Omnia SanaPlant Comparison
Speedwell vs Sweet Violet
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
Speedwell and Sweet Violet: they share 6 indicated uses (arthritis / joint pain, bronchitis, cough, …); 2 pharmacological actions in common.
Evidence face-off — shared uses
| Condition | Speedwell | Sweet Violet | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthritis / joint pain | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Bronchitis | 2/10 | 5/10 | Stronger for Sweet Violet |
| Cough | 2/10 | 5/10 | Stronger for Sweet Violet |
| Inflammation (general) | 2/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Respiratory support | 2/10 | 6/10 | Stronger for Sweet Violet |
| Skin irritation | 1/10 | 5/10 | Stronger for Sweet Violet |
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
Pharmacological Actions
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
Demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis and catarrh (mucilage soothes; saponins loosen mucus) - a double-blind RCT found violet-flower syrup, added to standard treatment, sped cough suppression in children with asthma
Demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis and catarrh (mucilage soothes; saponins loosen mucus) - a double-blind RCT found violet-flower syrup, added to standard treatment, sped cough suppression in children with asthma
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Traditional expectorant for cough and respiratory complaints (iridoid glycosides inhibit lung inflammation) - a standardised extract suppressed COX-2 and eotaxin via the NF-kB pathway in human lung epithelial cells
Mild digestive / stomach tonic (indigestion)
Traditional expectorant for cough and respiratory complaints (iridoid glycosides inhibit lung inflammation) - a standardised extract suppressed COX-2 and eotaxin via the NF-kB pathway in human lung epithelial cells
inferred from expectorant action
Soothing for skin irritation (topical)
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis and catarrh (mucilage soothes; saponins loosen mucus) - a double-blind RCT found violet-flower syrup, added to standard treatment, sped cough suppression in children with asthma
Demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis and catarrh (mucilage soothes; saponins loosen mucus) - a double-blind RCT found violet-flower syrup, added to standard treatment, sped cough suppression in children with asthma
inferred from anticancer action
Demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis and catarrh (mucilage soothes; saponins loosen mucus) - a double-blind RCT found violet-flower syrup, added to standard treatment, sped cough suppression in children with asthma
Mild sedative for sleeplessness and to ease headache (traditional)
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Mild sedative for sleeplessness and to ease headache (traditional)
inferred from expectorant action
inferred from demulcent action
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Traditional use only; clinical evidence is limited, so a persistent cough or digestive complaint needs medical assessment. Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not established.
Generally well tolerated as flower/leaf preparations. It contains salicylates, so use caution if you are salicylate-sensitive; the root in large doses is emetic and purgative.
Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not established, so avoid medicinal doses.
External Ids
Botanical Description
Low, creeping, mat-forming perennial herb with softly hairy, oval, finely toothed leaves along trailing stems that root as they spread. Small, pale lilac-blue flowers with darker veining are borne in slender upright spikes rising from the leaf axils.[8]
Low, spreading perennial herb with heart-shaped, softly toothed leaves arising from a short rootstock, spreading by runners (stolons). Fragrant, deep violet-purple (occasionally white) flowers with five petals, the lower petal spurred, are borne singly on slender stalks.[11]
Habitat
Grows on dry heath, moorland, open woodland, grassland and banks on acidic, well-drained soils; native to Europe and naturalised in North America.[8]
Grows in woodland edges, hedgerows, shaded banks and gardens on moist, humus-rich soils; native to Europe, North Africa and Asia and widely naturalised and cultivated elsewhere.[11]
Harvesting
The flowering aerial parts are cut in summer while in flower and dried in a warm, shaded, airy place; the closely related Veronica chamaedrys is a frequent adulterant, so careful identification (or a reputable source) is important.[8]
Flowers are picked as they open in early spring; leaves can be gathered through the growing season and dried.[11]
Traditional Uses
Speedwell has a long European folk history as a mild digestive tonic and traditional expectorant for cough and respiratory complaints, and has also been used topically as a soothing wash for irritated skin; modern research on its iridoid glycosides supports a molecular basis for the traditional respiratory use.
Sweet violet flower and leaf have a long European folk history as a soothing demulcent and expectorant remedy for cough, bronchitis and catarrh, and as a mild sedative for sleeplessness and headache; the flower syrup in particular has a long tradition as a children's cough remedy.[11]
References
Lookalikes Review
Preparations
Dosage
Not documented
A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial used 5 mL of Viola odorata syrup every 12 hours for 4 weeks as add-on therapy for insomnia. Traditional references suggest around 2-4 g of dried flower and leaf per cup, up to three times daily. Note the EU monograph on Violae herba cum flore covers Viola tricolor, a different species, and its posology does not transfer here. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Drug Class Interactions
Not documented
Dangerous Lookalikes
Not documented
References & Sources
- Mocan, A., Vodnar, D.C., Vlase, L., Crisan, O. and others (2015) 'Phytochemical Characterization of Veronica officinalis L., V. teucrium L. and V. orchidea Crantz from Romania and Their Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 16(9), pp. 21109-21127. doi:10.3390/ijms160921109 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms160921109 - Crisan, G., Tamas, M., Miclaus, V., Krausz, T. and others (2007) 'A comparative study of some Veronica species', Revista Medico-Chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi, 111(1), pp. 280-284. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A%20comparative%20study%20of%20some%20Veronica%20species - Korzhikova, E.B (1991) 'Speedwell (Veronica officinalis)', Feldsher i Akusherka, 56(2), pp. 37-39. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Speedwell%20%28Veronica%20officinalis%29 - Scarlat, M., Sandor, V., Tamas, M. and Cuparencu, B (1985) 'Experimental anti-ulcer activity of Veronica officinalis L. extracts', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 13(2), pp. 157-163. doi:10.1016/0378-8741(85)90003-0 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8741(85)90003-0 - Wojcik, E (1973) 'Phytochemical studies of the Veronica officinalis L', Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica, 30(2), pp. 195-201. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4703978/ Preclinical
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4703978/ - Wojcik, E (1977) 'Occurrence of 6-hydroxyluteolin 7-glucoside in the herb of Veronica officinalis L', Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica, 34(3), pp. 295-298. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/906876/ Preclinical
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/906876/ - Bellia, G. and Pieroni, A (2015) 'Isolated, but transnational: the glocal nature of Waldensian ethnobotany, Western Alps, NW Italy', Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 11, pp. 37. doi:10.1186/s13002-015-0027-1 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-015-0027-1 - (2017) 'Veronica officinalis Product Authentication Using DNA Metabarcoding and HPLC-MS Reveals Widespread Adulteration with Veronica chamaedrys', Frontiers in Pharmacology. doi:10.3389/fphar.2017.00378 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2017.00378 - Wojcik, E (1973) 'Flavonoids of the Veronica officinalis L. herb', Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica, 30(4), pp. 447-451. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4762340/ Preclinical
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4762340/ - Salehi, B., Shivaprasad Shetty, M., V. Anil Kumar, N., Zivkovic, J., Calina, D., Oana Docea, A. and others (2019) 'Veronica Plants - Drifting from Farm to Traditional Healing, Food Application, and Phytopharmacology', Molecules, 24(13), pp. 2454. doi:10.3390/molecules24132454 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24132454 - HerbaZest (n.d.) 'Veronica (Speedwell)'. Available at: https://www.herbazest.com/herbs/veronica Traditional / reference
https://www.herbazest.com/herbs/veronica - Grundemann, C., Garcia-Kaufer, M., Sauer, B., Stangenberg, E., Konczol, M., Merfort, I., Zehl, M. and Huber, R (2012) 'Traditionally used Veronica officinalis inhibits proinflammatory mediators via the NF-kB signalling pathway in a human lung cell line', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 145(1), pp. 118--126. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2012.10.039 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2012.10.039
- Feyzabadi, Z., Ghorbani, F., Vazani, Y. and Zarshenas, M.M (2017) 'A Critical Review on Phytochemistry, Pharmacology of Viola odorata L. and Related Multipotential Products in Traditional Persian Medicine', Phytotherapy Research, 31(11), pp. 1669-1675. doi:10.1002/ptr.5909 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5909 - Heger, T., Zatloukal, M., Kubala, M., Strnad, M. and others (2022) 'Procyanidin C1 from Viola odorata L. inhibits Na,K-ATPase', Scientific Reports, 12(1), pp. 7011. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-11086-y Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11086-y - Yousefnia, S., Naseri, D., Seyed Forootan, F., Tabatabaeian, M. and others (2020) 'Suppressive role of Viola odorata extract on malignant characters of mammosphere-derived breast cancer stem cells', Clinical & Translational Oncology, 22(9), pp. 1619-1634. doi:10.1007/s12094-020-02307-9 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-020-02307-9 - Tafazoli, V., Shahriari, M., Heydari, M., Nikbakht, H.A. and others (2020) 'The Effect of Viola odorata L. Oil for Fever in Children: A Randomized Triple-blinded Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial', Current Drug Discovery Technologies, 17(5), pp. 696-703. doi:10.2174/1570163816666190620142256 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.2174/1570163816666190620142256 - Rahimi, V.B., Askari, V.R., Emami, S.A. and Tayarani-Najaran, Z (2017) 'Anti-melanogenic activity of Viola odorata different extracts on B16F10 murine melanoma cells', Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 20(3), pp. 242-249. doi:10.22038/ijbms.2017.8350 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.22038/ijbms.2017.8350 - Adel Mehraban, M.S., Shirzad, M., Mohammad Taghizadeh Kashani, L., Ahmadian-Attari, M.M. and others (2022) 'Efficacy and safety of add-on Viola odorata L. in the treatment of COVID-19: A randomized double-blind controlled trial', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 304, pp. 116058. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2022.116058 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2022.116058 - Saleem, U., Hira, S., Anwar, F., Shah, M.A. and others (2021) 'Pharmacological Screening of Viola odorata L. for Memory-Enhancing Effect via Modulation of Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Biomarkers', Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, pp. 664832. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.664832 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.664832 - Shayesteh, M., Vaez-Mahdavi, M.R., Shams, J., Kamalinejad, M. and others (2020) 'Effects of Viola odorata as an Add-On Therapy on Insomnia in Patients with Obsession or Depression: A Pilot Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial', Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 26(5), pp. 398-408. doi:10.1089/acm.2019.0254 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2019.0254 - Feyzabadi, Z., Jafari, F., Kamali, S.H., Ashayeri, H. and others (2014) 'Efficacy of Viola odorata in Treatment of Chronic Insomnia', Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 16(12), pp. e17511. doi:10.5812/ircmj.17511 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.5812/ircmj.17511 - Parsley, N.C., Kirkpatrick, C.L., Crittenden, C.M., Rad, J.G. and others (2018) 'PepSAVI-MS reveals anticancer and antifungal cycloviolacins in Viola odorata', Phytochemistry, 152, pp. 61-70. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2018.04.014 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2018.04.014 - Herbal Reality (n.d.) 'Violets (Viola odorata): Benefits, Safety, Uses'. Available at: https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/violets/ Traditional / reference
https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/violets/ - Qasemzadeh, M.J., Sharifi, H., Hamedanian, M., Gharehbeglou, M., Heydari, M., Sardari, M., Akhlaghdoust, M. and Minae, M.B (2015) 'The Effect of Viola odorata Flower Syrup on the Cough of Children With Asthma: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial', Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 20(4), pp. 287--291. doi:10.1177/2156587215584862 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587215584862 - RxList (n.d.) 'Sweet Violet: Health Benefits, Side Effects, Uses, Dose & Precautions'. Available at: https://www.rxlist.com/supplements/sweet_violet.htm Traditional / reference
https://www.rxlist.com/supplements/sweet_violet.htm - Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar, M. and Hosseinzadeh, H (2024) 'Therapeutic potential of hypnotic herbal medicines: A comprehensive review', Phytotherapy Research, 38(6), pp. 3037-3059. doi:10.1002/ptr.8201 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.8201 - Block, K.I., Gyllenhaal, C. and Mead, M.N (2004) 'Safety and efficacy of herbal sedatives in cancer care', Integrative Cancer Therapies, 3(2), pp. 128-148. doi:10.1177/1534735404265003 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735404265003 - Unruly Gardening 'Foraging Violets: How to Identify, Harvest and Use'. Available at: https://unrulygardening.com/foraging-violets/ Traditional / reference
https://unrulygardening.com/foraging-violets/
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.