel, L., Kohler, T., Klein, S.D., Eschenmoser, M., Mitter, V.R., Nelle, M. and Wolf, U (2020) 'Euphrasia eye drops in preterm neonates with ocular discharge: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial', Frontiers in Pediatrics, 8, pp. 449. doi:10.3389/fped.2020.00449 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2020.00449 - Liu, Y., Hwang, E., Ngo, H.T.T., Perumalsamy, H., Kim, Y.J., Li, L. and Yi, T.H (2018) 'Protective effects of Euphrasia officinalis extract against ultraviolet B-induced photoaging in normal human dermal fibroblasts', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(11), pp. 3327. doi:10.3390/ijms19113327 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19113327 - Porchezhian, E., Ansari, S.H. and Shreedharan, N.K (2000) 'Antihyperglycemic activity of Euphrasia officinale leaves', Fitoterapia, 71(5), pp. 522-526. doi:10.1016/s0367-326x(00)00204-5 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0367-326x(00)00204-5 - Sticher, O. and Salama, O (1981) 'Iridoid glucosides from Euphrasia rostkoviana', Planta Medica, 42(6), pp. 122-123. doi:10.1055/s-2007-971584 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-971584 - Lorenz, P., Knittel, D.N., Conrad, J., Lotter, E.M., Heilmann, J., Stintzing, F.C. and Kammerer, D.R (2016) '1-Acetyl-3-[(3R)-hydroxyfatty acyl]glycerols: lipid compounds from Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne and E. tetraquetra (Breb.) Arrond', Chemistry & Biodiversity, 13(5), pp. 602-612. doi:10.1002/cbdv.201500233 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.201500233 - Gawenda-Kempczynska, D., Olech, M., Balcerek, M., Nowak, R., Zaluski, T. and Zaluski, D (2022) 'Phenolic acids as chemotaxonomic markers able to differentiate the Euphrasia species', Phytochemistry, 203, pp. 113342. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113342 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113342 - Benedec, D., Oniga, I., Hanganu, D., Vlase, A.M., Ielciu, I., Crisan, G., Fit, N., Niculae, M., Bab, T., Pall, E. and Vlase, L (2024) 'Revealing the Phenolic Composition and the Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Activities of Two Euphrasia sp. Extracts', Plants, 13(13), pp. 1790. doi:10.3390/plants13131790 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13131790 - Herbal Reality (n.d.) 'Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis): Benefits, Uses, Safety'. Available at: https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/eyebright/ Traditional / reference
https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/eyebright/ - Paduch, R. and colleagues (2014) 'Assessment of Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis L.) Extract Activity in Relation to Human Corneal Cells Using In Vitro Tests'. doi:10.5152/balkanmedj.2014.8377 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.5152/balkanmedj.2014.8377 - Stoss, M., Michels, C., Peter, E., Beutke, R. and Gorter, R.W (2000) 'Prospective cohort trial of Euphrasia single-dose eye drops in conjunctivitis', Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 6(6), pp. 499--508. doi:10.1089/acm.2000.6.499 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2000.6.499 - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (2010) 'Public statement on Euphrasia officinalis L. and Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne, herba'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/final-public-statement-euphrasia-officinalis-l-and-euphrasia-rostkoviana-hayne-herba_en.pdf Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/final-public-statement-euphrasia-officinalis-l-and-euphrasia-rostkoviana-hayne-herba_en.pdf
- Czerwinska, M.E., Swierczewska, A., Wozniak, M. and Kiss, A.K (2017) 'Bioassay-Guided Isolation of Iridoids and Phenylpropanoids from Aerial Parts of Lamium album and Their Anti-inflammatory Activity in Human Neutrophils', Planta Medica, 83(12-13), pp. 1011-1019. doi:10.1055/s-0043-107031 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-107031 - Czerwinska, M.E., Swierczewska, A. and Granica, S (2018) 'Bioactive Constituents of Lamium album L. as Inhibitors of Cytokine Secretion in Human Neutrophils', Molecules, 23(11), pp. 2770. doi:10.3390/molecules23112770 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23112770 - Czerwinska, M.E., Kalinowska, E., Popowski, D. and Bazylko, A (2020) 'Lamalbid, Chlorogenic Acid, and Verbascoside as Tools for Standardization of Lamium album Flowers - Development and Validation of HPLC-DAD Method', Molecules, 25(7), pp. 1721. doi:10.3390/molecules25071721 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25071721 - Sulborska, A., Konarska, A., Matysik-Wozniak, A., Dmitruk, M., Weryszko-Chmielewska, E., Skalska-Kaminska, A. and Rejdak, R (2020) 'Phenolic Constituents of Lamium album L. subsp. album Flowers: Anatomical, Histochemical, and Phytochemical Study', Molecules, 25(24), pp. 6025. doi:10.3390/molecules25246025 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25246025 - Konarska, A., Weryszko-Chmielewska, E., Matysik-Wozniak, A., Sulborska, A., Polak, B., Dmitruk, M., Piotrowska-Weryszko, K., Stefanczyk, B. and Rejdak, R (2021) 'Histochemical and Phytochemical Analysis of Lamium album subsp. album L. Corolla: Essential Oil, Triterpenes, and Iridoids', Molecules, 26(14), pp. 4166. doi:10.3390/molecules26144166 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26144166 - Khanaki, K., Fekri, A., Abedinzade, M., Mohammadi, E. and Aghajanpour, F (2022) 'Potential anti-inflammatory effect of Lamium album extract through caspase-3 and cyclooxygenase-2 genes expression in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion', Folia Medica, 64(2), pp. 275-282. doi:10.3897/folmed.64.e60562 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3897/folmed.64.e60562 - Bubueanu, C., Iuksel, R. and Panteli, M (2019) 'Haemostatic activity of butanolic extracts of Lamium album and Lamium purpureum aerial parts', Acta Pharmaceutica, 69(3), pp. 443-449. doi:10.2478/acph-2019-0026 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.2478/acph-2019-0026 - Arefani, S., Mehran, S.M.M., Moladoust, H., Norasfard, M.R., Ghorbani, A. and Abedinzade, M (2018) 'Effects of standardized extracts of Lamium album and Urtica dioica on rat tracheal smooth muscle contraction', Journal of Pharmacopuncture, 21(2), pp. 70-75. doi:10.3831/KPI.2018.21.008 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3831/KPI.2018.21.008 - Zhang, H., Rothwangl, K., Mesecar, A.D., Sabahi, A., Rong, L. and Fong, H.H.S (2009) 'Lamiridosins, hepatitis C virus entry inhibitors from Lamium album', Journal of Natural Products, 72(12), pp. 2158-2162. doi:10.1021/np900549e Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1021/np900549e - Chipeva, V.A., Petrova, D.C., Geneva, M.E., Dimitrova, M.A., Moncheva, P.A. and Kapchina-Toteva, V.M (2013) 'Antimicrobial activity of extracts from in vivo and in vitro propagated Lamium album L. plants', African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 10(6), pp. 559-562. doi:10.4314/ajtcam.v10i6.30 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.4314/ajtcam.v10i6.30 - Paduch, R. and Wozniak, A (2015) 'The Effect of Lamium album Extract on Cultivated Human Corneal Epithelial Cells (10.014 pRSV-T)', Journal of Ophthalmic & Vision Research, 10(3), pp. 229-237. doi:10.4103/2008-322X.170349 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.4103/2008-322X.170349 - Abedinzade, M., Rostampour, M., Mirzajani, E., Khalesi, Z.B., Pourmirzaee, T. and Khanaki, K (2019) 'Urtica Dioica and Lamium Album Decrease Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 beta and Increase K-Ras in Diabetic Rats', Journal of Pharmacopuncture, 22(4), pp. 248-252. doi:10.3831/KPI.2019.22.033 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3831/KPI.2019.22.033 - Budzianowski, J. and Skrzypczak, L (1995) 'Phenylpropanoid esters from Lamium album flowers', 38(4), pp. 997--1001. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(94)00727-B Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(94)00727-B - Damtoft, S (1992) 'Iridoid glucosides from Lamium album', 31(1), pp. 175--178. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(91)83030-O Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(91)83030-O - Pietrzak, W. and Nowak, R (2020) 'Lamalbid, Chlorogenic Acid, and Verbascoside as Tools for Standardization of Lamium album Flowers - Development and Validation of HPLC-DAD Method', 25(8). doi:10.3390/molecules25081913 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25081913 - Grieve, M (1931). Available at: https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/n/netwhd11.html Traditional / reference
https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/n/netwhd11.html - Herbal Reality (n.d.) 'White Deadnettle (Lamium album): Benefits, Uses, Safety'. Available at: https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/white-deadnettle/ Traditional / reference
https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/white-deadnettle/ - Ask-Ayurveda (n.d.) 'Lamium album (White Dead-Nettle) in Ayurveda - Benefits, Uses, Medicinal Properties & Healing Applications'. Available at: https://ask-ayurveda.com/wiki/article/4805-lamium-album Traditional / reference
https://ask-ayurveda.com/wiki/article/4805-lamium-album - Francis-Baker, T (2021), pp. 48. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Francis-Baker%2C%20T - First Nature (n.d.) 'Lamium album, White Dead-nettle: identification, distribution, habitat'. Available at: https://www.first-nature.com/flowers/lamium-album.php Traditional / reference
https://www.first-nature.com/flowers/lamium-album.php - Ballyrobert Gardens (n.d.) 'Lamium album'. Available at: https://www.ballyrobertgardens.com/products/lamium-album Traditional / reference
https://www.ballyrobertgardens.com/products/lamium-album - Botanical Society of Scotland (2022) 'Plant of the Week - 17 January 2022: the White Dead-nettle (Lamium album)'. Available at: https://botsocscot.wordpress.com/2022/01/16/plant-of-the-week-january-17th-2022-the-white-dead-nettle-lamium-album/ Traditional / reference
https://botsocscot.wordpress.com/2022/01/16/plant-of-the-week-january-17th-2022-the-white-dead-nettle-lamium-album/ - Gardeners' World (2024) 'World (2024)'. Available at: https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/dead-nettles/ Traditional / reference
https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/dead-nettles/ - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (n.d.) 'Lamium album L'. Available at: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:448792-1 Traditional / reference
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:448792-1 - Royal Horticultural Society (n.d.) 'Lamium album (white deadnettle)'. Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/9810/lamium-album/details Traditional / reference
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/9810/lamium-album/details - The Wildlife Trusts (n.d.) 'White dead-nettle'. Available at: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/white-dead-nettle Traditional / reference
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/white-dead-nettle
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.