Omnia SanaCommon names in 11 European languages →
The complete database record: 2 documented constituents, 6 pharmacological actions, 12 traditional / indicated uses, with 15 cited sources.
Botanical Description
Small, low-growing annual or short-lived perennial herb with oval to lance-shaped, scalloped leaves and large, leaf-like stipules. The distinctive flowers are tricoloured - purple, yellow and white in varying combinations - with five petals, the lower petal often marked with dark veining (a 'face' pattern), giving rise to the name 'heartsease'.[9]
Habitat & Distribution
Grows in grassland, cultivated ground, gardens and waste places on a wide range of soils; native to Europe and widely naturalised elsewhere as a common garden and wild plant.[9]
Harvesting
The flowering aerial parts are cut in summer while in flower and dried in a warm, shaded, airy place.[9]
Key Constituents
Bioactive cyclic peptides shown to suppress over-active immune (T-cell) responses - the rationale for use in inflammatory skin disease; the cytotoxic cyclotides vitri A, varv A and varv E have been isolated from V. tricolor. Cyclotide-enriched preparations (including hot-water decoctions) reduce T-cell proliferation and macrophage cytokine output in vitro, of interest for inflammatory bowel disease.
Pharmacological Actions
Anti-inflammatory / immunomodulatory for chronic skin conditions - eczema, psoriasis, itching and scabs (traditional, supported by cyclotide research) - cyclotide-enriched V. tricolor preparations suppress T-cell proliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in vitro; Soothes irritated skin (demulcent and anti-inflammatory)
Cytotoxic / antiproliferative against cancer cell lines in vitro (cyclotides vitri A, varv A and varv E)
Soothes irritated skin (demulcent and anti-inflammatory); Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis and chest inflammation
Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis and chest inflammation
Anti-inflammatory / immunomodulatory for chronic skin conditions - eczema, psoriasis, itching and scabs (traditional, supported by cyclotide research) - cyclotide-enriched V. tricolor preparations suppress T-cell proliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in vitro
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis and chest inflammation
inferred from anticancer action
more plants for cancer (anticancer research) →detailed sources →
inferred from immunomodulator action
Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis and chest inflammation
Anti-inflammatory / immunomodulatory for chronic skin conditions - eczema, psoriasis, itching and scabs (traditional, supported by cyclotide research) - cyclotide-enriched V. tricolor preparations suppress T-cell proliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in vitro
inferred from immunomodulator action
Traditional demulcent / expectorant for cough, bronchitis and chest inflammation
Anti-inflammatory / immunomodulatory for chronic skin conditions - eczema, psoriasis, itching and scabs (traditional, supported by cyclotide research) - cyclotide-enriched V. tricolor preparations suppress T-cell proliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in vitro
inferred from expectorant action
Soothes irritated skin (demulcent and anti-inflammatory)
Traditional Use & History
Heartsease has a long European folk history as a soothing remedy for skin conditions such as eczema and itching, and as a traditional demulcent and expectorant for coughs and chest complaints; this traditional skin-supportive use is now linked to immunomodulatory cyclic peptides (cyclotides) unique to the Viola genus.[9]
Preparations
Dried flowering herb infused in hot water, taken internally for cough or used as a cooled compress for skin irritation.
Dosage
The EU herbal monograph gives, for oral use in adults and elderly, 3 g of the comminuted herb as an infusion 1-3 times daily. For cutaneous use, 5-20 g/L as an infusion applied as a wet dressing 2-3 times daily, or 5-10 g/L as a bath additive (1 litre of infusion per bath). Contraindicated in hypersensitivity to salicylates, and cutaneously on open wounds or large areas of damaged skin. Oral use not recommended under 18 years. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Regarded as safe in customary traditional use; because the extract suppresses immune-cell activity, there is a theoretical caution when taking immunosuppressant medicines.
Contains salicylates, so use caution if you are salicylate-sensitive; safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not established.
Harvest Readiness
[14]
External Identifiers
References & Sources
- Retzl, B., Zimmermann-Klemd, A.M., Winker, M., Nicolay, S., Grundemann, C. and Gruber, C.W (2023) 'Exploring Immune Modulatory Effects of Cyclotide-Enriched Viola tricolor Preparations', Planta Medica, 89(15), pp. 1493--1504. doi:10.1055/a-2173-8627 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2173-8627 - Harati, E., Bahrami, M., Razavi, A., Kamalinejad, M. and others (2018) 'Effects of Viola tricolor Flower Hydroethanolic Extract on Lung Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Chronic Asthma', Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, 17(5), pp. 409-417. doi:10.18502/ijaai.v17i5.299 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.18502/ijaai.v17i5.299 - Sadeghnia, H.R., Ghorbani Hesari, T., Mortazavian, S.M., Mousavi, S.H. and others (2014) 'Viola tricolor induces apoptosis in cancer cells and exhibits antiangiogenic activity on chicken chorioallantoic membrane', BioMed Research International, 2014, pp. 625792. doi:10.1155/2014/625792 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/625792 - Mousavi, S.H., Naghizade, B., Pourgonabadi, S. and Ghorbani, A (2016) 'Protective effect of Viola tricolor and Viola odorata extracts on serum/glucose deprivation-induced neurotoxicity: role of reactive oxygen species', Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 6(4), pp. 434-441. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Protective%20effect%20of%20Viola%20tricolor%20and%20Viola%20odorata%20extracts%20on%20serum/glucose%20deprivation-induced%20neurotoxicity%3A%20role%20of%20reactive%20oxygen%20species - Witkowska-Banaszczak, E., Bylka, W., Matlawska, I., Goslinska, O. and Muszynski, Z (2005) 'Antimicrobial activity of Viola tricolor herb', Fitoterapia, 76(5), pp. 458-461. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2005.03.005 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2005.03.005 - Baradaran Rahimi, V., Askari, V.R., Hosseini, M., Yousefsani, B.S. and Sadeghnia, H.R (2019) 'Anticonvulsant Activity of Viola tricolor against Seizures Induced by Pentylenetetrazol and Maximal Electroshock in Mice', Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences, 44(3), pp. 220-226. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Anticonvulsant%20Activity%20of%20Viola%20tricolor%20against%20Seizures%20Induced%20by%20Pentylenetetrazol%20and%20Maximal%20Electroshock%20in%20Mice - Piana, M., Silva, M.A., Trevisan, G., de Brum, T.F. and others (2013) 'Antiinflammatory effects of Viola tricolor gel in a model of sunburn in rats and the gel stability study', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 150(2), pp. 458-465. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.08.040 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2013.08.040 - Han, B.Y., Wang, Z.L., Li, J., Jin, Q. and others (2023) 'A highly selective C-rhamnosyltransferase from Viola tricolor and insights into its mechanisms', Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 13(8), pp. 3535-3544. doi:10.1016/j.apsb.2023.05.011 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2023.05.011 - Hellinger, R., Koehbach, J., Fedchuk, H., Sauer, B., Huber, R., Gruber, C.W. and Grundemann, C (2013) 'Immunosuppressive activity of an aqueous Viola tricolor herbal extract', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, pp. 2013. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.10.044 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2013.10.044 - Kirichenko, T.V., Sobenin, I.A., Nikolic, D., Rizzo, M. and Orekhov, A.N (2015) 'Anti-cytokine therapy for prevention of atherosclerosis', Phytomedicine, 23(11), pp. 1198-1210. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2015.12.002 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2015.12.002 - Conzelmann, C., Muratspahic, E., Tomasevic, N., Munch, J. and Gruber, C.W (2022) 'Inhibition of HIV-1 by Cyclotide-Enriched Extracts of Viola tricolor', Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, pp. 888961. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.888961 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.888961 - Maraschio, A., Wulhfard, K. and Monsellato, L (2023) 'Case study of clinical improvement of atopic dermatitis in a patient treated with herbal-based parapharmaceuticals', Journal of Complementary & Integrative Medicine, 20(2), pp. 504-511. doi:10.1515/jcim-2023-0005 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2023-0005 - Svangard, E. and Goransson, U. and Hocaoglu, Z. and Gullbo, J. and Larsson, R. and Claeson, P. and Bohlin, L (2004) 'Cytotoxic cyclotides from Viola tricolor', Journal of Natural Products, 67(2), pp. 144--147. doi:10.1021/np030101l Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1021/np030101l - Plants For A Future 'Viola tricolor (Heartsease, Wild Pansy)'. Available at: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Viola+tricolor Traditional / reference
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Viola+tricolor - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (2010) 'Community herbal monograph on Viola tricolor L. and/or subspecies Viola arvensis Murray (Gaud) and Viola vulgaris Koch (Oborny), herba cum flore'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-community-herbal-monograph-viola-tricolor-l_en.pdf Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-community-herbal-monograph-viola-tricolor-l_en.pdf
Selected studies & references
All 13 studies in the Knowledge Finder →
This profile is assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database, which we curate by hand. How this site is built.