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Omnia Sana · Plant Monograph

Lungwort

Pulmonaria officinalis

Family BoraginaceaeParts used Aerial parts (flowering herb)Also known as Common lungwort, Jerusalem cowslip, Spotted dog

This monograph compiles 2 documented constituents, 4 pharmacological actions, 7 traditional / indicated uses, supported by 12 cited sources, drawn directly from the Omnia Sana plant database.

Key Constituents

Phenolic acids (rosmarinic, lithospermic and salvianolic acids)[10, 11]

The main antioxidant and COX-2-inhibiting constituents; LC-MS/MS profiling of the aerial parts identified dozens of phenolic compounds (caffeic acid esters and danshensu/dicaffeic-acid conjugates), nine of them previously undescribed, with marked seasonal variation.

Phenolic compoundsPhenolic acidsCaffeic acidRosmarinic acid
Mucilage, flavonoids, allantoin and silicic acid[2, 10]

Soothing and supporting constituents underlying the traditional respiratory use.

FlavonoidsAllantoinMucilage

Pharmacological Actions

Anti-inflammatory[10, 12]

Anti-inflammatory (cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition) and antioxidant

Antioxidant[1, 4, 7, 10, 12]

Anti-inflammatory (cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition) and antioxidant

Demulcent (soothing mucilage)[10]

Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis, sore throat and respiratory catarrh (mucilage and saponins)

Expectorant[10]

Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis, sore throat and respiratory catarrh (mucilage and saponins)

Traditional & Indicated Uses

Arthritis / joint pain[10, 12]Traditional · 2/10

inferred from anti-inflammatory action

more plants for arthritis / joint pain →detailed sources →
Bronchitis[10]Traditional · 1/10

Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis, sore throat and respiratory catarrh (mucilage and saponins)

more plants for bronchitis →detailed sources →
Cough[10]Traditional · 1/10

Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis, sore throat and respiratory catarrh (mucilage and saponins)

more plants for cough →detailed sources →
Inflammation (general)[10, 12]Traditional · 2/10

inferred from anti-inflammatory action

more plants for inflammation (general) →detailed sources →
Respiratory support[3, 7, 10]Traditional · 2/10

Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis, sore throat and respiratory catarrh (mucilage and saponins)

more plants for respiratory support →detailed sources →
Skin irritation[10]Traditional · 1/10

inferred from demulcent action

more plants for skin irritation →detailed sources →
Sore throat[10]Traditional · 1/10

Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis, sore throat and respiratory catarrh (mucilage and saponins)

more plants for sore throat →detailed sources →

Safety, Cautions & Contraindications

Safety note[10]Serious

As a member of the borage family (Boraginaceae), which can contain hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, prolonged or high-dose internal use is best avoided; use in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended.

Safety note[10]Info

Traditional use only; clinical evidence in humans is limited, so a cough or respiratory complaint that persists needs medical assessment.

References

REF-1544, REF-1545, REF-1546, REF-1547, REF-1548, REF-1549, REF-1550, REF-1551, REF-1552

References & Sources

  1. Ignjatijevic, A., Andjic, T., Ljesevic, M., Nikolic, B. and others (2025) 'Assessment of Antioxidant Activity and Dose-Dependent Effect on Genotoxicity/Antigenotoxicity of Pulmonaria officinalis Ethanolic Extract', Pharmaceutics, 17(9), pp. 1134. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics17091134 Preclinical
    https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17091134
  2. Krzaczek, T. and others (1995) 'Flavonoid glycosides from aerial parts of Pulmonaria officinalis', Planta Medica, 61(5), pp. 488. doi:10.1055/s-2006-959385 Preclinical
    https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-959385
  3. Krzyzanowska-Kowalczyk, J. and others (2019) 'Pulmonaria officinalis L. Extract in Cystic Fibrosis: In Vitro Evidence on Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates', Molecules, 24(6), pp. 1151. doi:10.3390/molecules24061151 Preclinical
    https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24061151
  4. Neagu, E., Radu, G.L., Albu, C. and Paun, G (2016) 'Antioxidant activity, acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase inhibitory potential of Pulmonaria officinalis and Centaurium umbellatum extracts', Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 25(3), pp. 578-585. doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2016.02.016 Preclinical
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2016.02.016
  5. Akram, M. and Rashid, A (2017) 'Anti-coagulant activity of plants: mini review', Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis, 44(3), pp. 406-411. doi:10.1007/s11239-017-1546-5 Meta-analysis / review
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11239-017-1546-5
  6. Byshevskii, A.Sh., Gerbert, I.Ia., Dement'eva, I.A., Leven, P.I. and Chiriat'ev, E.A (1990) 'Nature, properties and the mechanism of the effect on blood coagulation of the preparation obtained from Pulmonaria officinalis', Gematologiia i Transfuziologiia, 35(10), pp. 6-9. Preclinical
    Find this source
  7. Ivanova, D., Gerova, D., Chervenkov, T. and Yankova, T (2005) 'Polyphenols and antioxidant capacity of Bulgarian medicinal plants', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 96(1-2), pp. 145-150. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2004.08.033 Preclinical
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2004.08.033
  8. Neuhauser, C., Schwarzinger, B., Schwarzinger, C., Feichtinger, M. and others (2024) 'Insulin-Mimetic Activity of Herbal Extracts Identified with Large-Scale Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy', Nutrients, 16(14), pp. 2182. doi:10.3390/nu16142182 Preclinical
    https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142182
  9. Luthy, J., Brauchli, J., Zweifel, U., Schmid, P. and Schlatter, C (1984) 'Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in medicinal plants of Boraginaceae: Borago officinalis L. and Pulmonaria officinalis L', Pharmaceutica Acta Helvetiae, 59(9-10), pp. 242-246. Preclinical
    Find this source
  10. Krzyzanowska-Kowalczyk, J., Kowalczyk, M., Ponczek, M.B., Pecio, L., Nowak, P. and Kolodziejczyk-Czepas, J (2021) 'Pulmonaria officinalis and Pulmonaria obscura Extracts as Mitigators of Peroxynitrite-Induced Oxidative Stress and Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors - In Vitro and In Silico Studies', Molecules. doi:10.3390/molecules26030631 Traditional / reference
    https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26030631
  11. Krzyzanowska-Kowalczyk, J. and Pecio, L. and Moldoch, J. and Ludwiczuk, A. and Kowalczyk, M (2018) 'Novel Phenolic Constituents of Pulmonaria officinalis L. LC-MS/MS Comparison of Spring and Autumn Metabolite Profiles', Molecules, 23(9). doi:10.3390/molecules23092277 Traditional / reference
    https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23092277
  12. Krzyzanowska-Kowalczyk, J., Kolodziejczyk-Czepas, J., Kowalczyk, M., Pecio, L., Nowak, P. and Stochmal, A (2017) 'Yunnaneic Acid B, a Component of Pulmonaria officinalis Extract, Prevents Peroxynitrite-Induced Oxidative Stress in Vitro', Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 65(19), pp. 3827--3834. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.7b00718 Preclinical
    https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.7b00718

Record last updated 2026-06-20 · Provenance: website+pubmed+symptom-tool · Status: verified

This fact sheet is generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and reflects its latest synced data. It is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.

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Generated June 22, 2026 from omniasana.bio